Middle English Dictionary Entry
regne n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | regne n.(1) Also regn, rengne, rene, reigne, reingne, rein(e, raingne, raine, renke, rigne, ringne & (error) regme. |
| Etymology | OF regne, rengne, rene, reigne, reine, raingne, raine; cp. OProv. renc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Sovereignty, royal rule, dominion; also fig. of an abstraction; putten fro the ~, to depose (a king); (b) lawful kingship as opposed to tyranny; (c) the dominion or power of a god; the highest degree of influence of a planet, the planet's exaltation; (d) a monarch; a ruler.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3401 : Danyel..seyde 'kyng, god to thy fader sente Glorie and honour, regne, tresor, rente.'
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1790 : Thurgh wisdom..Mor than..lignage..The regne of thilke empire he hente.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.65 : Þe kyng..Nerhand his endyng..said vnto þam alle, 'Tille Harald, Godwyn sonne, þe regne wille best falle.'
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1544 : As regnes shal be flitted Fro folk in folk, or when they shal be smytted.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.Lear (Göt Hist 740)604 : Hys sones-in-lay, was noght to lain, Had hym reft þe regne of Bryttaine.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)119/24 : In þe tyme of his reigne pes was in alle þe worlde.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)255/17 : I haue þe renke and þe rewle of all þe ryall To rewle it by right.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)510 : Dispite now haldeth forth her reyn, Thro hasty beleve of tales that men feyn.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)6/16 : So that alle tho that ben vndir his regne ben of oon obeyshaunce.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)117 : Octo the emperoure..put Berengari fro the regne.
- a1500 Nicod.(4) (Hrl 149)68 : Whan Kynge Herode sawe that they sought the kynge of Jewes, than he douted for to lese hys regne.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3074 : What king of lawe takth no kepe, Be lawe he mai no regne kepe.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)34/2 : Lordshippis goten by violence..rathir it ought to be callid tirannie thanne regn.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1157 : A vois unto Saturne tolde Hou that his oghne Sone him scholde Out of his regne putte aweie.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)5967 : [Saturn] regneþ of powere Oones in a þritty ȝere, And his regne and his might Is in a signe þat Libra hight.
d
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3954 : Fortune alwey wole assaille With vnwar strook the regnes that been proude.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1624 : O Cupide out of alle charitee! O regne that wolt no felawe haue with thee!
- (c1391) Gower CA Suppl.(Bod 294)prol.31* : Preyende unto the hihe regne Which causeth every King to regne.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)185 : Euery ryche rengne rapyth hym ful rad In lustys and in lykyngys my lawys to lerne.
- c1470 Abbrev.Chron.in Cmb.AC (1840)9 : Ducisse Ebor, mater Regis Edvardi 4ti sic stabit in stylo: By the ryghtful enheritors Wyffe late of the Regne off Englande and of ffraunce and off ye lordschyppe off yrlonde.
2.
(a) A state or community governed by a monarch; (b) the people of a kingdom, the king's subjects; (c) a community, a people; (d) a state, republic.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)53/901 : Aslaȝen beþ mine heirs..Mi Rengne þu schalt welde & to spuse helde Reynild mi doȝter.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)142/347 : Ȝef þe falleþ to be eyr Of a regne..More hys þy prou.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)85/28 : A god uele byeþ þer kynges..þet habbeþ casteles, cites, and regnes..Þet of hare herten ne byeþ naȝt lhordes.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3503 : They conquered manye regnes grete In thorient.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.9.7 : Vp on þe see of dauid & vp on his regne he shal sitte.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.285 : No womman schulde aftirwarde be eyre of þe reigne of Fraunce.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.778 : There as god hath ordeyned that a regne or a contree is suffissaunt to hym self, thanne is it honeste..that men helpe another contree.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2651 : The lordes, whiche as wolden save The Regne which was desolat..A parlement thei sette anon.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1334 : Þe bolde Baltazar..stabled þe rengne.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.29 : Ye holden regne and hous in unitee.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)2 : The trewe processe of Englysh polycye..to kepe thys regne in rest..Is..That we bee maysteres of the narowe see.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)82 : How miȝht þou kepe þe of sckaþe..Aȝeins ryht to bireve rengnus of kingus?
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)1980 : But weilaway! the reufulle Rayne, That euyr launcelote was my fo!
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.10 : Thilk noble man That toke his seruaunts his gude & went in ferre Regionne And taken the Regne [Luke 19:15: accepto regno] came home.
b
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)3240 : In þi court þou deme him do; For treitour he is..Þe more adouted þou schalt be Of alle þi regne.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.389 : This sowdan sente his sonde First to his moder and al the regne aboute.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)7115 : He..saw his stat heyest of alle..& þoughte þe regne haue in his syde.
c
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)3 : He eke prophecied of þe regnes þat wer deryued fro þe sunnys of noe.
d
- ?a1450 Sel.Rosarium Theol.(Cai 354/581)61/19 : Oure Lorde comeþ noȝt firste þan defailyng of þe regme or kyndom of Rome be made or done.
3.
(a) The territory over which a king's power extends, country, realm [often indistinguishable from 2.(a)]; also, fig. Fortune's realm, all temporal affairs; (b) a region, land, territory; also, the earth [quot.: a1300]; (c) the part of the universe governed by a god; (d) the kingdom of hell.
Associated quotations
a
- 1372 In bedlem is (Adv 18.7.21)45 : Þei riden þoru heroudis rengne To maken here offringge.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Par.16.20 : Þei passeden from folc vn to folc & fro regne to an ooþer puple.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.797 : He ne sholde suffren..Custance in with his regne for tabyde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2562 : Ȝe schulde ordeyne, In ȝour repeire to ȝour fadres reigne, Þat feithfully ȝe schal me with ȝow lede.
- ?c1425(c1390) Chaucer Fort.(Benson-Robinson)45 : Thou born art in my [Fortune's] regne of variaunce, Aboute the wheel with other most thou dryve.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)992 : This is the reyne of Libie, there ye ben, Of which that Dido lady is and queen.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1949 : All..at ȝe ȝoure help callis..Or þan..wastid be þe regme [Dub: remes].
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)152/22 : Heyl be ȝe kyngys tweyne, Ferre rydyng out of ȝour regne.
- a1500(?a1425) Chester Pl.Antichr.(Pen 399)499/214 : Ye kyngis..for youre regnis be but small, cities, castells shall you beffall.
- ?a1525(?a1475) Play Sacr.(Dub 652)139 : Wytte yff ony merchaunte be come to þis reyn Of Surrey or of Sabé.
b
- a1300 A Mayde Cristes (Jes-O 29)71 : Ector..& cesar..beoþ i-glyden vt of þe reyne so þe schef is of þe cleo.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2373 : O stronge god that in the regnes colde Of Trace honoured art.
- ?a1400 Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)9287 : Regne [Lamb: In al þe reome so fair was non.]
c
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2299 : Queene of the regne of Pluto derk and lowe.
d
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.867 : Seint Paul yeueth hem the regne that nys dewe to no wight but to hem that doon deedly synne.
4.
The kingdom of God or Christ: (a) heaven; ~ of god (glorie, heven); (b) the company of the redeemed; ~ of god; (c) God's or Christ's rule over the redeemed.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(?c1300) NPass.(Cmb Gg.1.1)1057 : In othir stide is mi baillie, Mi regne [vrr. ryngne, wonnyng] is in heuene litht.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)83/34 : Uirtue makeþ man..zuo hardi þat he dar opnyme þe regne of heuene to wynne.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.79 : Manye been the weyes espirituels that leden folk..to the regne of glorie.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)692 : He..scheued hym þe rengne of God awhyle, As quo says: 'Lo ȝon louely yle! Þou may hit wynne if þou be wyȝte.'
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)88/2 : Als hij hadden ydwelled wiþ hym in his temptaciouns..hij schulden be wiþ hym in þe blisse and regne wiþ his fader.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)2/24 : Þat þu ga, til his rengne þat þu may cume, þare hise frendis sal euir be.
- a1450 Of alle þe ioyus (Cmb Dd.11.89)348 : Thenk on Hym that tholede for the..Fram endles deth to bringe the; And bryngge the to thy ryȝth heritage & reyne.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)642 : Þe heie God alone Þat hevene holdeþ and haþ to His hole regne.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)126/7 : Gode ihesu..whan shal I be wiþ þe in þy regne, þat þou hast ordeyned to þy welbiloued from euerlastynge.
- a1500 Nicod.(4) (Hrl 149)74 : 'Haue mercy on me whan þou comest vn-to thy regne.' Than seyde Jhesu vn-to hym, 'Trewly, thys day schalt thou be wyth me yn paradyse.'
b
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.40 : Þou hast made regne to oure god [Apoc.5.10: fecisti nos Deo nostro regnum].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.136 : Biforn that tyme that ye synned ye were the children of god and lymes of the regne of god.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.619 : Swich cursynge bireueth man fro the regne of god, as seith Seint Paul.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)81/19 : Jesus hem ansuered þat he nas nouȝth fer fram þe regne of God.
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)107/35 : We byddeþ þet godes regne come to ous and by wyþ-inne ous.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9318 : 'Princs o pees' sal man him call, And neuermar es regn fall.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)4.347 : Lambe and lyon..And sothefaste kyng, whose Regne is ymmutable.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)105/244 : Þe lord xal ȝeve hym þe se Reynyng in þe hous of jacob, of which regne xal be no ende.
5.
The period of a king's reign, used for dating.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Kings 6.1 : He is þe secounde moneþ of þe regne of Salamon vp on israel.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Jer.1.2 : In þe daiys of iosie..king of Juda, in þe þrettenþe ȝeer of his regne.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.28 : Þe ferth ȝere of þe regne..þese þre..Werred on Athelstan.
- (1423) Acc.Hollingbourne in Archaeol.Cant.13561 : In the yere of the Rayngne of Kyng harry the vj, the fyrst.
- (1429-30) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.81 : Made at York, ye ȝer of ye rene of kyng Henry ye sext eftir ye conquest of jngland octauo.
- (1451-2) Doc.in Welch Hist.Pewterers Lond.15 : The fest of Seint Michell, the xxxti yere of the regne of kyng Henri the sixt.
- ?1457 Hardyng Chron.A (Lnsd 204:Hammond)235/57 : On Mawdelayne day the thirde yer of his rygne Syr Robert..dyd so ryde In Scotlande.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.120/23 : In the ȝere of the rayne of Kyng Edwarde the Soone of Kyng Henry xiijo.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)630/26 : In kinge Stephins time, bi whos chartur..þis gifte..was confirmid, þe x yere of his reine.
- (1475) Stonor1.152 : In þe xv yere of þe reyngne of Kyng E. þe iiijth.
- a1500(1396) Indent.Francisc.in RS 4.1 (Vit F.12)526 : The ȝere of the rayne of kyng Richard the ijde, the xxiti ȝere.
- a1500(c1400) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)212 : I was..in þe New Troie In þe regne of þe riche kynge þat rewlit vs þen.