5–; also 6–7 (Sc.) baird, 6 barth, 6–7 bardh. [a. Gael. and Ir. bàrd:—OCelt. *bardo-s poet-singer, minstrel (whence Gr. βάρδος, L. bardus, as alien words, ‘bardus Gallice cantor appellatur, qui virorum fortium laudes canit,’ Festus). In Eng. originally only an alien word from the mod. Celtic vernaculars, i.e., in Scotland bard, baird from Gaelic, in England barth, bardh from Welsh bardd, and bard from Irish, employed as in contemporary Celtic usage; first naturalized in Scotland, and then by no means appreciative in its use (see sense 2); afterwards, under the influence of the βάρδος, bardus of the classical writers, adopted in Eng. literature as a historical and poetic term.]
1. An ancient Celtic order of minstrel-poets, whose primary function appears to have been to compose and sing (usually to the harp) verses celebrating the achievements of chiefs and warriors, and who committed to verse historical and traditional facts, religious precepts, laws, genealogies, etc. Still the word for ‘poet’ in modern Celtic languages; and in Welsh spec. A poet or versifier who has been recognized at the Eisteddfod.
c. 1450. Holland, Houlate. Sa come the Ruke with a rerd, and a rane roch, A bard out of Irland, with Banachadee!
1538. Leland, Itin., V. 15. Peraventure Lleuys Morganne the Barth was deceivid in this.
1584. Powel, Lloyd’s Cambria, 15. This word Bardh signified such as had knowledge of things to come.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., IV. ii. 109. A bard of Ireland told me once, I should not live long after I saw Richmond.
1596. Spenser, St. Irel., Wks. 1857, 501/1 (J.). There is amongst the Irish a kind of people called bards, which are to them instead of poets, whose profession is to set forth the praises or dispraises of men in their poems or rhythms.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 421. The funerall song or Dump of a most ancient British Bard. [Note, Poet].
1615. Val. Welshm. (1663), A iv b. Call with your silver tones, that reverend Bardh.
1627. May, Lucan, I. (R.). You Bards securely sung your Elegyes [fudistis carmina Bardi].
1780. Burke, Sp. Econ. Ref., Wks. III. 261. The invasion of King Edward and the massacre of the bards.
1879. Maclear, Celts, ii. 18. The Druidic order included … the Bards or ‘Glee-men.’
2. In early Lowland Scotch used for: A strolling musician or minstrel (into which the Celtic bard had degenerated, and against whom many laws were enacted); in 16th c. a term of contempt, but idealized by Scott by association with 4.
1449. Act. 6 Jas. II. (1597), § 22. Gif there be onie that makis them fuilis and are bairdes, or vthers sic like rinnares about. Ibid. (1457), § 80. Sornares, bairdes, maister-full beggers, or feinȝiet fuiles.
a. 1500[?]. Kenneth’s Stat., in Sir J. Balfour’s Practicks, 680. All vagabundis, fulis, bardis, scudlaris, and siclike idill pepill, sall be brint on the cheek.
c. 1505. Dunbar, Flyting, 49. Irsche brybour baird, wyle beggar with thy brattis!
1609. Skene, Rej. Mag., 135. Feinzied fooles, bairdes, rynners about … after sundrie punishments, may be hanged.
1805. Scott, Last Minstrel, Introd. The last of all the bards was he Who sung of Border chivalry.
3. Applied to the early versifying minstrels or poets of other nations, before the use of writing, as the Old English gleeman, Scandinavian scald, etc.
1623. Cockeram, Bardes, ancient Poets.
1763. J. Brown, Poetry & Mus., iv. 41. After a certain Period of Civilization, the complex Character of Legislator and Bard would separate.
1775. T. Warton, Eng. Poetry, I. Diss. i. 34. Various Islandic odes … which were sung by the Scandinavian bards.
1855. Milman, Lat. Chr., II. IV. iv. 283. A Teutonic literature has begun; the German bards have become Christian poets.
4. poet. A lyric or epic poet, a ‘singer’; a poet generally. [Chiefly after Lucan; quot. 1627 in 1.]
[1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., III. ii. 16. Hoo, Hearts, Tongues, Figure, Scribes, Bards, Poets, cannot Thinke speake, cast write, sing, number: hoo, His loue to Anthony.]
1667. Milton, P. L., VII. 34. That wild rout that tore the Thracian bard In Rhodopè.
1704. Pope, Messiah, 37. The Saviour comes, by ancient bards foretold.
1769. Garrick, Song, Wks. 1785, II. 427. For the bard of all bards was a Warwickshire Bard.
1809. Byron (title), English Bards and Scotch Reviewers.
1834. Cunningham, Burns (1850), 154/2. The character of the Ayrshire bard.
1881. (title) The Bard of Avon Birthday Text-book compiled from Shakespeare’s Plays and Poems.
5. Comb., as bard-craft, bard-like.
1763. J. Brown, Poetry & Mus., ix. 168. The first great Bardlike Character we meet with [in China] is CONFUCIUS.
1808. Scott, Marm., Introd. 213. The keener rush of blood That throbs through bard in bard-like mood.
1820. T. Mitchell, Aristoph., I. 205. Ye verse-smiths and bard-mechanicians.
1840. Browning, Sordello, II. 312. Forswearing bard-craft.
