Forms: 4 somunur, -on(o)ur, 6 -oner, 6–7 sommoner, 6– summoner, See also SOMNER, SOMPNER, SUMNER, and SUMMONDER. [a. AF. so-, sumenour, = OF. somoneor, semoneor (mod. arch. F. semonneur):—med.L. summonitōrem: see SUMMONITOR.]
1. A petty officer who cites and warns persons to appear in court. Now Hist.
a. 1325. MS. Rawl. B. 520, lf. 55. That he be þanne þer to heren þe reconisaunce and that thou habbe þere þe somunurs and this writ.
1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 30. And viij. men … schulen chesen … a sononor, for ye nexte yer.
1529–30. Rec. St. Mary at Hill, 349. Paid to a Somoner for Somenyng of Mr hiltons, preist ij d.
1530. Palsgr., 725/1. I sommon, as a sommoner dothe one to the courte.
1581. [A. Gilby], Pleas. Dial. Soldier & Chapl., L 7 b. The Summoner or Apparitor.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., I. 7. It is necessare that everie summoner (executer of summons) sall lawfullie verifie his summons.
1651. trans. Kitchin’s Courts Leet (1657), 561. The Defendant avers, That the summoners now returned were not the summoners in Precipe.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 279. Two of the sheriff’s messengers called summoners.
1824. Scott, Redgauntlet, let. xi. The Bishop’s summoner, that they called the Deil’s Rattle-bag.
1865. Nichols, Britton, II. 87. Let the summoners [of a jury] be charged to be there.
1865. Kingsley, Herew., xx. Neither summoner nor sheriff of the king … could enter there.
Comb. c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), I. 432. An inchanted staff, which the devil, summoner like, was used to deliver some mercat-women to ride upon.
2. One who summons another to a place. Often fig. of immaterial or inanimate agents.
1580. Ord. Prayer, in Liturg. Serv. Q. Eliz. (1847), 572. A messenger and summoner of us to the dreadful Judgment-seat.
1597. Middleton, Wisd. Solomon, xvii. 3. The darkesome clouds are summoners of raine.
1605. Shaks., Lear, III. ii. 59. Close pent-vp guilts … cry These dreadfull Summoners grace.
1808. Scott, Marm., V. xxvi. The summoner was gone.
1820. Keats, Lamia, I. 11. From high Olympus had he stolen light … to escape the sight of his great summoner.
1836. Bray, Descr. Tamar & Tavy (1879), I. x. 174. The Summoner appeared to be a strange, squint eyed,… old fellow.
1897. E. W. B. Nicholson, Golspie, 31. The minister took his sword and Bible, and followed his summoner to the basement of the castle, where he found a table laid, and round it a number of devils grinning at him.
3. One who takes out a summons.
1865. Pall Mall Gaz., 3 Aug., 10/1. If he will not appear … the summoner can bring an action against the doctor, should he lose his cause.
