Middle English Dictionary Entry
sufferaunce n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sufferaunce n. Also sufferanse, sufferens, sufferraunce, suffraunce, suffrens, suffiraunce, suffiraunis, suffurrans, sufrance & sofferaunce, soffraunce, soferaunce, sofraunce, soeffraunce, souffraunce, soveraunce, (16th cent.) soverans. |
| Etymology | OF sofrance, soffrance, soeffrance, souffrance, sufference, (chiefly AF) suffraunce, suf(f)rance, sufferance, AF suffrauns, sufferans & L sufferentia; some forms with sov- may = sǒu- and belong to ME sūraunce n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The undergoing of hardship, affliction, punishment, etc.; suffering; (b) a state of affliction, hardship, or suffering; pl. trials, tribulations.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3188 : Alisaunder forleteþ his tene Aȝeins þe barouns of Athene, And afongeþ þis coroune Jn þe name of raunsoune, And þe suerde and þe banere, By suffraunce of swiche manere, Þat ȝee make amendement Of Leonyne..Þat ȝee slouȝ.
- c1410 Chaucer CT.Ph.(Hrl 7334)C.95 : Ȝe fadres and ȝe modres..Though ȝe han children..Ȝoure is þe charge of al her sufferaunce [vr. soueraunce; Heng: surueaunce] whiles þay be vnder ȝour gouernaunce; Beth war, þat by ensample of ȝoure lyuynge, Ouþer by necgligence in chastisynge, That þay ne perische.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)186/17 : Þei ben glad..to suffre manye tribulaciouns for my name; In her suffraunce þei ben glad; and if þei suffren not, þei ben sory and ful of peyne.
- a1450(a1396) Hilton CPerf.(Paris angl.41)23 : Þe soule..schapiþ him-silf..for to..haue in it-silf Cristis passioun, with suffrynge of alle schames and repreues as Crist suffride, so þat it hadde leuer be liik to Crist þoru suffraunce of tribulacioun þan for to haue al þe myȝt of þe world.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)202/27 : Tribulacions proueþ & assaieþ Goddes knyȝtes; Þe knyȝt knoweþ not his strenkþe ar he haue be pressed in an hard iorneye, wherfore seynt Poule seiþ þat suffraunce assaieþ þe man.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget (Gar 145)32/18 : Praye for me that by suffraunce of temperall repreues, I may escape euer-lastyng.
- c1475 3 Consid.(UC 85)201 : A Prince in no wyse shulde yive so greete yiftes..that he himself fall in greete suffraunce of streytnesse.
b
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)410/6 : Ȝit in manye oþire þingis, as of þe vowis whiche ben maad in þe hondis of a souereyn in religioun, & for manye suffrauncis whiche a man suffryþ in religioun, obediens is betire & moore proued in religioun þan out of religioun.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)4824 : My Moder I leue to Seyn Iohan..to Seyn Iohan I leve also That he may han perseueraunce To sen me in my gret suffraunce.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)169/17 : In ille tyme Saw y this hermytage, in myssaisse and defaute; in full grete Sufferaunce haue I be so many Ieris.
2.
(a) A willingness to be acted upon by an agent; (b) in phrase: withouten grevous ~, impassively; (c) the reception of sense knowledge, considered as the passive element in the intellectual act.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)163/18 : In þinges contemplatyue þe heiȝest wisdom þat may be in man is fer put vnder, þat God be þe principal in worching & man bot only consenter & suffrer..In actyues be-houeþ hym be, ouþer wiþ suffring or wiþ consent or elles wiþ boþe, ȝif ouȝt schal be done..in contemplatyues, by principal worching, askyng of hem nouȝt elles bot only sufferaunce & here consent.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)16a/a : Setis..fongith þe knowleche of the godhede withoute trauaile & studie & sendith it forth to þe lowere withoute greuous suffrauns [L impassibiliter] & withoute withdrawinge.
c
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.5.8-10 : Qualities of bodies that ben object fro withoute-forth moeven and entalenten the instrumentz of the wittes, and..the passioun of the body (that is to seyn, the wit or the suffraunce) [Walton p.314: A maner sufferaunce corporall] goth toforn the strengthe of the wirkynge corage, the whiche passioun or suffraunce clepith forth the dede of the thought in hymself and moeveth and exciteth in this menewhile the formes that resten withinforth.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.313 : Þere goth before a manere sufferaunce [Chaucer Bo.5.m.4.51: the passion, that is to seyn, the suffraunce or the wit; L passio], Wiþynne þe lyvy bodily substaunce, Whiche þat þe myghtes of þe soule exciteþ And makith the to vndirstonde and lere.
3.
The capacity to endure or manner of bearing up under pain.
Associated quotations
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)52b/b : In demyng & in deponyng..be not hasti..þe appetite is to be considered & the sufferaunce [vr. tolleraunce, i. sufferaunce; Ch.(2): suffringe; L tolerantia] and loking of þe wonded men & lich þingez.
4.
(a) The patient endurance of hardship, affliction, etc.; a willingness to bear adversities, misfortune, etc.; ~ of cros (maladies, strokes); (b) forbearance, long-suffering, self-restraint, mercy; beren him in ~ with, to be forbearing with (sb.); also, in polite address: commaunden to ~, refl. commend oneself to (someone's) mercy; (c) patient endurance or forbearance personified; (d) patient waiting; (e) in proverbs and prov. expressions.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Pass.(Hrl 2277:C.Brown)426 : Suffrance [Pep: in ȝoure pacience ȝe shulleþ ȝoure soules wytie ywis].
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)571 : Houre swete lord..Hise deciples began to teche And bad hem ben of god suffraunce In alle manere destourbaunce.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)9.19 : Þe suffraunce [vr. pacience; L patientia] of þe pouer ne shal nouȝt perisse in ende.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.283 : Socrates..was of greet suffraunce [vr. suffrens; Higd.(2): florischede in patience].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1056 : Thanne is discipline eek..in suffrynge paciently wronges that ben doon to thee and eek in pacient suffraunce of maladies.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)29106 : Þe preist..Agh to sceu þe, sinful man, þat he ta sli thing in sufferance [Glb: sufrance], To stand him in stede o penance.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)10.119 : In dred liþ dowel, dobet to suffre, For þoruȝ suffraunce [vrr. soffraunce, suffurrans] se þou miȝt how soueraynes ariseþ, And so leriþ vs luk þat leiȝede neuere: Qui se humiliat exaltabitur.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)38/9 : Ta yeme to hir for to loke yef þe spirte be to god, and yef sho dose hir entente to godis seruise, And buxum, and of suffrance.
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)33/32 : O, blessid Iob..Þi dedes prechen alle men how þei schul be pacient..It myght be seid of sich on þat he was born to be a myrrour of sufferaunce to men in desese.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.117 : This wise man beþoght þis foole to preue, If þat he kouþe kepe sufferaunce; He seide hym wordes wiche þat schulde hym greue.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)200/5 : Fyue thynges ben in which suffrance or pacience is preuede..bodyly hurte..temperal nede..a-peyrynge of honoure..wyth-drawynge of frendes..trouble of pesablenes of the mynde.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)141/9 : Þe batayle of chastite..is a batayle of suffrauns of strokes.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)76/120 : The tende is myghty soferauns of carnal temptacion.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.TWoe (Hrl 2255)164 : Thankith God with humble pacience Whan he yow visiteth with suche aduersite; Heven nys nat wonne with worldly influence..But with suffraunce and with humylite.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)39.24 : God late vs not sa lange be in wa and anguys that we lost suffraunce or charite.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)1254 : Ye shal to god, to your gret avauntage, Bi meeke sofraunce make your passage.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)58/6 : He feliþ gret fruyt growe to him þuruȝ þe suffiraunce of his crosse.
b
- c1390 Treat.Mass (Vrn)28 : His suffrance we may se, Hou þat he suffreþ þe and me Wiþ might al þat he may, And euere is redi vr bales to bete.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2479 : Good and wikkednesse ben two contraries, and pees and werre, vengeance and suffrance [vr. sufferaunce].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.925 : A man sholde bere hym with his wif..in suffraunce and in reuerence.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9760 : For he hadde..no skaþe, he wende God had hyt forgete..Or..þat he hadde hyt forȝyue And hym neded nat þer-of be shryue, Ne shulde þerof come no myschaunce, For he was of so longe suffraunce.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)3/20 : Þe sufferans may þu noht wite of god her witerlike, þat he to þe hauis don?
- a1456(1429) Lydg.Hen.VI Coron.Ballade (Trin-C R.3.20)64 : God sende þis day vn-to þy regalye Of alle vertues hevenly influence..with Cesar Iulyus, His pacyence and his tranquyllytee, And in souffraunce to beon als vertuous.
- (a1432) Let.in Burton Hemingbrough383 : Wirschipfull suffirane, I comaund me to your suffiraunys als a preste of yours.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)4422 : Good is be-ware of goddes long suffrance; Thogh he to venge hym tarie, & be suffrable, Whan his strook cometh, it is importable.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)132/3953 : Wold ye knew my payne..For loue of yow and thorugh yowre hard suffraunce No reward founde for ought þat y complayne.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)216 : Nowe gon messyngers by twyne contraye and contraye, and harowdys were fulle schante, for they ne wyste what was beste to done, but sufferens and fayr speche dyd them moche ese.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)43/20 : Abacuc..in stryving with the hasty desyers of man contrarie to the tarieng and longe suffraunce of the iugementis of God, formed this question oftintymes to God.
c
- c1390 Chart.Abbey HG (Vrn)360 : Þe while he was þus nayled on þe roode-treo, þer comen mony sustren of þe abbey of þe holigost, boþe Pouert and Boxumnesse..Suffraunce & Meknes, to loke hou he ferde.
- c1440(?a1375) Abbey HG (Thrn)52/35 : Dameselle Sufferance and damesell Forte sall rayse þe pelars & vndirsett þam so strangly þat no wynde of wordes, angre of stryffe..caste þam downe.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)841 : Many pety capteyns aftyr these went, As..Sufferaunce in Trowble, with Innocency, Clennesse, Continence, and Virginite.
d
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)86/11-13,15 : The fifte frute of þe holy gost in al gostly liveris is callid suffraunce or long abidyng; This is a good frute and an hard, but it is profightable wich light in suffrauns and abiding of oure lord..yif þou axe oure lord any þing in þi prayer þat is longyng to þin helþe, a bide oure lord in myghti suffrauns and þan shal þi hert be confortid.
e
- ?c1350 Bozon Contes in SATF (GrI 12)20 : Wel wurth suffraunce yat abatez strif, And wo wurth hastinece yat reves man his lif.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)262 : Þe mon þat þou maiȝt ouergo, Wiþ suffrance him ouercome.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1639 : Suffrance hath evere be the beste To wissen him that secheth reste.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1672 : Suffrance is the welle of Pes.
- a1400 Prov.Wisd.(Bod 9)19 : A feyr vertue ys good sufferaunce, A foule vyce pouert veniaunce.
- a1450 Chauliac(4) (Cai 336/725)21/25 : As it is writen in anoþir place: suffraunce ouercomiþ malice.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)1671 : Sofferaunce causeth oft certeyn A man his purpos to atteyn.
- c1475(?a1440) Burgh Cato(1) (Rwl C.48)310 : 'Suffraunce dothe ese' was seid full yore a-goo..Thouh thou may ouercome, yit do nat soo.
- c1475 Man in merthe (Brm)p.14 : Better yt ys to suffer and fortyn to a-byd Than hey for to clyme and sodenly for to slyde..Vertu of vertuys ys in sufferans.
- a1500 Idley Instr.(Arun 20)2.A.2817 : Sufferaunce [Cmb: Suffisaunce in season woll longest endure].
- a1500 Solomon seyth (Trin-C O.9.38)16 : Loue to amende and feyne to please, lothe to defende, sufferaunce doth ease.
5.
(a) Allowance of wrongdoing, misfortune, etc.; improper toleration; tolerance; indulgence, leniency; thurgh ~, through a tacit allowance; (b) permission, leave; volition, will; at godes ~, bi ~ of god (him, etc.), bi (of) his ~, thurgh ~ of god, thurgh hire (your) ~, with godes (his) ~, etc., with (someone's, God's) permission; bi ~, lawfully; with permission; of ~ of the laue, lawfully; ben the ~ of god, to be the will of God; (c) official tolerance; in ~ of pes, under a truce; (d) leten of (thurgh, with) ~, leten sliden under ~, to let (sth.) occur with (one's) acquiescence.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)1321 : Huy..seiden..þat it was for is sunne Þat Jhus was a strangled þanne, And witht riȝhte þoleden destourbaunce Josep for is wicke suffraunce.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.72 : Þe vndoyng is þe suffraunce þat oure lorde suffreþ hem mysdone in þat tyme.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2654 : If thow take no vengeance of an old vileynye, thow somnest thyne aduersaries to do thee a newe vileynye; And also for my suffrance men wolden do me so muchel vileynye that I myghte neither bere it ne sustene.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)4977 : Þe fals Phylystyens..þat hadde þe maystry Beleuyd on Dagoun, a maumettry..Þarefor hyt was but Goddys suffraunce Þat shewyd why þey hadde swych chaunce.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.208 : With hure iewels þe Iustices hue shendeþ..Vnsyttynge suffraunce, hure suster, and hure-selue Haue maked al-most..Þat no lond loueþ þe and ȝut leest þyn owene.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)163/21 : He is wiþ us in synne only bi suffraunce & not by consent..In dedes þat ben actyue & leueful, he is wiþ us boþe by suffring & consent.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2799 : Swich vnbuxumnesse Suffred vs make wol of seuerte lame; Who-so may þis correct is worthi blame Þat he ne doth naght..þis suffraunce Wol vs destroye by continuance.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.245 : Þei supposen þat sufferaunce, Or vnponyschement of cursedhede, Schulde euery man to wilfulnesse avaunce.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)38 : Men myth ask her whi our lord suffered þese wikked spiritis þus to apper and þus undir simulat religioun to make men spend so grete good in þe deueles seruyse; As for þe sufferauns of god þat mater is inperscrutabil.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3474 : Beryn..was þus ovir-pleid In the last game..But þat was his sufferaunce..For in al this Cete ther nys no maner man Can pley bettir atte ches.
- c1470 Chaucer CT.Mel.(Phys-L 388)B.2656 : Soeffraunce [Heng: I muchil suffrynge shul manye thynges falle vn-to thee whiche yow shalt nat mowe suffre].
- a1475 PPl.A(1) (Hrl 875)p.46 : Now beoþ ȝe war..ȝe maysturs of þe lawe; for þe soþe schale be souȝte of ȝoure soules..þe suffraunce þat ȝe suffre suche wrongus to be wrouȝt.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.128 : Nought alle been alyke mechil enclynyd to synne..but summe more, summe lesse, and þat for manye diuers causys, sumtyme for wyckyd sufferaunce þat childryn been nought chastysid in here ȝougthe.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.3.4a : This performyng of malice stondith nought only in thi power but in godis suffraunce.
- a1500(?a1425) Chester Pl.Antichr.(Pen 399)503/356 : Fye on the, fayture, fye on the, the devuls owne nurre! Thrughe hym thowe preches and hast postye a whyle thrughe sufferaunce.
b
- (1386) RParl.FM (C&D)37/107 : The gouernaunce of this Citee standeth as it is bifor saide & wole stande whil vittaillers bi suffraunce presumen thilke states vpon hem.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.427 : Fendes mowe nouȝt doo but at Goddis suffraunce.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.625 : Peyne is sent by the rightwys sonde of god and by his suffrance.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.773 : Thempire..a long time..stod..Under the Frensche kynges wille, Til that fortune hir whiel so ladde That afterward Lombardz it hadde, Noght by the swerd bot be soffrance Of him that tho was kyng of France.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)18a/b : Þey haueþ no power noþir vertu aȝenst men but it be I-grauntid by disposicioun and suffrauns of..god.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.318 : Of þis þe kyng of France praied Sir Edward, þat with his sufferance & leue in forward Suffre þe Scottis to go, þat men þat he for sent.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3763 : Iocasta..gan to hym opynly disclose Thentent and will of Ethiocles..To hym reserued..The honour hool and the regalye..And Polymyte..Vnder hym to regnen in the toun As a Soget, be suffraunce [vr. soveraunce] of his brother.
- (1422) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8518 : Al ye ease yat ye said Abbot has..is thurgh sufferanse & paciens of ye same John of Bolton.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)151 : It is ordeyned..that non burgeys of the toun..from this tyme forward enplete other..in ony maner of plee, by writ or with outyn writ, a ȝeyns the poyntes and the foorme of the forseid chartres, ne in preiudice of the fraunchise, that is to wetyn, of thyng that may be pleted and termined in the same toun by sufferaunce [ID(1): par suffraunce de ley].
- (1448) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1353 : I by his blessed sufferaunce took vnto my silf the rule of my saide Roiames.
- a1450(a1401) Chastising GC (Bod 505)110/12 : Sum tyme oure lord..preueþ hem soorer þan oþer; For þanne of his suffraunce þei leesen outward benefettis and likynges.
- a1450(1424) Ordin.Whittington110 : By ye wille & consent of ye right worthy lorde and fadre in Christ, Henry, by ye soferaunce of god Archebisshop of Caunterbury..We wolle..that..ther be of dewte for ever more in the forseid Almeshouse dwelling and sustened xiij pouer folke.
- c1450(?c1400) 3 KCol.(1) (Cmb Ee.4.32)60/26 : Chalde..þorwe þe suffraunce of god had of-tyme pursued her kyngis..and destruyed þat cite.
- c1450 Treat.Perf.(Add 37790)244/10 : Bot that we falle into daly lyȝt defawtys, oftyn tymes it happyns be the soueraunce [L ex permissione] of god, and also cause of necessyte, the whiche in no wyse we may avoyde.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.145/3 : I..say..to þem of speciall ryȝght to longe..þat..noþer By me, noþer by oony in my name, noþer By my successours (that of sufferaunce of þe lawe þem I may Bynde), no lettyng..vppon þe takyng of þe saide tithis..schall suffre here-after.
- (1467-8) *Plea & Mem.R.Lond.GildhA 88.7d : The saide Alice Branche the wiffe shuld haue the kepyng of the saide Alice doughter by the suffraunce of the same John Cornyssh.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1093/11 : Hit ys the sufferaunce of God that I shall dye for so noble a knyght.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.37.22b : Al þis wirkiþ þe deuil at þe suffraunce of god for to don hem..turne agein to synne.
- 1477 *MS Rwl.B.332 [OD col.] (Rwl B.332)lf.42 : I purpose with Goddis sufferaunce for to be here with you in my proper persone.
- a1500 Goe lytyll byll (Dc 326)5 : Pray her that sche make puruyaunce; ffor my love, thurgh her sufferaunce, In her Bosome desyreth to reste.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)123/5 : Oute fro me wente þis worde, & by suffraunce [L me permittente] þis haþ fallen, þat þouȝtes of many hertes miȝt be shewid oute.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)6875 : Þe childe..by what hap Is it somtime broght to noght And may not alyue for[þ] be broght?..it is fordone..by suffraunce of Goddis wille Þat suffriþ hem here to spille.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3154 : Sers, syn he so is be souerans of goddis Vs may falle here by fortune a fulfaire gifte.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10579 : Þan þai puruait of prise, with precious aray, A Sepulcre solempne, set full of stonys, Praying to Priam, þo prise men all, Within the Cite to be set, with sufferans of hym.
c
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.267 : Þis was þe comon sawe, þer folk alle sulle þe spele, & fro werryng þam drawe Edward & Philip, & late þe folk ouer wend & passage haf in schip, to londes forto lend In þe sufferance of pes, tille þe acorde were ent.
- (1455) RParl.5.334b : The Marchaunds Straungers Italyans..have custumably used to ryde aboute for to bye Wollen Clothes..in every pertie of the same Reame, by the sufferaunce wherof the said Merchaunds have knoweleche of..the poverte of your peple.
- (1463-4) RParl.5.506a : Dyvers Lombardes..bryng nowe daily into this Lande wrought Silke..and noo Silke wolle bring unwrought unto this Londe to make such thyng of..The sufferaunce wherof hath caused..grete ydelnes amonges yonge Gentilwomen and other, Apprentices of the same Craftes.
d
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.1792 : The hihe creatour of thinges..Ful many a wonder worldes chance Let slyden under his suffrance.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)747 : Selcut was hit he þider wan, Bot wit [Frf: þorou; Trin-C: of] his suffrance he it lete þat best wist how þe bale to bete.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. sufferance.