Middle English Dictionary Entry
meu(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | meu(e n.(1) Also meuwe, mu(e, muwe, mwe, miue. |
| Etymology | OF müe |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A place where hawks are put to molt; a cage or coop; in ~, in a state of molting, molting; in the cage, in the coop; putten in ~, to put (a hawk) to molt; (b) maister of the ~ hous, the official in charge of the royal hawks or the royal stables [cp. (c)]; (c) in place names: pl. the royal stables at Charing Cross, which at one time housed the royal hawks; ~ hous.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.643 : To heelen..this hauk..She dooth hir bisynesse..And by hir beddes heed she made a mewe And couered it with veluettes blewe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)143a/b : Suche tame haukes beþ I-kept in mwes þat þey may be dischargid of olde federis and harde & be so renewid in fayrnesse of ȝouthe..hire mewis mosten be fer from smoky places.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1784 : His lady from hire wyndow..As fressh as faukoun comen out of muwe, Ful redy was hym..to saluwe.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)6445 : Ȝe scholde..wake nyghtes, As hauke on perche, that sittes in mewe.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)347 : Mv, of hawkys: Falconarium.
- a1475 *Hrl.Diseases Hawk A (Hrl 2340)23a : Go in to þe mew and take hyr fayr..as sche syttys on hyr perke.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking in Studia Neoph.16 (Hrl 2340)11 : When thu seist hym begyn to feder, draw hem oute of þe mewe.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking in Studia Neoph.16 (Hrl 2340)19 : That a hawke be not putte in mewe. If thu lovyste wel thi hauke, put here not in mewe to late..And who so put here in mewe so lene, it wol be lenger or sche be remownted.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking in Studia Neoph.16 (Hrl 2340)20 : How men shall fede here hawkes in mewe.
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)77 : As demure As girfauk or fawkon to lure, That oute of muwe were drawe.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)80b : A mewe for hawkis: falconarium.
- a1500 Who carpys (Trin-C O.9.38)p.27 : Y byllyd here a mewe withyn a wareyn, And fed here with byrddys of Valentyne.
b
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.341 : The kyng then made ye duke of Yorke..Maister of the mewhouse & his haukes fayre..and mayster of his game.
c
- c1400 Higd.Polychron.Ctn.Corp-C.(Corp-C 152)104 : Usque Le Muwes apud Charryngg.
- (1460) Pat.R.Hen.VI589 : [House or dwelling called] le Mewehous [at Charyng by Westminster].
- a1500(1387) Knighton Chron.Contin.(Cld E.3)248 : Apud le Mewes.
2.
(a) A cage or coop for confining or fattening poultry; ?cattle stall, pen; (b) in ~, in a cage or coop; cooped up, confined.
Associated quotations
a
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)350 : Mwe, or cowle: Siginarium [read: Saginarium].
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.526 : De auiarijs: Aboute, also, this house make up thi mewis [L auiaria], For donge of fowlis is ful necessary to londtiling.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.555 : Vnder thi coluerhous..Make mewis [L cubicula] tweyn, on lytel & obscure..in this thi turturs fede..And thrusshis feede vppon that other side..But maak this hous..Light.
- (1463) Dower Pekham in Archaeol.74 (Gldh Hustings Roll 196(10))157 : A litell Mewe for pultry.
- (c1473) Stonor1.135 : A lyte mywe to set in goos, capun, and chekyn and other.
b
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.349 : Ful many a fat partrich hadde he in muwe [vr. mewe].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1412 : Tisbee dorste noght remue Bot as a bridd which were in Mue, Withinne a buissh sche kepte hire clos.
- (1471) Paston (Gairdner)5.108 : I wold fayne my gray horse wer kept in mewe for gnattys.
3.
(a) A place of security or confinement; hiding place, shelter; cage, prison [quot.: RRose]; pl.?accomodations, quarters; in ~, in a place of security or shelter; in safety; in confinement or withdrawal from society; in concealment or hiding; (b) hiden (kepen) in ~, to keep (sth.) secret or safe; hide or conceal (sb. or sth.); keep (sb.) in confinement; keep (sb. or sth.) in a place of safety; refl. kepen in ~, keep (oneself) safe, hide (oneself); kepen tonge in ~, watch one's tongue, be discreet in speech; holden thi tonge in ~, be silent.
Associated quotations
a
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3336 : Ȝe..couwardli as caitifs couren here in meuwe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2627 : Who is manful, set but litel charge to parte frely his tresour..He hath no Ioye to put his good in mwe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3600 : Þou schust a kepte þi closet..In þe abscence of þi lorde..al to sone þou wer drawe out of mwe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.3137 : Til he was tauȝt..Þer Vlixes was shet vp in mewe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.3534 : Ȝif þer any be..Wher he go brood or be shet in mwe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.602 : Troilus..myght it se Thorughout a litel wyndow in a stewe, Ther he bishet..was in mewe.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4778 : If thou wolt wel Love eschewe, For to escape out of his mewe.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)3220 : Thi successour halt hym to longe in mue.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)299 : Oure enmyse..flede to mewe, they durste no more appere.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)86/1 : She was in mue from sight of the pepill all a yeere.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)515 : Skoure that place from all gostly fylthe..Thyn Holy Gost close in that lytel mewe [vr. mwe].
- a1605(a1447) Lond.Chron.Hrl.540 (Hrl 540)295 : In the yere 1422 Kynge H. havyng gotten Mews in Bry sent over into England prisonars 160.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2212 : While Schame is kept in mewe Outward in porte Loue bereth hym lowe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5747 : Wer as wyn hath domynacioun No secrenesse may be kepte in mewe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5280 : And lete oure gold, þat is kept in mewe..make redempcioun.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.381 : He wolde werken pryvely First to hiden his desir in muwe From every wight yborn.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.496 : O where hastow ben hid so longe in muwe, That kanst so wel and formaly arguwe?
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1310 : I shal not so ben hid in mewe..Ye shul..al myn estat yheere.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)303 : As dede there duke, in mewe they dide hym kepe.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.117 : Haddest þou..þy tunge holde in mewe.
- c1450 Lydg.SSecr.Ctn.(Sln 2464)2063 : Keep tounge in mewe, be cloos in werkyng.
- c1450 My ladyes (Frf 16)201 : Where have ye ben thus longe y-hyd in mewe, So womanly that daunce kan and synge?
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)43 : Yeff all scrypture were hyd in mewe, Men shulde haue full lytelle knowynge Off goode and euell.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.150 : Constantyne theim bothe in churches slew, At the autres where they were hyd in mewe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450 Dur-CRO.Bk.Hawking (Dur-CRO Roll D/X/76/7)28/109 : This hawk is entermowid when scho is takyn owt of þe frist mow.
Note: New form: Also..mou.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 1.(a).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--notes per MLL