Middle English Dictionary Entry
parāǧe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | parāǧe n. Also parag, perage, porache. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Descent, lineage; family, parentage; heritage; rank; (b) heigh (gret) ~, high rank, nobility; (c) nobility, high rank; noble birth or descent; putten upon ~, to stand upon (one's) nobility, refuse to answer the charges of commoners on the grounds of a noble rank; (d) worth, value; (e) in ~, inherently, by the nature of things.
Associated quotations
a
- a1275 *Body & S.(4) (Trin-C B.14.39)32 : Wrmes sal ete mi [read: þi] wite þrote, for al þi riche parage.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.416 : He mett a man of fair parage; Y-comen he was of heyȝe linage, & of kin fair & fre.
- c1390(?a1350) Trental St.Greg.(1) (Vrn(1))29 : Heo was comen of prys parage, Of riche kun, of gentil lynage.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)19631 : Lay doun þi squorde & þink on riȝt, & þou salle here-wiþ ere siȝt þi grete god ihesus parage.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2949 : No kyng ȝut of no parage Neuer had of vs trowage.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)167 : Aproch þou to þat Prynce of parage noble.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4759 : Noon is of so mochel pris..Ne noon so high is of parage.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.2881 : No man knew, off hih nor low parage, His owne fader be liknesse off visage.
- 1448-a1500 Rich.(b-version:Brunner)144/107 : He swore by alle his parage, Thare she sholde haue none heritage.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)2844 : Þou..art of þe same parage; Þe ffader hym gat, he gat þe, & of o moder born ar ȝe.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)840 : Atte last he toke a wyff, like to his parage.
- c1475 Guy(4) (Cai 107/176)9159 : Berrard ys so fell a page, And so stowte of hys parage.
- a1500(c1400) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)203 : Þis cite I ȝemyd Vnder a prince of parage of paynymes laghe.
b
- c1325 Lordinges wytouten (Add Roll 63481B)8 : Ye þat ben of gret parage..comin to min wil.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8269 : Þe first was Ywain..Þe þridde Ywain Desclauis le bel, And Ywain of Strangore of heiȝe parage.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)1949 : He þouȝt þat his lord..Hadde ben a man of heiȝe parage & of heiȝe kinde ycorn.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)75/1440 : Beues..haþ a wif of gret parage, Þe kinges douȝter of Ingelonde.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)8/229 : He wot sche was of heȝȝ parage.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2066 : Char[les] suster sone y am, y-comen of heȝ parage.
- c1390(1377) Death Edw.III (Vrn)109 : Suche two lordes of heiȝ parage In [?read: Is] not in eorþe.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.351 : Fame..The grete beaute telleth oute Of such a maide of hih parage.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.1120 : They yeue vs al hir heritage, For which we clayme to been of heigh parage.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)590 : Now arn þer seriauntes in þat stage þat seruen þe maydons of hyȝe parage.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.253 : Sir Edward..is in grete longyng A where he mot haue, þat auenant is & ȝing, Þat wer of hie perage.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2888 : Sche..was born of so hiȝe parage.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1239 : He es þe kyng son Uriene, He es cumen of hegh parage.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)6288 : Procenor was of his lynage A riche kyng of gret parage.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)12.74 : Of what Maner kynde & of lynage Thow Art I-Come to this high parage.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)134/3999 : Hit enioyeth me Forto bithynke my ladies goodlihed, Hir high parage, and sewrid womanhed.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)301/22 : Hym semyth bettir to styke a swyne than to sytte afore a damesell of hyghe parage.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Hrl 2251)868 : Lust his corage dide inclyne..To wedde a wif, born of hie parage.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)190/36 : Amonge al othyr hostagis a fayre mayde of grete Parage [vr. Porache] to hym was presentid.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)655 : Borell and Richer and Cador and Bediuer..were gode knyghtes and hardy, and of grete perage.
- a1500 Parton.(1) (RwlPoet 14)5149 : xviii yere she was of age, Symly of stature, borne of high parage.
- 1592 Chester Pl.(Add 10305)1.157 : The tytle..Is fallne to me for ever, as a prince of highe parage.
c
- a1300(c1250) Floris (Vit D.3)247 : Me schul fecche adoun of þe..Alle þe maydenes of parage.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)256 : Þer buþ seriauns in þe stage Þat serueþ þe maidenes of parage.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)419 : Hys prese, hys prys, and hys parage Is rote and grounde of alle my blysse.
- ?a1425 SLeg.And.(CmbAdd 3039)60/216 : Grete wondre þe bishop hade of hir hegh lynage..& of hir riche parage.
- (1450) RParl.5.182b : Sire, ye be well remembred when ye were last in the Kynges presence and his Lordes, of youre answers and declarations, uppon certen Articles touchyng accusations and empechementes, of grete and horrible thinges putt uppon you by the Commons of this lande..and howe at that tyme ye putte you not uppon youre Parage; what woll ye sey nowe furthermore in that mater?
- a1500(c1400) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)203 : Þis cite I ȝemyd, Vnder a prince of parage, of paynymes laghe.
- ?a1525(?a1475) Play Sacr.(Dub 652)429 : And sythen how þat he lykenyd hymself a lord of parage, On hys fatherys ryght hond he hym sett.
d
- a1475 Asneth (Hnt EL 26.A.13)72 : A ful high tour was bild for here, of werk þat was rial..and aboue it vpon stage Ten chambres for here wer bild, of precious parage.
e
- c1475 St.Anne(2) (Trin-C R.3.21)32 : God yaue vertu both to stone and herbe, Whiche be vnresonable as in parage.
2.
(a) Equal rank; equality in birth or origin; (b) law a tenure of inherited land held by right of equality of blood or rank, with no homage or service due; ?also, partnership [quot.: a1450].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.3336 : And if thou were of such lignage, That thou to me were of parage, And that thi fader were a Pier..Thou scholdest thanne be my wif.
- a1450(1414) Whanne alle a kyngdom (Dgb 102)116 : To ffraunce kyng Edward had queryle; Hit was his kynde heritage; And ȝe han þe same style Wiþ armes of þe selue parage.
b
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2497 : To Coueytyse cast þi parage..Þe worthi Werld schal ȝeue þe wage.
- (1450) RParl.5.183b : They may have and enjoy their libertee and fredome in case of their Parage hereafter, as frely and as largely as every they or eny of their Auncestres or Predecessours had and enjoyed before this tyme.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)55/3 : Wene ye [to] holde of God by parag and to departe with Him that hath no peere?