Burrough

Question

Hold,madam,you have no more holes to your burrough ,I'll stand between you and this Sally-port.What does burrough mean?Thanks

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

This makes no sense to me.
A sally port is a watertight door in a ship's hull where people can enter and exit when the ship is at port or at anchor. The only word that is remotely close to "burrough" is burrow, which is a tunnel or den made by animals (rabbits, foxes, moles, etc.)

Can you give more context for this sentence?

[EDIT] My OED gives a definition of burrow in late 1500's as a dwelling, place of retreat, or hiding place. So it could mean that the sally port was the only entrance to the place where the woman could go to seclude herself. The speaker is telling her to stop, she cannot go there because he will block her way.
SInce spelling was irregular at that time, the word could have been spelled "burrough."

Avangi · Answer

In this connection, burrowing animals frequently provide multiple escape routes (holes) from their underground dwellings. For this woman, no such escape routes remain open, or available. She is a trapped animal.

She's not seeking an entrance, but an exit.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

I found an dictionary of old military architecture with the following definitions:

Burh (borough): A fortified Anglo-Saxon town which was usually surrounded by a ditch an earthen ramparts topped by a palisade.

Sally port: A small, heavily fortified gateway or gate, from the inner works to the outer works of a fortification: which was used by defenders to launch sorties to take the besiegers off guard and thus gain an advantage; once the objective of the operation had been accomplished or when things were going ill for the sallying force, the defenders could fall back through the sally port before the enemy could take the advantage. It is also used for resupply in case of a siege. Postern, Postern gate: A small secondary entrance, sometimes concealed, and usually at the rear of a castle. Used as a sally port for sorties, and as a route of escape.

There is not enough context to interpret if the man is blocking her entry or exit. I assumed the former, because he says "you have no more holes (in)to your borough," not "holes from / out of your borough.

Avangi · Answer

AlpheccaStars if the man is blocking her entry or exit. I assumed the former, because he says "you have no more holes (in)to your borough," not "holes from / out of your borough.

You're most likely correct, A/S. I like your "sally port," BTW.
When I read these old things I can often hear my grandparents and their contemporaries. I heard "to" not in terms of ingress and egress, but more as "attendant to, or "appertaining to." "That has a nice ring to it." "How many windows does your house have to it?" Kind of old-fashioned.
Have you ever had moles dig up your lawn?? Or prarie dogs?? Sometimes an intruder chases them into their burrows, looking for a quick and easy meal. Hmmm. Where did that guy go? I hope I'm not confusing you!

- A.

MrPernickety · Answer

Avangi
AlpheccaStars if the man is blocking her entry or exit. I assumed the former, because he says "you have no more holes (in)to your borough," not "holes from / out of your borough.
You're most likely correct, A/S. I like your "sally port," BTW.

When I read these old things I can often hear my grandparents and their contemporaries. I heard "to" not in terms of ingress and egress, but more as "attendant to, or "appertaining to." "That has a nice ring to it." "How many windows does your house have to it?" Kind of old-fashioned.

Have you ever had moles dig up your lawn?? Or prarie dogs?? Sometimes an intruder chases them into their burrows, looking for a quick and easy meal. Hmmm. Where did that guy go? I hope I'm not confusing you! - A.

I also heard this expression: there's nothing to it

or this: there's more to you/it than meets the eye

Without doubt, some of the oldfashioned usages of "to" have made it to our days as set expressions )))

PS: I like the usage of "to" that means "attendant to", sounds cool )))

Coloraday · Answer

AlpheccaStarsBurh (borough): A fortified Anglo-Saxon town which was usually surrounded by a ditch an earthen ramparts topped by a palisade.

Sally port: A small, heavily fortified gateway or gate, from the inner works to the outer works of a fortification: which was used by defenders to launch sorties to take the besiegers off guard and thus gain an advantage; once the objective of the operation had been accomplished or when things were going ill for the sallying force, the defenders could fall back through the sally port before the enemy could take the advantage. It is also used for resupply in case of a siege.
Postern, Postern gate: A small secondary entrance, sometimes concealed, and usually at the rear of a castle. Used as a sally port for sorties, and as a route of escape.

Thanks for the definitions

Coloraday · Answer

Avangi I heard "to" not in terms of ingress and egress, but more as "attendant to, or "appertaining to." "That has a nice ring to it." She's not seeking an entrance, but an exit.

I'm glad you came to answer.Yes you're right she is seeking an exit and to here means appertaining to.
Thanks

Burrough

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