Middle English Dictionary Entry
pilwe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | pilwe n. Also pilue, pil(l)ow(e, pil(l)ou, pillough, pilew(e, pilve, pelwe, pelow(e, pelou, pelo, pelough, pelouhe, pelew(e & palwe & pile, pele, pule; pl. pilwes, etc. & pil(l)us, pelos, pellois & pulewis. |
| Etymology | OE pyle (from L) & L pulvīnus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A cushion; (b) a bed cushion or pillow: a headrest; (c) ~ of doun, doun ~, a pillow stuffed with down; ~ of scaped fetheres, ?a pillow of quilted [cp. OI skapt a shaft] feathers; ~ de fustian, a pillow with a covering of fustian; ~ with bere, a pillow and its pillowcase; fendes ~, the Devil's pillow; -- used fig.; at thi ~ apperen, to supplant you; lien on ~, on ~ lien, lie on a pillow; maken ~ under the hed of, fig. impart a sense of false security to (the members of a generation); rounen with ~, converse with a pillow, sleep; slepen on ~, sleep with one's head on a pillow; (d) a surgical pad or dressing, pledget; (e) a padded covering for the head; (f) a support consisting of a metal block; (g) ~ ber(e, a pillowcase.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)547/19 : Puluinar: pule.
- a1333 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Add 46919:Koch)p.70 : Pule [vrr. quarele, federbed, coschyn; glossing AF (Cmb): plume mole].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)322b/b : Eyren beþ y-leyde..in certeyn places in hoote feþeres, as in a certeyn citee a good drynkere leyde eyren vnder his pule.
- (1398) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.171,172 : [A lectern-cloth and a] palwe..[a] pilewe..[a] pelewe [of eagles..a silk] pelewe.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)30/4 : In drawynge & wiþdrawynge of þe corde, þe fleisch schulde be as a pelewe [vr. pylwe; L culcitra] vpon þe which he myȝt reste.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)12b/a : Þe tonge is..componed of many neruez, ligamentez, veynez & arteries..Vnder it bene glandelous fleshez..ordeynd as his pilowe [Ch.(2): matresse] & his humectorie.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)17b/a : Byhynde þe reynez, biside þe spendilez, bene þe lendes, aboue which þai ligge as it war in þair pilowes [Ch.(2): pylowe or softenesse; L culcitra].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)100b/a : Bihynd þe spaldez be put a pilowe [Ch.(2): cusshon; L puluinar] or a carelle round or gibbose.
- (1432) Rec.St.Mary at Hill27 : Also vij pelewes of selk of diuers colours.
- (1440) *MS Lnsd.207C [OD col.] (Lnsd 207)lf.277 : 2 Pelos of Red with silke with Traifoiles of Gould.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)399 : Pylwe: Pulvinar, cervical, pulvillus, plumacium.
- (1447) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 11116 : Itm., vii pyllowes of Sylk.
- (1448) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 1350 : Also a pelow of grene & another of Rede wt byrdes of yolow.
- (1450) Lin.DDoc.39/5 : Item, I besett to Richard Clarell..j pyllow for the Auter.
- (1452) Will York in Sur.Soc.45135 : j pilow pro Missali.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)114 : Knytis of an erle thei clepid Gy, tok him, put him in prison, leyd a pelow on his mouth, and so strangild him.
- (c1465) Invent.Cirencester in BGAS 18 (Bod 6530)327 : Thys is an Inventorie of all ye ornaments of Seynt Mary Chapel..a pelowe of seke.
- (1466) in Cox Churches Derb.4.86 : Item, one blewe clothe that hengs before Sancte Caterne tabull; item, iij pelose to the same.
- (1466) Rec.St.Stephen in Archaeol.5042 : Item, ij pyllowys of rede clothe of velvet for principalle festes for þe hygh auter.
- (1472) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum7 : Item, iij pelowes of olde selke; ij pelowes of lynnyn worke.
- (?1474) Stonor1.146 : Item, j pelowe y-keverd wyth tartarne for þe sepulture.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)14a/a : Þis corde is asocied to asymple fleisch for to make a brawn for þre profitis, of whiche þe firste is þis: þat boþe in drawynge & in springinge of þe corde, þe fleisch schulde be as a pelewe vpon whom þat he myȝte reste.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)95b : A Pillowe [Monson: Pylowe] vbi codde.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)376/290 : A poynte of the new gett to tell will I not blyn, Of prankyd gownes & shulders vp set, mos & flokkys sewyd wyth in; To vse sich gise thai will not let thai say it is no syn, Bot on sich pilus I me set and clap thaym cheke and chyn.
- 1618(1440) Invent.Cumberworth in Peacock EChurch Furniture182 : Item, 2 pillowes of reade silke with trayfoiles of gold on the tone side, and of black silk with starres of gold on the tother side.
- -?-(1427) Will in Som.RS 16124 : [I bequeath to the abbot..one pair of vestments..one] pilwe [of silk].
b
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)20/20 : To slæpe: fulfes [read: wulfes] heafod leȝe under þane pule; se unhala slæped.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)113/8 : To bedreafe ȝenoh is to habbenne meatta & hwitel & bedfelt & pyle.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Esd.3.8 : Þanne eche, writinge his woord, sealeden & putten vnder þe pilue [WB(2): pelewe; L cervical] of king darij.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.421 : Under his pelewe [vrr. pile, pule; Higd.(2): pelowe; L pulvillo], whan he diede in an herber, was i-founde a book of curious craftes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2986 : The harde ground he lay upon, For othre pilwes hath he non.
- (1395) EEWills4/17 : I bequethe to the same Thomas..my beste fetherbed..and a materas, and twey blankettys..and sex of my best pilwes.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2004 : To visite this Damyan goth May And subtilly this lettre doun she threste Vnder his pilwe.
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.97 : [A] bolstre, beddeshed, and 8 pelewes.
- (1398) Will York in Sur.Soc.4243 : Lego Thomæ de Ughtrede j album lectum de sandell..et..duos optimos pillous coopertos cum camaca.
- (1415) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)46 : Item, a heedshete of ij leves; item, iij pelowis.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)111 : Aftere soper Slepe wil do non ille; Wrappe wel ȝoure hede [with] clothes rounde aboute..Tak a pylow, þat ȝe lye not lowe.
- (1423) Will York in Sur.Soc.4571 : ij s. viij d. receptis pro iiijor. bolsteres pro lectis..Et..xviij d..pro vj peleues factis de panno lineo.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.444 : He torned on his pilwes [vrr. pilous, pilwis, pyllous] ofte.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)110b/b : He schal not honge his heued in no maner, but he schal haue ane hie pilloue.
- (1434) EEWills101/20 : Y bequethe to Robert Sharp goddis-child a litell fetherbed & ij peire smale shetes..& ij goode pelewes.
- a1450 Of alle þe ioyus (Cmb Dd.11.89)163 : Tho was His bed mad on nayles thre To resten His wery body on; His pilwe was of thornes, as ȝe may se, His blody heued they cleued hit opon.
- a1450 SLeg.Fran.(2) (Bod 779)454 : Oþer his bolstre was a tre oþer it was a stoon, nold he non oþer pele to legge his heued vppon.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)60 : Ley þis herbe only vndir þe pilwe [vrr. pylow, pelwe] at þin heed, and it shal stire þe hugely.
- (1450) Lin.DDoc.42/18 : Item, I wol that Iohn Cook haue a matrasse, j bolster, j paire of Blankettes, ij paire of shetis, & j pillow.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)254 : Yif he wol make me slepe a lyte, Of down of pure dowves white I wil yive hym a fetherbed..And many a pilowe.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)83/2472 : Tho gan y reyne with teeris of myn eyne Mi pilowe.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)71/10 : Vndir his hed wold he no pilow haue, so þat whan he slept his hed hing down with-outen sustentacle and touchid sumtyme his brest.
- c1470(?1458) Wey Prevision (Bod 565)5 : Ye schal have a fedyr bedde, a matres, too pylwys, too peyre schetis, and a qwylt.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4923 : I be qwethe hire..a greet pilve and a smal pilve.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)394/28 : Sir Trystrames bledde..the pylowes and the hede-shete.
- a1475 VPhilibert (Brog 2.1)p.18 : Thy lusty pellois, thi schettus fayre and whyte, Where ys this now?
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Quis Dabit (LdMisc 683)90 : Ageyn the beddys, stately, hih, and soffte, Of worldly pryncys with pelwys for their hed, Vp-on the roode my sone was lyfft a-loffte.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.914 : He..makith hym in his bedde stille for to lye..And dresseth a..pelowe closed in his arme.
- (a1500) Collect.Anglo-Premonst.in RHS ser.3.6264 : Item, in camera a fedder bed, ix matres, ii bolsters, iii pillus, [etc.].
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Add 6113)279 : His hedde Sute and Pillowes were of the quenes owen Ordonnance.
c
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)250 : Bien puissent ils oreilere Wil mone thay roune Qe gisent sur vn oreiler That lyne on a pilowe.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 4.38 : He was in the hyndir part of the boot, slepynge on a pilewe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.1067 : A prince to slen..On his pilwe whanne he slepeth softe..axeþ vengaunce.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.13.18 : Woo to hem that sewen to gidre cusshens vndir eche cubit of hoond, and maken pilewis vnder the heed of eche age, for to take or disseyue soulis.
- (1440) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.32 : [4] pelows [with] berys, [5 s.].
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)114/27 : Slowthe makyth þe þe restyng place of þe deuyl, for þou art þe feendys pylwe.
- (1454-5) Lin.DDoc.67/35 : Lego Alicie ffaucon optimam materas cum j pari de veteribus blankettis de ffustian, j paire shetys de Holandclothe..& j pillough de fustian.
- (1459) Will York in Sur.Soc.30226 : ij pair of fustiannes, iiij pair of blanketts, vj coverletts and xviij pelose, yat is to say, iiij of ye grettest and longest of doune, and viij other doune pelose, and vj peloes of scaped fedirs.
- (1465) Paston (EETS)1.325 : Thys be the parcellys vnderwryten of such godys as were taken..v pylowys of dowyn.
- (1474) Let.Bk.Lond.L (Gldh LetBk L)121 : Fetherbeddes and bolsters stuffed wt Fedders and Flokkes, Pelewes of down stuffed wt thistill downe..been deceivably made to the hurt of the Kynges liege people.
- c1475 A philosophre (Hrl 372)p.29 : Seest thou not ofte a wedowe wed a knave..Thus may thi man at thi pelouhe appere.
- c1475 St.Patr.Purg.(2) (Brm)p.94 : Ther hedys..wer wont for to be kempte full ofte, And one pyllowys layne full softe.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)12 : Slepe me gan oppresse So ponderously..To rowne with a pylow me semyd best tryacle.
d
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)13/3 : Brynge þou þe parties of þe wounde togidere þoruȝ sowynge, or wiþ plumaciols -- þat ben smale pelewis -- or wiþ byndynge.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)55a/b : Proffite of pilowez..Plumaciolez or pilluez [L puluilli] maketh to appodiacioun, i. leuyng or sustening & compressioun of partiez dissolute.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)116b/b : When þe member is restored & þe broken bones sette in her place and sette wele & euen make a pilowe of linnen cloþe foure folde & þat it be so longe þat it maie contene vnder him boþe þe heuedes of þe broken bone.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)65b/a : Putte vndir boþe eendis of ech nedle a smal pailet or a pelewe of lynet or of towȝ..so þat þei ne dente not into þe fleisch & greue þe pacient.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)125a/a : Þanne make pilewis of liȝt clene flex..baþid in hoot wiyn & putt vpon þe wounde.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)126b/a : Fulfille al þat oþer wounde wiþ pelewis of lynnen clooþ dippid in þe white of eiren.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)165a/b : Þanne fomente weel þe wounde wiþ hoot wiyn and drie it and leye to pulewis & pressuris of softe lynnen clooþ.
e
- c1450 *Vegetius(1) (Dgb 233)21a : Pelowes [Dc: Þat time also kniȝtes vsede piliouns ymade of skynnes nessche and stuffure of her helmes on her hede þat if þey ouȝt schulde bere on here heued, it schulde noȝt seme to hem greuous ne hevy for þe nesshe stuffure þat was next þe heued].
f
- (1446) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 484 : Item, payd for fettyng of a brasen pelewe for worspryng, ij d.
- (1474-5) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum20 : Item, in the castynge of pelewes to the iij grettyst bellys, xi s.
g
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.694 : In his male he hadde a pilwe beer [vrr. pilewber, pilowbere, pelough bere; pylowere] Which that he seyde was oure lady veyl.
- (1450) *Court R.Long Bennington : 1 pelowber.
- (1454) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.142 : [2] pyllowberes [torn, 4 d.].
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)279 : A Pillowe bere: puluinar.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. pillow.