Middle English Dictionary Entry
gospel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | gospel n. Also gospelle, gospille, gosspel, cospel & godspel(le, goddspel(le, godespel, gotspel. |
| Etymology | OE god-spel, from gōd. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) One of the four Gospels; prechen the ~; (b) pl. for sg. [cp. sense 2.]; (c) sg. and pl. a book containing the Gospels; holi gospelles; (d) ~ bok, one of the four Gospels; ~ whel, gospel wheel; fig. a Gospel; ~ wright, one of the four Evangelists; (e) ~ bok, bok of gospelles, a book containing the Gospels.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Elucid.(Vsp D.14)145/3 : Ða godspelles wæren mid swyðe mycelen wisdome & scele ȝewritene.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)9090 : Þe Goddspellwrihhte seȝȝþ Onn hiss Goddspelless lare þatt hirdess fundenn Jesu Crist.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)71 : Vre drihten us seið on þe godspelle þe sein lucas makede.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)7b : For alle þe sawlen þe beoð forð fearen i þe bileaue of þe fowr goddspelles.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1529 : Seinte peter..sende seint Marc..to preche þen gospel þat he adde imaked.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)1309 : Wet he þer redde, þou myȝt se Ine seynt lukes god-spelle.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)98/573 : Als saint Iohn saies in his godspel.
- (c1384) WBible(1) Prol.Mark (Dc 369(2))86 : Mark..wroot the gospel in Ytayle.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.700 : Allas kan nat a man bithynke hym on the gospel of Seint Luc 15, where as Crist seith, [etc.].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)128a/a : Hit presentiþ and tokeneþ þe ten hestis & þe foure gospellis.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21243 : Þe gospel in itali he [Marc] wratte.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) Prol.Luke(1) (Roy 1.C.8)142 : Whanne gospellis weren writun bi Matheu in Judee and bi Mark in Ytalie, Luk..wroot this gospel in the cuntreis of Acaye.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6886 : I wole you seyn..What men may in the gospel rede Of seynt Mathew.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)369 : Þe gospel of Jon saiþ þat bischopis, [etc.].
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)61 : In this ȝere..Matheu writeth his Godspel.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)429 : Apostlis..writen þer gospels in dyuerse tungis.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)275 : Knowest þou..a creatour on erþe..þat folweþ fulliche þe feiþ..as þe godspelles telleþ?
b
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)28/58 : Þe godspelles [Corp-C: gospelles] of seint Mathev with him euere he ber.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)2302 : Seint Ion..þer-of made his gospelles, as me doþ in chirche rede.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)21242 : Marke was gosspeller..for-þi þe gosspellis dide he write.
c
- (1420) Will Durham in Sur.Soc.265 : Item, lego Matildi filiae Baronis de Hilton..j romance boke is called ye gospelles.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)32.185 (v.1:p.240) : For I had the gospel I did as it bad and solde the gospel.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)71/4 : Þe fore-seide vicari made a bodili oþe, towchinge with his hondis the holi godspellis.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)230/5 : Also by an othe I-made by the mowthe of Waleranne..hys hande leyde vppon the hoolly godspelys.
d
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)pref.4,6 : Itt iss wrohht off quaþþrigan, Off Goddspellbokess fowwre..Off Cristess Goddspellbokess.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)5778-89 : An off þa fowwre iss Sannt Maþþew..An oþerr Goddspellwrihhte wass Marcuss by name nemmnedd..þe þridde Goddspellwrihhte wass Lucas..þe ferþe Goddspellwrihhte wass Johan..Her hafe I nemmnedd nu till ȝuw þa fowwre Goddspellwrihhtess.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)5870 : Johan..wrat uss onn hiss Goddspellboc Off Cristess Goddcunndnesse.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)5911 : Þatt hallȝhe waȝȝn..gaþ O fowwre Goddspellwheless.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21227 : O sant mathu þe gospel-bok [Göt: godd-spell bock; Frf: gosspel boke]..Wit-vten lett wit [him] he bar.
- a1425 Hayle bote (Wht)265 : But Ihesu in the gospel boke Þe wedow offring to þe most thank toke.
e
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.179 : Mann maȝȝ uppo Goddspellboc Godnessess findenn seffne.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3071 : Baþe droȝhenn all till an Off Jesu Cristess come, þe Judewisshe follkess boc & Goddspellbokess lare.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21864 : Þat ilk þat iesus self telles In þe bok o gospelles [Göt: bocke of godspellis].
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)32.182 (v.1:p.240) : He solde the same gospel boke and yafe the price therof to the pore man.
2.
(a) A gospel passage to be read in divine worship; ~ of the masse; ~ of the (this) dai, the gospel passage used in the service for a certain day; (b) the reading of the gospel at mass; (c) a passage from one of the Gospels.
Associated quotations
a
- 1123 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1122 : Se dæcne hafde ongunnan þone godspel 'Preteriens Ihc'.
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Fest.Virg.(Vsp D.14)16/14,16 : Sume ungelærede mænn wundrigeð hwæt þiss godspell belimpe to þære eadigen Marien..hwi man æt hire þenunge geræde þiss godspell.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)14/6 : We habbæð nu isæd sceortlice on Englisc þis haliȝe godspel.
- c1200 Wor.Serm.in EGSt.7 (Wor Q.29)90 : Hit telleþ in þe halie gotspel þet heorden vakeden ouer heore orf and þe engel stod bi heom.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.30,33,34 : Icc hafe sammnedd o þiss boc þa Goddspelless neh alle þatt sinndenn o þe messeboc Inn all þe ȝer att messe; & aȝȝ affterr þe Goddspell stannt þatt tatt te Goddspell meneþþ.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)5 : Nu ic eou habbe þet godspel iseid..nu scule ȝe understonden..þet hit bitacnet.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)173 : Ðe holi godspel of þis dai specð of ure helende and of two broðren.
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)215/32 : Þis is si glorius miracle..þet us telþ þet holi godespel of te day.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1016 : In þe gospel a seint Markes day.
- c1375(?c1280) SLeg.Advent,etc.(Eg 1993)87/493 : How þat holi child was ibore, þe gospel seiþ wel riȝt þat me rat ate furste masse amidwinteres niȝt.
- c1390 Treat.Mass (Vrn)638 : Prei vr ladi..þat ȝe forȝete not þe god-spelle.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)127b/b : De Septuagesima..in þe pistil we beþ j-prayed to renne in þe furlong, and in þe gospell we beþ j-tauȝt to trauaile in the vyneȝerd.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)128a/a : De quadragesima..þerfore in þe gospel of þe messe is mensioun and mynde of þe victorie of crist.
- a1400(?c1300) LFMass Bk.(Roy 17.B.17)153 : Þi Pater Noster þou reyherse ey, Tyll dekyn or prest þo gosspell rede.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)3857 : Als shewes an exposicion Of þe haly godspelle in a lesson.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)75/284 : To þe, Austyn, he mad a syne Fore to be his dekyn dene To red his cospel.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)153/18 : Owr Lord also visityd þe preyste beyng at Messe..whan he xulde redyn þe Holy Gospel.
- a1450 Ordin.Nuns(2) (Vsp A.25)145/5 : Þe Epistil and þe godspel and all þe tother salbe als þe tyme of þe ȝer askes.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)278 : And whenne þe gospelle I-red be schalle, Teche hem þenne to stonde vp alle.
- (1454-5) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15148 : In primis, One old boke..wher yn ben lessons, chapiters, ympnes, and Offices of masses..and endeth with the Gospel, 'Simile est regnum celorum the saure abscendito in agro,' etc.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)373 : The bere seid the masse; The asse redde the apistille; The Oxe redde the gospell.
- a1500 God of hewine (Tit A.26)55 : Whan the gospille shalle be rede, Lestene as thoue were adred.
b
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9272 : Þe preste asked þe dekene sone why..Þat he, yn hys gospel, logh.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4921 : Seynt Marie preest of Seynt James chirche wil sey a messe..and after the gospeel to reherse my name opynly.
c
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)65/12 : Þis creature had euery day mend of þe Gospel whech tellyth of þe woman..takyn in avowtre.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1054 : Mony longe gospellis ouir hir gan he seye.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)824 : Let a preste me a gospelle saye For fendys on þe flode.
3.
(a) Gospel in a general sense, the teachings of Christ and the apostles; esp., the written records of the New Testament; Cristes ~, ~ of Crist, ~ of God, prechen the ~; (b) the preaching of the gospel; (c) soth as the ~, true as the gospel; (d) teachings of the Old Testament; (e) Christian doctrines or teachings in general; Crist(es ~, Godes ~, holi ~; beden ~, to preach Christianity.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)12/7 : Sume men nuten..hwi godspel is icwæden oððe hwæt godspel mæne. Godspel is witodlice Godes sylfæs lare & þa word þe he spæc on þissere worulde.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)52/27 : Be þare stowe þe Hælend cwæð on þam godspelle: 'Ibi erit fletus & stridor dentium'.
- c1175(OE) Bod.Hom.Dom.Quadr.(Bod 343)44/22 : Swa swa þæt godspel cyþ þæt ðe Hælend wære nihterne on bedum wacende.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.157 : Goddspell onn Ennglissh nemmnedd iss God word & god tiþennde.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)5 : Of þis tocume specð ure helende seluen on þe holie godspelle.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)15/8 : Crist self seið on his godspelle, 'Non ueni, [etc.].'
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)55/24 : Hie bieð of ðe hali goddspelle ðe sainte Marie sæde.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)35a : Twa cunnes ancren beoð, þet ure lauerd spekeð of & seið i þe godspel [Nero: gospelle].
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)105a : He..brohte þe godspel [Nero: gospel] as leattres i-openet.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1596 : And þat he schewez wel bi o word þat In þe godspel [Corp-C: gospel] is.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9647 : He wuste þat vr louerd in þe gospel tolde þat he him sulf was soþnesse.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)50/16 : Huer-of we redeþ ine þe godspelle þet god yaf yleaue þe dyeulen to guo in to þe zuyn.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 16.15 : Ȝe, goynge in to al the world, preche the gospel to ech creature.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Thes.2.2 : We..hadden trust in oure Lord for to speke to ȝou the gospel of God.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.498 : Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)prol.57 : I font þere Freres..Gloysynge þe Gospel [C: godspel] as hem good likeþ.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.115 : Crist seith in his gospel, 'dooth digne fruyt of penitence.'
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1794 : For elles, as the gospel seith, Salvacion ther mai be non.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)18710 : He bad his disciplis teche, Ouer al þe world þe gospel [Vsp: his trouth] preche.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5859 : Crist seiþ expresse In his gospel, how he sawe fro hevene Sathan discende.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)12/91 : Þir wurdes..Crist says in his godspell.
- a1425(?c1384) Wycl.Church (Bod 788)348 : Þei letten hem for to preche, and speciali Cristis gospel.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.FCLife (Corp-C 296)188 : Crist & ion baptist leften desert & precheden þe gospel.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)644 : Als God in his gospelle graythely ȝow teches, 'It ostendite vos sacerdotibus.'
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Conf.(Dub 245)343 : Men tellen þat freris tellen þat what treuþe þat þei seyne, if it be noteful to þe puple, þenne þat trewþe is þe gospel; and þus alle synnes þat þe freris don..is þe gospel of crist.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)429 : Crist seiþ in þe gospel þat boþe heuene & erþe shulen passe.
b
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Rom.1.1 : Poul, the seruaunt of Jhesu Crist, clepid an apostle, departid in to the gospel of God.
c
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.123 : Þe story sais þe same, soth as þe gospelle.
d
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)9.144 : Þe gospel [C: godspel] is here-ageine in o degre, I fynde, 'Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris' [Ezek. 18.20].
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)13.211 : How god, as the godspel telleth gyueth hem foul towname..'O stulte, ista nocte anima tua egredietur' [Luke 7.20]..'Thesaurizat et ignorat' [Ps. 38.7].
e
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)pref.104 : All þatt lede þatt follȝheþþ Goddspell þwerrt ut wel.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)29507 : Austin, þu scalt wende..in to Engle-londe..& beode þer godes godd-spel.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)29525 : He seide him þat godd-spel.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1209 : Ich can of þe goddspelle More þan ich nule þe telle.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)157 : Go ðu ðan to godes hus, ðe godspel to heren.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.123 : This mayden..Was..fostred in the feith Of Crist and bar his gospel in hyr mynde.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.481 : He was also a lerned man a clerk, That Cristes [vr. Crist] gospel trewely wolde preche.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1935 : Who folweth Cristes gospel and his foore But we that humble been..and poore?
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23820 : Her es þe time vr sinnes to bete..þat wittnes us all hali gosspelles [4 MSS: spelles,-is].
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6668 : He nolde, iwys, have bidde hem begging, Ne sellen gospel, ne prechyng.
4.
Words or statements that are as true as the gospel; al is not ~, not all is true, it is not entirely true.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1270 : For þi seide alfred swiþe wel, And his worde was goddspel, Þat euereuch man þe bet him beo Eauer þe bet he hine beseo.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)74/25 : His wordes shall be Gospell; his Beryng shall be meke as a lambe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1265 : God wot, I wende, O lady bright, Criseyde, That every word was gospel that ye seyde!
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7607 : All is not gospel, out of doute, That men seyn in the town aboute.
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)326 : Al ne is nat gospel that is to yow pleyned; The god of Love hereth many a tale yfeyned.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)202/35 : Now Gospel mote it ben in ȝowr mowth.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)1957 : The emperour was payed ful wel, And wende hit were al gospel That the clerkys dyden hym to wite.
5.
Gospel perdurable, a purported gospel of the Holy Ghost designed to supersede the gospel of the Son as found in the New Testament (Gérard de Borgo San Donnino, Evangelium Eternum sive Spiritus Sancti, etc., 1254).
Associated quotations
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7102 : That seide thus, though it were fable: 'This is the gospel perdurable, That fro the Holy Goost is sent.' Wel were it worth to ben brent!
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)303 : Þe tale þat Ihesus byffore in þe oþer gospel sede.
Note: Additional quote(s)
Note: Seems to be early use of gospel in sense 2.(c). 1st quot. there (a1438).
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450 SommeRoi(1) (Roy 18.A.10) 31/1067 : Þei clipen hem ydel wordys but þei b[en] noȝt ydel for þei ben riȝt costlewe and riȝt harmeful..as God seiþ in þe goospel.
Note: Editor's note: "goospel: unrecorded form in MED"
Note: New spelling.