I became re-interested in this word through an advertisement for a website that outsources professionals, called elance.com... The website name made me think of some medical site rather than a 'find work' website, but after I realized what they were going after -- reminding the listener of the word 'freelance' -- it made sense.
According to www.etymonline.com:
These days probably there is a higher percentage of freelancers out there...also free lance, free-lance, "medieval mercenary warrior," 1820, from free + lance; apparently a coinage of Sir Walter Scott's. Figurative sense is from 1864; specifically of journalism by 1882. Related: Freelancer. The verb is first attested 1903.
-Tim
(Yes, this is the same Tim Ward from Agora long ago. Hello to all my old friends!)