Middle English Dictionary Entry
hundred n.
Entry Info
| Forms | hundred n. Also (in place names) hunderes, hundes & (with L or AF inflection) hundredum, hundredos, hundrez, etc.. |
| Etymology | OE |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. card. num.
1.
As administrative division of a county with its own court; a territorial division containing one hundred homesteads.
Associated quotations
- c1120(OE) Leges Hen.I in Liebermann Gesetze 1552 : Ipsi uero comitatus in centurias et sipessocna distinguntur; centurie uel hundreta [vr. hundreda] in decanias uel decimas et dominorum plegios.
- (1141-54) Chart.St.Paul in RHS ser.3.5828 : Clamaui quietos ii hundredos de Tendringes de essartis et placitis forestariorum inperpetuum.
- (a1140) Malmesbury De Gestis in RS 90129 : Centurias, quas dicunt hundrez, et decimas, quas thethingas vocant, instituit [Elfredus].
- (c1290) Britton 1 (Lamb 403)p.7 : Et volums ausi, qe en counteez et hundrez et en Court de chescun fraunc tenaunt, soint les Courtz tenues par les suytours.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5401-2 : Þer were hondredes in ech contreye of is lond, & in ech toune of þe hondred a teþinge were al so.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.87 : In Ȝorkschire beeþ two and twenty hondredes [L hundredi, id est, wapentakes]; Hundred and candred is al oon.
- (1425) RParl.4.306b : And..ye Justice of ye Peas, Stuardus of Letus and Hundredis, may have power to enquerre of suche misprisions and defautes of ye said Sherefs.
- (1450) Paston2.129 : Thei compelle pore tenauntes of the seid maner..to take feyned pleyntes in the courtes of the hundred.
- (1454) Lin.DDoc.66/7 : Margery is lyvyng at Mylleford in the shire of Southampton forsaid, within the hunderith of Cristchurche.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.84/28 : Robert Kyngton, þen Baylyfe of þe hundrede of Wotton, and Sir Gilbert of Hide..to this writyng put to þere seeles.
- (1465) Paston (Gairdner)4.155 : The were indytyd v of men by the enquest of Fourhoo hunder.
- (1474) RParl.6.115b : The same wages to be levyed and perceyved severally of the Goodes and Catelx beyng within the same Shires, Bisshoprich, Citee, Toune, Hundred, and Wapentak.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)20/32 : Þer byne yn þat provynce xxii hundirdis; Hundredus & Tancredus boþe yn Englysshe and Walshe conteynythe an hundryd townys.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)184/36 : A Candrede in frensh and in Irysh Is a Porcion of grovnde that may contene an hundrid villachis; In England Suche A Candrede is y-callit an hundret othyr a wepyn-tale.
- -?-(a1450) Chron.Repton73 : Item, the Wapentacke or hundred.
2.
(a) The assembly or court of a hundred; also, a meeting of the court, a session; also, the jury of a hundred court; ~ laue, ?the hundred court, ?a fine or tax levied by the court; (b) siute to (at) the ~, attendance at the hundred court; siute of ~, the obligation to attend the hundred court.
Associated quotations
a
- c1120(OE) Leges Hen.I in Liebermann Gesetze 1553 : Debet autem scyregemot et burgemot bis, hundreta uel wapentagia duodecies in anno congregari.
- c1185 Pseudo-Cnut in Liebermann Gesetze 1621 : Sintque omnes, tam primarii quam mediocres et minuti, immunes, liberi, et quieti ab omnibus prouincialibus summonitionibus et popularibus placitis, que hundredlaghe Angli dicunt.
- (1209) Pipe R.Winch56/31 : Et de j marca de filio Galfridi de Quabbe pro veredicto hundredi.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)31998 : He sette moting..he sette husting..he sette sciren..he sette hundred.
- (1284) Rec.Crondal in Hamp.RS 315 : Dominus Episcopus Wintoniensis et senescallus suus habent potestatem ad primum hundredum apud Blakehethfelde ipsam injuriam inquirere, terminare, et emendam inde recipere.
- (c1290) Britton 1 (Lamb 403)p.23 : Et puis soit crie, qe nul ne soit si hardi de amercier nul homme en court de baroun ne en hundred.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11151,11152 : He let someni an hundred, & þer he hente an gile, Vor as he huld þis hundred..Adam of arderne was is chef countour.
- c1330 Len puet (Auch)15 : Hundred, chapitle, court, & shire, al hit goþ a deuel wey.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)469 : And thise assisours, that comen to shire and to hundred Damneth men for silver.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)867 : Seche þyn herte trewly ore Ȝef þow were any tyme forswore, At court or hundret or at schyre.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.84/11 : Þer was i-maade an Inquisicion In þe full hundrede of Wotton.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.161/6 : The hundrede whas þere i-callid to-gedur in the tyme of John of Worton.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)113/33 : Then aftyr þat þys justice come, he made all men to swere on bokes, yn schyres and hundurdes.
b
- c1460 Oseney Reg.37/17 : We truly þe forsaide yevyng and grauntyng..that þey as to alle here demaynys londes and tenementes be quite for euer of all maner sutes of Shires and Hundredes.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.84/15 : Þabbot of Oseney and his men of Worton and Hensynton oftid..to do sute to þe forsaide hundred.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.108/19 : An Inquisicion i-made of our ffredoms in Hensynton of Sute not to be doo at þe Hundrede of Worton.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.163/19 : Þabbot maketh sute to þe hundrede of Bloxham for þe same.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)155/9 : He and his heires warantized all the forsaid lond to the forsaid Anneys..and aquyted of all sutes..of shire and hundred and of ridyng.
3.
(a) A tax levied upon or within a hundred; ~ fe, a payment to the bailiff of the hundred for the support of his office; ~ peni, q. v.; ~ shot (silver, wite, yeld), ? = ~ fe; (b) the obligation to attend the hundred court [1st quot. under (a) may belong here].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1135) in Madox Form.Angl.(1702)291 : Homines ejusdem Ecclesiæ liberi sint & quieti ab omni Geldo & Scoto..& Hundredis, & ab omni Consuetudine terrenæ servitutis.
- (a1200) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.7240 : Reddendo inde..pro omnibus serviciis..ad hunderescot xiiij den.
- (?a1225) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.7155 : Reddendo inde..quatuordecim denarios ad duos terminos..pro omnibus serviciis..et pro omni hundredescot.
- (1241) Chart.R.PRO1.257 : Concessimus etiam eis quod sint liberi et quieti..de hundredfeh, wardfeh et fisfeh.
- (c1250) Bracton Note Bk.(Add 12269)2/417 : Terra illa solet singuls annis reddere vj den. nomine hundredescot ad firman Dom. Reg.
- (c1273) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 2126 : Et hundr'heyld scilicet auxilium vicecomitis.
- (c1273) Hundred R.Tower 1527 : Iidem subtrahunt xij d. de hundredeshot & ij d. de turno vicecomitis.
- (1299) in Sundby Dial.Wor.133 : Hundredselver.
- a1300 Cart.Gloucester in RS 333.104 : Remanent de hundredwite doudecim solidi.
- a1300 Cart.Gloucester in RS 333.213 : Omnes etiam praedicti consuetudinarii dant in communi ad auxilium quindecim solidos, et ad hundredfe duos solidos.
- (1326) Close R.Edw.II617 : Hundredselver.
- (1439) RParl.5.7a : The king..graunteth and ordeineth..that alle the Profites, Issues..and Commoditees, comyng or for to come, of alle the Castellis..Rentes, Reversions..Hundred', Letis..and alle other enheritaunces..be ordeined, aplied, and emploied, to the dispensis of his saide Houshold.
b
- c1460 Oseney Reg.9/10 : I wylle..that all þe tenementes of the same church and men of þe chanouns be quyte of schyres and hundredys.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.35/25 : Henry Kyng graunteth..þat þey and all here tenements and here men been quite of Shires and hundredes and wardes.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)656/8 : He willed and comaunded that the forsaid Chirche..shold have..all these aforsaid thyngis..and vttirly quyte fro Shire and hundred.
4.
In surnames & placenames [see Smith PNElem. 1.269].
Associated quotations
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.963 : Ic gife þone tun þe man cleopað Vndela, mid eall þet þærto lið, þet is þet man cleopeð Eahte hundred.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.963 : Fyrst fra Witles mære eall to þe cinges toll of Norðmannes cros hundred.
- (1177-8) in Fägersten PNDor.165 : Hunderesberger.
- (1275) in Fägersten PNDor.165 : Hundredesberewe.
- (1275) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames248 : Rob. del Hundred.
- (1303) in Fägersten PNDor.166 : Hundesbergh.