Middle English Dictionary Entry
purveiǒur n.
Entry Info
| Forms | purveiǒur n. Also purveier, -veiar, -vaier, -vaiour, -vaour, -veo(u)r, -veur, -viour & porveiour, pourveiour, -veour & proviour, -vour, proweour, -wiour, prower, prowo(u)r & (surname) purvehur; pl. purveioures, etc. & (error) purveous. |
| Etymology | AF purveour, pourvëer & CF porveëor, pourvëeur, prouvëur. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) One who goes ahead to prepare the way, a forerunner; (b) one who is in charge; an overseer, a deputy; (c) one who procures or supplies necessities, a provider; also fig.; also, a rapacious gatherer [quot.: a1393].
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11003 : For right was þat þe purueur Suld cum befor þe sauueur.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)13208 : For-þi is he calde cristis puruayer [Vsp: foriner; Trin-C: forgoer] & cristis awen messager.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.147 : He hadde tendaunt to his hestes fyve hondred þowsand and two þowsand men of Londoun, as it were to þe comoun provyour [vr. purvyour; Higd.(2): provisor; L provisori] of alle.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)19.255 : For I make pieres þe plowman my procuratour & my reve..My prowor [vrr. proweour, prowyour, purveour; C vrr. prower, prowour, prouour, puruyour] & my plowman Piers shal ben on erthe.
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)100/11 : Zeþþe þet he ys uader, he is diȝtere and gouernour and porueyour [Vices & V.(2): purueyour] to his mayne.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.4.2 : He durst saye the purueyoure [L provisoremque] of the citee and defender of his folc and louer of the lawe of God, enmye, or traitour, of the rewme.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1997 : He is..A pourveour and an aspie; For riht as of an hungri Pie The storve bestes ben awaited, Riht so is Covoitise afaited To loke where he mai pourchace.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)56b/a : Þe stomak is puruyour & housbonde [L paterfamilias] of al þe body.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)368/14 : Summe..spoilynge her affeccioun fro richessis..kepe hem..ordynatly & wiþ holy drede, imaad no possessour of hem but a dispensatour & a purueiour for poore folk.
- (1447-8) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1378 : For the Maister of the werkes, 1 li..and for ij purueours either of theym at vj d. by day, xviij li. v s. vj d.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)468 : Crist, which was..oure beest prower, ordeyned al that was best for us to haue..for ellis he hadde not be anentis us to gidere wijsist purueier and tendirist louer.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)358/30 : All maner of purveyars purveyde, that there lacked nothynge that myght be gotyn for golde nother sylver, nothir of wylde nor tame.
2.
(a) A domestic officer in charge of provisions for a household, a steward; also, the officer in charge of procuring provisions for a religious house; (b) an agent or a servant in charge of arranging accommodations for a traveler on a journey; also fig.; (c) an officer invested with the authority to requisition, at his own price, provisions for the use of a royal household; (d) a civil officer charged with the procurement of adequate provisions for the defense of a city, fortress, etc.; also, a royal officer charged with the requisition of provisions for an army; (e) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4337 : Ioseph, þat was god purueur [Frf: puruayour], A dai he went in to þe bour.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4607 : Do gett þe a god purueur [Frf: puruaour] Þat in þis nede þe mai socur.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.4124 : He gaf in charge vnto his purueiours That al wer redi ageyn a certeyn day; And to his feeste cam al the senatours Duellyng in Cartage.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)581/17 : Exactor: a puruyour.
- (1454) Proc.Privy C.6.226 : The office of the bakhous, xiij persones: Robert Sende, yoman purveor, Robert Baxter, grome purveor.
- (1454) Proc.Privy C.6.229 : John West, Ric. Whitehede, John Smyth, William Brenston, yomen purveors.
- c1425 Wycl.Antichr.(2) (Dub 245)p.cxxx : Crist fastid lene & hungry, wiþouten mete & drynke; þei han many puruyours at many diuerse chepyngis to gete metes of þe best.
- 1532-1897(a1475) Ass.Ladies (Skeat)266 : I have..this office of purchace, Cheef purveyour, that longeth to this place.
b
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)85 : Where ben the trumpes and clariouns and alle othere mynstralcie and herbegeres and purveyoures that schulde goo byfore?
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)3296 : Pope Ciriacus..whan he kneu of whens þei were..as by her puruyours he dyde lere..he dede al hys labour Them to receyue wyth grete honour.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)189/28 : Prayere, folwyng after almes-dede, mowe fynde redy weye to god & redy place to his mercy, as a purveyour goth be-forn to takyn an jn for his mayster.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)188 : The qween went on pilgrimage..purposing be the wey to rest in the Castelle of Ledis..The qwenes purvyouris cam thedir; but thei myte not entre, So thei herborowed hir in othir place.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)24660 : Seynt Lowys..Whil he hadde domynacioun thorugh-out al his Regioun..sent aforn..his vitaillers, his pourveyours..to taken vp his herbergage In that..hevenly Ieurusalem.
c
- [ (1300) Statutes Realm1.137 : Ordene est qe..nul ne preigne prises..fors qe les..purveours pur lostel le Roi; E qe ceus..purveours pur soen Hostel, ne preignent riens fors qe pur meisme lostel. ]
- [ (1362) Statutes Realm1.371 : Item, pur la grevouse pleinte qad este fait des Purveours des vitailles del Hostel le Roi..le Roi..ad grante & ordene..qe le heignous noun de purveour soit chaunge & nome Achatour. ]
- (1423-4) Let.Bk.Lond.I (Gldh LetBk I)296 : This present ordinaunce..holde place as wel for purveous [read: purveours] for grete hors of the seid twey housholdes.
- (1423-4) Let.Bk.Lond.I (Gldh LetBk I)297 : It is ordeyned..that no purveour ne catour make purveaunce or achate for the Kynges hous of ony thynge to the value of xl s. or withinne if he make not full payement in hond.
- (1444) RParl.5.107a : One George Grenelane..hadde beknowe divers felonies, and becam prower for the Kyng.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)222 : It was ordeyned..that..purvioures schuld take no vitale but thei payed therefor, And eke that there schuld no men have swech purvioures but the Kyng and the qween, and dukes.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)4.13 : Ne alle þe prophete of þe lond þat þe prince owed..Myȝte not areche ne his rent noþer, To paie þe pore peple þat his puruyours toke.
d
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1188 : Thelephus..was..wonder fre..To socour hem, commaundinge anoon His puruyours in al haste to goon..To take up vitaille for þe Grekis host.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.58b : The said Maire..and Merchauntes..have th 'Office of purveiour, bier, receyver, and keper of the Kyng's Vitailles and Stuff, for the defense of the said Toune of Caleys.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)68 : I fynde by hys bokes of hys purveours how yn every castelle, forteresse, and cyte or towne he wolde hafe grete providence of vitaille, of cornys, of larde and beoffes, of stokphyshe and saltfyshe.
e
- (1232) Feet Fines War.in Dugd.Soc.111.479 : Ralph le Purueur.
- (1265) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)1.206 : Philip le Purvehur.