Middle English Dictionary Entry
pāl(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | pāl(e n. Also paele, pali; pl. pales, etc. & palleiz. |
| Etymology | L palus & OF pel, pal. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A stake, pole; a stake for vines; ?also, a protective vertical iron bar for a window [attested only in ML]; (b) a staff for fighting, a quarterstaff; also, a stake or post used as an adversary in combat practice; (c) a small stake, peg; ?a tent peg [1st quot.]; (d) ?a splint.
Associated quotations
a
- [ (1209) Pipe R.Winch53/41 : In ramillis, palis, colligendis ad claudendum circa praedictas bercarias..v s. iij d. ]
- [ (a1362) Cellarer R.in Nrf.Archaeol.7165 : In duabus palys ferratis pro caula. ]
- [ (1396) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81125 : In palis et lokytnaylis et aliis necessariis ferri, 4 d. ]
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)550/29 : Palus: pal.
- (1388) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)5.7 : [40 boards for] pales [worth 6 s. 8 d.].
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.161 : [4000] pales [worth 20 s. a 1000].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)13b/a : Þe shuldrebone, i. spald, is like to a pale, ffor it is brode & þynne of þe partie of þe backe wt a þyn eminence, i. risyng, bi þe middes.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)378 : Pale, for vynys: Paxillus.
- (1453) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.139 : [A] pale [for midsummer with] aceribus, [6 d.].
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)7.141 : He made theyme to be tythede ageyne..causenge oon of theire guttes to be taken owte and fastede to a pale [Trev.Higd.: to stakes; L palos], and the bodye to be turnede abowte unto the laste partes of the inwarde partes or bowelles were extracte.
b
- [ (1256) Assize R.Nhb.in Sur.Soc.88114 : Walterus filius Thomae percussit Alexandrum Scot..quodam palo in capite, ita quod statim inde obiit. ]
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)14a : Þey schulde ben vsed to fiȝte wiþ palus and stakus, and þis manere of fiȝt wiþ the pale or þe stake ne was noȝt onliche profitable too kniȝtes but also to swerde men..Euery kniȝt schulde haue in þe felde of auentures a pale or a stake ypiȝt in þe erþe of vi fote hiȝe aboue þe erþe.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)349 : Of fight the disciplyne and exercise Was this: to haue a pale or pile vpright Of mannys hight..Therwith a bacheler or a yong knyght Shal first be taught to stonde & lerne fight.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)5.273 : Eldolde the duke of Claudiocestre, takenge a pale in his honde, defendede hym selfe manly.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.14.25 : In þe wallis of it he is picching a pale [vr. picching a pole; WB(2): settith a stak; L figens palum].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.27.2 : As in þe myddel of a ioynyng of stones a pale [Dc 369(1): a paele, or a stake] ficchid, so betwen þe myddil of biyng & selling he shal ben anguysht with synnes.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Zech.10.4 : Of hym corner, and of him a litil pale [L paxillus], of hym bowe of batel, and of hym eche exactour..shal go out togidre.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.15.3 : What shal be don to tree of the viyn..Whether a tree shal be takyn of it, that werk be maad? or a litil paal shal be forchid of it, that eny maner vessel hange in it?
d
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)101b/a : William setteþ hym in a playne bedde & vnderputteþ hym here & þere with cloþez & stupes which I praise noȝt; Oþer as Maister Petre with 2 sustenyngez made of long palys after þe lengþ of þe foote inuolued with a shete & suture.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)101b/b : I forsoþ somtyme festne it bounden wiþ longe splyntez vn to þe feete, Somtyme with þo vnderputtyngez of palleyz, som tyme with a case.
2.
Paling; a row of stakes, a paling, a fence; a paling intended as a fortification; a ~ diched, a paling with a trench alongside it; overthwerten ~, ?paling stretching across from tower to tower.
Associated quotations
- [ (1325-6) Sacrist R.Ely 255 : Petra fodienda apud le pali pro novis muris faciendis. ]
- [ (1347) RParl.2.169a : Et ja de novel & de jour en autre, sont les Rivers avantditz estopez & transversez par goors, molins, piles, & pales par chescun Seign' contre sa terre demeigne, qe nulle Nief poet passer. ]
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 19.43 : Thin enemyes schulen enuyroune thee with pale [WB(2): with a pale; L vallo].
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1384 : Þe borȝ watz..Umbesweyed..wyth seven grete wateres..Wyth koynt carneles above..Troched toures bitwene..And þiker þrowen umbeþor with overþwert palle.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7961 : Þay haue..hem enforced aboute..with barreis & with palis.
- (1422) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.127/171 : We endite þe Pauement fro þe hous þer Boston dwellyth to þe pale beside John hoggecote.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.17.17 : Not in greet oost..Pharao shal make batayle aȝens hym, in castynge of an heep of erthe and in bildynge of paalis [L vallorum].
- a1425 *York MGame [OD col.] (Dgb 182)xix : Þat grene shulde be closed aboute with pale [vr. paal] or with a walle of erth or stone.
- (1433) RParl.4.458a : The Commons..hakked doun a pale of the said Abbey.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)378 : Pale or palys of a parke: Palus.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.438 : Now matere is to falle..ffor pale or hegge or hous or shippe in flood.
- (1442) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1387 : Thomas Combe, paliser, send to make covenant to make the pale of the closure of the college.
- (1443) Proc.Privy C.5.269 : Many persones..have broken downe by grete spaces þe pales of divers of his parkes.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)5831 : He dide make an ouerthwert dik Bitwyxte to sees..& þer-on a pale wel y-poynt.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)677 : Wriȝtes han wroȝt a wonder stronge pale Alle aboute þe burwe.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)773 : Þe pale þat I piȝt haue passe hit who myȝt, Þat is so byg on þe bonke & haþ þe burowe closed.
- (1450) Complaint in War.AM 4180 : The whiche voide grounde was closyd ynne wt a wall made of Tymber, Stone, and plaistre, and wt palys, hegges, and quyksettes.
- (1451) Acc.St.Margaret Southwark in BMag.32488 : Gaderyd for the pale, xviij [s.] vj d.
- (1451) Acc.St.Margaret Southwark in BMag.32490 : Peid for makng of the pale in the chyrche yerd, iiij li. vj s. viij d...; also peid for a locke to the pale, v d.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5610 : The Troiens haue atiret hom..Þaire Cite to saue..With new wallis vp wroght, water before, And pals haue þai pight, with pittis and caves.
- c1450(c1430) Brut-1430 (Glb E.8)423/26 : In the Frensshe side stode a pale dichid, for mistruste that they had of the Engelisshe pepull.
- (1464) RParl.5.547a : For the Loppes and Croppes of Woode falled withynne our fryth of Leycestr..or for repreacyon of the pale ther.
- c1470 Bible F.(Cleve-W q091.92-C468)84/14 : Vaspasian..made a gret pale al about the cite.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)326 : Palyce, or paly of Closynge: palus.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)147/14 : He wolde suffre himselfe to be segeed in his lodgeing, whiche..he had enforced with dyches and a grete pale.
- a1500 Hal.Gloss.(Eg 829)6 : Vallum est inter murum et fossam: a paale.
- a1500 Orfeo (Hrl 3810)30/339 : He cam to a fayr contray Was as bryȝt as ony day, Feyr palys, & alle grene.
3.
(a) Boundary, bounds; edge of a forest; border of a manor; (b) an enclosed area, enclosure; a fortified enclosure, fortress; pales of pris, splendid fortresses; (c) of the English ~, of the English territory.
Associated quotations
a
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13874 : The buerne vnto bote busket onone, Past ouer the pale and the pale ythes.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)930 : Buckes..Foure hunthrid on a herde y-heedid ful faire, Layen lowe in a launde a-long by þe pale.
- (1467-8) RParl.5.586a : The Manoir of Kenyngton in the Counte of Surr, with a Berne and other easements withoute the pale.
- ?a1525(?a1475) Play Sacr.(Dub 652)207 : Myt we yt gete onys within our pales, I trowe we shuld sone affter putt yt in a preve.
b
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)148 : Qwene was I whilome..Wele grettere þan gaynour, of garsomes and of golde, Of pales [vr. palaies], of powndis, of parkes, of plewes.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)322 : Grete toures full toure all þe toune vmbe..With proude pals of prise & palys full noble.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1378 : The Grekes..girdyn doun þe wallys, Prowde pales of prise puttyn to grounde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8509 : Thies fellyn hym to fete..Prayond the prinse..To put of his pale wedis, & his pale entre; And abyde in the burgh.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8970 : He..No more in the mater mellit hym as then, But past furth to his pale.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)497 : Withinne a pale an oste is to gouerne, That day & nyght saftly theryn they tary.
- (1464) RParl.5.543b : An Annuite..for closur of certain parcell of the pale of oure Park of Haveryng.
c
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)574/4 : Al þe cuntre þat was of þe Englisshe pale shuld come and bring..thaire goodes, and breke doun theire houses.
4.
(a) A stripe, strip, bar; dimidiatus ~, ?with a stripe down the middle; (b) her. a pale; parti in (per) ~, of a shield: divided in half by a vertical line.
Associated quotations
a
- (1415) Will in Bdf.HRS 228 : Item, a gilt pot..y-graue with a pale of columbyne and an oþer playn.
- (1415) Will in Bdf.HRS 230 : Item..a tapit of vj palis pleyn and a Banquer þerto of þe same.
- (1423) Will York in Sur.Soc.4570 : Pro uno lecto de worsted de viridi, di[midiatus] pale, brouddird.
- (1435) Will York in Sur.Soc.3057 : Unum sperver de serico cum pales viridibus.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1840 : What art thow..That werest on thy hose a pale, And on thy tipet such a belle?
b
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.3 (Hrl 2169)198 : [Party saltirewise -- the chief and foot gold with] iiij palys of gowlys, [etc.].
- (1467) in Albertson Lond.Merch.71 : A felde of sylver and sable party in pale.
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)her.leaf b iv/b : Whatt pale medyll in the poynt, þt coloure is the felde; the blaaser shall blase from that colowre to the next coloure pale.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)11 marg. : Party per pale gules & ermyn a saltyer contrechaunged.
5.
In surname & place name [see Smith PNElem. 2.58].
Associated quotations
- (1327) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10151 : Willmo Paleshudde.
- (1484) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)167 : Palshottes.