Middle English Dictionary Entry
baillī(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | baillī(e n. Also baili(e, bali(e. |
| Etymology | OF baillie. In later ME the spelling baille may represent baillie or bail(le. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. bail(le n.(1).
1.
(a) An office held by delegation from a superior; delegated authority, jurisdiction, or rule; an official post or commission; the office of a baillif; office of ~; (b) performance or service in office.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)260 : He wilnede mest of alle þinge..Þat he moste with honour bi-leue þulke baillie And ech oþur seruise of court.
- a1350 Ne mai no lewed (Hrl 2253)44 : Nou wol vch fol clerc þat is fayly, Wende to þe bysshop ant bugge bayly.
- ?c1335 Þe grace of god (Hrl 913)p.107 : God ȝaf him [Adam] a gret maistri..Of paradis al þe baly.
- a1350 St.Marina (Hrl 2253)81 : Þe abbot & þe couent bo Loueþ maryn, þe ȝonge monk, so Þat hue him putten to baylye, and maden him maister of panetrie.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)26 : Ypocrites sotyls..wylleþ heȝe cliue and steleþ þe dingnetes and þe baylyes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.784 : There was a Duck..which hadde in his baillie To lede the chivalerie Of Rome.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)7526 : J þee biteche þe bayllye [vr. bailye], My [folk] wiþ hym to conduye.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)709 : Now is þy broþer scherreue and haþ þe baillye.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4217 : Drede hadde in hir baillie The kepyng of the conestablerye Toward the north.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)20/10 : Yef any waxe prude in hir office..man sal do þam ut of þair bayly, And do anoþir in hir stede.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)5243 : Þis londe ys ȝolden to þy baillye; þorow me hastow þe seignurie.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)759 : Ȝef a mon..hath an ofyce or bayly Þat he ledeth hys lyf by.
- (1458) GRed Bk.Bristolpt.2 p.57 : The Baillifs of the saide Towne..for theire gret bisenes of attendaunce of suche Office of Bailly haue negligently omitted and lefte the continuannce of the saide maters.
b
- c1390 NHom.Theoph.(Vrn)14 : Theofle..was þis bisschopes officiale..and gat him frend in his bayly.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Luke 16.2 : Ȝelde reckynyng of thi baili [WB(1): ferme; L villicationis].
2.
(a) The district under the authority of a baillif; a bailiwick; (b) a dwelling-place.
Associated quotations
a
- (1278) Inquis.PM Edw.I in BRS 30107 : [Bailiwick in the Forest of Dene..called] Bleytyesbayllye.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)99/26 : Þo seiden summe..þat he cleped Hely, a man þat woned amonges hem in her baylie.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)84 : Þe forstere ought to brynge hem where as moost defoile is of grete male dere wiþ in his baly.
- ?a1425(c1280) SLeg.Eust.(Jul D.9)132 : Tuei kniȝtes..In his baille hi mette him.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)137 : The cheif ballives of the same toun or on of hem..what part that it be with ynne her bayly.
- (1452-3) RParl.in OHS 5839 : Wode to be taken yerely in the Forest or bailly of Sapley, be what name so evyr hit be called.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)151 : Þe kynges officers..mowe best rule þe contreis wher as þer offices ben..A pouere baylyff mey do more in his bayille, then any man off his degre dwellynge with in his office.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)755 : Yn grete Rome they dyd to crye, Every offycer in hys bayly, 'The dragon hath tan hys ȝynde.'
b
- c1390(a1325) Ipotis (Vrn)408 : But þei schriuen hem of heore glotonye In helle schal ben heore baylye.
3.
(a) Sovereign control; dominion, sway; (b) a domain.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)378 : He is maister in þe deope putte of helle..For-to sum riche man ȝiue al is guod to binimen him is baylie.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)442 : Þat emperise [Mary] al heuenz hatz, And vrþe and helle, in her bayly.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)2835 : So gret an heritage..þat þy fader hadde in his baillye.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)11459 : Lucius, þat Rome had in baillie, & ouer þe Romains haþ maistrie.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)350 : A reame full riche, that the kynge Amant helde in his baile [F baillie]..This Castell..as soone as the kynge Bohors hadde it in his baille [F baillie], he yaf it to Gynebant.
b
- a1400 Þo oure lord god (Mrg M 957)p.319b : Pride com in to heuene strike..ȝhe brouȝte..enevye to do þer som schende in þilke faire baillye.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)315 : Þou saytz þou schal won in þis bayly.
- (1440) Visit.Alnwick187 : That ye [prioress] bysylly ouersee your baylly, that your husbandry be sufficyently gouernede to the avayle of your house.
4.
(a) Charge, management, supervision; ?protection [quot.: c1330]; (b) custody, control.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)1144 : Westminster first he bigan In þe honouraunce of ihesu & of marie And peter and paule vnder her baylie.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4335 : He haueþ on ys baylye x þousant knyȝtes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.220 : The Court of worldly regalie To hem was thanne no baillie.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1870 : Bot of Envie, If ther be more in his baillie Towardes love, sai me what.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1012 : On the Mont of Parasie He [Pan] hadde of bestes the baillie.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9551 : Þis ilk king..A seruand had in his baili.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)6869 : Now wold god..þat he were here in mi beylie!
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)818 : Heo habbeþ þis ladi in here Bayli [BodAdd B.107: bayle].
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.13 : Forthi he fanded..To harl him in til his balye.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10028 : Nam o bail it hat for-þi, For it hir heild als in baili.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.61 : Þe duke Siward had taken in his balie [F bayllye] Machog, þe Scottes kyng.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4302 : Whanne Jelousie Hadde Bealacoil in his baillie, And shette hym up that was so fre.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)648 : Medee..Here hadde leuere than al Assye, That he [Jason] hadde ben in here baylye.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)617 : As soone as I haue the kynge leodogan in my bailly, I shall go vpon hym [Arthur].
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)247/146 : Thou art here in oure baly withoutten any grace Of skap.
5.
Possession, keeping.
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)1186 : Þe cloþes þat beothþ in þi bailie.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)289 : Þouh i hadde in my bayli Þe wit of alle clergy.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1071 : A leoun, which in baillie Of sterres hath his pourpartie.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)111 : His seal, whiche that Vlfin hath yet in kepynge in his bailly.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2570 : Tristrem þe bailif [?read: bailie] gan to Swiftly for to stere A stounde.
Note: "Tristrem quickly undertook the office of bailliff, to administer it for a time" --McNeill. Gloss: 'bailiwick.' Kölbing emends to 'bailie'. Since 'bailif' and 'bailie' were frequently in alternation in the sense of 'bailif' (especially in Scots), it is not surprising to see a scribe write 'bailif' when 'bailif' was meant.
Note: Not clear if the office, the region, or the abstract authority are in view.