Middle English Dictionary Entry
prē̆mis(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | prē̆mis(se n. Also premece. |
| Etymology | OF premisse & ML prēmissa. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Pl. (a) Aforesaid matters, previously stated points; (b) preliminary plans, preparations; ~ of the welcominge, preparations for the welcome.
Associated quotations
a
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)2 : I, consideryng thees premisses wyth othir, have..take vpon me at this tyme to translate ovte off Frenche tong..a Book off Knyghthode.
- c1475 Abbrev.Trip.SSecr.(UC 85)260/9 : Sende us woorde by writinge that thou seemyst best and moost expedient to doo in the premisses [Lambeth: matere].
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)116/18 : Sewyng the matere aftir the conclusion of our premisses..it behoveth us in the second partye of this present booke to speke of the armes..of the said ymage.
- c1480(1462) Let.Edw.IV to James III (Add 48031)145 : We proteste .., requiring you to certifie by the berer of this your fynall answere and entent in the premisses by verray writing undir your said seale ensealid.
- a1500 3rd Fran.Rule (Seton)55/4 : Neuerthelesse we woll not that, tochyng the premisses, eny of the bretherne or susters of þe order fall in eny deadely synne.
b
- a1525(?1456) Cov.Leet Bk.292 : The seyde Meyre payd to Joh. Wedurby of Leycetur, for þe provicion and makyng of these premisses of the welcomyng of oure Souerayn lady the quene & for his labour Inne & out, xxv s.
- a1550(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Sln 1873)2969 : Make all ye premyssis with other well accorde.
2.
Law (a) That which is previously stated or specified in a legal document; also pl. the aforesaid matters, statements, claims, etc.; (b) pl. that property, collectively, which is specified in the beginning of or earlier in a legal document, and which is conveyed by grant, bequest, deed, etc.; aforesaid houses, lands, tenements, personal goods, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- (1429) RParl.4.352a : Plese itt to youre noble discretions to considere the premisses, and that these saide Lambeswolle, shorlyng and scaldyng, hav passed afore this tyme in fourme of poundage aboveseid.
- (1432) Rec.Norwich 2391 : In witnesse of all and yche of the premyses, the parties befornseyd to thise presents endentures alternatly han set her selys.
- (1434-43) Doc.Trade in BRS 782 : Plese yt to your gracious lordship to consider the premisse of this sayd matere and graunt to the said suppliantz severall wryttes.
- (1442) RParl.5.57b : If they come and wolle not declare theis premissez in the fourme afore rehersid..it be levefull to you, Soverain Lorde..to entre and take into your hondes alle the seide Castellez, manerz, Townes..and Possessions forseide.
- (1444) RParl.5.113a : If eny Covenaunt with eny such Servaunt be made in other wise..that the same covenaunt be voyde as to all the premisses.
- (1445) in Webb Rec.St.Barth1.500 : Wherfore please hit youre said gode lordship the premisses considere, if to grante a writte of subpena to be directe to the said Jhn. Bell to apere afore youe atte a certeyn day, to be examyned thereupon the premisses.
- (1448) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.44 : The seid parties graunten..that, yf hit fortune ony variaunce to fall be-twix them, touchyng any of the premisses, that then thei woll a-byde the reformacion of theire bothe councels.
- (1449) Will York in Sur.Soc.30157 : In witness of al the premisses, people beyng present, I have put to my seal.
- (1461) LRed Bk.Bristol2.129 : In witnes of the whiche premisses and ordnaunces aboueseid we..haue putto oure Seall of Office of Mairalte of Bristowe.
- (1464) RParl.5.562b : He shall, as ofte tymes as he in any of the premisses offendeth, forfeit the somme of xx s.
- (1473-4) Deed Yks.in YASRS 50160 : The seid Nicholas grauntes that..the premissez..graunted or agreed by the seid Nicholas, shall well and trulie be holden.
- a1525(?1445) Cov.Leet Bk.223 : If eny of theym do þe contrarie in eny of the premissez they shall lose at euery defalt vj s. viij d.
b
- (1464) RParl.5.543b : Provided alwey that this Acte of Resumption strecche not nor be prejudiciall to Rowland Symond nor to eny Graunte..of or for any Annuite or Annuitees, to be taken in or of eny of the premisses or of the issues, revenues, and profites of any of the premisses.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.17a : Withoute any of the same Castelles, Maners..Londes, Tenementes, and other premisses, or any parcell of theym, to be sued oute of youre handes.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.49a : The Successours of every of theym may entre into the seid Manoirs, Landes, and Tenementes and other premisses and have, hold, and enjoy all the same Manoirs and other premisses and every parcell therof.
- (c1475) Doc.in Bk.Brome (Brm)141 : To haue and to hoold all and iche a-bothe-seyd myssys, londes, tenementes, and medowys, fedynges, pasturys, and the oder premeces with þer pertynences, to befor-namyd William B. þe ȝownger.
- (1487) Will Uvedale in SAC 3166 : If the said Elizabeth my daughter decease during my lief, the I ..bequeathe all the premisses bequeathen by me to Elizabeth..to Elizabeth her daughter my godchild..; and if all the said issue of my said daughters decease withoute issue..then I will that the forsaid premisses so bequethin in my Testament remayne only unto the next of my blode.
3.
Logic. A proposition or previous statement leading to a conclusion; esp. either of the two premises of a syllogism from which the conclusion is derived; -- also pl.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)12a/b : Take of on premis: no resoun is conger in þe whiche þe nominatif case & þe verbe discordith in noumbre & in persone; & take for þe othir premis: in þis resoun, puer sumus bonus, þe nominatif case & þe verbe discordeþ in noumbre & in persone; and make þi conclusioun in þis maner: ergo, þis resoun is not conger..Þanne if he knowiþ þe forsaid tweye premisses, he knowith þe conclusioun by þe premissis, for he concludeþ þat on of þat oþir.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)328a/a : Wiþoute nombre is not a lettre y-ioyned to a lettre..nouþer þe conclusioun in silogismes is distingued fro þe premisses.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.758 : Craftely he..tolde clerly out With premisses ful wel brouȝt about, Þat finally, in conclusioun, Þe chefe..of his entencioun..Was for to make pes and unite.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.4.73-77 : It is ryght that he schewe that some of the premysses ben false, or elles he mot schewe that the collacioun of proposicions is nat spedful to a necessarie conclusioun; and yif it ne be nat so, but that the premisses [L praecedentibus] ben ygraunted, ther nys nat why he scholde balme the argument.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)154 : The secunde premys of þis proof or argument for his first party may be schewid þus.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)315 : And so þe ije. premisse which was to be provid is provid.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)38/3 : He may not leerne eny þing of þe new wiþout þat he haue þervpon a silogisme in his vndirstondyng, prouyng þe leernyd trouþ bi two premysses beyng more knowen to him þan is þe conclusioun of him leernyd.
- (c1456) Pecock Faith (Trin-C B.14.45)173 : Lo, sone, this argument is a good sillogisme, and the first premysse nedis is to be grauntid, and the iie.premysse is moche probable.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)10717 : Ful sotylly thow kanst argue, And thy premysses for to make; Ful ffayre exaumples thow kanst take..To preue thy conclusiouns.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)102/18 : Charles..wolde declare so notabely his reasons that he wolde lacke no poynte to sett his premisses in faire and due ordre.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 ?Scrope Ribot First Monks (Lamb 192)7/28 : Therfore God, be tho thyngys þe whych in al þe premysse wordys [L premissis uerbis] abouyn, porposyd to hooly Helye the prophet.
Note: Noun used attributively, sense 1.(a).
Note: ?This word, or error for premised ppl.