Middle English Dictionary Entry
Cristendọ̄̆m n.
Entry Info
| Forms | Cristendọ̄̆m n. Also -dam, -don, Cristendham. |
| Etymology | OE Cristendōm |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. Cristen.
1.
(a) Christian faith and doctrines, the Christian religion; laue of ~, Christianity; (b) the observance of Christianity, Christian practices, Christian rites; don ~, to perform Christian rites; forbeden ~, suspenden of ~, to exclude (sb.) from participation in Christian rites; (c) Christianity as a formal or organized religion; the Church; ?also, a church [first quot.]; ~ of Engelond, the English Church.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : Eoppa preost, þe seo kyning Wulhfere seonde to bodian Cristen dome on Wiht.
- c1225 Sanctus beda (Wor F.174)10 : Þeos biscop[es] bodeden cristendom.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)29549 : He tahten [Otho: bead] heom cristindom.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)7b : Þe fowr goddspelles..haldeð al cristendom up o fowr halues.
- c1300 SLeg.Aug.Cant.(LdMisc 108)51 : Huy..precheden him of cristindom.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)26/10 : I-martred he was..for loue of cristindam.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)263 : Þe lawe of cristendom..wyde by-gan to sprede.
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)317 : Lucius brohtt into Engelonde Cristendome.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.746 : Sche no maner joie made, Bot sorweth sore of that sche fond No cristendom in thilke lond.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)10.447 : I shal..ȝyue ȝow..kunnynge to conclude Hem alle þat aȝeines ȝow of crystenedome disputen.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7091 : And ne hadde the good kepyng be Whilom of the universite, That kepith the key of Cristendom, We had ben turmented, al and som.
- a1450 Dc.291 Lapid.(Dc 291)p.26 : Be this two significacions was þe ston..in the thridde corner, & was signified oure cristendome þat Ihesu Xrist & seynt Iohn þe baptist precheden to þe peple.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)14/17 : Seynt Austyne..browȝte yn crystondome yn to Englonde.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)23 : He that will knowe the lyf of kynges whiche were in the grete Bretayne be-fore that cristendome come, be-holde the story of Bretons.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)2 : Sythe þe tyme þat god was borne And Crystendome was set and sworne.
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)84/31 : Ȝe sceolden ilome gan to þam halȝe husle..swa swa mon deþ ȝehwær þær ðe me wæl halt þone cristendom.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11098 : Þatt follc..follȝheþþ Crisstenndom & Cristess laȝhess haldeþþ.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13260 : Nes næuere na mam [read: man] þet don þer mihte cristindom, þet mihte cristindom, þet mihte blessinge don in þan kinge.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10185 : Þis bissopes..entreditede al þis lond & walis al so Þat noþing of cristendom þer inne nere ido.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.5 : Þis Odo suspendede kyng Edwynus of Cristendom [L Christianitate], for he was to fervent in leccherie.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)472 : My bysschopryche þou reues me, And crystyndom forbede i þe: Preest schal þer non syngge [etc.].
c
- (1100) Chart.St.Paul in RHS ser.3.5820 : Ic habbe geunnan Maurice bisceope þat bissceoperice on Lundone mid saca and mid soka..& ealle þa gricthe þe into þam cristendome gebyrað.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1102 : Hi þær manega beboda setton þe to Xp̄endome belimpað.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1129 : Se ærcebiscop..bead biscopes..ealle þa þet Cristendome hæfdon to be-gemen & to-locen.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6803 : Þurrh hemm..Wass Crisstenndom bigunnenn.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)5 : Seodþan þe cristindom wes, nefre ouer xii monþe nis hit undon.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Creed (Lamb 487)73 : On forward þos cristendomes ech man leornede his bileue er he fulht underfenge.
- c1300 SLeg.Dunstan (LdMisc 108)93 : Þe cristindom of Enguelonde to guod stat he drovȝ, And þe riȝtes of holi churche he heold up faste i-novȝ.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)22268 : Squa salle cristen-dome take ende, & alsqua of þe empire of rome.
- c1425 Liber de Hyda in RS 45158 : And thys by-qwest, I wyle that hyt stonde al the whyle Crystendom duryth.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4082 : Þos sal þe first taken bygyn at Rome, For it es heved of al cristendome.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)60 : Ther is grete questioun..whi rome hath swech grete pryuylege þat þe hed of alle cristendam schuld dwelle þer.
2.
(a) A person's Christian faith, belief in Christian doctrines; Christian way of life, Christian conduct or living; also, the act of professing Christianity, acceptance of the Christian religion; of a city: conversion; folwen (holden, leden) ~, to lead a Christian life, practice Christianity; (b) baptism, christening; (c) taken (afongen, fongen, nimen, receiven, underfon, underfongen) ~, to receive Christianity, be converted, be baptized; bi mi ~, bi the ~ that I fong, by my faith!
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)72/4 : Ac þæt nis na wariȝung..þæt mon Criste folȝie mid soðæ cristendome.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7721 : To follȝhenn Godess laȝhess wel..Forr þatt iss ure Crisstenndom þatt shall uss alle berrȝhenn.
- a1200(?c1175) PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)298 : Euele cristene men hie beð..þe here cristendom euele hielden.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Creed (Lamb 487)73 : Þro þing bod þet ech Mon habbe mot þet wile his cristindom foleȝe.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.Creed (Trin-C B.14.52)15 : Ðre þing ben þat elch man habben mot þe wile his cristendom leden.
- c1300 SLeg.Marg.(Hrl 2277)256 : Vyf þousend..tournde anon to cristendom.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4956 : Sein birin..ysend was..To turne þe king..to cristendom.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)1976 : He is þe fairest gome þat euer Crist ȝaf cristendome.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.459 : Do sacrifice or cristendom reneye.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.876 : Whan that feith is broken and lorn, soothly Cristendom stant veyn and with outen fruyt.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) John & Boy (Phys-E)p.112 : This bischop tok this child..and gert him do The thing þa fel til crestendom.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)14a/a : Christeanismus: cristendom.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)7/30 : Þe deuelys..bodyn hir sche schuld forsake hir Crystendam, hir feyth, and denyin hir God.
- ?a1440 Hortus (Brist-U)264 : Christianismus: christendom.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)530 : Oure crystyndom we wole folewe.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)2 : The first part schal declare the disposicioun of rome fro his first makyng. The secunde part schal declar þe holynesse of þe same place fro his first crystendam.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)79 : Julianus..mad feith to a devel, that he schuld forsake his Cristendam.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Chris.(Hrl 2277)176 : Loude hi gradde, 'cristendom ȝef ous sone.' Cristofre..cristnede hem þere.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4961 : Sein birin..is godfader was in is cristendom.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)4.106 : Ac cristendom hys sacrement.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)6.155 : Cristendom and bisschoppying, Penauns, [etc.]..beþ tokenen of heuene.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)145/20 : We byeþ alle cristene ine one cristenedom [Vices & V.(2): cristenynge].
- c1350 St.Greg.(Cleo D.9)50/255 : Men scholde hit ȝeue cristendom [Auch: name of cristen man].
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.208 : O lord, o feith, o god with oute mo, O cristendom, and fader of alle also.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Rom.6.4 : We ben to gidere biried with him bi cristendom [L baptismum] in to deeth.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)42/40 : Þe þridde childe..was icalled afturward At þe cristendom Bernard.
- c1390 St.Greg.(Vrn)48/400 : Heo wrot..þat me scholde..ȝiuen him nome and Cristendom.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9495 : The fyrst sacrament ys holy bapteme..Crystendome, or crystynyng, þat ys on englys.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.277 : Ne no creature..with-outen crystendome [C: baptisme] worth saued.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4168 : In Corozaym he sal be born..Bot cristendome sal he have nan.
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)285 : In many places þe same errour regneþ of þe sacrament of cristendom.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)16.177 : In his Cristendom, his Name chonched he, And Clepid him 'Nasciens'.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)100/17 : Alle oure breþeren bi adopcioun..ben children of holy chirche bi þe bileue þat þei receyuede at here cristenedome [Ayenb.: cristnynge].
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)30b : Cristendome: baptismus, baptisma.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)806 : Crystyndome schalle he non have here.
- a1500 Abbrev.Elucid.(Pen 12)36/3 : Confession..availith as muche as thy firste Cristendome, for like as .. baptym toke awaye all originall synnes, so dothe .. confession take awaye all actuall synnes.
c
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)34/23 : Heo þurh þet cristendom underfengon.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11112 : Þeȝȝ unnderrfon..þe rihhte læfess steorrne To ledenn hemm till Cristess hus..Forr tunnderrfanngenn Crisstenndom & fulluhht.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11160 : Þatt follc..shollde takenn Crisstenndom.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10107 : Þurh þisne ilke æðele mon vnder-feng þis lond cristindom.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)14915 : Ȝeo wolde..onderfange cristendom.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)133 : Heo nolde cristenedom a-fongue.
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)70 : Taken ichulle cristindom.
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)1120 : After him..regned aþelberd þe king..Of seynt austin cristendom he nam.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)7/190 : Cristendom his þat sacrement Þat men her ferst fongeþ.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1906 : By þe cristendom þat y fong..þou scholdest be ful heȝe anhonge.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.377 : She wolde reneye hir lay And cristendom of preestes handes fonge.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3454 : A liht..into the place com Wher that he tok his cristendom.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9498 : To alle þat crystendom vndyrfongeþ, þys ys þe fyrst.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)50 : A hundrethe & fifty ȝere þai com or þai receyued cristendom.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)74/1 : Boþe man & womman..haþ taken cristendom, & holden þe name, but þai wanten in her lyuyng.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)3127 : He was hoven at funtstane And his crestendome þar had tane.
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)318 : He..is werse þan an unfeiþful man þat nevere toke Cristendom.
- ?c1430(a1400) Wycl.Wedded Men (Corp-C 296)196 : It hadde betre be to hem to nevere have resceyved Cristendom.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)931 : Sere, be my crystyndome [vr. Chrystyndam], I sawȝ whenne he ȝede and come.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)20/12 : Þis same Ponciane had neuly take cristendham.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)1460 : That Mahoun & hys mametrye al clene he forsake, And to by-leue on Ihesu crist, & crystondom to take, In holy chyrche to be crystenyd a[n]d cristenman to become.
3.
(a) Christians collectively, the Christian part of the world's population; (b) the portion of the earth ruled by Christians, Christian countries or territory, Christendom (as opposed to hethenesse).
Associated quotations
a
- a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1129 : Nu wærð swa mycel dwyld on Cristendom swa it næfre ær ne wæs.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.3 : Broþerr min i Crisstenndom Þurrh fulluhht & þurrh trowwþe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14809 : Writen he sende..to þan pape..al cristindom he make fain.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)29354 : Gurmund wes an heðene mon and for-dude þane cristindom.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)14809 : He [the Pope] wetede þane cristendom.
- a1350(c1307) Death Edw.I (Hrl 2253)16 : Of cristendome he ber þe pris.
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)326 : Dioclicien..Dude cristendome muche pine.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)64/34 : Hit is wonder hou þe cristendom hit þoleþ.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)19382 : Þe cristen-dame [Vsp: cristen men] wex fast þa dais.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.395 : Þes two ben to dirke weies to lede alle Cristyndoom to hevene.
- ?a1425 Glo.Chron.B (Dgb 205)3217 : Crystendom [A: hii ssolde lerny mid cristinemen to fiȝte].
- (1446) Proc.Privy C.6.46 : For the which pees..by al Cristendome gretly desired, both the King and his said uncle be condescended.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)2654 : Thay walden..have been maystyrs of the toun And broght crystondom adon.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1397 : Þe pope het is clerkes..þoruȝ al cristindome þat heo wit-seiden suyche luþere lawes.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1500 : Euerech Abbod..to þulke chapitle cam..as [huy] ȝuyt doth þoruȝ al cristindom.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)40-1 : He was lord of londes ynowe, & ȝit he þouȝte..Habben al cristendom..Al cristendom, more & lasse, He þouȝte to maken heþennesse.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)106/2206 : An emperour was in Rome, Þe richest man of Cristendome.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1956 : Þe chef cherch..chosen is ȝutte & clepud þurth cristendom þe cherche of seynt petyr.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)760 : Cristendom by me schal encressed be..& for payenye..ful yuele wil y schape.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.49 : And ther to hadde he riden, no man ferre, As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.36 : Ȝef ony broþer or sister deye in straunge cuntre, in cristendom or in hethenesse.
- c1390(1377) Death Edw.III (Vrn)19 : Sum tyme an Englisch schip we had..Þorw al cristendam hit was drad.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)11/37 : For alle þat ben in prisoun, in cristendom & in heþenesse, of cristen folk.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.103 : Who þan were worþi þe coroune forto haue, Ageyn þe paemy þe Cristendam to saue?
- (?c1400) Wycl.7 Heresies (Dc 274)445 : Who wolde not say þat suche a peple were perilouse in Yngelonde? mykel more if newe religious be skaterud in Cristendame.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)70/1 : Þe whilk..descryued me þe maners of oþer cuntrees of Cristendon [Tit: oþer cristene contrees].
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)741 : In alle Cristendome There ys no..land to Yreland lyche.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.80 : It had an havene..Open on-to marchavntys..Bothe oute of hethenesse and of cristendome.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)130 : Þe Duke of Lancastre..warred þe kynge off Spayne, on off the myghtiest kynges off Cristendome.
- a1500(?c1400) EToulouse (Cmb Ff.2.38)197 : To seeke the worlde..Bothe Crystendome and hethynnesse, Ther ys none so bryght.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)17/37 : Hyt ys now..halowet þroȝ all crystyndome.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1300 SLeg.Marg.(Hrl 2277)97 : Þis holi maide…al prest was for his loue to afonge cristendom [Corp-C: martirdom].
Note: New sense: martyrdom; (She is already a baptized Christian.).
Note: Gloss: Torture and execution as a martyr for the Christian faith, martyrdom.--notes per MLL
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)29546 : Als þe suerd þat deles in tuin Saul and bodi..Sua dos cursing þe saul i-wise Fra..þe king o blise, And steres his cristendame fro And liuers him to þe find.
Note: New sense: probably belongs to sense 2.(a).
Note: Gloss: also, the Christian state of the soul, the soul's Christian nature.
Note: This quot. has been taken back to books.--notes per MLL