Middle English Dictionary Entry
lēgāt(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | lēgāt(e n. Also lagate, ligate. |
| Etymology | OF legat legate & ML lēgātus n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An ecclesiastic invested with papal authority, a papal legate; (b) ~ a latere, a papal legate of the highest rank; ~ germanic, legate to the Germans; ~ of the crois, a papal legate entitled to have the cross borne before him as an emblem of dignity; ~ of the rome-scot, a legate sent to collect Peter's pence.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.675 : Ic wille þet seo abbot beo ge healden for legat of Rome ofer eal þet iglande.
- 1123 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1123 : On þa ilca tyma com an Legat of Rome, Henri wæs ge haten.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)24501 : Dubriz þe archebiscop..of Rome he wes legat.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)29735 : Austin..was icleopped legat; of þissen londe he wæs primat.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1332 : Mi louerd þe king ov bit þat ȝe with us sende Ane legat into engelonde.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10276 : Þer on þoȝte tueye men, legates of rome, Pandulf and þe duraund.
- (1398) Doc.in Sur.Soc.45316 : Richard, by the grace of God erche bysshop of York, primat of Englelond, and legat of ye court of Rome.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)29358 : Alle þaa Lais hand on clerk be-houis ga To þe pape or his legate [Glb: lagate] To soilled be.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.131 : Þe pape sent his bulle with a legate.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.422 : Ȝe lordes and ladyes and legates of holicherche.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)63/3 : Sche herd tellyn of an Englysch frer, a maystyr of diuinite & þe Popys legat, was in þat cite.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)261/2 : A legatt of þe courte of Rome gatt a grete pardon vnto his fadur, þat was dead, of þe pope.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.38/8 : Theobalde..Archiebisshop of Caunterbery, and of all Inglonde primate, & popis legate.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)124 : The kynge shall beyre yerely charges vnknowen in receyvinge off ligates and messengers sende ffrom the pope, and off ambassatours sende ffrom kynges and oþer princes.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)65/16 : Crysten, Byschope of Lysmore, and Legate of the Courte of Rome.
b
- a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1127 : He wæs legat of ðone Rome scott.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.115 : Bonefas, archebisshop of Caunterbury, þat was legat of þe croys, song in euery cathedral cherche of Wales, solempneliche a masse.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.99r : To his wel derworþ lord and in Xristus loue tofore oþer kynges of Englisshmen fore-put Edbalde, Boneface archebishop, legat germanit of the Chirche of Rome, euerlastyng helthe of charite sendeth.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) Ctn.(Hrl 2261)493 : Monkes exempte hade grete privilege þer, and were not under the iurisdiccion of eny bischop but of the pope of Rome, oþer of a legate a latere sende from þe pope.
2.
An official sent to execute a commission or convey a message; an ambassador, an envoy, a messenger.
Associated quotations
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)67.34 : Legats [L legati] shul cumen out of Egipte sleand þe Echiopenes.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.57.9 : Thou..sentist thi legates [WB(2): messangeris; L legatos] aferr.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Jer.49.14 : A legat [WB(2): messanger; L legatus] to Jentilis is sent.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.67.32 : Legatis [WB(1): messageris] schulen come fro Egipt.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.Lear (Göt Hist 740)630 : Kyng Aganippe..sone iqwyls sent hys legattes Þorowe all þe contres Galliene.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.1450 : To Mitridate legates wer doun sent From the Romeyns.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)33b : Þe Emperours legates þat were ysent in message to þe oost, þey were y-chose comounliche of þo þat were yclepid consules, counsaillours.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)34a : Þis prefecte in absence of þe emperours legat haþ holliche þe emperours power as his viker.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1951 : The man with his message meuys him to, As legate and lege from his lord comyn.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)6477 : Legats and lettirs for him þai sende.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)852 : The consulys, for themperour Legatys, Sende vnto the oste.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)55 : The Romaynes sent two legatis onto this Antiochus, that he schuld go oute of Egipte.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)19/8 : In þis Cyte..þe romayne legatis comyne to þe grete cowrte of kynge Arthoure.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)61 : The noble senatoure of Rome Caton..was a legat as an ambassatoure into ferre contreis.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)67.34 : Legatis, that is, halymen, sall cum till crist, bryngand with thaim men of egipte.
3.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1199) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.10185 : Petrus Legat.
- (1233) Close R.Hen.III308 : Nicholaus le Legat.
- (1269) Close R.Hen.III24 : Laurencius filius Willelmi Legat.
- (1313) Sub.R.Bristol(1) in BGAS 19223 : Ricardus Legat.
- (1361) Reg.Edw.Blk.Pr.4.403 : Elmyn Legat.