Middle English Dictionary Entry
fẹ̄ n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | fẹ̄ n.(2) Also (late) fy. Pl. fe(e)s, feis, fesse. |
| Etymology | AF fee, CF fié (variants of fief, fieu); in ME closely associated with fẹ̄ (1) and influenced by it. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. feffen.
1.
(a) An estate in land or tenements held in heritable or perpetual tenure to a feudal superior or the crown; fe ferme, knight(es fe, lai fe; (b) a piece of land, or land and tenements, held by such tenure; also, a city [quot.: c1400]; (c) feudal obligation or vassalage undertaken with such tenure; taken a fe; (d) the tenure by which such an estate is held; of fe, in fe; (e) fe simple [AF fee simple; cp. AF fee pur, AL feodum simplex or purum], such tenure without limitation to any particular class of heirs; (f) fe taille [AF fee tail(l)é; cp. AL feodum talliatum], such tenure limited to some particular class of heirs.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (Hrl 2277)556 : If eni man of holi churche holdeth eni laifeo..he schal do therfore Servise that to the kinge falth.
- c1330(?a1300) KAlex.(Auch)p.xxv : Darries air, Y make the, And sese the with al his fe [Ld: feo].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.29 : He suld gyue his kirke franchise & fe..þe bisshop of his gift holdes his fe.
- (1418) EEWills33/21 : Doyng to þe chieff lordes of þe fee, þe seruice there-of due & of right custome.
- (c1390) Chart.Abbey HG (LdMisc 210)340 : Þe seruyse & þe customes þat longen þer-to to þe chef lord of þe fee.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.28.71b : Gouernaunce vnder thi lord god as chief lord of the fee.
- (1452) Lin.DDoc.61/27 : All maner of wommen to whome I haue granted any fees, annuetes, yerely rentis, or fermes.
- (c1465) Cart.Tropenell in BGAS 23200 : The boke of fees made in ye tyme of King Edward ye furst.
b
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)2790 : Þemperour..Castels him bede, & cites, Gret worþschip, & riche fes, Ac he þerof nold afo.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)960 : Þat folk þat in þose fees lenged.
- (1405) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.33 : Piers Helmeth of Bliburgh, sitter on the fee of forsaide sir Roger.
- (1447-8) Shillingford96 : Which Chirch, Cimitery, palies, lands, and tenements ben named and knowen by the name called the Bisshopes Fee, otherwyse called Saint Stephens Fee.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)294 : Yn werse tyme blewe he never hys horne, Neythur hys bowe bende in no manys fee.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)1056 : xij fosters dyscryed hym then, That were kepars of that fee.
c
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8653 : Baroun, kniȝt & ek souder, Sum bi fe, sum for wining..Were comen to his fiȝt.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.145 : Com kyng William..to Canterbiri & þer ȝald him his fee. Kyng Richard, our sire, homage & feaute He mad for alle þo landes þat he of Inglond held.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)12.47 : His sonde he dide to sende..To Alle tho that Of him took Ony fe.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)10020 : [Generides] seased the lond in hast..Of al Perse he toke the fees.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)1371 : Allas..Þat euer I tuke thi fee!
d
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)560 : Ȝif ani man of holi churche halt ani-þing of lay-fe..he schal don þere-fore Þe seruise þat to þe kinge bi-fallez.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1527 : Eke al þe realme of fraunce þat he hur holde of me..for eueremore in fee.
- (1394) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.3256 : The Manere of Slapton..to ous and oure heirs in fe ȝouyn.
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)92 : After þe deth of euerych haldere in ffee sholle þe baylyues of þe Citee seysy sympleleche þe tenemens of weche he deyde y-seysed.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.86 : William þe Conquerour..Held..Normundie in fe Of alle kynges of France.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)59 : In right of tenementz..where that the fee is tailed be foorme of ȝift to the housbond and his wyff.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)87 : The testatour of that rente deyed sesyd in his owen demene as of fee.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)413 : To chirches and abbays..þe ton half þus ȝaffe he, þay to haue hit for euermore In possessyon and in fee.
e
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.319 : Al was fee symple to hym in effect.
- (1420) Dec.Bolour in NPalaeog.Soc.1 (Hrl Charter 83.D.32)249/19 : Þe forsayed Cecyle schal haue þe fesymple Parysshe of Burnham.
- (1439) RParl.5.24a : Other men hath estat of Fee simple, Fee taille, or Freeholde, in Londes and Tenementz.
- (1442) RParl.5.42b : The Right, Title and Interesse of reversion of Fee simple..aftre the seide taillez dispended.
- (1445) Will York in Sur.Soc.30155 : Tho landis..of myn inheritannce..arn all fee symple.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4931 : The seid lond to remeyne to me and myn eyres in fysympil..I yeve and assigne to myn hefd place..my gardeyn..fysympil grownd, in punchyslane.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.42a : Estate of fee symple, fee taill, or terme of lyfe or lyfes.
f
- (1427) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.71 : The same Hugh shal not discontinue nor aliene in fee sympil nor in fee taille no land.
- (1434) Proc.Privy C.4.231 : Þe remenant of þe feoffees wol make astat of alle þe londes þat þei stonde feoffed ynne..þat is to say, of þat þat is of fee taille in fee taille, and of þat þat is of fee symple in fee simple.
- (1465) Will Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.4333 : I woll they remayne to myn yssue in fetayll as apertynent of the maner of Shelfanger.
2.
Tenure or heritable right in an office of service to a feudal superior; fe simple or fe taille, with unentailed or entailed tenure in such an office; forester (fostere) of fe, a forester by heritable right.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1096 : Who as evere take fees..Ther is no lord whom he wol serve, As forto duelle in his servise.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)21/7 : He þat holdiþ of anoþer & doþ nouȝt his due office & seruise, he schal lese his fee.
- (1450) RParl.5.184a : No persone nor persones having estate in Offices, Fee symple or Fee taille, of youre graunte.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)94 : With hethe and with hore mosse hilde it aboute, Þat no fostere of the fee scholde fynde it.
- c1457 Insc.in BGAS 20 (Inscr)p.29 : Here lythe Junk (in) Wyrall, Forester of-Fee.
3.
(a) Remuneration or reward for service in office; also fig.; (b) remuneration other than wages for service in office; a perquisite of office.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.53 : Fro that man which hath him [Love] served, Fulofte he takth aweye his fees.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)113/24 : He þat kepeth him [an ox] hath euery day grete fees.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)193 : Thus serveth he, withoute fee or shipe; She sent him now to londe, now to shippe.
- (c1465) Cart.Tropenell in BGAS 23201 : They have hadde and okypyed the offyce of ye Constabilwyke of ye seid castell of Trobrigge..Takyng all maner fees, issues and profites apperteynyng or belonging to the same office.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)598 : Sex pons þer-fore to feys he takes, And pays feys to parkers als I-wys.
b
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1803 : Thus hath hir lord, the god of loue, ypayed Hir wages and hir fees for hir seruyse.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.59 : Ye Alderman schal haue for his ffesse, in tyme of drynkyng, ij galons of ale; euery skeueyn a galon, ye clerk a potel; and ye deen a potel.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)102 : Þe shergeaunt or þe ȝemen shul goo on þeire offices bihalfe and axe þeire fees.
- (c1426) Paston2.16 : The seyd Walter..never was servaunt of the seyd Duc of Norffolk at fees, ne at wages.
- (1450) RParl.5.194a : Any Office or Offices, with Wages and Fees of olde tyme due and accustumed.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)132 : On Water Tyrel stood beside, and asked that arow for his fe.
- a1486 Ordin.Lists in Archaeol.57 (Mrg M 775)66 : The fee of the herawdes is all the poyntes & armour brokin..The fee of the marchal is the listes the Barrers and the postes of them.
4.
A money payment or charge exacted for a license, special privilege, or legal conveyance of land; without(en fin or fe; maken fe, pay a fee.
Associated quotations
- (1425) RParl.4.304a : Yat yai myghten have..Writtes under your Grete Seel withouten fee payng.
- (1433) RParl.4.477b : All the money that of righte oweth to be taken atte the seid yates of the Custume, sumtyme called Sergeantz fee.
- (1439) Doc.in Leach Educ.Chart.403 : To graunte licence to your forseid besecher that he may yeue withouten fyne or fee a mansioun ycalled Goddishous.
- (1441) Proc.Privy C.5.180 : To do make..lettres patentes under gret seal in due fourme with oute fyn or fee.
- (1444) RParl.5.126b : That he may go to his delyverance withouten eny fyne or fee makyng.
- (1464) Paston4.114 : Discharge the seid John Paston and the seid prests of any other fyne or fee to be mad in the Chauncerie for the seid fundacion.
5.
(a) Payment for any kind of work or service; a wage or professional fee; (b) payment for admission to a gild.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.317 : A sergeant of the lawe..For his science and for his heigh renoun, Of fees and robes hadde he many oon.
- a1450(?1418) The herrere degre (Dgb 102)23 : For eche a werk god ȝeueþ a fe.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)6/5,7 : For the cure of fistula in ano..aske he..of a worthi man and a gret an hundred marke or fourty pounde, wiþ robez and feez of an hundred shillyng terme of lyfe by ȝere. Of lesse men, fourty pownde or fourty marke aske he without feez.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2928 : Vs defawtes oure feez of þis foure wyntteres..Oure wages are werede owte.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)621 : Men owe hym [a shepherd] syluer here for fe.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)230/83 : Thus He gettis many fees of thym he begyles.
b
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.88 : He schal..payen his fees and sythyn for hys entres.
- -?-(1435) Doc.in Power Craft Surg.313 : If ony man shall be resseyued into the craft..that the seid persoone ȝeue to the iiij maistris her fees & a certein to the box & a dyner to the craft.
6.
(a) Something given or due as a share of spoils or as a reward or prize; (b) something given as offering or tribute to a superior.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1355 : Þe corbeles fee þay kest in a greue.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1622 : He com gayn His feez þer for to fonge.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2400 : The fairest of þo fele shull þat fe [the apple of discord] haue.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)501 : Lorde..Gyf me the hedd..Thou wottyst wele hyt ys my fee.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)38/490 : Pray we..That he wold send anone oure fowles som fee To glad vs.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)2284 : Þen Commandes þe kyng a croune on heued Als for þe fee [Ashm: prise] of þe play.
b
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)266 : This ylke god, Morpheus, May wynne of me moo fees thus Than ever he wan.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4466 : Quen ȝe haue tildid vp-on [top] ȝour trouthles gods..Þan fall ȝe flatt on þe fold, with fees þaim adoures.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5139 : I presand ȝow of panters..Foure hundreth fellis ȝit to fee.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)21108 : Ffele oþer contres, prouinces, and fes He gaf to oþer noble bachelers.
Note: Additional quote(s)
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)102/3-5 : Aleyn graunted to the same abbesse that she..shold frely have the dunges and the men of the fee of the same abbesse, and cary them with ther owne cartis vpon ther owne demayne londe at ther wille and have ther resonable cariyng thurgh all the fee of the same Aleyn.
Note: Sense 1.(b) ?or (a). Need date in either case--per MJW