Obs. Also 5–7 bouch. See also BOUGE sb.2 [a. F. bouche lit. ‘mouth.’]
1. An allowance of victual granted by a king or noble to his household, his attendants on a military expedition, etc. Only in (or with reference to) the phrase to have bouche of (in) court = F. avoir bouche à (en) cour lit. ‘to have mouth at court.’
a. 1440. Sir Degrev., 998. The eorl … ffayre hym gan praye To dwel at hys costage, At bouche and court and wage.
1441. Plumpton, Corr., Introd. 55. The said people … kept the said towne of Ripon like a towne of warr, takeing some vid. a day, & xiid. a day, & bouch of court.
1526. Househ. Ord., in Thynne’s Animadv. (1865), Introd. 38. For their Bouch in the morning, one chet loafe, one manchet, one gallon of ale.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, 45. [The emperor] called for Virgil and gave him not onely a present reward, with a good allowance of dyet; a bouche in court, as we use to call it.
1601. in F. Tate, Househ. Ord. Edw. II., § 49 (1876), 31. He shal have for his bouch, iiijd. ob. a dai.
1662. Fuller, Worthies, I. 173. All having Bouch of Court, (bread and beer) and six pence a day.
2. Mouth; esp. in phrase ball, bullet in (en) bouche; cf. also ball or bullet in mouth.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, III. (Arb.), 92. Heere loa behold Borens from bouch of north blo Pelorus Oure ships ful chargeth.
1591. Garrard, Art Warre, 76. The valiant repulse of a sodaine invading enimie by Bawll en bouche.
1650. Sir W. Butler, in Carlyle, Cromwell’s Lett. & Sp., Let. cxxiii. With their drums beating, colours flying, matches burning, and bullet in bouch.
[1708. Lond. Gaz., No. 4479/5. The Garrison is to march out … with loaded Arms, flying Colours, Drums beating, Match lighted, Ball in Mouth.]
3. À bouche: (see quot.)
1864. Boutell, Heraldry Hist. & Pop., iii. (ed. 3), 14. In these shields a curved notch is cut out, for the lance to pass through, in the dexter chief; when thus pierced the shield was said to be à bouche.
