Middle English Dictionary Entry
sterling n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sterling n. Also sterlinge, starling & strīling; pl. sterling(e)s, etc. & sterlingges, sterlingues, starlingus. |
| Etymology | Prob. from AF esterling(e, estarling(e, sterling (vars. of OF esterlin, estrelin) or ML sterlingus, both perh. ult. from OE; the form strīling may have been influenced by Strivelin (= Stirling, in Scotland). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The English silver penny; -- also coll.; also, the value of such a coin [quot. 1469, 2nd occurrence]; lushe-burgh ~, a light coin imported from Luxembourg and used to counterfeit the English penny; rounde ~, an undamaged, unclipped penny; (b) the standard unit used for reckoning in lawful English currency, the English money of account; marke (shilling, etc.) of sterlinges; pounde of sterlinges, a pound sterling; (c) as quasi-adj.: of lawful English money; markes (poundes, etc.) sterling(es; (d) a pennyweight; ~ peni.
Associated quotations
a
- (1299-1300) Leet R.Norwich in Seld.Soc.550 : Pistores vendunt unum panem pro sterlingg et alium pro poll, et sic faciunt duas assissas contra voluntatem Regis.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5949 : He ȝef hom atten ende Four þousend pound of sterlinges.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11840 : Þe king..eche ȝer him sende A certein summe of sterlings.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)297 : He tok him his florines..Ac þe ten pound of starlings Were ispended in his fostrings.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.291 : Kyng Edward dampned..fals money þat was slyliche i-brouȝt up..pollardes..and rosaries..were putte forþ..priveliche in stede of sterlynges [L sterlingorum].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.907 : Myn holy pardoun may yow alle warice So that ye offre nobles or sterlynges [vrr. starlynges, sterlyngges] Or elles siluer broches.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.342 : As in lussheborwes is a lyther alay and ȝet loketh he lyke a sterlynge, Þe merke of þat mone is good, ac þe metal is fieble.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)18.82 : Thus are þe lithere lyknede to luhssheborue sterlinges [vr. starlyngus].
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)182/4 : The Kyng [Edward I] ordeynede þat þe sterlinge, halfpeny, and ferthinge shulde go þrouȝ-out his lande.
- (1423) RParl.4.256b : Be it ordeined that no Man by ne sell no Silver in Plate..beyng as good of alay as the sterlyng..Also..that no..Worcher of Silver..selle no Werk of Silver but it be as fyne as the sterlyng.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2876 : Þey myȝte haue non oþir þyng For whyt Tourneys ne ffor sterlyng [vr. starling].
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)613/26 : Sterlingus: a striylyng or a peyspeny.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)167/17 : William Edyngton..mad þe kyng to make a new coyne, grotes..distroying all þe elde sterlyngis, whech were of gretter white.
- (1469) Indent.Edw.IV in Archaeol.15168 : The seid maister hath undretake to make v maner of moneys of sylver..the thirde for a peny which shalbe called a sterling..and the iiiith, money which shalbe called an half peny which shall be worth half a sterling.
- c1530 Weights(2) in Rel.Ant.1 (Lnsd 762)232 : An Englisse penny, which is called a rounde sterlyng, and without clyppyng, shall weye xvj cornys of whete.
b
- (1393) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52258/13 : Summa totalis de Rodes..et redeundo per partes..Francie, computata in sterlinges, vna cum xij gr. siccz, precium ij s. j d. st., [etc.].
- (1393) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52289/12 : De moneta Prucie, xxxvij marc. di. xij d. pruc., qui faciunt in sterlinges xij li. x s. j d. st.
- (1403-4) LRed Bk.Bristol2.182 : That no Smyth..no be nowȝt thorow the towne no maner of yreware to sylle..vppon peyne to paye to the vse of the Commynte of Bristow xx pans of sterlyngges.
- (1421) Indent.Catterick in Archaeol.J.758 : Ye forsaides Nich' and his felaws schall pay or mak to be payde to ye forsaides Th', Joh'n, & Rob't cclx marc. of Sterlynges.
- (1426) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.4254 : William lorde Botreaux byndeth hym and his heirs..to þe seide sir Humfrey in a thousand pounde of sterlinges of gode and vsuell money of Englond.
- (1436) Will York in Sur.Soc.3075 : I be wytt to a preste for to syng..for my saule..sex marc and half of sterlinges.
- (1443) Wars France in RS 22.1435 : There was by us due unto him the somme of iiij ml. vj c xxvij li. x s. vj d. ferthing of sterlings, as by accomptes in that behalf maad in oure royaume of Fraunce.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)341/32 : Þere þe myȝte haue hedde a ton of Rochel wyne of þe beste for xx s. of sterlynges.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)380/23 : The said parties bounde them-self euerych to other in ij hundred pound of sterlyngis.
- (c1475) Doc.in Bk.Brome (Brm)149 : Know ȝe me to be hold..to R. of N..for hys laudabyll servysse..hangynge in xx s. of starlynges.
- a1500(1449) Let.Marg.Anjou in Camd.86 (Add 46846)108 : We..have granted..unto our trusty and wellbeloved squier, Thomas Sharnborne, xx li. of sterlings.
c
- (1348) Will York in Sur.Soc.452 : Lego c s. sterling fabricae capellae Sancti Thomae in ecclesia de Sprotburgh.
- (1393) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52289/10 : In nobilibus sterlinges, v c iiij xx iij li. ix s. st.
- (1406-7) Will York in Sur.Soc.4541 : Lego..Johannæ, filiæ meæ, ad maritagium suum, cccc li. sterling.
- (1433) EEWills95/5 : Y bequethe to litill Watkyn, my Godsone..x markes sterlynges.
- (1434) in Salzman Building in Engl.508 : Will. Horwode shall haf..ccc li. sterlingues, of the which summe he shall be payd in wise as hit shall be declaryd hereafter.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)106/5 : He..gave iiij penes sterlinges to euery pouere man.
- (1472) Let.Cely (PRO S.C.1 53/1)p.3 (1/4) : I haue receyued..fourety poundez sterlyngys.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)596/18 : Thomas Le here..knowleched hym-self to be bounden to Moolde..and to the Couent..in ten pounde sterlyngis, of them I-borowed and resceived.
- -?-(1425) Will in Som.RS 16113 : I bequethe 45 marcs sterlyng to fynde a covenable preest to synge for my soule.
- -?-(1459) Will in Som.RS 16191 : I..have..borowed..the summe of 3000 marke sterling for the first payement of the Lord Moleyns fynaunce.
d
- a1525(?1474) Cov.Leet Bk.396 : xxxij graynes of whete take out of the mydens of the Ere makith a sterling oþer-wyse called a peny; & xx sterling maketh an Ounce..xxxijti graynes of whete take out of the myddes of the Ere makith a sterling peny & xxti sterling makith a Ounce of haburdepeyse.