Forms: 3 cunestable, 4–6 conestable, 4–7 cunstable, 5 connestable, constabyle, -bylle, -bill, cunstabylle, konstabel, 5–6 constabulle, cunstabulle, 6 connestabul, connistable, 7 conistable, 3– constable. [ME., a. OF. cunestable, conestable (mod.F. connétable = Pr. conestable, Sp. condestable, Pg. condestavel, It. conestabile), repr. late L. comes stabulī count or officer of the stable, marshal (in the Theodosian Code, A.D. 438, Gregory of Tours, 575), corresponding to the earlier tribūnus stabulī (Ammianus), whence later comesta-, conestabulus: Skeat quotes from a document under date 807, ‘comes stabuli quem corrupte conestabulum appellamus.’ Other med.L. forms were comestabilis, conestabilis, etc.: see Du Cange. The early development of the sense, whereby the comes stabuli, from being the head groom of the stable, became the principal officer of the household of the Frankish kings, and of the great feudatories, and the field-marshal or commander-general of the army, had taken place before the word came into English; the development was parallel to that of marshal. The earlier English uses were simply taken over from French.]
1. gen. The chief officer of the household, court, administration, or military forces of a ruler.
a. 1240. Sawles Warde, in Cott. Hom., 247. Wit þe husbonde godes cunestable cleopeð warschipe forð ant makið hire durewart.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 2169. Now haþ ysoude her wille, Tristrem constable is heiȝe.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VI. 201. Ethiocles Bad his constabill vith hym ta Fifty weill Armyt, and forouth ga To meit thedeus in the way.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 4445. Þe Amyral hadde y-loued hym long … Constable he mad him of ys lond.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. IV. 256. Sholde neuere conscience be my constable, Were ich a kyng ycoroned.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, I. viii. (1544), 15 a. Zisara … Of king Jabin, called the great constable Of his hoost, leader, and gouernoure.
1485. Caxton, Chas. Gt. (1880), 167. And the sayd paynym was conestable of al the londes of thadmyral.
2. spec. a. Constable of France: the principal officer of the household of the early French kings, who ultimately rose to be commander-in-chief of the army in the absence of the monarch; he was the supreme judge of military offences and of questions of chivalry, and had the regulation of all matters connected with tilts, tournaments, trials by combat, etc.
The office was abolished in 1627: the title was revived by Napoleon I., but discontinued on his overthrow. An officer bearing the name of constable existed also in the households of the great feudal lords of France.
1475. Bk. Noblesse (1860), 12. The erle of Eu, connestable of Fraunce … and others knightes and squiers were take prisoneris.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., I. vii. 15. Whome we call now in fraunce conestable.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., III. vii. 135. Mess. My Lord High Constable, the English lye within fifteene hundred paces of your Tents.
1777. Watson, Philip II. (1839), 15. Constable Montmorency, so much celebrated for his heroic valour.
1795. Southey, Joan of Arc, X. 33. One day, Perhaps the Constable of France may learn He wrong’d Du Chastel.
1875. Maine, Hist. Inst., v. 139. The Constables of France repeatedly shook or saved the French throne.
b. Constable of England, Lord High Constable: one of the chief functionaries in the English royal household, with duties and powers similar to those of the same officer in France.
Together with the Earl Marshal, he was the judge of the Court of Chivalry, and in early times his powers of jurisdiction were extensive. The office, which had been made merely titular a few years before, was forfeited by Edward Stafford, duke of Buckingham, in 1521; since which time the title has been granted only temporarily for particular occasions, esp. the sovereign’s coronation. Thus the Duke of Wellington was Lord High Constable at the coronation of Queen Victoria.
[1384. Act 8 Rich. II., c. 5. Quod diversa placita … trahuntur jam de novo coram Constabulario et Marescallo.]
1520. Chron. Eng., VII. 156/1. He was arested by the Vycounte Beaumont the Constable of Englande.
1538. Starkey, England, II. ii. (1871), 182. Our old aunceturys … ordeynyd a Connestabul of Englond, to conturpayse the authoryte of the prynce.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. i. 102. When I came hither, I was Lord High Constable, and Duke of Buckingham: now, poore Edward Bohun.
1700. Tyrrell, Hist. Eng., II. 892. The Earl of Chester (as Lord High Constable) carried the Sword of St. Edward, called Curteine, before the King.
1820. Scott, Ivanhoe, III. xiv. 348. I, Henry Bohun, Earl of Essex, Lord High Constable of England.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., III. iv. 642. The Constable—Constabularius Regis or Constabularius Angliæ—seems to have been … (next the king) the supreme commander of the army.
c. Constable of Scotland: a chief officer in the Scottish royal household, having powers of jurisdiction in respect of all transgressions committed within four miles of the king’s person, the parliament or privy council. (The hereditary title is still in existence.)
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. (1885), 127. Quha is … ouir the kingis court to punise offenderis, Connistable, we cal.
1746–7. Act 20 Geo. II., c. 43 § 2. All heretable constabularies, other than the office of high constable of Scotland.
1881. J. Russell, Haigs, ii. 29. This De Morville is therein designed Constable of Scotland.
1886. Whitaker’s Almanack (Scotland), Officers of State: Royal Household, Hereditary High Constable, Earl of Erroll.
d. The title of dignitaries in other countries.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 3842. Þan was þer a kud kniȝt þe cunstables sone of spayne, come wel þre daies bi-fore þe king for to help.
1718. Berkeley, Tour in Italy, Wks. 1871, IV. 594. Marino, a pretty clean village, belonging to the Constable Colonna.
1777. Watson, Philip II. (1839), 509. Velasco, the constable of Castile and governor of Milan.
1837. Penny Cycl., VII. 357/2. Vittoria Colonna … was the daughter of Fabrizio Colonna, Great Constable of the kingdom of Naples.
3. The governor or warden of a royal fortress or castle. (Still the official title of the governors of some royal castles in England.)
[1215. Magna Carta, § 29. Nullus constabularius distringat aliquem militem ad dandum denarios pro custodia castri, si, etc.]
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 565. Of castel of Keningwurþe wardeins þer were, Sir William de la Cowe, þat constable was þere.
c. 1300. Havelok, 2366. Hwan he hauede of al þe lond Þe casteles alle in his hond, And conestables don þerinne.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VIII. 507.
| That the constabill and all the lafe | |
| That war thair-in, bath man and knaf, | |
| He tuk. |
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccix. 191. They token hir way toward Bristowe and ther the kyng … made sir hugh the spencer the fader as conestable and keper of the castel.
1633. T. Stafford, Pac. Hib., xv. (1821), 647. The Constable sued for a Protection and rendered the Castle to Captaine Flower.
1891. Whitaker’s Almanack, 92. Governor and Constable of Windsor Castle. Ibid., 234. London—Constable of the Tower.
fig. c. 1320. Cast. Love, 910. Þer þe castel is faste and stable And Charite is constable.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. IX. 16. Þe Cunstable of the Castel þat kepeþ hem alle Is a wys kniht wiþ alle, Sire Inwit he hette. Ibid. (1393), C. XXIII. 214. And þer was conscience constable crystine to saue.
4. A military officer.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 4329. Alisaundre hath, saun faile, Y-clepid to him ten constables.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, lx. (1890), 160/1. Eneas … called to hym Menesteus and Sarestum, that were connestables of his folke, and of the bataylles.
1570. Levins, Manip., 2/5. A constable, constabularius, Ethnarca.
1831. Scott, Ct. Robt., vii. My countryman, Whitikind, being a constable of our bands.
5. An officer of the peace. (See Sir J. Stephen, Hist. Crim. Law, I. vii. 194–200.) a. generally.
[1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. II. 173. Þe kyng … Comaunde þe Cunstable [v.r. a Cunstable, B. II. 198 a constable, C. III. 210 a constable] þat Com at þe furste To a-Tache þe Traytours for eny Tresour.
1455. Sc. Act Jas. II. (1597), § 60. Puir commounes ar greattumlie injured and oppressed be the Kingis Schireffes, Constables, and their ministers in time of Faires.]
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., V. iv. 4. The Constables haue deliuer’d her ouer to mee: and shee shall haue Whipping cheere enough, I warrant her.
1621. Elsing, Debates Ho. Lords, App. (Camden), 143. They went and fetched a cunstable and searched all her howse.
1707. G. Miége, State Gt. Brit., I. 481. The common Officers appointed to seize upon Malefactors, are those we call Constables.
1806. A. Duncan, Nelson’s Fun., 26. Special, petty, and other constables … were on duty.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 132. He is dragged away or put out by the constables at the command of the prytanes.
1890. G. J. Symons, in Times, 20 Dec., 5/6. Stories of pre-police days and of sleeping constables finding themselves on the pavement imprisoned in their own box.
b. High Constable: an officer of a hundred or other large administrative district, appointed to act as conservator of the peace within his district, and to perform various other duties. (Abolished in 1869.)
The office seems to have been originally established for military purposes, to raise the military force of the hundred in case of war or civil commotion; the duties attached to the office became in the course of time more of an administrative character.
[1285. Act 13 Edw. I., Stat. Wynton c. 6. E en chescun hundred e fraunchise seyent eleus deus Conestables, a fere la veue des armes].
1543. Act 34–35 Hen. VIII., c. 26 (Wales). The said Justices of the Peace … shall appoint and name in euery hundred … two substantiall gentlemen, or yeomen to be chiefe Constables of the hundred wherin they inhabite, which two constables of euery hundred shall haue a speciall regard to the conseruation of the Kings peace.
1569. B. Randolph, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 197. II. 255. The highe Constable of the saide Cytie and Lyberties taking with hym suche nomber of petit constables and others as to his discression sholde seme mete.
1715. Act 1 Geo. I., in Lond. Gaz., No. 5348/4. High or Petty Constable, or other Peace Officer.
1827. Act 7 & 8 Geo. IV., c. 31 § 7 (Schedule). Form of Notice to the High Constable of a Hundred or other like District, or to the Peace Officer of a County of a City or Town.
1844. Act 7 & 8 Vict., c. 33. An Act for … relieving High Constables from attendance at Quarter Sessions in certain cases.
1846. M’Culloch, Brit. Empire (1854), II. 233. Papists were … prohibited from being high or petty constables.
1869. Act 32 & 33 Vict., c. 47. An Act to provide for the discharge of the duties heretofore performed by High Constables, and for the abolition of such office. Ibid., § 8. This Act may be cited as the High Constables Act, 1869.
c. Petty or Parish Constable: an officer of a parish or township appointed to act as conservator of the peace and to perform a number of public administrative duties in his district. (Abolished, exc. as incorporated in the County Police system, in 1872.)
[1328. Act 2 Edw. III. c. 3. Meire & Baillifs des Citees & Burghs deinz meismes les Citees & Burghs, Burghaldres, conestables, & gardeins de la pees deinz lour gardes, eint poair affaire execucion de cest acord.]
1472. Presentmts. of Juries, in Surtees Misc. (1890), 23. Wt the constabylle William Baker.
1556. Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden), 66. Grett bonfyeres with grett chere at every cunstabulles dore in every parich thorrowe alle London.
a. 1626. Bacon, Max. & Uses Com. Law, 8. The Lord of the hundred court is to appoint in every village, a petty constable with a tithing-man to attend in his absence.
1736. Berkeley, Discourse, Wks. III. 430. From the supreme executor of the law down to a petty constable.
1765. Blackstone, Comm. (1793), 439. These petty constables have two offices united in them; the one antient, the other modern. Their antient office is that of headborough, tithing-man, or borsholder … who are as antient as the time of king Alfred: their more modern office is that of constable merely; which was appointed so lately as the reign of Edward III, in order to assist the high constable.
1857. Toulmin Smith, Parish, 55. The position of principal Parish Officer, in which character the Constable was summoner, has long been filled by the churchwardens.
1858. Froude, Hist. Eng., III. xvi. 409. The parish constables were necessarily inefficient as a police.
1872. Act 35 & 36 Vict., c. 92. An Act to render unnecessary the general Appointment of Parish Constables. Whereas the establishment of an efficient police in the counties of England and Wales has rendered the general appointment of parish constables unnecessary, etc.
d. Now, esp., a police constable, a member of the constabulary or police force, a policeman. Chief Constable: the officer at the head of the police force of a county or equivalent district.
a. 1836. Penny Cycl., XIII. 25. (Irish Constabulary) 10 resident magistrates, 155 chief constables of the first, and 50 of the second class, 1232 constables, 6233 subconstables, and 277 horse of the constabulary force.
1839. Act 2 & 3. Vict., c. 93. An Act for the Establishment of County and District Constables. Ibid., § 6. Subject to Approval … the Chief Constable shall appoint the other Constables to be appointed for the County, and a Superintendent to be at the Head of the Constables in each Division of the County. Ibid., c. 95 § 5. A Police Force for the whole of the Borough … to act as Constables for preserving the Peace.
1885. Spectator, 3 Oct. Suppl. The very word police … did not become common until late in the last century, and ‘the Police’ as an equivalent for the body of constables, is much more modern.
e. Special Constable: a person sworn in by the Justices of the Peace to act as constable on special occasions when it is apprehended that the force of regular constables will prove insufficient to preserve the peace.
1801. Act 41 Geo. III., c. 78.
1806. [see a.].
1831. Act 1 & 2 Wm. III., c. 41. An Act for amending the Laws relative to the Appointment of Special Constables, and for the better Preservation of the Peace.
f. In the Channel Islands, the elected chief officer of a parish; in Jersey he is its representative in the States, a magistrate, etc.; in Guernsey his duties are now more restricted.
1652. Warburton, Guernsey (1822), 62. The Constables … Their office is to keep the peace.
1694. Falle, Jersey, ii. 65. The Constable of the Parish where the Perambulation is to be, takes with him 12 of the Principal Men of his Parish, and meets the Judge attended by 3 or more of the Jurats on Horseback.
1862. Ansted, Channel Isl., IV. xxiii. (ed. 2), 521 (Jersey). Each parish … elects one constable who represents his parish in the States.
1873. J. Lewis, Census, 1871, 203 (Jersey). The constables are the principal magistrates in each parish.
g. attrib.
1809. R. Langford, Intr. Trade, 131. Constable hire, a person’s wages for attending a ship till unloaded, to prevent theft.
6. Phr. To outrun the constable: a. to run away from a constable (or the law and its officers); also to run the constable.
1600. Kemp, Nine Daies Wond., 15. I far’d like one that had escaped the stockes, and tride the use of his legs to out-run the Constable.
1873. Miss Broughton, Nancy, II. 278. Rich! poor Huntley!… why, he was obliged to run the constable two years ago.
b. To go at too great a pace; to go too far; to overstep all bounds of moderation.
1631. T. Powell, Tom All Trades, 167. If the Gentleman be predominant, his running Nagge will out run the Constable.
a. 1654. Selden, Table-t., Money. In all times the Princes in England have done something illegal, to get money. But then came a Parliament … and so things were quiet for a while; afterwards there was another trick found out to get money, and … another Parliament was called to set all right, etc. But now they have so out-run the Constable, that, etc.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. III. 1368. Quoth Hudibras, Friend Ralph, thou hast Out-run the Constable at last.
c. To spend more money than one has; to run into debt; also to overrun the constable.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Out-run the Constable, to spend more than is Got, or Run out of an Estate.
1748. Smollett, Rod. Rand., xxiii. ‘Harkee, my girl, how far have you overrun the constable?’ I told him that the debt amounted to eleven pounds, besides the expence of the writ.
1766. [Anstey], Bath Guide, vii. Poor man! at th’ election he threw t’ other day, All his victuals, and liquor, and money away; And some people think with such haste he began, That soon he the constable greatly outran.
1850. W. Irving, Goldsmith, xxix. 292. ‘He has outrun the constable’ … his expenses have outrun his means.
