flag ...bunting\ a. 'An open-made worsted stuff, used for making flags' (Ure Dict. Arts); also in general, a flag, or flags collectively.
644 H. MANWAYRING Sea-mans Dict. s.v. Flaggs, At sea to lower or strike ones Flagg in fight is a token of yeelding, but otherwise of great obedience and respect.
A fabric, apparently linen; used for flags. 1592 Wills & Inv. N.C. II. (1860) 211 Lawne cufes 3s.,peace of bowpres 16s. 1660 Act 12 Chas. II, iv. Sched., Beaupers the piece jl. vs.
1664 PEPYS Diary (1879) III. 56 Among the Linnen Wholesale Drapers..to see what can be done with them for the supplying our want of Bewpers for flaggs. Ibid. 16 June, Supplying us with bewpers from Norwich.
1720 Stow's Surv. (1754) II. V. xviii. 382/2 Bolters and Bewpers the dozen pieces 1d.
Pauline Link to this
from L&M's Large Glossary
v. 289 bunting, fabic used for flags; origin unknown (?Beaupreau, Fr. town) (elsewhere 'blufers' and other variants) 1592.
Cum grano salis Link to this
OED has no entry for Bewper[s]
flag ...bunting\
a. 'An open-made worsted stuff, used for making flags' (Ure Dict. Arts); also in general, a flag, or flags collectively.
644 H. MANWAYRING Sea-mans Dict. s.v. Flaggs, At sea to lower or strike ones Flagg in fight is a token of yeelding, but otherwise of great obedience and respect.
Cum grano salis Link to this
Errata: OED beaupers, bewpers
A fabric, apparently linen; used for flags.
1592 Wills & Inv. N.C. II. (1860) 211 Lawne cufes 3s.,peace of bowpres 16s. 1660 Act 12 Chas. II, iv. Sched., Beaupers the piece jl. vs.
1664 PEPYS Diary (1879) III. 56 Among the Linnen Wholesale Drapers..to see what can be done with them for the supplying our want of Bewpers for flaggs. Ibid. 16 June, Supplying us with bewpers from Norwich.
1720 Stow's Surv. (1754) II. V. xviii. 382/2 Bolters and Bewpers the dozen pieces 1d.
WinchesterWing Link to this
This Life, which seems so fair,
Is like a bubble blown up in the air
By sporting children's breath,
Who chase it everywhere