Middle English Dictionary Entry
arche-dēken, erche-dekēn n.
Entry Info
| Forms | arche-dēken, erche-dekēn n. Also (early) erce-, arce-; ers(e-, ars-; archi-; -diacon & herchedekne. |
| Etymology | OE ercediacon, ærce- (from L archidiāconus) & OF arc(h)ediacne. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The chief administrative officer of an archbishop or bishop, who presided over the ecclesiastical court of the diocese, had powers of visitation, inducted candidates into benefices, imposed penance, etc.; also, the chief administrative officer of an archdeanery.
Associated quotations
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1114 : Sona þæræfter sende se cyng..to Rome..þone ærcediæcne Iohan.
- 1123 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1123 : Iohan, ærcedæcne of Cantwarabyrig.
- a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1129 : Þa weorð hit eall of earcedæcnes wifes & of preostes wifes, þat hi scolden hi for læten be scs Andreas messe; & se þe þat ne wolden done forgede his circe.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)340/10 : Þo þe bischop scholde beon i-nome..Seint laurence, is Ercedekne, he cleopede.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)239 : Of þe Ercedekne [Hrl: Ardekne], Thomas Men tolden him sone i-nouȝ hov he was stable Man and wis.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)603 : Þat to þe bischop fram þe Ercedekne [Hrl: arcedekne] his apel scholde make.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9602 : Ercedekne of kanterbury sein tomas þo was.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9706 : Ȝuf..eni man made is apel, ȝuf me dude him vnlawe, Þat to þe bissop fram ercedekne is apel ssolde make, & fram bissop to erchebissop.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)49 : Thise ersedeknes that ben set to visite holi churche.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.655 : He wolde techen hym to haue noon awe..of the ercedekenes [vrr. ercedeknes, erchedekenys, erchedeknes, archedekens] curs.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)prol.92 : Erchedekenes and Deknes, þat Dignite hauen To preche þe peple and pore men to feede, Beon lopen to londun, bi leue of heore Bisschopes, To ben Clerkes of þe kynges Benche, þe Cuntre to schende.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1302 : An erchedekene..boldely dide execucioun In punysshynge of fornicacioun, Of wicchecraft, and eek of bawderye..For, er the bisshop caughte hem with his hook, They weren in the erchedekenes book; And thanne hadde he thurgh his iurisdiccioun Power to doon on hem correccioun.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.129 : Þe Erresdeken Thomas was sacred in his se.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)2.173 : Erchdekenes and officiales and alle ȝowre Regystreres.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)6.71 : Bondemenne barnes han be mad Bisshopes, And barnes bastardes han ben archidekenes.
- (1423) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7815 : The Ersedekyn of Glowestre..the Archedecon of Glowcestre.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)141 : Erchedekene [Win: archdekyn]: Archidiaconus.
- (1444) RParl.5.75a : To do write to the Archdecon of London..to induct the seid persone so chosen.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)102 : Bischop or archideken.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)8035 : It is þe office of an archedekyn To preche and men saules to wyn, Þe cuntre forto circuyte, Of mens lyues to se plyte, And in kirke to do þair cure, Forto make mens saules sure, And noght for na pecuyne Mendyng of þair lyues proloyne.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)136.35 (v.2:p.365) : Laurence abood stylle at Rome with .. pope Sixtus, whoom he made his herchedekne.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)226/24 : Archedyacun of Chychestur.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.25 : Waltere, Archidiacon of Oxford.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)417 : Bischops & archidekenes wiþ þer officials & denes shulden not amersy pore men, for þis is worse þan comyn robberye.
2.
The chief of the cardinal deacons.
Associated quotations
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)142 : These be þe cardinal deknes..The cardinal of þe cherch of our lady called in domnica..is þe first and archdekne of his felawis.