Middle English Dictionary Entry
frith n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | frith n.(2) Also freth(e, firth, fright, fruth, AL frid-. |
| Etymology | Orig. prob. distinct from frith(1);cp. OS frīd-hof, OHG frīthof enclosure, & Goth. freidjan protect. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A royal forest, a game preserve; (b) frith-mot, ~ yeld, fridmannes mot[cp. OE mōt toll, tax], an annual rent paid by certain townships in Delamere Forest (a royal forest in Chester) for the privilege of pasturing cattle; (c) frith-man, forester, hunter.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)31996 : Aðelstan..sette sciren and makede frið of deoren.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1432-6 : Ȝe huntieð i þes kinges friðe [vr. parc]..forboden he haueð his deor frið.
- a1350 Ichot a burde in a (Hrl 2253)25 : He is faucoun in friht, dernest in dale.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.112 : Þanne shal feith be forester here and in þis fritth walke.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1875 : To a cheefe foreste they chesen theire wayes..they fall in þe greues, In the ferynne of þe fyrthe..Thare myght men see the ryche ryde in the schawes.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)48 : Þer is no bulle so brade That in frith foundes.
- (1464) RParl.5.547a : Withynne our fryth of Leycestr', for the brusyng of our Dere there.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)161 : Who made the so bold here to dwell, My lordes frethe thus to fell?
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)502 : Tyll his freth [Thrn: foreste] wyl Y fare, Y woll no wyld best spare.
- c1500 Cleges (Ashm 61)549 : He made hym hys stuerd Of all hys londys..Off water, lond, and frythe.
b
- (1247) Pipe R.Chs.in LCRS 9287 : Et xvij li. de Fridmanesmote.
- (1350) Acc.Chester in LCRS 59148 : Frithmot.
- (1351) Reg.Edw.Blk.Pr.3.26 : Frithyeld.
c
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5597 : Fyue thousand Olifants in feree þa frithmen him [Alexander] broȝt.
2.
(a) A park, a woodland meadow; (b) any wooded area, woodland; wilderness.
Associated quotations
a
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)822 : Whan þe gaye gerles were in-to þe gardin come..alle freliche foules þat on þat friþ songe [etc.].
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)89 : Fowliz þer flowen in fryth in fere.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)98 : Þat fryth þer fortwne forth me ferez.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.356 : I seigh floures in þe fritthe [C: floures in feldes] and her faire coloures.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)284/344 : Poure folke fecched floures of þe frith.
- a1450 As I went þrow (Sln 2593)54/15 : As I went throw a gardyn grene, I fond an erber..Ȝyt ferthere more in that fryth [etc.].
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)149/103 : Heyl floure ovyr fflowrys fowndyn in fryght.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2216 : Þei trauailed al a niȝt, out of forest & friþes & alle faire wodes.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)6347 : Quiles þai in þat wildernes ware..þai fand þat frith [Vsp: wastin] widine water bitter as ani brin.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1680 : He..is outkast to contre unknawen, Fer into a fyr fryth þere frekes never comen.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)18.11 : Suche eremites..fouweles fedden hem in frythes þer þei woneden.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)157 : In a frith i fand a strete.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1708 : We hafe founden in ȝone firthe..Þe flour of þe faireste folke..enbuschede on blonkkes..In ȝone bechen wode.
3.
(a) An enclosed area, enclosure; firth-feld; (b) a fence of brush or wattle, a hedge; (c) materials for making such a fence.
Associated quotations
a
- (1468) Will Davy in Archaeol.Cant.31264 : Ad reparacionem magne cruce apud le north frith in eadem ecclesia.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)51b : A ffyrthefelde: Excipium.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)248a/a : Of þornes men makiþ hegges and frithes wiþ whiche men defendiþ..hemselue and here owne.
- (1448) Shillingford86 : A grete drie fryth..enclosed a gret parcell of tymber, the whiche fright [vr. vrith]..was sette afire..the saide egge [etc.].
c
- (1384) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103593 : Item 1 laboranti apud Rilly pro Fruth' extrahendis, 18d.
- (1391) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9950 : In frethys, 6d. In girthys, 3d. In flokis, 3d.
- (1429) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9960 : Item in fridys, 6d. Item in cirpis, 6d.
4.
frith and doun, ~ and feld, ~ and fell, ~ and fen, ~ and ford, ~ and forest, ~ and wone.
Associated quotations
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)112 : For to hunten..In fretþe & in forest.
- c1390 Marie Mayden (Vrn)113 : Of al þe floures bi Frith and Felde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7697 : In feild and tun, in frith and fell.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8024 : Þai went þam thoru feild and frith.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.224 : Lordes to honte In frythes and in forestes.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)695 : Hade he no fere bot his fole bi frythez & dounez.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)24/921 : Oure fyrth & fell.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)7/29 : In toun, in feld, in frith and fen.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)50 : Þay questede..By frythis [vr. frethes, frythun] and fellis.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)39/126 : They wille slee me, be ffenne or ffrith.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)247/479 : I haue be ffowlyd be fryth and ffenne and sowght synne in many A cete.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.171 : Ouere frithe and forde.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.180 : Wher-so þey ferde be fryth or be wones.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)156/515 : That we may wytt by fyrth and fell how we shall fare.
- a1500 ?Ros Belle Dame (Cmb Ff.1.6)124 : Byrdes..when þai syng lowd in fryth or in forest.
5.
As a place name.
Associated quotations
- (1197) Feet Fines Rich.I in Pipe R.Soc.23 ()27 : xvi acras de bosco suo qui uocatur le Frith.
- (1285) Chart.R.PRO2.324 : [Common of pasture in the wood of Bercamstede called] le Fryth.
- (1297) Acc.Cornw.in RHS ser.3.6619 : In 1 haia claudenda..vsque parcum iuxta Boscum del Fryth.
- (1300) Survey Wychwood in Archaeol.37437 : Boscus qui vocatur le Frith pertinens ad Manerium Magistri Thome de Adderbury.
- (1377) Deed Yks.in YASRS 76128 : [A plot called] le Park' [and another plot of meadow called] le Frith.