complete armour, or the whole equipage and accoutrements of a cavalier heavily armed; as calque, cuirass, &c. The word is formed of the French barneis; which some derive from the Greek αγρίας, "a lamb's skin," because they anciently covered themselves therewith. Du Cange observes, that the word barneisium is used in the corrupt Latin in the same sense, and that it comes from the High Dutch barnas or barniefb. Others derive it from the Italian arme; others from the Celtic barnes, "a cuirass."

Under king Richard II. it was expressly forbidden all men to ride in harness with lancegays. Vide Stat. 7 Ric. II. cap. 13. In the statute 2 Hen. VI. cap. 14, harness seems to include all kinds of furniture for offence as well as defence, both of men and horse; as swords, buckles for belts, girdles, &c.

Harness is also used for the furniture put on a horse to draw in a coach or waggon, or other carriage; such as collars, leathers, traces, &c.

Harro, Harou, or Harol, in the Norman customs.—Clamour de haro is a cry or formula of invoking the afflaintance of justice against the violence of some offender, who upon hearing the word haro is obliged to desist, on pain of being severely punished for his outrage, and to go with the party before the judge.

The word is commonly derived of ba and roul, as being supposed an invocation of the sovereign power, to assist the weak against the strong, on occasion of Raoul first duke of Normandy, about the year 912, who rendered himself venerable to his subjects by the severity of his justice; so that they called on him even after his death when they suffered any oppression. Some derive it from Haro king of Denmark, who in the year 826 was made grand conservator of justice at Mentz. Others from the Danish aa rau, q. d. "help me;" a cry raised by the Normans in flying from a king of Denmark named Roux, who made himself duke of Normandy. The letters of the French chancery have usually this clause, Non obstant clamour de haro, &c.

The haro had anciently such vast power, that a poor man of the city of Caen named Affelin, in virtue hereof, arrested the corps of William the Conqueror, in the middle of the funeral procession, till such time as his son Henry had paid the value of the land in question, which was that whereon the chapel was built wherein he was interred.