Middle English Dictionary Entry
mūl(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | mūl(e n.(1) Also mulle, muel, meule, muile, moil(e, moul(e & (in place names) mol(e. |
| Etymology | OE mūl (from L) & OF mul(e & ML moulus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A mule; (b) barain (hep) of mules, a herd or group of mules; ~ of spaine, one of the best mules, a Spanish mule; ~ flesh, mule meat; ~ grom (herde, man, ward), a mulekeeper, servant who takes care of mules; ~ mongere, one who trades in mules [see surnames]; (c) a hinny; (d) a stupid person; (e) in surnames and (?) place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.45]. [Some of the surnames may be AF. Some, perh. all, of the place names may be from the very rare OE personal name Mūl, or Mūla, or from ON personal names, cp. OI Mūla, Mūli.]
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)4/3 : Meng his blod wið litel sealte horsa & mule.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)5 : He mihte ridan, ȝif he walde, on riche stede and palefrai and mule.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)89 : Þo sende tweien of hise diciples..and bed hem bringen a wig one te riden, noðer stede ne palefrei ne fair mule.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)89/31 : Ne bieð ȝelich ðe horse ne ðe mule, ðe ne habbeð non andȝet.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3913 : King howel..com..mid so gret charge..Of mules & of cartes & of hors.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)118/2503 : A sette Iosian vpon a mule [vr. moyle].
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)223/23 : Uolc..ne yeueþ ham naȝt bote to hare lecherie to uoluelle, ase an hors deþ oþer a mule.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)735 : Asne asnesse et mulet: Asse and Mule.
- c1375(?c1280) SLeg.Advent,etc.(Eg 1993)95/713 : Noþer hors ne muile Ne scholde so gret awei habbe igo.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)5671 : Sone þas was þar a mule y-fet, And þe Amerel was ther-on y-set.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.31.9 : Wileþ not ben made as an hors & a mule, to whom is not vnderstonding.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1506 : Upon a Mule whyt amblaunt..rod this qweene.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)266a/b : Heordes..desireth to haue muyles and burdones.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)266b/a : We clepeþ..suche bestes y-gendred bitwen an asse and a mare a moyle.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)292b/b : The mule hatte mulus and haþ þat name of molendo, gryndyng, for he..draweþ aboute millestones..Þe mule is a barayne beste and naþeles a noble beste to trauayle.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)6001 : Hors and ass, moul [vr. mule] and camayle, Doun þan dyed al þair catele.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1031 : Cleopatras..rood on a mule white so mylk.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.48 : Þanne seye we a samaritan sittende on a mule.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)68/21 : Suche as taken wedlak to do awei God fro hem..folewinge here lustes as hors and mule.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)42b/b : Mula vel mulus: a mule.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)81/17 : Vpon Camaylles, mules, hors, dromedaries, & oþer bestes, men caryen here marchandise.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)176a/a : R[ecipe]..assez, mulez, berez..& brokkez grece.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)4687 : Mules & hors bene put to cracche.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.761 : Nero..Made his mules be shod with siluer shoone.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)25 : One a muyle als the milke Gayely scho glydis.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2287 : They drewe owt dromondaries..Moyllez mylke-whitte..and olyfauntez noble.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)46b : Þese moot ben caried wiþ the oost in cartes and waynes wiþ drauȝt of mules, wylde asses, and oxun.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)16163 : He toke þem..muls with mony a male.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)2941 : With asses and mules thidir commeth he.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.211 : Somme thynges goe in to other kyndes by corrupcion, as bees of roten calfes..cancres and scorpiones of mules.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)246 : A Mule:..mulus, mula.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)3845 : The emperowre..lepe on a mewle browne.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)679 : Here horse & mulys þey xull tey To seynts tombys a-geyn all skyll.
b
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)766 : Vn pastroil de mules: A hep of mulus.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)293a/a : Mule fleissh is worse to norisschynge and to diffyynge þan asse fleisshe.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)3124 : The kyng hath made grete profre..Of mules of Spayne to thousand no lesse.
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)603 : A bareyne of mules.
- a1475 in Hodgkin Proper Terms53 : A Barren of mullys.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)83b : A mulehyrde: mulio.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)886 : Þey ryd upon ioly moyles of Spayne, With sadell and brydell of Champayne.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)687/21 : Mulundinarius: a mulharde.
- c1500(?a1475) Landavall (Rwl C.86)384 : Other maidens ther commyn..Riding vpon moiles of Spayne.
c
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)246 : A Mule: burdo.
d
- a1500(a1471) Ashby APP (Cmb Mm.4.42)564 : Thaugh he were an asse hede or a dulle mule, He myght not lyve wildly at his pleasance.
e
- (c1110) EPNSoc.50 (Brks.)527 : Muleforda.
- (1152-8) EPNSoc.2 (Bck.)36 : Molesho.
- (1175) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)94 : Mulesia.
- (1201) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)94 : Mulleseya.
- (1249) Feet Fines Sus.in Sus.RS 2132 : Henr. le Muel.
- (1256) Feet Fines Sus.in Sus.RS 717 : Robm. le Mul.
- (1266) Close R.Hen.III242 : Rogeri le Moyl.
- (1279) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)294 : Molliscumbe.
- (1296) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)294 : Molscumb.
- (1296-7) Acc.Cornw.in RHS ser.3.6677 : Rogero muleward.
- (1305) Pat.R.Edw.I350 : Robert Mulemangere.
- (1315) Pat.R.Edw.II414 : Adam Muleman.
- (1316) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)35 : Molthropp.
- (1327) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10128 : Willo. le Mulegrom.
- (1329) EPNSoc.34 (West Riding Yks.)153 : Moulewath.
- (1341) EPNSoc.34 (West Riding Yks.)153 : Mullewathe.
- (1390) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)5.161 : [The pasture] del Mouleholme.
- (1390) EPNSoc.50 (Brks.)527 : Moleford.
- (1412) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)324 : Mulso in Wiggebarowe.