bald

1) From ‘balled’; that is having a white ‘ball’ or patch in the face, used of animals.

The examples can be divided into two groups, those with ‘ball’: 1539 his owne horse ... that had the ball in the hede, Tunstall

1558 a baye stagge with a ball in the face, Pontefract

1579 a blacke twynter whye with a ball in the head, Slaidburn and those with ‘bald’: 1434 my red bald stagg, Ousefleet

1507 my bald horse, Raventhorpe

1549 my balde maire, South Milford

1655 one bauld meare, Whitley. It almost certainly explains the name Ball given to horses: 1495 equum vocatum Ball, York

1772 Bawle my good old horse, Mirfield.

dates 1434 1495 1507 1539 1549 1558 1579 1655 1772

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