Middle English Dictionary Entry
baillif n.
Entry Info
| Forms | baillif n. Also bailif, balif & bail(l)i, bailẹ̄, bali, baley. Pl. baillives, bailiffes & bailies, bailẹ̄s. |
| Etymology | OF baillif & bailli (from nom. sg. bailli-s). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An official of the English crown with delegated administrative or judicial authority; the king's officer in a county, hundred, or town; the keeper of a royal castle, gate, or forest; kinges ~; (b) a royal deputy or magistrate; (c) ~ erraunt, an itinerant baillif.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)614 : Playdingue..of dette..scholde beon i-brouȝt bi-fore þe kinge and is baillifs and to holi churche nouȝt.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)730 : Þat Men..scholden..to þe kingus baillifs deliueri him to an-hangi oþur to-drawe.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11196 : Þe ȝates..were alle vp ibroȝt Sone bote smiþe gate..Þe bailif hii bede ofte..To pleie & vndo þut ȝat.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.281 : Shireues, balifes [F baillifs] he ches, þat office couþe guye.
- (1413-9) Doc.in Bk.Lond.E.227/64 : The forsaid tenantz of Banstede aren destreyned by the kyngges Baillife from terme to terme for the rerages of the countes of the same Sir Richard.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)2 : All thes men here before weren but Kepers and Bayllyffes off this Citee off London. And here begyneth the ffirst meire that euer was in London.
- (1436-7) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7841 : Item, to the bayly undryd, vi d.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.37/27 : With-oute vywe..of þe forsters or verders or of our ony oþer Baylyffes.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.84/28 : Robert Kyngton, þen Baylyfe of þe hundrede of Wotton.
- (1473) RParl.6.73b : The Office of Bayleage of the Kyng's Toune of Sandewych, or of the Port there, by the handes of the Bayle or Bayles of the same Toune and Port.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)151 : The myght off þe lande..stondith..in þe kynges officers..A pouere baylyff mey do more in his bayille, then [etc.].
b
- c1300 SLeg.Nich.(LdMisc 108)344 : Bi-fore þe bayllifs huy comen, þe giv and he boþe.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)5387 : Þe king..het eche a baili þat hade it to kepe, to do eche burn be buxum..to þe cowherdes comaundement.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5008 : Þar [to Egypt] vs tok þe hei baili.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6445 : Ietro gaue him consail Vnder baillis [Frf: baillifes; Göt: bayles; Trin-C: bailies] for to sett.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)1646 : [T]he king of Troye..commaundet baylys [vr. bailyfs] for to ryde to fecche moo folke on eche side.
- c1440(?a1375) Abbey HG (Thrn)55/14 : Nabogodhonosore..sett in Rome thre men þat solde do & ordayne and stabyll, als baylyes, alle þe rewme.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)13 : Minos..is a iusticer off helle or a prouoste or a cheife bayle, and afore hym is broughte alle the sowles descendyng into that vaylie.
- a1450 SLeg.Suppl.Bod.(Bod 779)386/5 : Þe emperour decye..his baylin fond to ȝonge men þat weren to crist I-fonge.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)504/19 : A kyng of Fraunce..had a baillay at Paryssh.
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Jul C.6)382 : These were the capitaynes..the baylie of Saint Quintyn, capt. de C lance.
c
- (1335) Doc.Oxf.in OHS 73208 : Galf' le Bailfesmanerraunt.
- (1397) in Rec.B.Nottingham 1350 : Officium Ballivi vocati 'Baylyarrande' in Comitatu Derb[iae].
- (1443) Proc.Privy C.5.244 : Meredith Gough, bailif errant.
2.
(a) An important administrative official elected by the citizens of an English town; ~ of fraunchise; water ~, see water-baillif n.; (b) an official of a foreign city or town.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)48 : Þer sholde be twey baylyues y-swore in þe Citee.
- (1405) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.31 : Baillies [vr. Balyffes], Burgeis and Comuners of the town of Donewych.
- (1429) RParl.4.349a : Yat ye Justices of ye Pees, Meiris, Bailes and Stiwardis of frangise, have power..to examine the trespassours in yis cas.
- (1433) RParl.4.476a : Hit is assented by the Baillifs and the Commonalty of the Towne of Shroesbury, touching the eleccion of Baillifs and other Officers of the seid Towne..eleccion of ii Baillifs for the yere next followyng.
- (1436) RParl.4.501b : No Shirreve, Bailliff of Fraunchise ne Coroner.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)19 : The ballives and the burgesys of the same toun.
- (1448) Shillingford137 : The seide maier and commonalte and bailyfs and coroners of the seide Citee..the seide maier and commonalte, bailes and Coroners.
- (1454) Lin.DDoc.66/11 : William Brownyng, Bayly of the same Towne.
- (1467) Ordin.Wor.377 : The Baillies..shulle..dayly putt yn execucyon alle ordinaunces and actes made at this present yeld..Also that ther be ordeyned a strong comyn cofur..oon keye therof to be delyuered to the high Baillye.
b
- c1390 Vrn.Mir.Virg.(Vrn)143/82 : Hit fel sum-tyme in Parys..To Meir and Baylyfs heo is gon, Heo pleyneþ þe Ieuh haþ don hire wrong.
- c1390 Vrn.Mir.Virg.(Vrn)152/105 : Boþe Meir and Bailifs of þe toun..aresten hire.
3.
An agent of a lord, responsible to the lord or his seneschal for the management of a manor; ~ of husbondrie.
Associated quotations
- a1350 Ich herdemen (Hrl 2253)16,28 : Þe bailif bockneþ vs bale, & weneþ wel do..Ar londes & ar leodes liggeþ fol lene, Þorh b[i]ddyng of baylyfs such harm hem haþ hiht.
- a1350 Mon in þe mone (Hrl 2253)32 : When þat he is dronke ase a dreynt mous, þenne we schule borewe þe wed ate bayly.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 16.1 : There was sum riche man, that hadde a fermour, ethir a baily [vr. bayle; WB(2): baili, vr. baylyf; L villicum].
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.603 : Ther nas baillif [vr. bayle] ne hierde, ne oother hyne, That he [the Reeve] ne knew his sleighte and his couyne.
- c1400 Wycl.Blasph.(Bod 647)414 : If a bayle aske rent to þo lord, he begges not þis to þo lordis tenaunte.
- (1415) Will in Bdf.HRS 222 : Y will..þat xiij li. ouer þis be departed..amonge þe pourest men and my seruants and Bailiffs þat haue be in my lordships.
- (1444) RParl.5.112b : The salarye of a Bailly of Husbondrye be yeer xxiii s. iiii d. and clothyng prys of v s. with mete and drynke.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.23/21 : If þey..be amercid agaynst..my baylyffs for oony cause.
- (1469-71) Stonor1.106 : Paid to my lord of Cauntterbury baly for quiet rent goyng oute of the maner of Horton.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)45 : It is necessary þat þe bayle or som off þe lordis offeceris be withe þem.
4.
A minor officer of justice under a sheriff or judge.
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)183/86 : Þe Constables sone heo hath aslawe..Alle þe baillifs þudere comen to nimen þar-of red..heo stoden and Iuggeden hire a-mong heom alle.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)3.2 : Now is Meede..Wiþ Beodeles and Baylyfs [vrr. baillys; with bayles] I-brouht to þe kyng.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)12914 : As baily [other MSS: bedel] goþ bifore Iustise, So coom þou [John the Baptist] bifore þat riȝtwise.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)2.59 : Sysours and sompnours, Shireues and here clerkes, Bedelles and Bailliues and brokoures of chaffre.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)265 : Come forthe, Sire Bailli [vr. baillife]..To ȝefe a-comptes the Juge wille ȝow charge.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)135/18 : Sche was arestyd for a loller..a person..excusyd hir a-ȝen þe baly & vndirtoke for hir þat sche was no loller.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)22 : Baly, or seriaunt men arestynge: Angarius, apparitor.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)363 : Offycere of cruelte, as bayly, or iaylere, or other lyke: Satelles.
- (1444) RParl.5.110b : All the Sherreffs, Under shirrefs, Clerkes, Baillies, Jaylers, Coroners, Stywardes, Baillifs of Fraunchises, or any other Officers or Ministres.
- (1447) Reg.Spofford in Cant.Yk.S.23290 : Ye shall serve the kynge wele..in the office of the shiriff of Hereford..ye shall take noo bailiffs in to your service but such as ye wyll answer for.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)2717 : The bayles [vr. baleyes] went in the euyn tyde to foche þem furth be for þe justyce.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)16 : The Iuges..sente to the baile, that with-ynne xl dayes she sholde be brought be-fore them to haue her Iugement.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)20/405 : We mon haue a mekill myschaunce, and the bayles vs take.
5.
One who goes bail for another.
Associated quotations
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)598/8 : To make redy ther the recognytours, And put (by weddys or sure pleggis) the forsaid Robert and Iohn (or their baillyfes, yf thei be not I-founde), that thei be there to hire that recognycion.
6.
In surnames. [See also Thuresson ME Occup.Terms 136.]
Associated quotations
- (1225) Pat.R.Hen.III523 : Gaillardus Baille.
- (1230) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.4355 : Rogerus le baylly.
- (1242-3) Bk.of Fees2.798 : Ricardus le Baillif.
- (1312) Pat.R.Edw.II533 : Richard le Celereresbailiff.
- (1318) Pat.R.Edw.II287 : [John] le Baillifson of Popelton.
- (1327) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 7205 : Willelmus Baly.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Co.(Manly-Rickert)A.4358 : And ther fore, Herry Bailly, by thy feith, Be thou nat wrooth er we departen heer.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1350 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253)14, 23, 25 : 'Take we þe bailifs bi tuenty ant by tene, clappe we of the heuedes..and caste we yn þe fen..' sixti baylies ant ten hue maden a-doun falle, ant moni an-oþer sweyn .. Þo wolde þe baylies, þat were come from fraunce, dryue þe flemisshe…hue turnden hem aȝeynes wiþ suerd & wiþ launce.
Note: Additional quote(s) for sense 2.(b). Apparently a French official resident in Bruges, bearing the brunt of the insurrection of Flemish burghers.
Note: Hrl 2253 fol. 73v.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)41ba : I wil wel that Eleazar the sone of my baily [Vulg. Gen. 15:2: filius procuratoris domus meae] be myn heyr.
Note: Additional quote, sense 3.