(a) The peace of a nation or society, law and order; fig. the peace resulting from the observation of God's will; breken (fordon) ~, to disturb the peace, break the law; holden (maken, setten) ~, maintain general peace, establish law and order; (b) ~ and frith, pes and ~, peace, law and order; also fig.

(a) Cessation of fighting; absence of hostility, peace; breken ~, to breach the truce; crien ~, proclaim peace; maken (iworchen) ~, make peace (with sb.); pes (saughtnesse) and ~, peace and concord; (b) amity, good will, friendship, peace; pes (saughtnesse) and ~, amity and accord; (c) freedom from disturbance, security; (d) ?silence; ben in ~, be silenced.

(a) Protection; shelter, refuge; safety; safe conduct; also fig.; gon to ~, to take shelter in (a house), enter; (b) law kinges hand selde (seldre) ~, protection given by the king's writ with limitations of person, time, and place.

(a) Sanctuary; haven (taken) ~ of, to seek protection of (the Church); also, the right of the Church to provide sanctuary for a fugitive; also, the sanctuary of the temple in Jerusalem; (b) ~ man, a fugitive who had taken sanctuary; also, as surname; ~ place (toun), a place or town where fugitives could seek asylum; ~ prest, the priest who ministered to fugitives who sought sanctuary in the church; ~ rod, one of the banners carried by the grithmen before the feretory in processions at Rogation-tide; ~ ston, ?a stone marking the area within which the church had the right of providing sanctuary. [See also chirche ~.]

(a) Mercy, clemency; pardon; haven ~, of a person: to obtain mercy, be spared; of a game animal: be spared; yeven ~, show (sb.) mercy, pardon (sb.), spare (a game animal); withouten ~, mercilessly; (b) God's grace, favor, or mercy; godes ~; grace (gre) and ~; also, the favor of a pagan god.

As surname.