▪ I. † ˈsheltron1 Obs.
Forms: 1 scyld-, scildtruma, scyl-, sceltruma, 3 sceld-trome, -trume, soltrome, -trume, 4 schiltron, -trum, -trun, -t(e)roun, (childrome), scheltroun, (cheltroun), s(c)heltrome, -trun, -trum, scheld(es)trome, (schetrome), sheltrone, shil-, shyltroun, shultrom, scholtrom, -trum, 4–5 scheltrom, -tron, sheltron, schiltrom, 5 sheltroun, shiltron, shildryme, shyltron, sheldrun, 5–6 scheltrone, (5 cheltrone, 6 seltron), 6 Hist. schiltron.
[OE. scieldtruma, f. scield shield n. + truma troop.
The original sense is that of a body of men protected by their shields locked so as to form a roof and wall; = testudo 3 b. Cf. the synonymous or nearly synonymous OE. scieldburg (= ON. skjaldborg), scieldhréoþa, scieldweall.]
1. A close, compact body of troops; troops drawn up in battle array; a phalanx.
The word became obsolete in the 15th c.; all subsequent examples are echoes from early chronicles.
| c 1000 ælfric Gram. xlvii. (Z.) 274 Subter densa testudine under ðiccum scyldtruman oððe randbeaᵹe. c 1000 in Napier OE. Glosses i. 2959 Testudine, of scyltruman. c 1205 Lay. 16371 He nom his eorles..& his holdeste men..& makede his sceld-trume [c 1275 one soltrome]. Ibid. 27506 Heo comen to þere uerde..& þene sceld-trume [c 1275 sultrome] breken. c 1325 Coer de L. 5577 They made scheltroun and bataylyde. Ibid. 5744 He brak asunder the scheltrome. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 3512 Þey bere þe launces vp and doun, On þe manere of a scheltroun [Petyt MS. cheltroun]. 1375 Barbour Bruce xii. 429 For all thair battalis sammyn wer In a schiltrum [Camb. MS. childrome]. 1382 Wyclif Gen. xiv. 8 And thei dressiden aȝens hem sheltrun in the wodi valey. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 61 Þe Romayns wyfes..wente..bytwene þe scheltroms, and cryde pees. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 294 [They] sheteþ out shot ynowh hus shultrom to blende. 1422 Yonge tr. Secreta Secret. xxxi. 174 Haniball..ordaynyd his shildrymes, steryn battaill he yaue. c 1440 Eng. Conq. Irel. (Rawl. MS.) 31 Thay brakyn har sheldrun, and wentyn aftyr. c 1450 Merlin xx. 326 A-gein hem myght endure noon harneys, ne no kynge, ne warde, ne sheltron, were it neuer so clos. a 1513 Fabyan Chron. vi. ccxvii. (1516) 137/1 (Battle of Hastings.) Than the Seltrons smote togyder with a great noyse and crye, and faught sore. 1530 Palsgr. 266/2 Scheltrone of a batayle. 1577–87 Holinshed Chron. III. 307/2 The Scots [at Falkirk, 1298] were diuided in foure shiltrons, as they termed them, or as we may saie, round battels. |
| fig. ? 14.. Salutation Our Lady 19 in MS. Cantab. Ff. 2. 38, fo. 31 b, Heyle, scheltrun schouris to shelde! c 1425 Orolog. Sapient. ii. in Anglia X. 343/39 Þe best prevede knihtes sette in þe cheltrone of Criste. |
2. transf. Applied to a compact body of ships.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 3239 The sheltrun togedur, Þat fild were with folke.., Sesit vp þere sailes. Ibid. 6033. |
¶ The word jeltron, geltron in the following quot., commonly cited as a form of sheltron, is prob. a misprint for *jestron, gestron: see gesteron.
| ? 1510 Hickscorner (W. de W.) A ij b, No armure so stronge in no dystresse Habergyon helme ne yet no Ieltron [ed. Waley (a. 1586) geltron]. |
▪ II. † ˈsheltron2 Obs. rare—1.
In 4 scheltroun, sheltrom, -trun, shyltroun.
[? A corruption of some form of scantillon.
Perh. only a misreading on the part of a scribe; the word sheltron in its proper use occurs in the poem.]
A standard, gauge.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 81 For-þi mesure we vs wel and make owre faithe owre scheltroun [v.rr. as above]. |