Middle English Dictionary Entry
lavender(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | lavender(e n.(1) Also lavendre, lavander, lavandre, lawender, lavendir, (?error) lavenere & launder(e, lander(e. |
| Etymology | OF lavandier & lavandiere & ML lavandārius, lavendrius, lavenderia. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A laundress, washerwoman; also, a washer, launderer; ?serving maid; also fig.; cover-chef ~, q.v.; (b) ?a prostitute, whore; camp follower [quot.: c1400]; (c) as surname & in place name.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Heȝe louerd (Hrl 2253)56 : Glotonie mi glemon wes..Prude wes my plowe-fere, Lecherie my lauendere.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)156/71 : A woman þat his lander was..come and zede & wessche his clothes.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)11b/a : Candidaria: a lauender.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)37a/a : Lauandria: lauendre.
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)959 : Giffrouns lemman is clere..Elene, þe messengere, Semeþ but a lavendere Of her norserie.
- (1428-9) Rec.St.Mary at Hill71 : Also the lauendere for a hole ȝere wasshynge & sowenge, ij s.
- (1431-2) *Mun.B.Bridgewaterno.13 : It., to þe Lauender for wessche þe churche clothys, ij s.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)133 : It is ordeyned..that non..take in kepyng..of tayleresses, ne off poure lavenderes..clothes maade.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.2853 : Philipot..Of Cathenoise, the dukis cheef lauendeer..was brouht..To be norice.
- (1439) Acc.Bk.Carpenter Co.4 : Itm., paide to ye lavender for ye yere, x d.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)291 : Lawndere [KC: lavendyre; Phil: lavunder]: Lotor, lotrix.
- (1442) Visit.Alnwick230 : We enioyne yowe..that ye hafe an honest woman lauendere of the coste of the howse to wasshe your sustres clothes.
- (1442-3) Visit.Alnwick132 : Also we enioyne yowe, pryoresse..that ye dispose so for a commune lauendere in your place that she wasshe your susters clothes ones euery fourtenyghte.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Say.Nightingale (Trin-C R.3.20)251 : Of oure synnes as cheef lauender Out of his syde he gaf vs water cleere.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)766 : Medean toke him to the nors there, And with the lauender home did she fare To the castel ther thei come froo.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)2328 : As she on the brigge stoode, The lauenders she saw in the floode, Ful besilie washing a shert.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)185/28 : Þi lauendere may noȝt, þanne, wasschen it als whyȝt & als clene as ȝif it be wasschyn euery woke onys.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)32 : For that j kan so wel washe, so wel lathere, and so wel bowke, hath god maad me his chambrere and his principal lauendere [F lavandiere].
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)121/14 : I was sore aferd..and went my way with my lavender..so I abode ther; And my chaumberlane, which was wele aged, come euery day to feche almus att the kynges hous, and therby we lived, the hermyte, she, and I.
- (1458) Let.Oxf.in OHS 36344 : Al catowrs, manciplis, spencers, cokes, lawenders..wythin þe precincte of þe sayd Universyte.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57380 : Item, to the lavender, into the said day, ij s. iij d.
- (1465-66) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31398 : Payed..to the lavendre for wasshyng of clothes of the Chirche, ij d.
- (1472-74) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31531 : Payd to the lavendir for Cristmasse quarter, viij d.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)4151 : I am vn-to the myghty kyng Callyd sothly the 'lavendere' [F lavandiere], And also ek hys chaumberere.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)210 : A lawnder: candidaria, lotrix.
- a1500(?a1449) ?Lydg.Lavenders (Cmb Ff.1.6)p.723 head. : A Treatise for Lauandres.
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)2293 : Launders..of asshes..make their lye.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.347 : Ladies faire with their gentilwomen, Chamberers also and lauenders.
b
- c1400 *Trev.Higd.(Tbr D.7)282b : Sarsyns come out of affrica wyþ þre þ[ou]send men of armes, al withoute syxty þousend of lauenders [vr. lavendres; L lotricibus].
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)358 : Envie ys lavendere [vrr. lauender, lauendar; Dante Inferno 13.64: meretrice] of the court alway, For she ne parteth, neither nyght ne day, Out of the hous of Cesar; thus seith Dante.
- a1500(1465) Leversedge Vision (Add 34193)32 : I charge the that thou go neuer to the lauender howse, ne lett her com in thi chambir as long as thou art in Oxforthe; More ouer j charge the, that wat tyme thou felist thy flesch rebell aȝenst thy saule, vse thou to fast bred and watur.
c
- (1227) Close R.Tower 2196 : Isabella la Lavendre.
- (1246) Close R.Hen.III477 : Rogerus Sloward, vir Matillidis la Lavendere.
- (1251) Pat.R.Hen.III116 : Emma la Lavender.
- (1261) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)1.92 : Geoffrey le Lavander.
- (1281) in Fransson Surn.110 : Beatrix le Lauender.
- (1296-7) Acc.Cornw.in RHS ser.3.68164 : Et de 12 d. de..Agneta la lauender.
- (1299) Let.Bk.Lond.C (Gldh LetBk C)46 : Dionisia Lavenere.
- (1311) Court R.Colchester 148 : Amicia la Lavendere.
- (1313) Sub.R.Glo.(1) in BGAS 19248 : Matilda la Lavendere.
- (1325) Court R.Lan.in LCRS 4182 : Adam Lauender.
- (1326) Court R.Lan.in LCRS 4175 : Matilda le Launder.
- (1332) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10272 : Julia Lauendr'.
- (1344) Liber Cust.Lond.in RS 12.2451 : Quidam pons, vocatus Lauendresbrigge, in Tymberhethe.
- (1364) in Rymer's Foedera (1816-69)3.740 : Et Clementis Lavendere de London.
- (1378) in Davenport Nrf.Manorp.lx : Agnetis Lavender.
- (c1387) Cart.Oseney in OHS 91181 : Iohannem Lauendere.
- (1415) Reg.Spofford in Cant.Yk.S.23162 : John Landere.