Middle English Dictionary Entry
jū̆stes n. plural
Entry Info
| Forms | jū̆stes n. plural Also joustes, justis(se, justize; ?also sg. just [KAlex.]. |
| Etymology | OF jostes, justes, joustes. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Single combats between knights or men-at-arms fighting on horseback with a lance or spear; also, an onslaught in such combat; -- sometimes with pl. construed as sg.
Associated quotations
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)960 : Nicholas..made a newe justes [LinI: iust], jwys, And slouȝ of Alisaunder men Moo þan J ȝou telle can.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1254 : Of kniȝttes þere was stronge metynge, Hard justes, staf brekynge.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1846 : Jn justes and fiȝttes nys oþere rente Bot bones knusshed and hard dent.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3339 : His justes, his dyntes his folk anhardeþ.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)10430 : Thelamanyus with a spere To Polidomas rode with were And bar him doun..And with that Iustus he smot him sar.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)613 : In iustes ne in tournament, Sall þou take no dedis dynt Whills þou arte hym one.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)77/24 : Itt was not long after bot all the batells assemelyd with mony grete iustys.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)705/19 : 'I pray you,' seyde sir Gareth unto sir Dynadan, 'let me have this justys.'
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)95 : Many men he hadd schentt In justus [vr. fightis] and on tornament.
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)409 : He axit justes [vr. justyng] of were.
2.
A series of single combats, held for sport or prizes, between knights or men-at-arms tilting in the lists on horseback with lances or spears; ~ of pes (werre), such a series of combats fought with a blunted weapon (with a sharp lance or spear); -- (a) construed as pl.; (b) construed as sg.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2898 : Þer nas so god kniȝt non nour aboute france Þat in ioustes ssolde sitte þe dunt of is lance.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)176 : In to what stede þat þai went, To iustes oþer to turnament..Wiþ scheld & spere to ride on stede.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)117/4 : Leue uader, ich þe bidde þet þou me loki þet ich ne guo neuremo ne to ioustes ne to tornemens.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2223 : To ioustes and tornyment wel mo þer wendeþ ofte þare.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.16 : Faith..cryde 'a! fili dauid!' As doth an Heraude of armes whan aunturos cometh to iustes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.796 : He cast..with certeyn pleis newe, On horse and fote..To ȝeue his men in knyȝthod excersyse, Eueryche to putten oþer at assaye In iustis, bordis, and also in tornay.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1664 : To telle all the circumstances Of Iustes, Reuel, and the dyuers daunces.
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)141 : Ladies louen solas and play; Swaynes, iustes; knyȝtis, turnay.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)10 : Whanne lordis ben fro hom in werris, in iustis, and parlementis.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)46.366 : Of Iustes ne pleyes nowher ny so fele.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)453 : Off þese ioustes..What knyght was he þat rod best cours?
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)343/18 : Smythfelde, þere þe Iustes schulde be do.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)60/18 : The iustys wer grete and the dedes of armes.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)238 : In the sexte ȝere of Richard was the mariage performed with gret solempnite and justis of pes.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)22/19 : The kynge lette purvey a grete feste, and also he lette cry both turnementis and justis thorowoute all his realme.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)93 : That yere were grete justys of warre in Smethefylde.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)1027 : Ho þat wyll þer axsy iustus To kepe hys armes fro þe rustus In turnement oþer fyȝt.
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)271/533 : Justes were cryed, ladyes to see.
b
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2720 : Ne ther was holden no disconfitynge But as a iustes or a tourneyinge.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.51 : To a iustes in iherusalem he chaced awey faste.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)42/21 : Þat a man wynneþ at a turnement or at a justes, as hors or harneys or oþer þing, men schulde ȝelde it to hem þat it loste.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)365/8 : Þere was made a ryalle feest and a grete Iustize yn reverence and worschip of ham.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)61/20 : There the kynge wolde lette make a counceile generall and a grete justis.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1065/3 : Within a fiftene dayes of that feste, the kyng lete cry a grete justyse and a turnement.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)96 : On the morne aftyr Hooly Rode day, the kyng made a grete justysse besyde Kyng ys towne uppe Temys.
- a1486 Jousts of Peace (Mrg M 775)39 : To crie a Justus of Pees.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)4355 : Ther was no justes nor turnament..But y had the beste of all.
3.
The ancient Olympic games; also, similar games held at Tyre.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.37 : Þe Grees..accounted here ȝeres by Olympades, þat beeþ þe tymes of here iustes and tornementis.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.357 : Hercules..restored þe tornementis and ioustes of Mont Olymp.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)2 Mac.4.18 : Iustus [L agon], doon onys in fyue ȝeer, was maad solempli in Tire.