Middle English Dictionary Entry
swein n.
Entry Info
| Forms | swein n. Also sweine, swain, swain(n)e, sqwaine, (NEM & in N place names) swane, (early) swæin & (in names) swene, sewein & (?error) swien; pl. sweines, etc. & swainus, swain(e & (early infl.) sweinen, (?error) swennen. |
| Etymology | ON: cp. OI sveinn & LOE (in cpds.) -swegen; place names in -ā- could also be construed as ME swōn n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. squier n.
1.
(a) An attendant upon a knight, a squire; a soldier below the rank of knight; knight(es and swein(es; (b) a retainer, an attendant; a servant; ~ lof, bread to be eaten by servants; (c) a man, young man, boy; also fig.; also, a common man, commoner; king (squier) ne ~, knight and (or) ~, knight ne (nor) ~; (d) bot ~ [OE bāt-swegen; see bot n.(1) 3.(h)]; cok ~, a coxswain; ~ mot, =swon-imot [s.v. swon n. (b)]; (e) in surnames; (f) ?in place names [see Smith PNElem.2.170].
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1673 : Heo hahte hem faren here wæi..moni of þen þeinen, monie of þen swennen [?read: sweinen] þe þider weren icumene, mid Leir þanne kinge.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3287 : He bi-soðte moni-enne king..monienne richene þein, monienne baldne swein.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12837 : Na mon under Criste of heore uare nuste, buten Arður þe king and þa tweien cnihtes mid him and heore sweines sixe ohte men and wihte.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14383-4 : Þuhten alle þes sweines swulche heo weoren þeines, haueden alle his hired-cnafe ælches godes sweines laȝe.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)343 : A riche king..hauede mani knict and sueyn.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1218 : After mete..þe menestraus eode aboute, & kniȝtes & swaines [B vr. squyers] In karole gret route.
- a1350 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253)78 : Þis proude freinsshe eorles, huere knyhtes & huere sweynes, aquelleden ant slowen.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2862 : Sir Antor ȝaf to Kay rade Forto ofsende Arthour oȝein Forto make of him his swain, For he was hardi, trewe, and trest.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8243 : Wiþ seuen and tventi sweines of gentil stren Comen alle kniȝtes forto ben And to serue king Arthour.
- a1400-a1500 Rich.(b-version:Brunner)382/15 : High and lowe, sweyn and grom, Smartly than wille wend hom.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.241 : Forth went knyght & sueyn & fote men alle in fere.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)141 : Averylle is mery and langeþ þe daye..Swaynes justneþ, kniȝttes tournay.
- a1425(a1400) Titus & V.(Pep 2014)2326 : Al þilke þat were in Rome..Thei rode hem al him ageyn Erles, barons, knyȝttes, and swayn.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)1776 : In þe halle wiste [read: was] no man Hyȝh no lowȝh, sweyn ny [?read: no] grom Þat wiste wher Merlyn bycom.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1583 : Swerd, a knyght of þe kynges host..Wiþ two hundred knyghtes & swayn On Coryneus turned ageyn.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)13.254 : No Man In thedir scholde Entren Agein Were it Erl, knyht, baroun, Other sweyn.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)1748 : No ferþer ne dorste hym brynge..Erll, baroun, ne knyȝt..Saue Syr Gylet, hys swayn, Wolde wyth hym ryde.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1754 : Leir king wende on anne feld..and is swien [?read: swein] he forð sende..to þere quene Cordoille.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6540 : He nom ænne swein anan and þa blake claðes dude him on & heold rune wið þane swæin swulc hit þe munec weore.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6979 : Bett weoren iscrudde & bed weoren iuædde Hængest swaine [Otho: sweines] þene Vortigernes þeines.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13467 : Petreiun heo nomen & heore inume allen, and mid þreo hu[n]dred sweinen in-to wude senden.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)7460 : Þo þe king hadde iȝeote, þo ȝeode sweines [Clg: þeines-men] to mete.
- (1358) Anc.Deed (PRO) 4469 : [Sixteen black loaves called] swaynloves [weekly].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4027 : Hym bihoues serue hym self that has na swayn [vrr. sweyn, sweyne], Or ellis he is a fool.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1792 : Þe leuedis listed noght o pride, þai suam bi þar suains [Göt: knauis] side.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)6721 : If he [ox] sle any monnes swayn [Vsp: thain], þritti shillyng of money aȝayn Shal men ȝyue þe lord to mende.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1509 : 'Weȝe wyn in þis won-Wassayl!' he cryes; Swyfte swaynes ful swyþe swepen þertylle, Kyppe kowpes in honde kyngez to serve.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)527 : Þe monkes..come rydyng iolily wiþ swaynes, And hom aȝen þey were ilad in cartes and in waynes.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.Lear (Göt Hist 740)546 : He hafes wyth hym nowe bot a swayn; No man he brynges to þis curt here, Bot he and only o swyere.
- a1450 Sentence in YULG 60 (Yale 3.34)56 : Was he neuer gud swayn þat let hys herand for þe rayn.
- c1450 Whanne marye was greet (Lamb 853)88 : Worschipe me here & bicome my swayn, And y schal ȝeue þee al this.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)84/207 : My messyngere loke thou be bowne..And be my nobyll swane [rime: agane].
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)9110 : Þenne were a wicked swein For his falshede i-take were And in prisoun i-holden þere And abood an yuel ending, At þe lordis home comyng.
c
- a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1128 : Se eorl wearð gewunded at an gefiht fram anne swein.
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)200 : Marie Maudeleine..saiȝh þat folk a-rise, Riche and pouere, knyȝht and sweyn, to don þat sacrefise.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.1914 : Sire Thopas wax a doghty swayn [vrr. swayne, sweyn]; Whit was his face as payndemayn.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18987 : Yur eldrin men sal dremes dreme, And o mi gast þai sal ha streme To suain [Trin-C: mon] and womman gife.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)2675 : A lyster stude þer hym agayne & sayd, 'wyne es þu, ȝong swayn, & whider ert þu on way?'
- a1425(?a1400) Penny (Glb E.9)18 : Men honors him with grete reuerence, makes ful mekell obedience vnto þat litill swaine.
- a1456(a1426) Lydg.Mum.Hertford (Trin-C R.3.20)6 : Certeyne sweynes ful Of entent comen For to compleyne..Vpon þe mescheef..of þeyre fierce wyves.
- c1440(c1350) Octav.(1) (Thrn)153/1213 : I wolde the frayne Wheþir he es knyghte or swayne, That es so mekill of myghte.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)133/207 : Þis is a sotille trayne, Nowe shall þei trewly take þer trace And telle me of þat litill swayne.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)179/19 : Sum men spekis of a swayne Howe he schall come and suffre payne.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)855 : Whan ȝe mow take no tol to tilien on erþe, No swiche werkus to swinke as oþur swainus usen, Forþi bihovus ȝou..harde to libbe.
- (c1450) Boothe be ware (CotR 2.23)p.228 : Se alle the set that for the swayne sewe, Whether mony or mede make yow to mewe, Try out the trouthe, myght he be trewe.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)230 : Hit is alle þe Kyngus waren; Ther is nouþer knyȝt ne sqwayne Þat dar do sich a dede, Any conyng here to sla.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)806 : I schall make myn commnant so That there schall non with hyme go, squyer ne swayne.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)546 : All they folowed hym..Some on horsys and some besyde, Knyghtys, squyers, and swayne [rime: trayne].
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)60/124 : Ther is nawther kyng ne swayn, Then no thyng that may hym layn Ne hyde from his hete.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)117/37 : Ther shall com a swane as prowde as a po, he must borow my wane, my ploghe also.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)35 : In all that londe was none hym lyche, Knyght nor swayne..That durste agenste hym ryse.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2358 : Fast fro my felowes & fuersly I rode..might no swayne folo.
d
- c1320(1294) Yrbk.Edw.I in RS 31.2 (Cmb Dd.7.14)627 : Nus avum treis swaynemotes par an pur encercher e enquere sy nuly mette plusurs avers ke mettre ne deit.
- (1463) Acc.Howard in RC 57219 : Item, gevyn the sayd day to the cokswaynne in almesce, j d.
e
- (1166) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms129 : Rob. Suein.
- (1220) Bk.of Fees304 : Godoinus Swen.
- (1221) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames339 : Walter le Swein.
- (1266) Pat.R.Hen.III21 : Henry Swaynman.
- (1276) in Sundby Dial.Wor.249 : Phil. le Sweyn.
- (1296-7) Acc.Cornw.in RHS ser.3.66104 : Iohanne Sweyn.
- (1313) Sub.R.Glo.(1) in BGAS 19244 : Avicia Sweynsheye.
- (1327) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms129 : Joh. le Seweyn.
- (1327) Nickname in LuSE 55191 : Rob. Wildswayn.
- (1335) Nickname in LuSE 55199 : Thom. Yongswayn.
f
- (1111-22) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)225 : Suenebi.
- (1184) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)225 : Swayneby.
- (1196) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)225 : Suanesby.
- (1314) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)178 : Swaneby.
- (1349) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)225 : Sweinesby.
- (1367) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)178 : Swainby.