E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Goodman.
A husband or master is the Saxon guma or goma (a man), which in the inflected cases becomes guman or goman. In St. Matt. xxiv. 43, “If the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched.” Gomman and gommer, for the master and mistress of a house, are by no means uncommon.
