Middle English Dictionary Entry
puissaunce n.
Entry Info
| Forms | puissaunce n. Also puisaunce, puissauns, puissans, puishaunce, piusaunce, piussance, puessence, peusauns, pissaunce, pisauns, pusaunce, pushaunce; pl. pissuaunces & (error) puissantes. |
| Etymology | OF poissance, puissance, puisance. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The power or strength possessed by or inherent in someone or something; influence; authority; ben in (of) ~, to be able (to do sth.); (b) social standing, station in life.
Associated quotations
a
- (1420) Let.in Ellis Orig.Let.ser.3.170 : Other tydynges we can nowght..but that of the grete manhode, myghtynesse, and puissaunce that Almighty God..hath seet and put in ȝowr chose persone.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.1810 : Afftir the deth of this magiciens, Was lefft no kyng to ha[ue] the gouernaunce..Sauff pryncis fyue, ful famous off puissaunce.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.2603 : Lat grace & merci tempre your hih puissaunce.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)2050 : Owre lorde god, most of puysshaunce, Past alle oþer, euere blessyde mot be.
- a1450(a1449) Lydg.WTongue (Hnt EL 26.A.13)3 : Of what estate euer that thowe be, Riche, stronge, or myghti of pyusaunce..A wicked tunge wille alwei sey a-mys.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)17.321 : But On deyete And On pvsaunce Hauen they thre with-Owten variaunce.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)718 : God forebede that a wylde Yrishe wyrlynge Shulde be chosene for to be there kynge Aftere here conqueste for oure laste [?read: loste] puisshaunce.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)759 : So mynusshyth partyes of oure puissaunce In that land that we lesen every yere More grounde.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.774 : Ye ben a lord of ful grete puissauns..Youre meny calle yow kyng omnypotent.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)11/300 : Wepen noon kan helpe..For ther nys wight may stond geyne þer [eyes'] pusshaunce.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)105/21 : Thogh he wer of havyng and of pusaunce to haue the myghtiest lady of the worlde, he wold [not] take hir.
- ?1457 Hardyng Chron.A (Lnsd 204)p.740 : This Region..hath been kept alway of gret pushance With baronage and lordes of dignyte.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)131/22 : Fortune..was not in puyssaunce, thoughe the body wer ouercome, for to ouercome the courage.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)135/14 : The high dignitees of lordshippes ben establisshe vnder the diuyne and infinite Puissaunce [CQ(2): Power].
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)139/12 : Hit appendyth a kynge to be rychely..y-clothyd..that his Pusaunce [L potentia] be not emblemyshit.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)3419 : Meche better it lith in my puessence Thanne in the Sowdon powre so to do.
- a1500 Add.Hymnal (Add 34193)451/41 : A myghty Gyant off dowbyll substance, For to reypresse þe feendis fowle pywssance Frome heyvyne tyl Erth hys cowrs hath swetyly tak.
b
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)67/11 : A good woman shulde arraie her after her husbondes pusaunce and hers.
2.
(a) A force of soldiers, an army, armed band; pl. troops, armed men; maken a ~ on, ?to raise an army against (sb.), ?make an attack on (sb.); (b) armed might, force; (c) a crowd of people.
Associated quotations
a
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.1017 : Of Rome a consul with a gret puissaunce..slouh upon a day Thretti thousand.
- (1440) Paston2.22 : Our lordes wyth here smal pusaunce manly bytte them and pytte hem to flyte.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)40 : This emperour..Returnyd to Rome with hys oste and pysauns.
- c1450 Lond.Chron.Cleo.(Cleo C.4)151 : The comons kept..the tovne ayenst the Duke of Norfolk and all his pissuauncez that wold have come theder.
- ?c1450 Brut-1447 (Trin-C O.9.1)469/14 : The Duke of Burgoyne, with all his pusance of peple..come and byseged þe towne of Caleys.
- (1452) Proc.Privy C.6.120 : We have ordained oure cousin th' Erle of Shrouesbury to have the leding, reule, and governaunce of oure saide puissance upon the see.
- (1462) Paston2.272 : A pyssaunce is redy to aryve in thre partyes of this londe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)55/22 : He ys a passynge good man of hys body..And, sir, doute ye nat he woll make on you a myghty puyssaunce.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)26 : Alle the puissaunce of the Romains were assembled in bataile.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)1970 : All ther hoole puysaunce..was so grete..The Cite myght resseyue them day ne nyght.
- a1525(?1474) Cov.Leet Bk.409 : We haue..encouraged the offering thaimself, thaire subgiettes, goodes, and all their puissantes [?read: puissances] to serue vs.
b
- (1431) Proc.Privy C.4.94 : If good may not be geten..for þe holding and keping of puissance þere, suche as nedeth for þe seuretee of þe Kinges persone..þanne his commyng hidre is necessarie to be disposed fore.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)393/924 : That lyht of trouthe cleerly was discernyd And nat eclipsid be power nor puissance.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.3033 : Ther princis..gouerned the lond off Madian, Trustyng off pride in ther gret puissaunce.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)218 : To fortefye anone he dyd devyse Of Englysshe townes iij..And gaffe hem helpe and notable puissaunce.
- (1461) Paston2.251 : The Duc of Excestre and th'Erle of Pembrok ar floon..and dyuers lordes with grete puissans ar after them.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)1024 : Þat to me ys more pleasaunce Than yff þou sent twelve kyngys free To my sepulkyr wyth grett puysschaunce, For my dethe to take vengeaunce.
c
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)245/400 : Wole ȝe se wech peusawns of pepyl drawyth hym to For þe mervaylys þat he hath wrowth.