" It is singular that Nares should have overlooked
this obsolete term; and Mr. Halliwell, in his useful _Glossarial
Collections_, seems misled by some similarity of sound, having
noticed, perhaps, in Palsgrave, only the second occurrence of the
word as before cited, "sheres for shepsters." He gives that author as
authority for the explanation "shepster, a sheep-shearer" (_Dict. of
Archaic Words_, in v.). It has been shown, however, I believe, to have
no more concern with a sheep than a ship.
The value of your periodical in eliciting the explanation of crabbed
archaisms is highly to be commended. Shall I anticipate Mr. Bolton
Corney, or some other of your acute glossarial correspondents, if
I offer another suggestion, in reply to "C.H." (No. 21. p. 335.),
regarding "gourders of raine?" I have never met with the word in
this form; but Gouldman gives "a gord of water which cometh by rain,
_aquilegium_." Guort, gorz, or gort, in Domesday, are interpreted
by Kelham as "a wear"; and in old French, _gort_ or _gorz_ signifies
"_flot, gorgees, quantite_" (Roquefort).
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