Forms 3–5 aketoun; 4 acketton; 4–9 aketon; 5 akatown, aktone, actone, -oun(e, -owne, hacton; 6 hocqueton, hocton; 6–7 haketon; 6–9 hacqueton; 5–9 acketon, haqueton; 4– acton. [a. OFr. (12th c.) auqueton, later (15th, 16th c.) hocqueton, hocton, mod. Fr. hoqueton, cotton wool, padding, whence, a padded and quilted jacket; a. Sp. alcoton, algodon ‘cotton, bombast,’ ad. Arab. alqūtun, al-qūtn the cotton. Obsol. since 16th c. exc. as a historical term. Acton is the lineal descendant of the ME. forms; in Fr. the word has since received an initial h, which has also influenced English since Caxton’s time in the forms HAQUETON, hacqueton, haketon, hacton, some of which also are still in historical use. Hoqueton, hocqueton, hocton, are later Fr. forms, not now used.] A stuffed jacket or jerkin, at first of quilted cotton, worn under the mail; also, in later times, a jacket of leather or other material plated with mail.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 5150. Withouten sotoned aketoun, Oither plate, oither gaumbisoun.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sir Thopas, 149. And next his schert an aketoun, And over that an haberjoun.
c. 1400. Sege off Melayne, 917. Ther oon he keste an acton syne.
a. 1450. Syr Perecyvelle, 1102. Blode rede was his stede, His aktone and his other wede.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Graal, II. 199. Here hors, here armures, here akatowns.
1475. Caxton, Jason, 16. He percid hit and the hauberk and the haqueton.
1496. Dives & Pauper (W. de Worde), X. vi. 380/1. We muste do aboue the Jacke or acton of charyte.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froissart, I. ccccxxx. 756. With pauesons and cootes of steele, hoctons, shapeaux, and bassinettes.
1576. Holinshed, Chron., II. 581. The bishop had upon him a certeine cote of defense, which was called an aketon.
1599. Thynne, Animadver., 31. Aketon or Haketone you [Speght] expounde a jackett withoute sleves … But haketon is a slevelesse jackett of plate for the warre, couered with anye other stuffe; at this day also called a jackett of plate.
1609. Sir J. Skene, Reg. Maj., 25. That ilk laick landed man haueand ten punds in gudes and geir, sall haue for his bodie, and for defence of the Realme, ane sufficient Acton, ane basnet, and ane gloue of plate.
1623. Camden, Rem. (1637), 196. They had also about this time … a jacket without sleeves called a Haketon.
1805. Scott, Lay L. Minst., III. vi. But Cranstoun’s lance, of more avail … Through shield, and jack, and acton past. Ibid. (1828), F. M. Perth, III. 341. His rich acton, and all his other vestments, looked as if they had been lately drenched in water.
