Middle English Dictionary Entry
dūetẹ̄ n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dūetẹ̄ n. Also dute, deu(e)te, diute, duite, doute & duetie, duti, deuti, (error) duedi. |
| Etymology | AF dueté, duité, deueté, from du, dëu, p.ppl. of devoir. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. dette, dever.
1.
A tax, fee, rent, or service owing to (a) the Crown, a lord, a municipality; (b) the church, a religious house, an ecclesiastic; (c) a guild; paien ~, don ~.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1391 : Here..is myn entente..to reysen vp a rente That longeth to my lordes duetee.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.865 : Of malys and conspiracioun Þei hym with-hilde bothe septer & crovn, Her duete and her olde lygaunce.
- (1421) RParl.4.151a : Every Liege man of our seid soveraigne Lord of his Roialme of England, that shall or ought to paie his duete to the seid half xvme and xme.
- (1439) RParl.5.29a : The Custumes and Subsediis and other Duetees yereof due to you [the king] beyng paied.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)111 : Custum, kyngys dute: Custuma.
- (1444) RParl.5.113b : Paieng unto the Kyng..all maner of Custumes, Subsides, Tallagies, Devoirs and other Deutees therof unto hym of olde tyme aperteignyng.
- (1450) RParl.5.188b : Doyng and beryng to us [the king], oure heirs and successours, the duitees and devoirs for the seid Citee.
- (1456) GRed Bk.Bristolpt.2 p.56 : The dowteis and customes that groweth..of hake, heryng..the whiche shall long to the Chambre.
- (1456) GRed Bk.Bristolpt.2 p.58 : That euery persone foreyne..bringing thider any merchaundyse to sale shuld paie..a certayne duetie of mony after the maner, quantite and diuersite of the merchaundyse so by them thider broght.
- a1525(?1472) Cov.Leet Bk.384 : Yff eny persone denye to pay any taxe, tallage, Imposicion or other dute set on hym in eny of our courtes.
- -?-(1377) Tenants in Som.Dor.NQ 13273 : The thutees [corrected to: duties] that the owte townes longith to do to the lord.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1352 : This somnour..was a theef..His maister hadde but half his duetee.
- (1431) EEWills88/17 : Y will that my parissh chirches haue all here duetees.
- (1433) EEWills94/16 : Y bequethe to the hie auter of the same chirche for my offeryngus & my dutys leuyng bihynde vnpayed, xij d.
- (1440) Visit.Alnwick195 : To be remedyede of certeyn dutees..fro hem wythedrawen.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.St.Austin (Hrl 2255)178 : To hooly chirche to pay thy dewtee.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)34/25 : Relygyous men are chargyd & bondyn..þat þey procure to hemself or to here couent no tythes, no offrynges, ne oþere dewtees þat longyth to curatys.
- (?1462) Will York in Sur.Soc.30256 : I will that haly kirk have all his diutes that hym ought for to have.
- (1470) Will York in Sur.Soc.45184 : That..my deutiez longyng to the same chirche..be truely payed.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)340/3 : All the forseyd..dewteys to be had & hold in pure & perpetuel almys.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)168/196 : To do þi dewtys of holy kyrke.
c
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)47/1 : Ȝif eny..haue dwellid in þe bretherhede vij ȝer, & done þerto all þe duytes.
- a1422 Gild St.Geo.Nrw.(Rwl D.913)452 : He schal pay for his entre xl s..payng ȝerly þe deute of elmes and obites and othere costes, as another brother doth.
- (1445) LRed Bk.Bristol2.189 : That there be receyved none pore maryner to be on off the xij afore seyde of the seyde ffraternite to be ffounde there by almes, withoute he payed his dewtees longyng therto by the space of vij yere.
- -?-(1435) Doc.in Power Craft Surg.308 : The seid maistris to..ȝeld accountis..of alle other mercementis & dutees longing to the seid craft.
2.
(a) A moral, religious, social, or legal obligation; an act conforming to such an obligation, a duty; don ~, to do (one's) duty; also fig.; (b) a prescribed office of the church, devotion.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1391) Gower CA Suppl.(Hnt EL 26.A.17)7.3293* : Upon the lawe of Iurie To worche and do mi duete.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.258 : To make pes betwen the kynges..Which is the propre duete Belongende unto the presthode.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.2711 : The lordes forth with the commune, Ech hath his propre duete.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)5 : That he ne lese þe seruise of his maystir ne his owne duedys [F ses propres besoignes].
- (a1422) Hoccl.Hen.V.& KG (Hnt HM 111)38 : Putte his foos to the outraunce! God wolde so; so wolde eek your ligeance: To tho two prikkith yow your duetee.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)22/332 : Þi Saueoure..wyle cale þe..to þi rekynyng, Hou þou hast done þi deute and treuly þi deuour.
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)274 : Oure worldly prestis..drawen fro holy Chirche..þe grete dewete of good ensaumple of here owene lif, þat schulde be a..mirrour of here sugetis, to kepe Goddis hestis.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)235 : Þe seid loues to be paied to þee..ben dette and dewte.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.436 : Thanne cam deth to hovse and dede his dute.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)33/26 : Alowe my good wil whech i offer on-to þe for hir, as a deute of hir child.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)231/16 : They haue preuyd þat þey with-drowe no dewete þat was wonyd & vsyd.
- a1525(?1472) Cov.Leet Bk.384 : We..acordyng to our dute roiall woll conforte & assiste all gouernoures vnder vs..& minysters of our lawez.
b
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423:Lucas)p.350 : In þis cherch .. Seynt Bernard vsed mech to sey his dutés, both seruyse dyuyne and voluntarie deuociones.
3.
Phrases: (a) of ~, as a matter of right, custom, obligation, propriety, or courtesy; (b) after ~, in accordance with (Scripture); as required by law; (c) bi ~, in ~, by right; as an obligation; (d) with ~, with propriety; properly, duly; (e) ayenes ~, contrary to propriety.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6462 : Þou wer..troitour..Where þou sholdest of verray duete Raþer haue ben his protectioun.
- (1423-4) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.178/1186 : Alle oþere þynges þat been paied of dwte ȝerly..for..Fees..Trentalles.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.970 : Kan I naught seyn..If..she took it in the wise Of dewete, as for his observaunce; But wel fynde I she dede hym this plesaunce, That she hym kiste.
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)360 : He that kyng or lord is naturel..oweth, of verray duetee, Shewen his peple pleyn benygnete.
- (1457) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.486 : My lord ys your foundour, whose Request of deuete ye awe tobei before al other.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)1170 : Who that haveth not the bewte Wych he shold han of duete [etc.].
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)3045 : No whyht To whom the offyce sholde of ryht Appertene off duete.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)6920 : The bellys..Wych thow howest off duete Offte sythes here hem Rynge.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)231/11 : Hyt hathe not be vsyd of dewte, noþer of no oþer lawefull maner.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)2016 : In the formest batell for to be, he and his ayeris claymeth it of dewte.
- -?-(1435) Doc.in Power Craft Surg.310 : It is ordeined..that al the craft come togidere oonys a quarter of dutee.
b
- (c1400) Gower PP (Eg 2862)232 : If holy cherche, after the duete Of Cristes word, ne be noght al avysed To make pes..Among the kinges.
- a1525(?1472) Cov.Leet Bk.383 : Diuers persones..to obbey our lawes..disdeynon, not gevyng the due reuerens & assistens after dute.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)72b/b : He trowiþ þat his lord doþ for hym by dewte & dette more þan by grace.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)1 : A pore Frere of the Heremites of Seynt Austyn..sendith prayer, obediens, subjeccion, and al that evir, be ony deute, a prest schuld offir onto his Kyng.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)23703 : In recompense of her labour..by dwete..they tooke in thyng by Robberye.
- a1500 Where y haue (Cmb Ff.1.6)12 : Afore al creaturus I yowe loue and serue..Wych ys in dewte of very dewe ryȝt.
d
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.3060 : Why grucchen we..That goode Arcite, of chiualrie flour, Departed is with duetee and honour Out of this foule prisoun of this lyf.
- a1500 As I walkyd vppon (Hnt HM 183)20 : My dedly wowndis..wyll nott suffer me to slepe Tyll a leche with dewte haue them dyght.
e
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.407 : He waiteth or desireth to..goon to offryng biforn his neighebore..agayns his duetee..he hath his herte..in swich a proud desir to be..honoured biforn the peple.
4.
Whatever is owed, a debt; also fig.; loves ~, sexual intercourse; ~ of nature, something due to human nature, i.e. easing the bowels.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.3204 : Ther is a thing Which..Belongeth, as in privete, To love and to his duete, Which asketh noght to ben apert.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.489 : So he torneth into strif The lust of loves duete.
- a1450 Earth(3) (Bil)5/7 : When erth byddyth erth his dute hom bryng.
- (?1470) Stonor1.115 : I bought of you..vj shepe..which is in dute therfor to you xj s.
- (1473-4) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum360 : To the same William in partye of payment of a olde dute of v marke.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)5.151 : Arrianus the heretike..returnede to do the dewte off nature [L ad necessaria naturæ] by the place of Constantius, where he avoidede þe interialle partes of his body.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 Chauliac(1) (NY 12:Wallner)80/6 : When…sanie is leten stonde ouer deute [Ch.(2): longer þan it schulde], in þo placez hote & moiste…it corrodeþ hem.
Note: The note on deute says it is an "alteration from tente.
Note: Belongs to sense 3.(f). Gloss: over ~, beyond a proper length of time.--per SMK
- (1455) Paston (Gairdner)3.23 : Our ennemyes…haue throwen…manye ambyguytees and doutes of the fayth, lygeaunce, and dewtee that…we beere unto your Hyghnesse.
Note: Probably belongs to sense 2. Gloss: ?the performance of one's duty.--per MJW
- (1455) RParl.5.280b : Many doubtes and ambiguitees be thrawen to his Magestee Roiall…of oure trouth and duetee.
Note: Probably belongs to sense 2.--per MJW