Middle English Dictionary Entry
heritāǧe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | heritāǧe n. Also eritage, heretage, haritage, (error) erihtage & hiritage, hirritage, jritage. |
| Etymology | OF iretage, iritage, h)eritage. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) Something legally inherited or inheritable; inherited or inheritable property, right, office, sovereignty, etc.; a legal inheritance; beren ~, to receive an inheritance; inherit; (b) fig. something that people have as a heritage from the past; God or Christ as the heritage of the righteous, Levites, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)83 : Þah ha ȝung were, ha heold hire aldrene hird wisliche..i þe heritage [vr. eritage; L hereditaria]..þet com of hire burde.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)2374 : Ake sire Geffreies child with riȝte lawe of londe Þe heritage scholde habbe i-bore.
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)94 : Heo þouȝte, ȝif heo miȝte bringue þis child of lijf-dawe, Þat heo wolde of is heritage beo quene with lawe.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7829 : Normandie, is eritage, he [William the Conqueror] ȝef is eldoste sone.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9308 : He binimþ men hor riȝtes & hor kunde eritages al so.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)849 : Mi fader is slain, Mine hirritage hermonie.
- c1330 Le Freine (Auch)321 : A kniȝt þat haþ a douhter fair & briȝt þat schal bere his hiritage.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)39/13 : Þe zixte [kind of avarice] is ine zuyche reuen, prouost, bedeles, oþre mesteres men..þet..beggeþ þe greate eritages.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)101/29 : He ssel bi yhealde uor his zone auoud and ssel bere his eritage.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)2.8 : Aske of me, and ich schal ȝeue to þe men þyn eritage [L hæreditatem].
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2208 : Y am of Bauere..& haue þar herytage.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.409 : He [Alexander] delede his heritage [Higd.(2): his patrimony; L patrimonium suum] among his frendes.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.884 : Of which brekynge [of sacrament of marriage] comen false heires ofte tyme, that wrongfully occupien folkes heritages.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1025 : Hire child schal noght among hem duelle, To cleymen eny heritage.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)69b/b : Þey..wepiþ more for þe losse of an appil þanne fore þe losse of þeire heritage.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.243 : Þe kyng leten In hus enemys honde ys heritage of fraunce.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)15/2 : Lo! ich go into ȝoure cuntraye forto axe heritage in my wyues name, for heo is eyr þerof; hit longeþ to me to axe þat heritage, for hit is y-knytt to þe matrimonye.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3746 : To Iason..His heritage first he gan resigne, Septre, & crovne & kengdam at þe leste.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1089 : Vnto hym longeth the heritage Be discent and be title of age.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)26a/a : Exeredo: to reue erytage.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)48a/a : Patrimonium: herytage.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)0a/b : In a ciuile Inuentorie ben writen afore þe more comoun & more worthy þingz of al þe heritage [*Ch.(2): of all heretage].
- (1425) RParl.4.269b : My seid Lord Mareschall..hadde neyther ye armes, ne ye heritage of ye said Thomas Brothurton.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1666 : Medea..lovede hym beter than hireself..And lafte hire fader and hire herytage.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)59 : Swiche reconisaunce heldene stede as weel of tenementes that wommen purchasen ioyntly with here housbond, as of tenementz that bene of here heritage.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)111 : A lythyr ladde with a torne hod..schal eryth þe erytage þat neuere was of hys blod.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)148/31 : The kyng Ponthus gave grete heritage and londes to Ser Patryke.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)9 : All his haritages and goodes deemed as forfaturs to the Kyng.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.10/27 : The saide Nygell his brother succedyd hym in-to þe herytage as heyre.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)134 : And by discente þer is not like to ffalle gretter heritage to any man than to þe kyng.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)63a : Heretage: Allodium, hereditas, hereditaculum.
- a1500(a1400) Wycl.FHC (NC 95)348 : As if þou haddist a lettre þat þi kynge sent þee..& hiȝt þee greet eritage to be [at] hijs retenu & serue hym treuly.
b
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)15.5 : Our Lord is part of myn heritage and of mye ioie.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.15.5 : The Lord, the part of myn eritage, and of my chalis.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.18.20 : Þe lord seide to aaron..'ne ȝe shole haue part among hem; y þe part & þyn herytage.'
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ezek.44.28 : Y am the eritage of hem, and ȝe schulen not ȝyue to hem possessioun in Israel.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.3.33 : The heritage of the whiche Socrates (the heritage is to seyn the doctryne of the whiche Socrates..that I clepe welefulnesse).
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1926 : Þus þe name cam eft don, London, on Saxons langage. Now Englysche holden þate heritage, Als men of oþer nations þat han be here syþ þe Bretons.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.48.33b : He [Jesus] is dragme; He is peni; and he is þin heritage.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)15.5 : He [the Lord] is porcioun and mede of myn heritage, that is, of haly men.
1b.
Something given to another, a gift; to ~, as a gift.
Associated quotations
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)126.4 : Ȝe childer, marchaundis, & frut of þe wombe, seþ þe heritage of our Lord, whan he had ȝeuen reste to his loued.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.126.3 : Lo! the eritage of the Lord the sones, the mede, the frut of the wombe.
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)295/1450 : He yaff þe burgeyse for his message An C li. to herytage.
2a.
(a) A spiritual inheritance or bequest; an allotted place in heaven or hell; the lot of Adam and Eve in paradise; ~ of (in) heven, ~ of oure fader, everlasting ~, goddes ~, the blessedness of heaven; ~ in helle, damnation; (b) one's occupation or station in life.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)24/368 : For þi þet tu schuldest þin heorte heouen þiderwart [toward heaven], as þin eritage [Tit: heritage] is.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)156/1 : Iudas..biȝet of iacob his feader..to beon his rihthondes sune & bruken buten ende þe eritage of heouene.
- c1300 SLeg.Patr.(LdMisc 108)451 : He..þe feondes lefden bi-hinde..In helle is heore kuynde heritage.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)102/16 : We ssolle habbe þe eritage of oure uader, þet is, þe blysse of paradys.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)3038 : Þe fendes..wild haue fled, Bot ferrer may þai neuer fle; Þair herytage es þare to be.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Eph.5.5 : Ech fornycatour or vnclene man..hath not heritage [WB(2): eritage] in the kingdom of Crist and God.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.9.15 : Thei that ben clepid take repromyscioun of euerlasting eritage.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)1 Pet.1.4 : God..aȝen gendride us in to quik hope..in to heritage [WB(2): eritage] vncoruptible.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.884 : Therfore wol Crist putte hem out of the regne of heuene, that is heritage to goode folk.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.7006 : Sacrilegge..hath his heritage in helle.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1641 : Body and soule he with the deuel wente wher as that somnours han hir heritage.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18734 : Thoru him we mai..Ask ur heritage wit dett.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)11.231 : Pore men in pacience & penaunce togidere Hauen eritage in heuene, ac riche men non.
- a1425(c1340) Rolle Psalter (LdMisc 286)134.12 : The heritage of heuen, the whilk deuyls forsoke thoro pryde, he gaf til gode cristen men.
- a1425 Al es bot (Glb E.9)89 : He [God]..Grant til vs his jritage, to enter at his ȝate.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)152 : A synner, how euer greet he haue be, may in þe laste hour of his lijf be take forto be sauyd fro helle and forto be acceptid into þe heritage of heuene.
- a1450(?1404) As þe see (Dgb 102)179 : Fro heritage of heuene is born o hast, Shrifte wiþoute contricioun.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)29.108 : [Eve:] Dismaie ȝow nouht; for they out of Oure Eritage we ben browht, ȝit for Evere han we it not lost.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)1049 : Thys was fyrst the ordynaunce, That man shold euer ha be in blysse..Euer ha be fre..God gaff oure fadrys ous be-forn..For catel and for ther herytage Ta last in euery maner age.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)58/38 : God..wyll..bye us all ffrom oure offens, in hevyn to haue his herytage.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)46.4 com. : He chese to gif til vs, his lufers, his heritage, that is, endles life..for the heritage of heuen is the fairhed of cristen men.
- a1500(a1400) Wycl.FHC (NC 95)348 : Hijs [God's] seruice is liȝt & hijs eritage is myche, for it is þe blis of heuen lastynge wiþouten ende.
- a1500(1445) ?Lydg.Marg.Entry (Hrl 3869)97 : Who seketh Rest with feithfull trewe corage Shalle dwelle atte last in goddes heritage.
b
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)53/1472 : Þes werkes Men takeþ after ihesu cryst, Wanne hy by-comeþ clerkes. And ȝyf hy douþ wel hare deuer Ine þysse heritage, Ne may hem falle after þys lyf Non oun-worþ desparage.
2b.
Fig. God's inheritance or property; the Hebrews, Israel; Christians; righteous men.
Associated quotations
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)27.12 : Make, Lord, þy folk sauf, and blisce þyn heritage [L hereditati] and gouerne hem.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Joel 2.17 : Lord! spare thou, spare to thi peple, and ȝeue not thin eritage [L hereditatem tuam] into schendship, that naciouns be lordis to hem.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.81.8 : Ryse thou, God; deme thou the erthe, for thou schalt haue eritage in alle folkis.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.7 : Make hem [þi seruauntis] to be rewardid wiþ seyntis in endeles blis! Lord, make saaf þi puple, and blesse þin eritage!
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)27.12 : Blis til thin heritage, that is, encrese thaim in vertus that lufis the, and thou weldis thaim, and gouern thaim in this life.
3a.
(a) The fact or right of inheriting; hereditary succession, inheritance; bi (of) ~, bi name (laue, right, titel, wei) of ~; of ~ bi kinde, by natural inheritance; of right(ful ~, by lawful inheritance, etc.; (b) hereditary possession or tenure; in (into, to) ~, by hereditary tenure, as an inheritance; in(to fe and ~, out of ~.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)335/406 : A wardein of holie churche þoruȝ is godnesse man schal take, Þat nouȝt, ase it were bi heritage, þat of freond þat oþur make.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8633 : He was her lord bi hirritage.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1445 : He has a sone dere..þat schal be emperour after him, of heritage bi kynde.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.285 : A woman þat was quene of Fraunce by eritage [Higd.(2): to whom the realme descendede by trewe inheritaunce] wedded a bocher.
- (1395) Wycl.12 Concl.(Th 17)296 : Pride with his sori genealogie of dedly synnes chalingith it [the Church] be title of heritage.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)100a/a : So þis contagioun [leprosy] passiþ into þe childe as it were by lawe of heritage.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)176b/a : Seuen naciouns of hem were of children of chanaan, in þe whiche þe curs þat was ȝeuen to hem was y-mored, as it were by heritage.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.291 : Selde is any pore riche but of riȝtful heritage.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1333 : I suppose ȝe han no title of right To this loggyng be way of heritage, More than haue I.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)22/31 : His sone thoughte to regnen after him be heritage.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)49b/a : Þise passions ar regionalez & as war of heritage [L quasi hereditarie; *Ch.(2): as þogh þai were of heritage].
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)5 : Herodes vnder his [Tiberius'] emperie, as heritage wolde, Kyng of Galile was ycalled, whan þat Crist deyed.
- c1450(c1370) Chaucer Pity (Benson-Robinson)71 : By youre [Pity's] herytage ryght, Ye ben annexed ever unto Bounte.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13773 : Now is Lamydon lord..Þat by Eritage of Auncetry ayre vnto troy.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.186/25 : All my londe..the which to me by heritage descendit of the same Robert my ffadur.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)107/17 : That mese that was of William Blythe her vncle þat fille to her by the name of heritage of the parte of the same William Blithe her vncle.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)572/5 : All his ryht..that he had or myht haue, by ryht eryhtage or succession of hys seyd fadyr.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.7.59b : Thei owe only to pay this dette to whom the synne of adam hath atteyned be veray succession and descent of kyndely heritage.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)31/5 : He shold delyuere hym his londis that sholdyn be his by ryght of heritage.
b
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)36.36 : He shal anheȝen þe, þat tou take þerþe in heritage.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)134.14 : He ȝaf her [londe]..into heritage to his folk.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)609 : In to þat land..Was adam broght..He [God] gaf it him, als in heritage.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)652 : Þenne schal Sare..a sun bere..Þat schal halde in heritage þat I haf men ȝark[ed].
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.25.4 : Y shal bitake thee to sones of the eeste in to eritage.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)2/28 : [The Holy Land] the whiche is the same lond þat oure lord behighte vs in heritage.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)912 : He gaf hym [his son] in heritage Þre casteles þat weren gode.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)14203 : He left hit [Scotland] til Iweyn in herytage.
- c1450 Glo.Chron.B (Cmb Ee.4.31)7829 : [Normandy] he yave to heritage [is eldoste sone].
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)384/20 : Petir fitz Geffrey and his heires shold hold these londis into fee and heritage of the chirch of Godestowe.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)512/22 : Robert and Margerye wold yeve it..of hym and his heires, in fee and heritage.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget(3) (Gar 145)106/14 : Oure progenitours enherite vs, and yaue vs in heritage large possessions and fayre nortur of maneres and condicions.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)194/18 : Þe fadir putte bi jugement þe childe so trespasing oute of housholde and oute of eritage.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)15.5 : Haly men whaim i weld in heritage.
3b.
Med. Hereditary transmission of disease; of (bi) ~, hereditary, by heredity.
Associated quotations
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)42a/b : Boicium is holden of many men a sikenez..hereditarie, i. of heritage [L hereditaria; *Ch.(2): of þe heritage].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)109b/b : Akþes of Ioyntes ben of some of tho sekenesses þat ben hadde by heritage [L hereditantur; *Ch.(1): þat ar inheritaged] ffor whie þe sperme, i. þe sede, of man is after þe complexioun of hym þat gendreth.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)115a/a : The leper..is of heritage [L hereditarius; *Ch.(1): hereditarie] and contagiouse.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)155a/b : Þe stone of the reynes and of þe bleddre is of tho þinges þe whiche ben hadde by heritage.
4.
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)73/94 : Al Enguelond..neuer-eft ne cam a-ȝein to riȝhte Eyres none..Neuereft to is cuynde heritage ne cam it, ich onder-stonde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2176 : Thei [the Amazons] granten him [Pirrus] a lusti mede, That every yeer as for truage To him and to his heritage of Maidens faire he schal have thre.
5.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1301) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 21108 : Willelmo Heritage.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.23.32 : Ech womman forsakinge hir man shal synnen & settinge eritage of an aliene matrimoyne..in þe lawe of þe heȝeste she was vnbeleeful
Note: Supplemental material for 4.
Note: WB(2) gloss: 'that is heir of hir hosebonde'