Middle English Dictionary Entry
shilling n.
Entry Info
| Forms | shilling n. Also shillin(ge, shiling, shē̆ling & (in early surname) scelling & (gen., error) scinlinges; pl. shilling(e)s, etc. & shillingus, shilenges, shellinges, (SW) ssillinges, shullinges, (SWM) shullenges & shil(l)ing(e, sheling(e, (SW) ssilling & (early) scillingas, scillinge, (gen.) scillinga, scillange & (?abbrev.) slus & (error) schilliges. |
| Etymology | OE scilling, scylling. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An English monetary unit, after the Norman Conquest worth twelve pence or one twentieth of a pound; -- sometimes used anachronistically; also, the value of a shilling, a shillingsworth; ~ (of) penies, a quantity of pennies worth one shilling; six ~ rente, property yielding six shillings annually; (b) a Roman solidus; ~ of silver, a shekel.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.777 : Þa let he Cuðbriht..x bonde land at Swines heafde..swa þet seo Cuðbriht geaf þone abbote L punde þær fore & ilca gear anes nihtes feorme ouðer xxx scyllinge penega.
- a1126 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1124 : Be tweonen Cristes messe & Candel messe man sælde þet acer sæd hwæte þet is twegen sed læpas to six scillingas.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)126 : For his niȝtes gestinge, He ȝaf his oste an hundred schillinge [vr. shelyng].
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7870 : To eche chirche of þe lond vif ssillinges [vr. ssyllyng; B vr. shelynges] me ber.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8014 : He eeste wat hii costnede; 'þre ssillinges [B: schilliges],' þe oþer sede.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)1821 : His asse he ladde wiþ him also, & sold it for fiue schilling.
- (1343) Cart.Whitby in Sur.Soc.69230 : The auncestres of the same Robert..of thies same vi oxgange of land made an rent seruice of twenti shillyns to ye..Abbote and Couent fro ȝer to ȝere.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.301 : Þis ȝere kyng William hadde of everiche hide of lond in Engelond sex schillynges [Higd.(2): solidos] of silver.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)51/29 : Ȝif þe man wil haue his wyf a suster, þan schal þat paiement stonde for hem bothe, & ȝhe to paie in þe quarter other iij d., that is, two schillinges in þe ȝeer for hem bothe.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Knt.PW (Phys-E)p.141 : The begger moht na better do Bot sald this corn igain him to, And toc thar for fif schilling [vr. schilyng].
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.64 : Euerych sullere of bred in þe heyȝestrete of Wynchestre, þat is out of fraunchyse, shal to þe kynge to custome, by þe ȝere, twey shullynges.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.395 : He þat mede may lacche makeþ litel tale, Nyme he a numbre of nobles oþer of shullenges.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)6/5 : For the cure of fistula in ano..aske he competently, of a worthi man..fourty pounde, wiþ robez and feez of an hundred shillyng, terme of lyfe by ȝere.
- (1426) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.15 : The fornsaid Richard and adam schal take of the fornsaid Thomas Bangot..for the yarde-werkyng xlty scheelynges of laughfull money of jnglond.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)35/693 : Ȝif þai fayle slus or schof, anon þer-with þai groche.
- (1429-30) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.79 : Yis endenture made be Richard ffayrfax..witnes yat: qwhar j..Richard hase enfeffid..Thorpparch, Nunmunkton, Kerby, and sex schilyn grent [read: schilyng rent] in Petrigate in Yorke.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)36/2 : Þe Bysshop of Lyncolne..ȝaf hir xxvj schelyngys & viij d. to byen hyr clothyng wyth & for to prey for hym.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)446 : Schyllynge, of money: Solidus.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)306 : Bifore these daies..grete lordis and ladies..couthe not rekene a summe into an hundrid schilingis, and han had her londis and householdis..reulid bi othere officers.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1396 : Two þowsonde shyllyngus by hym þey sent, To byche hem somme þerof.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)420 : Yf we woll have of paymente A full monythe, than moste hym nedes assente To viij penyes losse, that is, shellynges tweyne In the Englysshe pounde.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2860 : For an hen, to syke þynges, Men gaff of penyes ffyftene schillinges [vr. schelynge].
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)305/28 : Barburs tuke for ilk man shavyng in a shelyng.
- (1465) Procl.Edw.IV in Archaeol.12405 : iij grotes shall make a shillyng..and xx s. shall make a pounde.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)443/13 : For this lete..the said Isowde yaf to them xl shillings of sterlyngis before handis in warison.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)524 : She ȝaf hym for þat tydynge A robe and fowrty shylynge, And rychely hym cladde.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.188 : So a pore man or woman hath somtyme mor þank for þe ȝifte of an halpeny þan som riche man hat for twenty schillyngys.
- -?-(1435) Doc.in Power Craft Surg.319 : That no persoone of the seid craft presume in ony wise to breke this seid ordinaunce neither ony other to breke it on peyne of an hundrid schilingis.
b
- ?c1225 Ancr.(Cleo C.6)293/22 : Absalo nes schene wlite þeas ofte as he [read: me] euesede him salde his euesunge þe her þet he carf of for twahundred schillinges [Corp-C: sicles] of seoluer.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6722 : If he sla animans thain, Thritti schiling o siluer again Sal man giue þe lord to mend, þe beist þan sal wit staning end.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.313 : Rynges were ȝiffen to nowble men in Rome, and schilenges [Trev.: solidy; L solidi] were ȝiffen to other men.
2.
A unit of weight.
Associated quotations
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)167/13 : Wið nadran slite, nim of þisse wyrt swiðe smale dust anes scinlinges [OE scyllincges; L dragmam] ȝewihte, sile drican on wine.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)21/28 : Ad vfam: Þes lacecræft deah wyð þone huf: Nim piper and cumyn and rudan þreora scyllinga ȝewyht and do þarto anne sticcan fulne huniȝes.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)45/27 : Nim eft bettonican þreora scyllange ȝewyht and seoð hy on huniȝe, [etc.].
3.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1188) in Pipe R.Soc.38163 : Galfridus Scelling.
- (1275) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames317 : John Schilling.
- (1313) Pat.R.Edw.II58 : William Shilling.