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KERN

Volume 11 · 54 words · 1823 Edition

or **KERNE**, a term in the ancient Irish militia, signifying a foot soldier. Camden tells us, the armies of Ireland consisted of cavalry, called *golloglasses*; and infantry, lightly armed, called *kerne*.—The kerne bore swords and darts; to the last were fitted cords, by which they could recover them after they had been launched out.