[f. FIELD sb. + MEETING.]
† 1. A hostile meeting in the open air; a duel.
1603. H. Crosse, Vertue’s Commonwealth (1878), 14. These brawlers and swashbucklers, whose hot bloud once stirred, cannot be cooled without reuenge and field-meetings.
2. A religious meeting in the open air. Hist.
1649. G. Daniel, Trinarch., Hen. V., lvii.
| The first Sts, liveing in Remoter Grotts, | |
| Had such feild-meetings. |
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xv. He himself had been present at a field-meeting at Crochmade.
1882. J. Taylor, The Scottish Covenanters, 72. As the parish chruches contintued to be deserted, the bishops sought, by the infliction of heavy penalties, to deter the people from frequenting the field-meetings, and to compel them to attend the ministrations of the curates.
Hence Field-meeter, one who attends or frequents field-meetings (sense 2).
1680. Hickeringill, Meroz, 29. No Thanks though to the Conventiclers and Field-meeters, they show’d their good Wil and their good Religion, and their tender Consciences in the Interim.
