Middle English Dictionary Entry
seneshal n.
Entry Info
| Forms | seneshal n. Also senesc(i)al, senishal, sencial, sineshal, sinechal & (in surnames) seneshel, senicle & (error) seceall. |
| Etymology | OF seneschal, senechal, senescal; also cp. ML senescallus, AL sinescallus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A principal officer, usu. knighted, in charge of the domestic affairs of a king's or an emperor's household; also, the title of the chief administrator of a king's or lord's lands and estates; heigh ~, a title given to Sir John Fastolf, Master of the Household of the Duke of Bedford; (b) the governor of a country, province, etc. acting as the king's deputy, a viceroy, vicegerent; also, the chief administrative officer of a county, city, etc.; heigh ~; (c) as an occupational title and surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)1.93 : Bisshopes and bachilers, boþe maisters and doctors..Somme aren as seneschals [B: seruantz] and seruen oþere lordes, And ben in stede of stywardes and sitten & demen.
- (1435) Wars France in RS 22.2434 : John Fastolf, knight baneret, baron of Gilliguillam, high seneschal, otherwyse called maister of houshold to the regent, gouvernour of Angiou and of Maine for meny yeres.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.2899 : To his senescall that was callid Kay, Aungoyne & Meyn he gaff al that partie; To his botleer..Callid Bedewar, he gaf Normandie.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.2916 : Hir husbonde Thethiopien with-al Of Charlis houshold was maad senescall.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)10/3 : Herlande that was senyschall of Bretayn..was gouernour of Bretayn.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)86/21 : Amon was Seneschall of the king, and was comen to pore degre and of mene peple and became riche by his seruice..and gouerned also the grettest parti of the londe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)29/24 : Than sir Kay com unto kynge Morganoure, senesciall with the Kynge of the Hondred Knyghtes.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)15/13 : Make my sone, your foster-broder syre Kay, seceall [read: senceall] of alle your landes.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)16/33 : Thenne he lete make syr Kay sencial of Englond.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)35 : He wente to þe Emperouris stiward and askid an c s.; 'Nay,' quoþ þe senescal.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)386 : Randolf, the senescall of the kynge of Gaule, come by the gardins.
b
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)232/17 : Olyuer of Yngham shulde wende into Gascoigne..to bene Senescal and wardein of Gascoign.
- (1432) RParl.4.405b : Wherefore please it to the Kyng our soverain Lord..to charge the Seneschall of Guyen..to make suche an ordenaunce, [etc.].
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1871 : The kynge of Surry..to sir Cador es ȝelden, Þe synechall of Sotere to Segramoure hym selfen.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1910 : The syneschall of Sutere vnsaughte wyth þes oþer.
- (1444) RParl.5.114b : The Kynges Lieutenaunt, Seneschall, Conestable, and other Officers..in all other Citees, Burghs, Townes, and places of the Kynges obeissaunce yere, do yis Ordenaunce to be procleymed yeerly.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3400 : Þan lete he [Alexander] lettres belyue with ledis out to send, Þurȝe all þe prouynce of perers [read: pers], promicid þis werkis: Þe kyng..Sire Alexander..To þe souerayns & þe Senescalls [Dub: senescallez], þe sires & þe maistris, [etc.].
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)122/17 : He [king] put fro his office Simund Mountforth, for he was seneschal of Burdews, and sent in his stede on Steuene Longspere.
- (c1473) Let.Christ Ch.in RS 85.3252 : I avite you to communien wyth the gentylman, and that he [?read: ye] wrytt on to the Senciall here of the Counte Weysforde for the discharge of his clayme.
- a1500(a1470) Brut-1461(1) (Add 10099)524/32 : Sir Piers de Breisey, seneschal of Normandy, with þe Capytane of Depe..& men of Werre..londed & come to Sandwych..& toke the town.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)123/15 : Hugh de lacy, hey Seneschal [Dub: Seneshal] of al the londe.
c
- (1194) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames313 : Alan le Senescall.
- (1222) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames313 : Ralph le Seneschall.
- (1243) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames313 : William le Seneschel.
- (1252) Pat.R.Hen.III139 : William le Senescall.
- (c1275) Hundred R.Tower 1384 : Nicholo le Senescall.
- (1294) in Rymer's Foedera (1816-69)1.804 : Johannes le seneschall.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (Hrl 2277)p.25 : Sire Johan the Seneschal.
- (1315) Feet Fines Kent in Archaeol.Cant.12294 : Henry Seneshall.
- (1366) in Rymer's Foedera (1816-69)3.788 : Jacobus Senescall.
- (1395) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames313 : Thomas Senycle.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)22/29 : Sir Kay the Senesciall served in the halle.