Middle English Dictionary Entry
sustentāciǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sustentāciǒun n. Also sustentacione, -con(e, -tion, (late) substentacion. |
| Etymology | OF sustentacïon, sustentatïon, substentacion & L sustentātio, ML substentātio, -iōnis. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The quality of being able to hold up or support someone or something physically; haven ~; (b) anat. a supporting structure in the body.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)49a/b : Þe vtilite whi þat eres ben grustellye is be cause of sustentacioun, and þat þei myȝte be bowed oþer folden neuer þe latter.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)72/13 : Watir haþ no sustentacioun, or berynge vp, therfore by þat wey no man may passe ouer þat flood..but needis he moste be drenchid.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)19707 : O sacramentys off the cherche, I hope..I receyvede yow nat in veyn..I ha lost yow..And ha no sustentacioun In my skryppe nor my bordoun Wher-on that I may lene me Toward Ierusalem.
b
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)23/18 : It is nessessarie summe lymes to han a sustentacioun, and applicacioun, þat is foldynge, to be streyned & drawen abrod as þe noseþrillis & þe gristile of þe eere.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)254/14 : Þe eere was maad of cartilaginis..& if þei schulde be maad oonly of fleisch, þei schulde haue noon sustentacioun for to bere hem vp.
2.
(a) The act of providing the necessities of life to someone, the act of furnishing provisions or financial support; also, that which is provided or received for maintenance, support; livelihood; income; (b) an allowance for maintenance granted by a religious house to a grantee as an annuity, or the bill making such a grant; (c) food, nourishment; (d) daili ~, the daily maintenance of animals; (e) the process of digestion.
Associated quotations
a
- (1428) EEWills79/15 : I be-quethe to the sustentacion of that seide preest for the forseid terme of thre ȝer, xx li.
- (1440) Doc.Kent in Bull.IHR 36 (PRO KB 27/715 m.19)89 : Þat he..lx quarteres of whete and iiij xx quarteres of barly with his Cartes be nyghtes tyme fro the dwellyng place of..John Daundelion caried, and the seid whete and barly to diverse enemys..then delyvered falsly and tretoursly in sustentacone and fortifeynge of our seid enemyes.
- (1445) LRed Bk.Bristol2.187 : Thatt..euery maistere of Ship..pay att euery viage..to the suffrage and sustentacion of the seide preste and xij poere mariners of euery ton thatt he receyvyth..iiij d. sterlinges whithin ij days after the payment of ther hyres.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)406 : An other parti the preestis and othere clerkis schulden haue for her fynding and sustentacioun.
- a1450(1424) Ordin.Whittington109 : This..marchant Richard Whityngton..charged..his forsaid executours to ordeyne an house of Almes..for perpetuell sustentacion of suche pouer people.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)294/3 : Paulus Heremita..did som bodele labur for his sustentacion.
- c1450 De CMulieribus (Add 10304)28 : Poetys..of estatys haue no sustentacion.
- (1452) Proc.Privy C.6.117 : Oure liege peuple..were accoustumed for to bye and selle þe saide wolles, hides, and wollefelles and to have thair sustentacion by þe same.
- (1461-2) Paston (EETS)1.99 : John Paston shuld founde ther a college of vij monkes or prestes, havyng a certeyn pension for her sustentacion payid clerly in mony.
- (1464) RParl.5.509a : That all maner Grauntes..in sustentation and relief for the saufe kepyng and defence of eny Cite, Borough, Town or Port..or in sustentation and relief of eny of theym..the seid somme or sommes to be perceyved by the handes of the Custumers.
- (1473) RParl.6.94b : Provided alwey that this Acte..extend not..unto oure Graunte..made unto Herry Trevilian..in augmentation, sustentation, and relevyng of x poore women of the seid Hospitall, in pure and perpetuell almes.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)6.5 : Kyngilsus kynge assignede alle the londe of vii myles in a circuite to the construccioun of the bischoppes seete of Wynchestre, and to the sustentation [Trev.: sustenaunce; L sustentationem] of his ministres.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) Ctn.(Hrl 2261)452 : A certeyne pension of that lyvelode was assignede unto the sustentacion of the seide Edmund, doctor, yerely to be payede to hym.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)146/38 : Goodes of kynde..byth all goodis that appartenyth to Sustentacion, or anowrnement, othyr proteccion and defence of body.
- a1605(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Stw 952(2))17919 : To ther beggyng I say nat nay, so that they fayn not..to axe nat, but for veray nede, thayr trewe sustentacion.
- -?-(1471) Will in Som.RS 16221 : To the sustentacion of the bretherhode of Saint Andrewe in the chirche of Welles, 20 d.
b
- (1461) RParl.5.473b : That this Acte extend not..nor be prejudiciall unto William York..of a Graunte made unto hym by the Priour and Convent of Dunstable, of a Corrody or Sustentation which he hath in the same Priory.
- (1475) RParl.6.124b : It is ordeyned..that the Abbot of Barmondesay..and his successours, be discharged of all maner Corrodies and Sustentations, to be graunted at the Kyng's prayour..and in noo wise be chargeable to graunte any Corrodie or Sustentation at the prayour..of the Kyng, or of any of his heires.
c
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)300/8 : Þus for grete labur & no sustentacion þis ass dyed.
- (c1474) Let.Christ Ch.in Camd.n.s.1927 : Your hogges..have wroted the wode over and over, the which shuld be the chefe sustentacion for your young dier in wynter.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)5801 : Men sholde..seke her bred ellys where To ther sustentacioun.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)80/230 : I am a good Aungel sent..With Aungelys mete For ȝour Sustentacion.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)218 : I brynge forþe diuerse kynde of Fishis for thi sustentacioun.
d
- (1464) RParl.5.534a : That this Acte be not prejudiciall..to the hurte of Rauff Hastyng..of any Graunte..Somme or Sommes of money..for his fee of kepyng of oure Lions and Lionesses, as for daily sustentation of them.
e
- a1500 Abbrev.Elucid.(Pen 12)42/2 : A man..lieth in thet wildernesse till foulis and bestis han deuowrid hym and the nature of man ther by sustentacion is turned to the nature of a vnresonable beste.
3.
(a) The maintenance or continuance of an institution, a practice, etc.; the maintenance of a lamp, candle, etc. in a church; the continued provisioning of a convent kitchen; also, monetary support [quot. 1464-5]; (b) the maintenance or preservation of a title, rank, condition of living, etc.; (c) upkeep or maintenance of a building, bridge, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.67 : Quat brothyr or systyr schal comyn into this fraternite..schal payen, to the sustentacion of this gylde, v s.
- (1413) *Assem.Bk.A Shrewsbury (ShropRRC 3365/67)87 : He to paye to the wardens..of the same crafte..xl s. of mone to the sustentacion of the seyd lyght.
- a1422 Gild St.Geo.Nrw.(Rwl D.913)445 : Thei mown purchace..londes, rentis, and seruises..to the value of x li..for sustentacion of the fraternite and Gylde forseyd.
- (1438) LRed Bk.Bristol2.170 : The one half to the commune profite of the seide toune, and the other halfe to the sustentacione of the seide lyght.
- (1449) Ordin.Tailors Lynn77 : Which xl d. shal go to the sustentacioun of the procession upon Corpus Christi day.
- c1450 Lond.Chron.Cleo.(Cleo C.4)147 : In that yere com pardon..to assoile euery cristen man that gevith a part of his good to the sustentacon of the popis warris.
- (1453-4) Lin.DDoc.64/13 : I beqweth to the sustentacion of all the lightes beyng in the same churche, iij s.
- (1464-5) RParl.in OHS 5851 : L marc to be take yerely at oure Eschequer..for the sustentacion of the feith, and to pray specially for us.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)190/33 : Which rent he assigned vnto the sustentacion of the kechyn of the forsaid mynchons.
- a1500 LRed Bk.Bristol2.151 : Item, of every straunger at his yncommyng to the sustentacion of the lyghtes, ij d.
b
- (1425) RParl.4.274a : Kyng Rychard..graunted to ye..Duc..for ye better sustentation of ye said Stile, Title, Name, and Worship, xl Marc yerly.
- (1450) RParl.5.184b : Yat..persones..that hafe ony grauntes..of eny Sommes, Londes, or Tenementes..for sustentation of their name and honour, excede not..suche sommes and values.
- (1461) RParl.5.466a : Lordships, Landes, and Tenementes, of the yerely value of iii m v c Marc..was yeven unto hym for the sustentation of his Estate.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)142 : Howe the kyng mey best haue sufficient and perdurable livelod ffor the sustentacion off his estate.
c
- (1426) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)340 : To the sustentacion of the brigge of London, and especiell for pylys to ben there dryve, x li.
- (a1440) Let.Coventry in EHR 55643 : Ȝe to make all sustentacion & reparacion as falles to such a tenement.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)406 : The iije [endowment] schulde be bisett vpon reparacion and sustentacion of the bodili chirche.
4.
(a) Patience, forbearance; (b) pl. things which are to be endured, tribulations; (c) the bearing of pecuniary charges [2nd quot. may belong to 2.(a)].
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Rom.3.26 : Jhesu Crist, Whom God purposide an helpere by feith in his blood, to the schewinge of his riȝtwysnesse, for remiscioun of bifore goynge synnes, in the sustentacioun, or beringe vp, of God.
b
- c1450 12 PTrib.(3) (Hrl 1197)101/6 : Sustentacions [Bod: Susteyne..the sustenaunces of Oure Lord].
c
- (1450) RParl.5.186b : They were enfeffed by the most noble Prynce..in pure and perpetuell almois, in sustentation of the grete importable charges of the seid Church.
- (1483) RParl.6.256b : The same Robert, Bishop, amonge other thyngs yeven and graunted to the seid Provost and Felawes..for their substentacion, and also supportacion of the seid charge and other dyvers charges wherwith they be charged..hath yeven and graunted..xl acres of Land.