Middle English Dictionary Entry
lẹ̄ǧe adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | lẹ̄ǧe adj. Also legi, leig(e, legge, lech & lig(e, lieg(e, liage, ligge, lich(e, lish. |
| Etymology | AF lege, liege & CF lige, liege; from Gmc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of a feudal superior: entitled to feudal allegiance and service; of a sovereign: entitled to a subject's allegiance; ~ lord, ~ ladie, ~ soverain, etc.; (b) fig. ~ lord, religious Lord, Christ, God.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9376 : Vr lige louerd, þat yeled is & ismered to ihesu crist.
- (1386) RParl.3.225a : The moost noble and worthiest Lordes, moost ryghtful and wysest Conseille to owre lige Lorde the Kyng.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.337 : Oure lige [vrr. lege, liege] lordes seel on my patente, That shewe I first.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1753 : Men schull don him reverence As to here liege soverein.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.1037 : 'My lige lady, generally,' quod he, 'Wommen desiren to haue souereyntee As wel ouer hir housbonde as hir loue.'
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1456 : Þe keyes hij token in his honde Of her cites of her honoure, And maden hym her liege seignoure.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)346 : & þat my legge lady lyked not ille, I wolde com to your counseyl.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)545 : Now, lege lorde of my lyf, leue I yow ask.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3161 : My lige lord, vn-to ȝour hiȝe noblesse Displese it nat.
- (1427) Proc.Privy C.3.236 : Knowyng þe King for his lige lord & him self for his lige man & subgit to him & to his lawes.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)141 : But of this be not the burgeysys of the toun excusyd after the deth of ony kyng of Yngelond, that they ne doon to her ligelord othe of ligeaunce, whanne they ben axed by the kyng.
- (?c1436) Duke Burgundy (Rome 1306)111 : Obey thy ligelord, and be not variable.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1835 : No man bet, next his fadir, our lord lige.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1417 : When the Cite was sesit..And Lamydon the lege kyng out of lyfe broght..harme was þe more.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3086 : I..Darius of Persy, To Alexander..þat all has to wild, Þe lege [Dub: leyge] lord of my lyfe to lose or to saue, Þus send I to my souerayne salutis & ioy.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)1712 : Bisshope Turpyn kneled adown And saide, 'lege lorde, mercy!'
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)147/9 : This knyght..is hymself kynge Arthure, oure all lyege lorde.
- (1472) RParl.in OHS 5865 : To the kyng oure aller soveraigne liege lord.
- a1500(a1400) Cleges (Adv 19.1.11)421 : He seyd, 'Gramarcy, lech kynge! Thys ys to me a comfortynge.'
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)248/21 : Fro al manere of myschefe, almyghty god de-fende oure lyge lorde, kynge henry the Fyfte.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)16019 : In sir caiphas curt Þai heild þan þair gadiring, Again þair lege lauerd, i-wiss, to hefd him or to hing.
- a1500 Vision Staunton (Add 34193)69 : Alas þat syche prestys schuld be callyd goddys knyghtys þat feghtys euery day agayne þer lege lorde.
2.
Of a vassal: bound to render feudal allegiance and service; of a subject: bound by allegiance to a sovereign; lege-woman, a female vassal or subject; lege-man, q.v.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2762 : His [the emperor's] Stieward into Perse ferde..His liege tretour forto seke.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)4.147 : It is wel hard..herto to bringe it, And alle my lige [vrr. ligge, leige, lege, lyche] ledis to lede hem þus euene.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.418 : God sente to saul..Þat agag of amalek and al hus lyge [vr. liege] puple Sholde deye delfulliche.
- c1400 Wycl.Dominion (Dub 244)290 : Þus schulde kyngis..constreyne here lyge freris & here oþere clerkis..to telle trewþe of þes bullis.
- (1417-8) MSS PRO in App.Bk.Lond.E.287 : [Sir John Oldcastle..has] continued forthe in his euyll and coursid purpos to destruye this noble kyrke of Inglonde and the kyng and his trewe liege poeple.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)336 : It longiþ to a prynce forto kepe þis now seid vije gouernaunce anentis his legi peple.
- a1450 Doc.in Legg Coronation179 : I Bycome ȝour man liege of lyfe and lymme and trouthe, and erthelich honour to ȝow schal bere.
- (1450) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.484 : Grete noumbre of oure liege peuple whiche were in oure towne of Baious..is comen vnto oure Towne of Cherburgh.
- (1464) RParl.5.544a : Provided alwey that this Acte..extende not ne be prejudiciall to oure Lettres Patentez..made to oure humble and true Liegewoman Gresilde, which was the wife of John Hende th'elder.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)61/10 : The kynge Royns of Northe Walis..slew the kyngis trew lyege people.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)262 : Lysch, to lady or lorde: ligius. Lych man or woman.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)133/8 : Ye desyryth to Saue youre honeste and al trew lege Pepill.
3.
(a) Of homage: acknowledging feudal allegiance; (b) of a command: requiring faithful performance; (c) of a person: bound by mutual fidelity to another, faithful, loyal; (d) ben ~ til, to owe obedience to (a law).
Associated quotations
a
- (1399) RParl.3.424b : We..ȝeld ȝowe uppe, for all the States and Poeple forsayd, Homage liege and Feaute and all Ligeance.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.193 : Athelwolfe was king crowned..To whome the kinges & lordes made feaute And homage leege as was preordynate.
b
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)94 : Lo! lorde, wyth yor leve, at yor lege heste..we haf broȝt..Mony renischche renkez.
c
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4128 : For-þi, in feiþ, for al þe world him nold i faile, þat i schal loue him lelli as my lege broþer.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.201 : This ladi [Penelope]..A lettre unto hire lord [Ulysses] hath write..Unto hire lord and love liege To Troie..this lettre was conveied.
d
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1174 : He [Zedekiah]..lette lyȝt bi þe lawe þat he watz lege tylle.