Beef-eater

Beef-eater, a term now applied jocularly to certain functionaries belonging to the Yeomen of the Guard (q.v.), who, ever since the time of Henry VII., at whose coronation they made their first appearance, 30th October 1485, have formed part of the train of royalty, attending the sovereign at royal banquets and other state occasions. The Tower Wardens are a distinct corps from the Yeomen of the Guard, and had their origin in the reign of Edward VI., when fifteen of the Wardens were sworn in as Extraordinary Yeomen of the Chamber. They received liveries like the Yeoman of the Guard in ordinary, but are distinguished from them by the absence of the cross-belt. The costume has varied somewhat during the four centuries; a slight alteration was made in 1858; and in 1885 a cloth hat was given to be worn with the undress uniform of the Tower Wardens. Their costume has had much to do with their attractiveness to sight-seers. The word has of late been usually regarded as a corruption of buffetier (Fr.), or beaufetier, one who attends the buffet or sideboard. It would thus be an instance of what Latham calls 'foreign words simulating a vernacular origin;' like sparrow-grass for asparagus, ancient for ensign. But Skeat holds that beef-eater is simply eater of beef, a servant or dependant, and quotes eaters (from Ben Jonson) and powder-beef lubbers used in a similar sense. See T. Preston's Yeomen of the Guard (2d ed. 1887).