Obs. Also 5–6 sompner(e. [Variant of somnour SOMNER: cf. prec.] An official summoner.
α. 1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. III. 33. Sisoures and sompnoures, suche men hir preiseth.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 543. Ther was … A sompnour and a pardoner also.
c. 1400. Plowman’s Tale, in Pol. Poems (Rolls), I. 313. They taken to ferme her sompnours.
1490–1. Rec. St. Mary at Hill, 164. Paide to William Iames, Sompnour, for sompnyng of iij tenauntes that owed monye to the chyrch, x d.
1555. W. Watreman, Fardle of Facions, II. xi. 256. Thei haue also certaine spiefaultes ordinarilye appoincted (muche like to our Sompnours).
β. 14[?]. Lat.-Eng. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 573. Citator, a Sompnere.
c. 1500. God Speed the Plough (Skt.), 65. Than cometh the Sompner to haue som rente.
a. 1535. Frere & Boy, 478, in Hazl., E. P. P., III. 80. Thus they departed in that tyde, The offycyall and the sompnere.
