palster Obs. or arch.
[a. MDu. and Du. palster stick with iron spike, pilgrim's staff: cf. OE. palstr, palester spike:—? OTeut. *palstro- ‘stick with a thorn’ (Franck); cf. MLG. palte, LG. palt, palter, pult, Sw. palta tatter, splinter.]
A pilgrim's staff.
| 1481 Caxton Reynard xix. (Arb.) 47, I desire of your grace that I may haue male and staff [orig. palster ende mael] blessyd, as belongeth to a pilgrym,..he shal goo on pylgrymage, and gyue to hym male and staf [mael ende staf]..He hynge on the foxes necke a male couerd wyth the skynne of bruyn the bere, and a lytil palster [een cleyn palsterkijn] therby. c 1489 ― Sonnes of Aymon xxi. 466 To gyve me a newe sloppe and a large hode, a palster well yrende. [1894 F. S. Ellis Reynard the Fox 147 Then in his hand a sturdy palster He put.] |