Middle English Dictionary Entry
maistres(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | maistres(se n. Also maistris(e, maisteres, maistires(se, mastres(s(e, mastras, mastrisse, masteres, mastiresse, mestres(se, mestris. |
| Etymology | OF maistresse, mestresse. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. maister.
1.
(a) A woman who is in charge or control; the mistress of a household; (b) a sovereign lady, ruler, queen; also fig.; (c) used of a supernatural being: goddess, tutelary spirit, patron saint; (d) used of a beloved woman; (e) a woman who is a leader or an example.
Associated quotations
a
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1016 : Alisaundrine..attlede þe soþe, þat hire maistres & þat man no schuld hire nouȝt misse, þeȝh sche walked..from here siȝt.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1825 : Sey what you list in my querele..evere whil that I may live, I wol that ye be my maistresse.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.823 : I neuere heeld me lady ne maistresse, But humble seruant to youre worthynesse.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3226 : The gardyn wherof Ydilnesse Bar the keye and was maistresse.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)33/18 : Hir mayden..wex boystows a-ȝens hir maystres; Sche wold not obeyn ne folwyn hir cownsel.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.BC (Trin-C R.3.20)53 : Þis Bycorne wol him oppresse..Þat of his wyff makeþe his maystresse.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)88 : The hert in-with my sorwfull brest yow dredeth And loveth so sore that ye ben verrayly The maistresse of my wit, and nothing I.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)519 : Hyr hert in pride be gane to ryse; hyr maystrys that was meke and myld..scho can dyspyse.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)15762 : A damsell. styrd hyr maystryse oft to stryfe by tenfull tayles.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)37/5 : The gentill woman abraided the lady her maistres [F dame].
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)3786 : She that ys a maystresse Muste haue a seruaunt hyr to-beye.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.40.84a : Sche pleted and held parlement ful vnwomanly be fore the kyng is presence, and hire self boldely as sche were maistresse and hadde the gouernaunce of the kyng and alle his houshold.
- a1500 *Chartier Quad.(2) (Rwl A.338)51/12 : Iustice hath lost his seete of iugement..and nough wille rewlith and iugith as maistres.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.2331 : For Nature is, under the Mone, Maistresse of every lives kinde.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5878 : Lordynges, my modir, the goddesse [Venus], That is my lady and my maistresse..doth not all my desiryng.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3763 : I, Alexander..aire of Amon..To þe maistres out of Amazoyne, many-fald ioyes!
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)255 : Dame Nature..ys lady and maistresse And vnder god the chefe goddesse.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)3437 : Off ellementys I [Nature] am maystresse.
- a1500 *Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)34/6 : O thou charitable lady [Faith] and excellent mastresse, which surmowntest the naturall comprehencion of my thought through thyn high techingis.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.23 : Maistresse [L præsul] of þilke welles is þe grete spirit of Minerua.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4036 : An Alter mad ther was Unto Echates, the goddesse Of art magique and the maistresse.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.58 : O thou Calliope..that..maistresse art to Musicyens.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.380 : God ordeynede hir to be maistiresse to his apostlis, for she fel not fro þe feiþ..þe Chirche singiþ of oure Ladi þat she haþ distroied alle heresies, for she is special maistiresse to distroie þes heretikes.
- c1450(c1370) Chaucer ABC (Benson-Robinson)140 : God..hath thee maked vicaire and maistresse Of al this world, and eek governouresse Of hevene.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4530 : Minuera [read: Minerua] was a maistres of many kingis werkis; A ratland niȝt ravyn is him [read: hire] to rent ȝolden.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)12781 : I [Gluttony] am..Off Epicuris chyldre dere, Verray moder and maystresse, And off that sorte gouernresse.
- a1500 *Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)122/9 : And yet he wolde kepe certeine ydolatres for to woursship his mastres Venus.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)243 : Wyll ye agre that Pheb, your mastresse, May haue the guyding of your varyaunce?
d
- c1425 Now good swet (Htrn 230)1 : Now, good swet hart & my nane good mestrys, I dew recumend me to yower pety.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)251 : Me, that ye calden your maistresse, Your sovereyne lady in this world here.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)5/128 : Go thi wey to purchase..To wynne the hert of thi lady maystres.
- c1450 ?Suffolk O wofull hert (Frf 16)16 : Thou hast put thy trist In her allonly which is thy maistresse.
- a1500 O mestres (Hrl 2252)1 : O Mestres, whye Owtecaste am I all vtterly from your pleasaunce?
e
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)4971 : But fyrst þis Theophyl was baptysyd..And so folwyd hys mastrysse dorothye And cam to cryst.
2.
(a) A schoolmistress, instructress; also fig.; (b) a governess, duenna; (c) a supervisor or novice mistress in a convent.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)34/21 : Covaytyse, þet is rote of alle kueade..Þet is þe maystresse þet heþ zuo greate scole þet alle guoþ þrin uor to lyerni.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)206/26 : Idelnesse, þet is to zigge, sleuþe and onlosthede wel to done, is maystresse of moche quead [L multam..malitiam docuit otiositas].
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)456 : Þe lyf of oþure goode men Is Maistres to us alle.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1820 : Wher was þi guyde? wher was þi maistres, Discrecioun?
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.3.9 : O thou maystresse of alle vertues [Philosophy], descended from the sovereyne sete.
- (1445) ?Bokenham Claudian CS (Add 11814)259/24 : Thus by Clemens taught is stilico as childe enformyd by mastresse.
- c1450(c1385) Chaucer Mars (Benson-Robinson)33 : Venus..hath take him in subjeccioun, And as a maistresse taught him his lessoun.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.175 : Grece is lady of other londes..moder of philosophy, maistresse of artes [L magistra artium et inventrix].
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.26.69b : Doctrine -- for thus is called þat lady..is the maistresse of a man is informacion to preente and impresse kunnyng and vertu in to his herte.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)102 : To hir maistresse sche gan say Þat hye was boun to go To þe kniȝt þer he lay.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1349 : To Flo[rippe] com hure maystres gan þat hiȝte Maragounde; 'Doȝtere,' sche saide, 'wat men buþ þeese?'
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Ph.(Manly-Rickert)C.72 : And ye maistresses, in youre olde lyf, That lordes doghtres han in gouernaunce.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)936 : Sho..went Unto þe lady faire and bright..For sho was al hir maystres, Her keper, and hir cownsaylere.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)797 : Yowthe, my maistresse, Governed me in ydelnesse.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38:Vietor)820 : Florence..and hur maystres Awdygon Went in to þe halle allone.
c
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)10/5 : And yure maistires cumande yu at do a-noþir þing, ye sal..do þat scho bidis.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)10/8 : Ilkain sal take discipline at oþir, als hir mastiresse þoȝ scho ware.
- c1440(?a1375) Abbey HG (Thrn)57/5 : Honeste es Maystresse of þe nouyce and teches þam alle curtasye.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)24 : Asculta, o filia, disciplina[m] magistre tue, Doughter..lere Þe techynges of þi maystres here.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)2089 : Sine a place forto haue grayde Als vnto nouysces es puruayd, And a mastres her forto lere.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)85/35 : The abbes..to ordeyne & assigne a maystresse couenable & honeste for to teche hem songe.
3.
(a) A woman expert in some skill; (b) the most powerful woman, one who is unequalled; (c) a woman who is one's superior in learning; (d) a woman notorious for some action; (e) fig. adultery.
Associated quotations
a
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)66/26 : Meede..be þe enchauntementis..of þe which she was a souereyne maistres, made charmes.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Crab (Trin-C R.3.20)51 : Prynce, þe reuers to expresse Of yche thing by contynuaunce: Entendement Double is cheef maystresse.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4364 : [Penthesilea] Whiche was also, to speke of hardynes, Of wommen alle lady and maistresse.
c
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.2062 : A newe maistresse sekerly haue we laught; Alle oure lernyng as now avayleth naught.
d
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.2566 : Mi-silff..Callid..a fals traitouresse..Off newe diffamed, named a maistresse Off fals moordre.
e
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)755 : Cum slepers, Rekleshede and Idyllnes, All in all, Surfet and Gredynes, For þe flesche, Spousebreche and Mastres, Wyth jentyll Fornycacyon.
4.
(a) As a polite mode of reference to a woman, less deferential than ladie; (b) as a deferential mode of address; (c) in titles.
Associated quotations
a
- (1440) Paston2.47 : Sir, I beseche recomende me on to my mastres your modyr, to my mastres your wyff, and to my mastres your suster.
- (1448) Shillingford61 : My Mayster Radford and my Maistresse his wyf were yn towne.
- (1450) Paston2.147 : I..recomaunde me to my mastrases your moder and wyfe.
- (1452) Paston2.265 : My mastras..pray yow, that ye wol do the cost vn my mastras Margery for to do make her a new gyrdyl.
- (c1460) Paston4.7 : I be seche you to recomaunde me with all reverence un to my masteras your wiff.
- (1476) Stonor2.3 : I besech your maystershipe þat this powre writynge may have me lowly recomended to my right worshipffull maystresse, your wyffe, and in lyke wyse to my gentyll Cossen and kynde maystresse, Kateryn Rich.
- c1613(c1465) Plumpton Let.15 : My mistris, Isabell Marley, was in good hele..My master Rauf Haukins and mistresse his wife..my mistres F.S..were in hele..thanked be God.
b
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.4.161 : O Maystresse, what demestow of this?
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)449 : Come forthe, Maistresse of ȝeres ȝonge & grene, Whiche holde ȝowre self of beaute souereyne.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)2210 : 'Damisel' þe ȝongest es, Þe elder 'madaum' & 'mastres'. Þe Priores..Es 'lady'.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)8719 : Maistres..god you spede!
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.36 : Maystrese [vr. Mastres], what will ȝe demen nowe?
- c1450 My ladyes (Frf 16)1 : My ladyes and my maistresses echone, Lyke hit unto your humbyble wommanhede.
- (?1468) Paston4.294 : Ye know welle, maistras, better ys afrende unknow then knowen.
c
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4936 : I..be qwethe to my maistresse Clopton a spoon of berell.
- (1471) Paston5.103 : Item, that Mastress Broom send me hedyr iij longe gownys..out of my cofyr.
- (1471) Paston5.113 : If it come to Mestresse Elysabeth Hyggens..sche schall conveye it to me..Mestresse Elysabeth hathe a son.