Middle English Dictionary Entry
innocence n.
Entry Info
| Forms | innocence n. Also innocens(e, inocense. |
| Etymology | OF in(n)ocence |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Sinlessness, guiltlessness, purity; estat (stat) of ~, the prelapsarian condition; laue of ~, the law governing this condition; (b) habitual adoption of a favorable attitude, candor, simplicity, guilelessness, naivete; (c) ignorance, incompetence; (d) forbearance; (e) a simple unoffending person.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)181/17 : God him behat þe huyte robe of chastetee and of innocence.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)25.1 : Ich entred in myn innocens [L innocentia].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Job 27.5 : Ferr be fro me, that I deme ȝou to be riȝtwise..I shal not gon awei fro myn innocence.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1314 : What gouernaunce is in this prescience That giltlees tormenteth innocence?
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.219 : He [Adam] fel out of þe state of innocence [Higd.(2): innocency]..in to þe state of wrecchednesse.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.325 : In thestat of innocence whan Adam and Eue naked weren in Paradys and no thyng ne hadden shame of hir nakednesse.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.863 : Thus hire innocence He sclaundreth..With false wordes whiche he feigneth.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.286 : Innocence is nexte god, & nyȝte and day it crieth: 'Veniaunce, veniaunce!'
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)708 : Bot he on rode þat blody dyed..Gyue þe to passe, when þou arte tryed, By innocens & not by ryȝte.
- c1400 Wycl.DSins (Bod 647)143 : If monkynde in þo stat of innocense..schulde not be ydel..ffor elles he schulde by ydelnesse have fallen fro þo state of innocense, how schulde he be ydel now when peril is myche more?
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2526 : To declare..By þe dowes verray Innocence, Of hem in loue þat but trouþe mene And þat her grounde schulde honest be & clene.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)69/15 : Neiþer it is ȝouen for inocense, ne wiþholden for synne.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)30 : Þei had þis cunnyng..for innocens for þei..were ful uertuous..wherefor our lord list to rewarde hem with sum special ȝift.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)387 : Vndir euery lawe of god as vndir þe law of innocens and of kynde, vndir þe lawe ȝeue by moyses, and also vndir þe lawe ȝouen by criste. In þe tyme of þe state of innocence..god had so ordeyned for mankynde, þat it schulde haue had lyflode I-now; ȝhe, wiþowte eny tenefulle laboure.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.45.30b : I seie nouȝt þat þou maiȝt here lifende recuuere so hool ne so perfit clennesse and innocence.
- c1425 Wycl.Antichr.(2) (Dub 245)p.117 : Antecrist to whom þei shulen wiþstonde bi innocence & riȝtfulnesse shal be seen to ouercom by wonderful dedis.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)67a : Innocence: Innocencia, Insoncia.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.481 : And evere I am adrad of guile, In aunter if with eny wyle Thei mihte hire innocence enchaunte.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.1191 : Beth nat bidaffed for youre innocence. But sharply tak on yow the gouernaille.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.995 : But þe letteris þat falsly were conspired, Þei han hir put, par cas of Innocence, For to ȝeven to hastily credence.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)163-4 : Pitee..made Mercy passen Ryght, Thurgh innocence, and ruled Curtesye. But I ne clepe nat innocence folye, Ne fals pitee, for vertu is the mene.
- c1500(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Trin-C R.3.19)513 : For þe party of pure innocence, The mowse ys but sympyll, nat contrary, Where þe frosshe..was euer besy hys felow to encloy.
c
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1601 : Hir trouthe she swoor thurgh innocence; She neuere erst hadde herd speke of apparence.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)811 : He wroght of ignoraunce..And ȝif vnwist he of Innocence..fil in such offence..What er they worthy that her errour knowe?
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1048 : I am ashamed..Lest of myn innocence I seyde amys.
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)345 : Therfore he wrot the Rose and ek Crisseyde Of innocence, and nyste what he seyde.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)40 : When eny of the londe complayneth to the for the kynges Innocence [F que cil nauoit mestier destre roy], and seiden thei wolden thow sholde take vpon the to be kynge.
d
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)146/33 : Þe on leme uorberþ and lokeþ an oþer þet me naȝt him misdo..and ine þis we orderstondeþ [read: onderstondeþ] þe innocence þet we ssolle loki þe on a-ye þe oþre.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Consulo (Hrl 2255)7 : Among woluys be woluyssh of corage, Leoun with leouns, a lamb for innocence.
e
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Hrl 2251)566 : The sely sheepe..Stoode abasshed ful like an innocence, To help hym-self cowde fynd no diffence.