Middle English Dictionary Entry
spitel n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | spitel n.(1) Also spitel(l)e, spittel, spetel & (in names) spit(t)le, spetul. |
| Etymology | Shortened form of hospitāl n.; also cp. MDu. spitael, spittael, MLG spētāle, spettāl, spittāl, spittel. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A place of quarantine for lepers; (b) an institution sheltering the poor or infirm; (c) in cpds.: ~ hous, a hospital building; ~ ivel, leprosy; ~ lond, land belonging to a hospital.
Associated quotations
a
- (1371-3) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103577 : In repar. portarum del Spitell de Wytton, 10 s.
- (1409) EPNSoc.28 (Der.)235 : Woll, le Spitell de Chestrefeld.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)383/9 : If..þay ben entred into lepre..þai schal be wiþdrawen fro þe peple..and ledde into þe mesondeux, i. into spitelles.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)152/6 : She ȝete almes..to houses of mesels, þat are callid spitellis.
b
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)1529 : He ȝaf..His rentes..To pouer spitels biȝond þe se.
- (1374-5) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.12021 : Bunde civitatis..de aqua..extendens..usque le spitell.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6505 : For they haue no thing but her lyf..Lete bere hem to the spitel.
- ?a1425 WBible(2) Gloss.3 Kings (Cld E.2)2.34 : Joab..made in desert a spitele for pore men.
- (1428) EEWills78/9,12 : I be-quethe to..pore folk lying sike in the Spitell of oure lady..And..in euery spitel..vj s. viij d.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)355 : A Spytelle, vbi A hospitalle.
- -?-(1417) Will in Som.RS 1691 : [To the poor lying in the] Spytell [at Taunton..3 s. 4 d.].
c
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)77/1,78/4 : Moyseses hond..bisemde o þe spitel uuel & þuhte lepruse..spitel uuel [Roy: meselry] is eatelich biuore monnes sihðe.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)65/1828 : Meseles mowe y-wedded be..Bote þe syke in-to a spytel hous Entry.
- (1368) Will York in Sur.Soc.485 : Lego..omnia grangia mea jacencia super le spitelland juxta Hospitale sancti Johannis.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)23.276/14 : Þe Erl..bad sone men schulde make A spitel hous for þat Mesel sake.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)469 : Spytylle howse: Leprosorium.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.183 : Ȝif man or woman ȝeuyn monye to ben receyuyd in an hospital to seruyn þe pore folc or to ben receyuyd into a spytilhous of leprousis..& he gete þerby ony spiritual ryȝt, it is symonye.
- -?-(1417) Will in Som.RS 1691 : [To the poor lying at the] Spytelhous [in Bruton..6 s. 8 d.].
2.
(a) In surnames; (b) in names of particular hospitals; (c) in other place names [see Smith PNElem.2.138].
Associated quotations
a
- (1176) in Pipe R.Soc.25118 : Adam Spitelman.
- (1203) CRR(2) 2298 : Petrus Spitelman.
- (1250) Bk.of Fees1220 : Willelmus Spitelman.
- (1297) in Kristensson ME Local Surnames18 : Rob. del Spittel.
- (1332) in Kristensson ME Local Surnames18 : Joh. atte Spytel.
- (1439) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)565 : Item, lego Thome Spytele quinque libras sterlingorum.
b
- (1370) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)185 : Fangfosse-Spitell.
- (1373) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.50 : [The lord of Mitford..founded] Mitforthspitell.
- (1405) Will York in Sur.Soc.4529 : Lego..Priori et conv. de Eslyng-spetill..v marcas.
- (1413) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.249 : [The hospital called] Redyngspytele [where he is bound..to maintain 10 lepers].
- (1439) Acc.Bk.Carpenter Co.4 : Paide to ye prior of seinte Marie spitell for quite rente, xx s.
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.5 (Hrl 2169)181 : Seynt Barthelmew Spyttyll.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)20b/a : I foond in þe Charnel of seynt marie spetil at londoun a scolle boon.
c
- (1257) EPNSoc.34 (West Riding Yks.)114 : Spitelcroft.
- (1294) EPNSoc.31 (West Riding Yks.)79 : Spitle Hardwick.
- (c1300) EPNSoc.27 (Der.)58 : Le Spitilbrugge.
- (1313) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)189 : Spitel More.
- (1329-30) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)1.355 : Spitelstrate.
- (a1350) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)11 : Spiteldik.
- (1371) Lond.Charterhouse in Archaeol.58295 : [We have acquired thirteen acres..in a place called] le Spittle Croft [but now called] le Newe Cherch hawe.
- (1393) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.13 : [A place called] Spitelgate.
- (1417-18) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99226 : Spetelmedow in Hoghton.
- (1455) EPNSoc.27 (Der.)57 : Le Spetulcornell.
- (1467) EPNSoc.28 (Der.)236 : Spytellane.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1283) Name in LuSE 79142 : Will. de le Spitel.
Note: Additional quote(s)
Note: Belongs to sense 2.(a)--per MLL
- (1382) Doc.Manor in MP 3442 : Hospitale sororum ecclesiæ S. Swithuni Wynton, vocatum susterenespitele.
Note: Additional quote(s)
Note: Belongs to sense 2.(b). (Although just an AQ, I would retain it because it is a different hospital name than the ones in the quots.--per MLL