Middle English Dictionary Entry
godhēde n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | godhēde n.(1) Also godded, goddehed, goodhed, godhead, -hid, -hiede, -hod(e, -hoþ. |
| Etymology | From god n.(1); also cp. OE godhād. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The nature of God, divinity; (b) the divinity characterizing a pagan god.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)30b : Þes godes flesch..eauer wes iliche cwic of þet cwike goddhead [Nero: godhod] þe wunede þrinne.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)105b : His scheld þe wreah his goddhead [Recl.: godhede] wes his leoue licome.
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(LdMisc 108)105 : God hadde euere, and euere he schal, mid him is god-hede.
- a1350 Harrow.H.(Hrl 2253)39 : In godhed toke he þen way þat to helle gates lay.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)371 : Many anoþer him iseih..But noht alone in his godhede, Ac i-meind wid þe manhede.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)122/216 : Ine ryȝte soþe hyt moste sitte Þet god-hoþ wel hyt kedde.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)12/8 : Þe oþer article belongeþ to þe zone aze to his godhede [Vices & V.(2): godhed], þet is to zigge, þet he is god.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)43.5 : Her myȝt ne shal nouȝt sauen hem, Ac þy god-hede [Dub: godhode] and þy myȝt and þe liȝt of þy face.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)22/81 : Thare falles unto the faithe fourtene poyntes, Of whilk seuen falles to goddes godhede.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Col.2.9 : In hym dwellith bodilich al plente of Godhede [L divinitatis].
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)81 : Þat bi-falleþ to Godes Godhede As wel as to his Monhede.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.2523 : And ek of Soule in special, He is mad lich to the godhiede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)17058 : He ras fra ded to life wit his godd-hed [Göt: godde-hed] sa strang.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)10.36 : Man..he made ymage to himselue, ȝaf hym gost of his godhed [vr. godhode].
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)110/3 : Loke what it profitiþ to haue Crist in manhod wiþouten his godhood?
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)96/25 : This Athanasius..preched..depely of dyuynytee & of the godhede [F de la diuinite et de la deitee].
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.FCLife (Corp-C 296)195 : Þat dide crist by miracle to shewe his godhede.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)86/21 : Sche cowde no skylle of þe dalyawns of þe Godhede, for al hir lofe..was set in þe manhode of Crist.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)210 : Þou euer schalt be booþ god and man in oon persoon and in ij kyndis of godhede and of manhode oonys togidere.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)271/31 : Man schulde see hym wiþ eiȝen of body in his manhode, and wiþ þe soule in his godhode [Ayenb.: godhede].
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)293/20,22 : Sho lefte thynkyng of þe manhede of Criste & toke hur to vmbethynkyng of His godded..sho thoght of His godhed.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget(3) (Gar 145)55/35 : Glorifie be to thi godhod a-bove all thinges, whych is with thy manhod oo God.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.1022 : But when he brake to hem his brede, Then hadde they knowleche of his godhode [vr. godhede].
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)20.5 : He has myght to deme of his godhed, and he sall deme in his manhed.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.283 : And som vertuous men..me trowede þat hadde somwhat of godhede, as Hector and Achilles.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.172 : Him thenkth it were a vilenie Bot he [Bachus] rewarde him for his dede, So as he mihte of his godhiede.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)59/34 : I [Alexander] am as ȝe are..a dedly man, and in me þare es na parcell of the godhede.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5622 : Sum grayne of godhede, I gesse, was growen ȝow within.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)14/21 : Euery secte & dyuersite of namys & mannys lyf schulde alle-wey dyfferryn & reuerencyne godheed & honowryne & worschipyne hit.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)56a : Godehede: Deitas, diuinitas, numen, magestas.
2.
(a) God, the Trinity, any member of the Trinity; (b) a pagan deity; ~ of heven, the pagan gods collectively.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) Pref.Jer.(Bod 959)36/34 : Lest ptholome..schuld of take [WB(2): schulde haue vndurstonde] double godhede.
- c1390(a1325) Ipotis (Vrn)57 : Þer is þe fader and þe sone, þe holygost to-gedere wone -- þreo persones in o godhede [Brm: god-hode].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.498 : For thei ben..To reulen and to taken hiede Betwen the men and the godhiede.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3824 : For this the godhede him behihte That Agag schal ben overcome.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)317 : Þe hali gast es tat goddhede þat giues lijf and mas an-hede.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.6.125 : And tho ben thilke that stabely ben ifycchid neygh to the firste godhede.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)82 : It muste nedis be þat ȝe þre persoonys ben not but oon beyng or oon godhede.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)173/3219 : We schal enforme þe hey Godhed & pray hym to deme þis case.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)362 : And þis state or power is þe vicar of þe god-heede.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)81/259 : I Crye..recommendynge me to þat godhyd þat is tryne in trone.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)104/198 : I, þe son of þe godhed, of here xal be bore.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget(3) (Gar 145)86/23 : In þe goodhed is endeles rightwysnes and wysdom.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)1/30 : The Lord God oweth only to be worschipid..whiche worschip is only propirde to the godhede.
b
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2381 : If so be..that my myght be worthy for to serue Thy godhede, that I may be oon of thyne, Thanne praye I thee [Mars] to rewe vpon my pyne.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.3.18 : The godhede of Mercurie [L Numen Arcadis], that is cleped the bridd of Arcadye, hath had merci of the duc Ulixes.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)2292 : Scheo swor by þe Godhed of heuene.
3.
A representation of God in carving, painting, or the like.
Associated quotations
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)69 : A sotelte: A godhede in a son of gold glorified above; in the son the holy giste voluptable.
- (1472) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum4 : Furst j Chalice with j patent bothe through gilt..and in the patent there of the godhede settyng in his trone.