15 SEPTEMBER 1984, Page 26

Maidenly man

Sir: Am I right in believing I have located the earliest use of the noun 'gay' to denote a homosexualist? In Timothie Kendall 's Flowres of Epigrammes (1577) I find the following:

Against a maidenly man For to be married ycsterdaie, To Church a gallaunt ietted gaie; His crisped locks wavde all behinde, His tongue did lispe, his visage shinde. His rovying eyes rolde to and fro, He fiskying fine did mincying go: His lippes all painted semed sweeter When as the Priest came them to meete, (A pleasaunt scouse, though nought of life) He askt of bothe whiche was the wife?

May I invite readers to use your columns to correct me?

Dhiren Bhagat

4 St Luke's Road, London WI I