Middle English Dictionary Entry
lẹ̄ǧe n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | lẹ̄ǧe n.(2) |
| Etymology | Cp. lẹ̄ǧe adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A feudal superior, a liege lord or lady, a sovereign or leader; (b) ?a noble ancestor.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1368 : Uche duk wyth his duthe and oþer dere lordes Schulde com to his cort to kyþe hym for lege.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)302 : Lyche, lady or lorde: Ligius.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)134 : All worshipped þat worthy [Jason]..No les þan þe lege þat hom lede shuld.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5624 : I lofe oure lorde, my lege.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)prol.47 : As my body & my beste oute to be my liegis, So rithffully be reson my rede shuld also.
b
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11569 : Hit was ordant..Þat Philmen..shuld ferk hit [the corpse of Penthesilea] hym with, And bryng on a bere to hir burgh home, To be enterit in a towmbe, as a triet qwene, And laid by hir legis, þat the lond aght.
2.
(a) The vassal of a feudal superior, a liege man or woman; also, the subject of a sovereign; ~ tributarie, a vassal bound to pay tribute to his lord; (b) sg. for pl. vassals, subjects.
Associated quotations
a
- (?c1375-a1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3584 : O worthy Petro, kyng of Cipre..Ful many an hethen wroughtestow ful wo, Of which thyne owene liges [vrr. lieges, leeges] hadde envie.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.240 : How that the sowdan and his baronage And alle his lieges sholde ycristned be.
- (c1390) Gower CA 1st Concl.(Bod 902)8.470/2995* : A king..wel thewed..yit nevere unpitously Ayein the liges of his lond..Thurgh cruelte vengaunce soghte.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3094 : Lawe is on the beste Above alle other erthly thing, To make a liege drede his king.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.67 : A markys whilom lord was of that lond..And obeisant, ay redy to his hond, Were alle his liges, bothe lasse and moore.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)19.56 : Ihesus..ȝaf largely alle his lele lyges Places in paradys at her partynge hennes.
- (1414) RParl.4.22b : Youre humble and trewe lieges that ben come for the Commune of youre lond bysechyn, [etc.].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1059 : So as longeth to honour of a kyng, He schulde haue chargid..His worthi liges..To haue schewed þe comfort and þe ese..Vn-to straungeris.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)247 : Her may ȝe See how myche may avaylle The goodlihed and lownesse of a kyng..To his lyeges.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)303 : Lyche, man or womann.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)25/6 : Darius, kyng of kynges and lorde of lordes, vntill oure trewe legez, Primus & Antyochus, gretynge and ioy.
- (1447) RParl.5.139a : There were made divers Ordenances and Statutes ayenst the said Walshmen, to hold hem in obeyssance for the wele of this noble Royaume and suerte of his true Ligez Englesh there.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1951 : The man with his message meuys him to, As legate and lege from his lord comyn.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2148 : Qwen the kyng had his counsell declaret to the ende, Hit likit all the legis þat the lorde said.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3386 : Þe same cure is a kyng be kind of his leggis [Dub: leigez].
- (1453) in Rec.B.Nottingham 2216 : Item praesentant quod Henricus Vernon..vocatus lich' et Emmea Vernon uxor ejus..lich'..insultum fecerunt super Robertum Cade.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)prol.25 : As a lord to his liage [?read: liage to his lord], þouȝ I lite hade, All myn hoole herte was his.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.338 : They leid on þi leigis, Richard, lasshis ynow.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)62/4 : Þe hirer ouer his hired laborer, þe curate ouer his parischen, And þe king ouer his legi.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)62/9 : It may be þat alle legies of a prince ben to him boond.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.31.76a : A kyng schuld be in remembraunce to alle tho that wer his lieges.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)185/4 : There Came to hym Dermot, kynge of Corke, and of his owyn propyr wille became liege trybutarie for hym and for his kyngedome.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)47/2 : God almyȝty kepe oure kynge to ioye of his ligeys.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1760 : Whan..hom ayein The Gregois torned fro the siege [of Troy] The kinges founde here oghne liege In manye places..That hem forsoke and desobeide.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)22.60 : Ihesus..ȝaue largeliche all hus leel lege [vrr. lyge, leege] Places in paradis at here partyng hennes.
- a1425 PPl.C (Cmb Ff 5.35)22.43 : Leege [Hnt: Hit by-comeþ for a kyng to kepen and defende..hus laies and hus large].
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)134 : The Kyng..mad al his lordis to swere that, aftir his deth, thei schuld be trew lige to the emperesse.
3.
An attendant, a follower.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1904 : The worthi king Protheselai, On his passage wher he lai Towardes Troie thilke Siege, Sche which was al his oghne liege, Laodomie his lusti wif..A lettre..sende him.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2521 : Venus, her legis [vr. liegis] to delite, Aboute hir hed hadde dowes white.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)384 : Thus euer Love, alas, and that is routhe, His fals legys furthereth what he may.