an estate steward, so crafty that--

"Ther nas baillif (Chapter IV), ne herde (Chapter III), nor oother
hyne (Chapter III),
That he ne knew his sleights and his covyne"

(A, 603);

and finally the Cook, or Coke (Chapter I)--

"To boylle the chicknes and the marybones."

(A, 380.)

In a class by himself stands the grimmest figure of all, the Shipman,
of whom we are told

"If that he faught, and hadde the hyer hond,
By water he sente hem hoom to every lond."

(A, 399.)

The same occupation has given the name Marner, for mariner, and
Seaman, but the medieval forms of the rare name Saylor show that it is
from Fr. sailleur, a dancer, an artist who also survives as Hopper and
Leaper--

"To one that leped at Chestre, 6s. 8d."

(Privy Purse Expenses of Henry VII, 1495.)

[Footnote: He was usually more generous to the high arts, e.g. "To a
Spaynarde that pleyed the fole, L2," "To the young damoysell that
daunceth, L30." With which cf. "To Carter for writing of a boke, 7s.
4d."]

The pilgrims were accompanied by the host of the Tabard Inn, whose
occupation has given us the names Inman and Hostler, Oastler, Old Fr.
hostelier (hotelier), now applied to the inn servant who looks after
the 'osses. Another form is the modern-looking Hustler. Distinct
from these is Oster, Fr. oiseleur, a bird-catcher; cf. Fowler.

ECCLESIASTICAL NAMES

If we deal here with ecclesiastical names, as being really nicknames
(Chapter XV), that will leave the trader and craftsman, the peasant,
and the official or servile class to be treated in separate chapters.
Social, as distinguished from occupative, surnames have already been
touched on, and the names, not very numerous, connected with warfare
have also been mentioned in various connections.

Among ecclesiastical names Monk has the largest number of variants.
Its Anglo-French form is sometimes represented by Munn and Moon, while
Money is the oldest Fr. monie; cf. Vicary from Old Fr. vicarie. But
the French names La Monnaie, de la Monnaie, are local, from residence
near the mint. The canon appears as Cannon, Channen, and Shannon, Fr.
chanoine--

"With this chanoun I dwelt have seven yere"

(G, 720);

but Dean is also local sometimes (Chapter XII) and Deacon is an
imitative form of Dakin or Deakin, from David (Chapter VI). Charter
was used of a monk of the Charter-house, a popular corruption of
Chartreuse

"With a company dyde I mete,
As ermytes, monkes, and fr