Obs. Forms: 5–6 bende, 6–7 bend. [Late 15th c. bende, a. F. bende, another (? earlier) form of F. bande (corresp. to It., Sp., Pg. banda) ‘an organized company of men,’ a BAND. Both forms, bende and bande, appear to have been introduced from Fr. by Caxton (see BAND sb.3); but bende was by far the more frequent form till late in the 16th c., being always used by Ld. Berners, Sir T. More, Grafton, etc., though band(e, alone appears in the versions of the Bible (Tindale and Coverdale have bonde in John xviii. 3, where the later versions have bande; but the word is not frequent in any form before the Geneva version of 1557). Bend is rare after 1600; the Shaks. folio of 1623 has always band. The sense of ‘faction, party,’ is assigned also by Cotgrave to F. bande, and by Minsheu to Sp. banda.]
An organized company of men; = BAND sb.3; a party, a faction; a gang.
1475. Caxton, Jason, 78. Upon them that they founde not of their bende.
1509. Fisher, Fun. Serm. C’tess Richmond (1708), 15. Yf ony faccyons or bendes were made secretly amongst her hede Officers.
1539. Tonstall, Serm. Palm Sund. (1823), 33. Cornelius the Centuryon, capytayne of the Italyons bende.
1544. Stalbridge, Epist., 24. A bende of bolde braggers.
1552. Huloet, Bende of men, commonly of ten souldiers, manipulus.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., May, 32. A fresh bend Of louely Nymphs.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXIII. 473. The bend and faction of the Cossanes … kept him downe.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xviii. 15. The Duke of Gloucester … and other Lords, the chiefe of his bend.
