Middle English Dictionary Entry
raunsǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | raunsǒun n. Also raunsun, -son(e, -sonne, -scun, -coun, -ceoun, -ceon, -czoun, -choun, -soum, -som(m(e, -sum, -ssone, rauinson, rauunsun, -sone, ransoun, -scun, -son, -scon, -coun, -cun(e, -sum, -some, -scum, rannisome, raumsoun, -sum, -some, ramsoun, -son, -some, rampson, reaunceonne, ronsoune & (early) rauncun, ranceun & (error) raymson. |
| Etymology | OF: cp. CF räençon, -son, räançon, -cun, -ceun, rainçon, raenchon, ransson, rampçon & AF raumson, ranson. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The release of a prisoner of war by payment; also, fig. with payment in blood; bien ~ [see bien v. 1a.(a)]; maken ~, to effect (one's) ransom; also fig.; proferen to ~, offer to allow (prisoners) to be ransomed; (b) the payment made for the release of a prisoner of war; also, payment to buy off a hostile army; putten (taken) to ~, to hold (sb.) for ransom; (c) a payment made as penalty for an offense or for remission of another penalty, a fine; also, compensation [quot.: a1475]; fin and ~; withouten ~, without remission; non ~ goth (shal gon, is), there shall be (is) no lesser penalty; (d) a tax or tribute; also, a sum gained by extortion; (e) a sum of money, esp. a large sum; (f) coll. hostages; (g) fig. release from the necessity of dying.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Dream Bk.(1) (Hrl 2253)269 : Whose þuncheþ him in prisoun, þat is chalenge & raunsoun.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1024 : He ful soone hem sente To Atthenes to dwellen in prisoun; Perpetuelly he nolde no raunsoun.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.61 : Hanibal profered hem here prisoneres to raunsoun.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.275 : Þe Saxons wolde nouȝte slee Vortigernus, but þey feng for his raunsoun [Higd.(2): redempcion; L redemptione] noble citees of Bretayne.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3426 : His lust and al his moste gloire Was forto sle and noght to save; Of rancoun wolde he no good have For savinge of a mannes lif.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.411 : I wolde no lenger in the bed abyde..Til he hadde maad his raunceon vnto me; Thanne wolde I suffre hym do his nycetee.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.79 : Þer is Malcome taken & ȝolden to preson; Siluer..was giffen for his raunson.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)2354 : Oxonye is not so good, That ȝe..and alle oure blood For hir scholde to..deth be brouȝt; Here ramsoun were to dere bouȝt.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)424 : Rawnsome: Redempcio.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)394 : Mi raunnsum is all redy boȝte.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)191/6 : There shall no golde undir God pay for youre raunsom.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)102a : A Rawnson: Redempcio.
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)38 : This tale..rehersid..Thre proverbis paied for raunsoun Of a fair bird that was take in a snare.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.179 : Ȝif chalys halwyd schul ben seld to seculer vhs for nede, as for raunsom of presonerys, þan it schul ben..ȝotyn togedere er it ben selde.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)191/1 : This golde that ye haue broght to me for this damycelle raunsone, I hit yeue and graunt in free mariage to hyr and this gentil-man.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6046 : Þis folc bisette kaunterbury & uaste it bi lay, & gret raunson [Hrl: raymson] of hom wiþinne esste, to be out of wo.
- a1350 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253)86 : Hue nolden take for huem raunsoun ne ware; hue doddeþ of huere heuedes.
- c1330 St.Greg.(Auch)117/630 : He war..prince beld, Raunsoun [Vrn: Raunsun; Cleo: ranson] for his body sche toke.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1251 : Y am prest as þi prisoun to paye þe my ransum.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3491 : A sholde delyuery me out of prisoun Wyþ strenghþe of hand ouþer raunsoun.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3833 : Agag made gret beheste Of rancoun which he wolde yive.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)27/9 : He toke þat þat was halewide in Goddes hous forto paye raunsoum for þe peple.
- (1410) Let.Bugge in Spec.14 (Vsp F.7)24 : It liketh wel to our forseide lord..that the forsaide Mordake his sone and heir be delivered by raunceon of fifty thousand marks.
- c1425 Glo.Chron.A (Hrl 201)p.347 : Syr Gwy of Pountyn..asked hem gret ramson.
- (1429) RParl.4.338b : He was taken Prisoner by ye Kynges Adversaries of Fraunce, and sette to unresonable and importable raunceon as for hym.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Prelates (Corp-C 296)66 : Many kunnynge men..ben..ofte raunsonyd, & beren out of þe lond moche gold to raunson.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.1834 : Fourti thousand..Wer..put to ther raunsoun.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)14.840 : He tho knelid Anon þere down That he myhte be taken to Raunsown.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)343 : Sir Gauan..wold pay my rawunsone Withowtyn delees.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)367 : Þis knyȝte..Hase takyn me to presowun, And þou mun pay my rawunsun.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)7/13 : The knyght..went aboute to take oute prisoners and to putt theym to a lyght ravnson.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)76/29 : Theim that be so cruell and so innaturall agayn their prysoners for cause of couetyse and to constrayne theim to paye gretter raumsomys than they may gete.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)126 : We lete yow passe a-lyve with-oute inprisonment, with this raunsom, to lese youre horse and youre harneyse.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)954 : I schall hym caste in my pryson; For hym schall go no rawnsome.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)46/29 : Hascoyl was..I-broght alyues yn-to the Cyte, & hys lyf I-graunted for raunceon.
- a1500 Rich.(Dc 228)145/118 : Thus cam Ric. owt of presoun, And þer belefte þe ramsome.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)354 : The Tebenieines teenfully tooke this oþer And to a riche raunson þe rinkes they putt.
c
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)66/17-19 : A mon þe leie i prisun oðer ahte muche rancun, ne o nane wise ne schulde ut bute hit were to hongin ear he hefde his rancun [Tit: rauncun; Cleo: ranceun] fulleliche ipaiet.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1970 : Qua þat slas or man or wijf, þar gas [Göt: bes; Trin-C: is] na ransun bot liue for lijf.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4492 : Bes not lang Bituixand þou on galus hang..It sal na raunsun [Trin-C: raumson] ga for þe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6680 : Qua þair fader or moder smite..Dei þai sal wit-vten lite, Wit-vten raunscun for to quitte.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.329 : Som gaf raunson [F raunsouns] after þer trespas; Als þe dede was don, so þe amendes was.
- (1413-19) Doc.in Bk.Lond.E.227/55 : Sir Richard..putteth hem to fyne & raunsomme, ageyns her olde auncien custumes and vsages.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5441 : Perpetuelly..he exiled be, Neuere to entre Troye þe cite For gold, praier, nor for no ransoun.
- (1423) RParl.4.257b : Yf be as good in alay as the old Sterlyng, to take it wyth oute gruchyng..uppon peine de inprisonement, fyn, and raunson.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)573 : Þey..swar..No raunson scholde for heom gon, Þat þey neo scholde dyȝe euerychon.
- (1425) RParl.4.306b : Yei make fyne and raunson with our Lord ye Kyng.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Prelates (Corp-C 296)62 : Prelatis also robben þe pore lige men of þe king bi fals extorisions taken bi colour of holy correccion, &..make men paye a gret raunson.
- (1466) Doc.in Gilbert Cal.Dublin 1322 : Diverse persones..ben in prison kept..unto the tymes they most make fine and rampson for ther delyverauns.
- (1467) Ordin.Wor.389 : He be..to make fyne and rannson at the kynges wille.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)172/370 : Send thedyr To hem that our elders sley And her goodis did bere a-wey, And loke if þey wull wage Ravnsom or ony trevage.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)943 : She should fynd a knight full bowne For hyr sake for to fighte Or ellis be brente with-oute Raunsowne.
d
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9872 : Hii þat were of ierusalem gret raunson him ȝeue, In þraldom as vnder him þere to bileue.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10246 : He bigan ek greye monekes..ssende, Vor gret raunson he esste of hom..Vor defendi is lond.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10707 : Þe men of þis lond gret raunson him bere, þe vifteþe peni of al hor god & blake mones.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)935 : Mani man wepen sare For ransoun to yrland.
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)1038 : King fortiger..nom gret ransoun þurch taliage.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)302 : If the king in his lond maketh a taxacioun, And everi man is i-set to a certain raunczoun, Hit shal be so for-pinched, to-toilled, and to-twiht, That halvendel shal gon in the fendes fliht off helle.
- c1415 Chaucer CT.Pars.(Lnsd 851)I.753 : Of couetise..commen þis harde lordeschipes þoruhe whiche mene bien streyned be talyage..And elles take þei of her bondemen amerciament, whiche myht more resonable be cleped extorcions þan mercymentes; Of whiche mercimentes And raunsons [vrr. raunson; raunsonynge] of bonde men somme lorde stewardes sein þat it is rihtful.
- a1450(a1400) Titus & V.(Add 36523)862 : Shull þei never dwell in toun Withouten truage oþer raunsoun.
- a1450(a1400) Titus & V.(Add 36523)1729 : Þat wil be a grete raunsoun Þat wil come of such a toun.
e
- ?a1300 Sayings St.Bern.(Dgb 86)758/35 : Þou most deyen, Ne may no rauncoun [Ld: raunchoun] þe forbeyen.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)35/35 : Of þe ilke zenne ne byeþ naȝt þe heȝe men quit þet..sosteneþ..caorsins..and hy nymeþ þe medes.and oþerhuil þe ronsounes þet byeþ of þe guodes of þe poure.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)5763 : My body y take þe here to selle..as yn bondage..Þe raunsun þat þou shalt for me take..ȝyue hyt..To pore men.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)10661 : He ȝede and solde hym for raunsoun At London to a Frysoun.
- a1400 Bevis (Eg 2862)105/2142 : Gret raunsom [Auch: Wide whar ichaue iwent, And me warisoun ispent].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1665 : Besands to þe bischop he bed out of nounbre Reches him of rede gold ransons [Dub: raunsons] many.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.356 : The lond of Capados, If ye had oon swiche [husband] myght bere vp your loos, Wolde paye a raunsom with ful good entent, So þat ye wolde on-to this thyng consent.
f
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3332 : Twenty childre of þe beste lynage Þey presented hem as for raunson.
g
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.48.9 : He schal not ȝyue the prijs of raunsum of his soule..and he schal lyue ȝit in to the ende.
2.
Theol.: (a) Redemption; deliverance from damnation; comen to ~, to be redeemed; maken ~, effect redemption; (b) the price of redemption; also, Christ, the Redeemer; (c) the fruits of the redemption, a redeemed soul; also, coll. souls that have been redeemed.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.183 : Þat is þe secounde deþ, for þere nys no raunsoum.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)514 : Merci, my suster..clepeþ to þe Þat þe þral, þe prisoun, Mote come to sum raunsoun.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.225 : God that is hir iuge shal be with outen mercy to hem..ne they ne may yeue no thyng for hire raunsoun.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)5294 : My blode y ȝaf for hys raunsun.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9772 : Angel ne might wit na resun Mak for adam his ranscun [Ld: raunsom; Göt: raunsum; Trin-C: raunsoun].
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)18333 : Lauerd..þu..has þe taken of þi rode Raised in erd of ur ransun [Vsp: ranscum].
- a1400 Cursor (Phys-E)19943 : God þat made for us rancune, Bihaldis noȝte man his prisune.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.350 : Gode faith me it tauȝte To recoure hem thorw raunceoun & bi no resoun elles.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)2834 : In inferno nulla est redempcio; in helle..es na raunceon, For na helpe may be in þat dungeon.
- c1440(?a1400) ?Nassyngton Trin.& U.(Thrn)278 : A spere..till þi herte gun glide, Fra whilke owte rane, to oure saluacyone, The precyous blode of owre raunsonne.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)200 : My dere sone Ihesu knawes wele þat þe rawnssone & saluacione of manes saule..may not be done & made withowttyne scheddynge of his blyssede blode.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Corp.Chr.(Trin-C R.3.20)208 : He for man þe Raunsom on him tooke.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)201/9 : From heuen to erth whan I dyssende Rawnsom to make I made promys.
- a1500(?c1414) ?Brampton PPs.(1) (Sln 1853)p.41 : Copiosa apud eum redempcio..Oure raumsoun is ful copyous.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.84 : God..sent hym to dye mans reaunceonne for to make.
b
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)457 : Þanne one Mannes sone hi shulleþ seo in hare siȝte..Ȝoure eyen hebbeþ an hey..ffor ȝoure raunsoun is ney.
- c1400(1389) Wycl.25 Art.(Dc 273)470 : Goddis Son..was rannisome for mannes soules.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1755 : Crist restoreth thilke lost..And if we thenken hou it stod Of thilke rancoun which he payde..Al was behovely to the man.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.8 : Godd almihti..send his son thoru his merci To yeld for mankind raunceoun.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14915 : Þat ranscon [Göt: ransum]..richer es þan erth and heuen.
- a1400 Cursor (Phys-E)21731 : Of croice god bochte þair sawil liuis, Þar-on he gaue himselue rancun.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)2/16 : More precyous catell ne gretter raunsoun [F ranceoun] ne myghte he put for vs þan his blessede body.
- c1425 Castle Love(2) (Eg 927)143 : Slik on myȝt, if he wald, a gode raunson wage And bye agayn both man and heritage.
- a1450 Of alle þe ioyus (Cmb Dd.11.89)264 : Ther ran out watir & blod ful schene, That was raunsom of our wo.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)11.4 (v.1:p.107) : The saluatour of the worlde paied the raunsomme and the dette of wrecchid Adam and his posteritee.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)5 : Crist..cam to serue and not be seruid, and to ȝif his lif raumsum for mani.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Prayer Cross (LdMisc 683)2 : Upon the cros naylled I was ffor the, Suffred deth to paye thy raunsoun [vr. rawinson].
- a1500 15c.Serm.Cycle(Hrl 2247:Powell)63/120 : He gafe his blessid bodi in raunsom and his precious blode in wasshing for our soules.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)230/7 : I was promised before the world beganne to paye there ransome and to become man.
c
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28023 : Fra godd his ranscon ful dere yee stele, Þat es þat ilk saul þat he Cost wit his ded on rode tre.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.243 : Wher is þe raunsom of myn blood? Wher ben þo soulys þat Y bouȝte so dere?
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1300 ME Verse in Anglia 92p.71 : Þe munde of Cristes passioun, þat was hure alre ransun, teres hit tollez, eches [read: eyes] hit bollez, nebbes hit wetez, and hertes hit swetes.
Note: Antedates 2.(b) per JR