Sentence:  There he entertained Shan O'Neil, a famous, turbulent chief from Ireland, who late in this year visited Elizabeth's Court, where his train of <WSD>kerns</WSD> and gallowglasses, clothed in linen kilts dyed with saffron, made a great impression. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A light-armed foot soldier of the ancient militia of Ireland and Scotland; "in archaic contexts often used as a term of contempt".