Middle English Dictionary Entry
benefī̆ce n.
Entry Info
| Forms | benefī̆ce n. Also benefis(e, -ficie, -fiss, -fiz, -fece, -fiss. Pl. benefices, -fises, -fies, bunfices, -fice, -fis. |
| Etymology | OF benefice & L beneficium. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A deed of friendship, benevolent act, a favor, a kindness; (b) an act of piety, a good deed.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.6.13 : Bot anoon for to ȝeue veniaunces, is shewyng of grete benyfice [vr. benyfices; L beneficii].
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Esth.16.14 : He axide in to deeth Mardochee, bi whos feith and benefices we liuen.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)116 : Grete lufe God til man kydde, And many benyfices he him dydde.
- ?c1430(a1400) Wycl.Wedded Men (Corp-C 296)200 : Þanke þei God for al his mercyes and benefices.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)99/80 : Other many syns þar er..noght thynkand on God..me thankand hym of his benefices.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)293/12 : Sancta [Maria] de Oginiez satt þinkand of þe benefice of Almighti God.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)96 : Þe tuelf apostles..al þe wordle uedde..mid hare guode dedes and þe benefices.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)98/9 : They admytted..the same seid men..into all ther praiers and ther beneficis.
2.
(a) Advantage, benefit; gain, profit; a gift; taken ~ of, to take advantage of (sth.); (b) law a legal advantage, any special privilege derived from one's legal status; ~ of lawe, the advantage of having the law on one's side; taken ~ bi, to take advantage of (a provision of a law), make use of (a writ, etc.).
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Tim.6.2 : Thei ben feithful and loued, the whiche ben parceners of benefice [vr. benefices] or good doyng [L beneficii].
- (c1384) WBible(1) Prols.Rom.(NYPubLib 67)299 : In how myche the grettere benefises ȝee tellen abouten ȝou, in so myche ȝee shulen shewe ȝouself gilti.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.447 : Þou schuldest ȝeve men benefice and ȝiftes [L beneficia], and byneme no man his owne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)50b/a : Þe armes ben ofte I wounded and I greued to make þe oþer lymes haue þe benefys [L beneficium] of good hele.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)73a/b : A seruaunt..plesiþ his lord..to fonge som benefice of his goodliche lord.
- a1400 Alle-mighty god in trinitie (Roy 17.B.17)647 : Mercie shewes sere benefises þat men receyue of god here.
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Conf.(Dub 245)331 : Who shuld take ony benyfiss of þe puple wiþ sich bullis?
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)76 : Þei þat vsun power upon hem are callid ȝefars of benefices [L benefici; cp. Luke 22.25].
- (1429) Proc.Privy C.3.332 : Suche..wolde take benefice of þe saide Cruciat for to walke in apostasie.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)1 : Al maner of goostly ȝiftis and benefis, as ben frendschip of holi creturis.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.197r : Vrban pronunced for pope and Wybert for antepope, The kyng fauourred Guybert and by that occacion all the bunfices of hem that helde with Vrban and the profytes fallyng to the Churche of Rome he withhelde into his propre vs.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)59 : The good sperite shulde not be..vncunnyng of the benefices reseyvid of his Maker.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)317 : Þat day þat þow syst goddes body, þese benefyces schalt þou haue sycurly.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)78/5 : Seneca tellis þat he þat hase benefice in giffyng sulde do as þai do at playes at þe ball.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)213/38 : Prayers of hym yeueþ the peple erþely benefetes and benefices.
b
- (1425) RParl.4.271a : His cleyme may not lette my Lord of Warrewyk to use freely ye benefice of his possession to the tyme he have a juggement for him.
- (c1426) Paston2.14 : The seyd Walter..schuld no benefice take by noon proteccion, ne wrytte of corpus cum causa, ne of no lordes lettres up on the seyd sute.
- (1449) RParl.5.169a : They, ne none of them so atteyngted, hav ne tak any avauntage or benyfice by writ of errour.
- (1450) RParl.5.201a : And the said William Tailboys, in all such Suytes sued ayenst hym in the fourme aforeseid, be put alwey from the benefice and availe of all maner protections.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.23a : That no..persones atteynted..take or enjoye any avantage, benefice, or profite by this present Acte.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)167/10 : Þei shewid her possession & askinge, sauinge to hem þe benefice of lawe.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)575/31 : These thynges he said, savyng to hymself the benefice of lawe.
3.
(a) Beneficial effect or operation, helpful property; (b) bi (for) ~ of, by the aid of, through the operation of, with the help of; withouten ~ of, without the aid of.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.359 : Þere beeþ meny men..yuel i-schape yn lymes and in body, For in hir lymes lakkeþ þe benefice of kynde [L naturæ beneficio].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)26b/b : So to þe perfeccioun þerof nediþ..som spiritus, by whos benefice [L beneficio]..wittis & vertues in bestis beþ I-ruled.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)205b/b : Þis ston..haþ of ȝifte of kynde a benefice of vertu to saue and to hele dyuers siknesses and yueles.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.365 : The benefice of sunne & wynde wol harde Hem sure ynough.
- (1447) RParl.5.139b : The same assignations so of newe to be made..to be of the same condition, force, benefice, effecte and avauntage in lawe..like as the saide assignations in tailles.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)200 : Ȝeue and graunte to this peple of Crist the beneficie of the crosse.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)119 : Make the white and clene with the towaile, that is, with the benefice of absolucion.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)30a/a : By benefice [L beneficio] of coolde, a þing is I-kept wiþ oute stinkinge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)140a/b : Þey fleeþ..nouþir areriþ hemsilf fro þerþe up in to þe eyre wiþoute benefice of wynges.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)206a/b : Mylk and chese beþ þe more likynge for benefice of salt.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)274b/a : Botrax..ouercomeþ her venyme..by benefice of plantayne.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)146b/b : It falleþ not hym to be cured by þe benefice of cirurgie.
4.
(a) An ecclesiastical living, an office or position in the Church; (b) land held as a fief, beneficium.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)598 : Þanne scholde þilke prelat of is chapele i-chose beo Of is clerkus, ȝwuch þat he wolde þat benefiz to bi-seo.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)42 : Þe vifte is ine ham þet, be markat makinde, leteþ hare benefices oþer chongeþ.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.507 : He sette nat his benefice to hyre.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.785 : It is Symonye if he take the benefice.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.316 : The stronge coffre hath al devoured..The tresor of the benefice, Wherof the povere schulden clothe.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)10983 : Ȝe lordes..To gode men ȝyveþ ȝoure benefyces.
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)44/16 : Alle men of religioun þat haueþ no benefice, beþ a-cursed, Ȝif þei wiþholdeþ..teþinges.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)12/20 : Þei sellen benefices of holy chirche.
- (1425) PParv.4.290b : All maner of Parsones and Vykeyrs and Hospitilers..that they holde residence opon thaire Parsonages, Vikerages, and Hospitalites opon payn of lesyng the valeu of thaire Benefice.
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)328 : Siche curatis..comen not into here benefices bi þe dore.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)386 : Patrone of a benyfece: Patronus.
- (1443) Will York in Sur.Soc.30131 : If it so be that he be noght promoted to no benefice of holy chirche.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)38/12 : Þe ferþe synne is in hem þat..ȝyuen prouendres or paresche chirches or oþere benefices of holy chirche.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)66/26 : All þe goodes whech left of his benefises beside his necessarie lyuyng, he gaue it frely.
- (1470) RParl.in OHS 5864 : That your seid besechers..may have..Vicariages, Chapels, Priories, hospitals, and other benefices of the chirche.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306:Everett)60 : The pope confermed that he [the bishop of Winchester] shulde have still all the benefies that he hathe in Englonde.
b
- (1472-3) RParl.6.27a : That noo persone nor persones that have take eny issues or profitz of eny Benefice or Benefic'..of the said John..be chargeable ayenst the said John or his heires.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.27b : That no persone nor persones that have take eny issues or profittz of any Benefices or eny Goodes or Catalles of the seid Raufe..be chargeable ayenste the said Raufe or his heires.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (c1426) Paston ()2.18 : This scrowe is mad only for the informacion of the worthy and worshipfull lordes, the arbitrores; savyng evere to the maker the benefice resonably to adde and amenuse, his ignoraunce in swiche occupation and defaute of leyser also tendrely considered.
Note: Falls under sense 2.(b), which perh. needs to be broadened slightly to include legal rights accrued by contractual means, etc., other than by virtue of one's status.