Obs. Forms: 4 clergeon, -eoun, -ioun, (cleregoun), 5–6 clergion. [a. OF. clerjon, mod.F. clergeon, dim. of clerc: in OF. also clerson, clerchon, Pr. clerzon, Sp. clerizon, Romanic type cler(i)cione: see note to CLERGY.]
A young clerk or member of a clerical order; a chorister or choir-boy; also (as in Fr.) a term of depreciation = petty clerk.
c. 1325. Chron. Eng., 528, in Ritson, Metr. Rom., II. 292. The thridde [partie he sende] to poore cleregouns.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 131. Þe kyng … said … if he had had men, as he wend, of renoun, Þei suld haf venged him of suilk a clergioun [Thos. à Becket].
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prioress’s T., 51. A litel clergeon seuen yeer of age.
c. 1400. Test. Love, II. (1560), 282/2. At masse serveth but a clergion.
b. fig. Young songster (bird).
1540. Surrey, Descr. Restl. State, 22, Poems 72. The earth … sendeth forth … her clergions … to mount and fly up to the air Where then they sing in order fair.
