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Words for Medieval Badges
Dated Handlist
This list of spellings with dates was culled from the Oxford English Dictionary.
Badge
- bage(s), c1350
- bage or bagge of armys, c1440
- badge(s), 1485
Brooch
- broche, 1225
- brooch(es), c 1385
- bruche(z), 1400
- broche, 1530
- brouche, 1551
- brooch, 1588
- bruch, 1720
- brotche, 1776 (perhaps Scots)
Cockle / cockle-shell
- cockes, 1393
- cokeles, 15th C
- cochille, c 1425
- cockille, c 1430
- cocle, c 1440
- cokyll, 1499
- coccle, 1530
- coquille, 1530
- cockle, 1577-87
Cognizance, -sance
- conysaunce, c 1400
- cognoyssaunce, 1483
- cognoyssance, 1545
- cognizaunce, 1590
- cognisance, 1638
- conusance, 1642
- cognizance, 1651
Ensign
- ensignes, 1474
- ensygnes, 1491
- ensen{ygh}eis, 1513 (Scots)
- insignes, 1536
- ensign, 1609
- ensigne, 1676
- ensign, 1691
- insigns, 1710
- ensign, 1772
Livery
- liuere, c 1300
- lyuere, 1330
- lufre, 1375
- leuerey, 1399
- lyvere, 1440
- liverye, 1596
- lewerie, 1616
- livery - earliest listing for the modern spelling, 1639
Sign
- signe, 1290
- sygne, 1393
- syne, 1483
- signe, 1570
- sign, 1678