Obs. exc. Hist. Forms: 6 viffleur, wyffler, wyff-, wiffeler, wyfler, weffler, 6–7 wiffler, whiffeler, 6–8 wifler, 7 whyfler, 7–8 whifler, 6– whiffler. [f. WIFLE javelin, axe + -ER1; the spelling with wh is prob. due to association with WHIFF and WHIFFLE v.1] One of a body of attendants armed with a javelin, battle-axe, sword, or staff, and wearing a chain, employed to keep the way clear for a procession or at some public spectacle.
Whifflers formed a regular part of the Corporation procession at Norwich till 1835; they were employed also on 11 Sept. 1848, when the then Duke of Cambridge attended the triennial musical festival.
1539. in Archaeologia, XXXII. 33. The chamberlayn & councellors of the cytye, & the aldermens deputyes whiche were assigned to be wyffelers on horsebacke, were all yn cotes of whyte damaske … wt great chaynes abowte theyre necks, & propre javilyns or battle axes yn theyre handes…. The wyffelers on fote were iiij. C propre lyght persones apparellyd yn whyte sylke or buffe jerkyns,… every man havyng a slaugh sworde or a javelyn to kepe the people yn araye, wt chaynes abowte theyre necks.
1544. in Rymer, Foedera (1719), XV. 53. [At the King’s departure from Calais] Furst, the Drommes and Viffleurs, then the Trompets, then [etc.].
1544. in Lett. & Papers Hen. VIII., XIX. II. 305. The captain of the Spaniards … asketh allowance for the wages of himself, his petty captain, his standard bearer, drum, file, wifler, surgeon and priest.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., LII. v. Drums, fiffes, flags, and wiflers.
1560–1. in Old City Acc. Bk. (Archæol. Jrnl. XLIII). Payde for iij staves ffor wefflers.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., V. Chorus 12. The deep-mouth’d Sea, Which like a mightie Whiffler ’fore the King, Seemes to prepare his way.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xiii. 50. They … were … scornefull toward particulars, which their manner was to vse … as … Sargeants and Wifflers … to make way … for their opinions.
1618. Bp. Hall, Righteous Mammon, Wks. (1625), 701. Some vaine whiffler, that is proud of a borrowed chaine.
1641. Milton, Animadv., iv. 30. His former transition was in the faire about the Jugglers, now he is at the Pageants among the Whifflers.
a. 1658. Cleveland, Poems, etc. (1677), 112. First as a Whifler before the show enter Stamford, one that trod the Stage with the first, travers’d his ground, made a Leg and Exit.
1707. E. Ward, Hud. Rediv., VI. II. 23. The Colours that their Whifflers wear, And diff’rent Ensigns that they bear.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 536, ¶ 5. Our fine young Ladies … retain in their Service … as great a Number as they can of supernumerary … Fellows, which they use like Whiflers.
1787. Grose, Prov. Gloss., Whifflers, men who make way for the corporation of Norwich, by flourishing their swords.
b. transf. A swaggerer, braggadocio.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 113. Yet another place of S. Paule out of the whiche this wylde wiffler may rushe upon us with his leaden dagger.
1607. Dekker & Webster, Northw. Hoe, II. i. Your right whiffler … hangs himselfe in Saint Martins, and not in Cheape-side.
1644. Featley, Levites Scourge, To Rdr. They fight … rather like whifflers with vizards on their faces.
1881. Shorthouse, J. Inglesant, ix. A motley company of mummers, masquers, fantastic phantoms, whifflers, thieves, rufflers.
1889. ‘Q’ (Quilier-Couch), Splendid Spur, xiii. 205. The crew of gipsies, whifflers, mountebanks, fortune-tellers, [etc.].
¶ The sense ‘piper, fifer’ found in Dicts. from Kersey’s ed. of Phillips (1706), onwards is baseless.
