Middle English Dictionary Entry
temporā̆l adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | temporā̆l adj. Also temporalle, -el(e, -il & temperal, -al(l)e, -el, -il; pl. temporalles, -alx, -el(li)s, -elx & temperalx. |
| Etymology | OF temporel, temporal, AF temperel & L temporālis. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Lasting a short time, fleeting; having a finite duration, transitory; (b) ~ imnes, eccl. hymns belonging to the temporale, for use during mass at specific feasts and seasons of the ecclesiastical calendar.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 4.17 : Thei han nat roote in hem silf, but thei ben temporal, that is, lasten a lityl tyme.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.94 : Thing which began and ende schal, That thing is cleped temporal..Thing which began and schal noght deie, As Soules..Here beinge is perpetuel.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Heb.11.25 : Moyses..forsok þat he was Pharaoes douȝter sone, desyryng more to ben y-peyned wiþ Goddes peple þan for-to haue temporel murþe of synne.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)2 Cor.4.18 : Þoo thynges þe whyche be seen..ben temporel thynges; þoo forsoþe þat ben not seen..bene euerlastande þynges.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.6.27 : Thilke thing that suffreth temporel condicioun..algatis nis it no swich thing that men mighten trowen..that it is eterne.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)113/16 : Whethir haddist þou levir loue þe temperell worlde & passe with þe tyme, or be with Crist Ihesu & lyve perpetuelly with him.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.258 : Destyne in certeyne tyme and space Singulerly devideth euery-dele..And when þis disposynge temporele Rewarded is, and..oned into goddes gouernaunce, Than is it sothely cleped purveaunce.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.304 : Thow prescience necesseth neuere-a-dell Thing for to come in stoundes temporell, Þow seist it is a verray signe trewe Of þing þat must as necessarie sewe.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.303 : In heuene..schal ben..endeles reste tokenyd be temperal reste in þe holy day.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)120/135 : Right as in the everlasting present no maner thing was ne shal be, but only is..now here, in your temporel tyme, something was and is and shal be but movinge stoundes.
b
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)27/11 : Ambrose had þat time mad neuly many ympnys, for all þe temporal ympnys ar ny of his making, as Primo dierum omnium & þoo þat folow.
2.
Worldly, material; also, on earth, earthly.
Associated quotations
- c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn)269 : Þis medled lyf..leden..þis holy bisschops herbifore wȝuch hedden cure of mennes soules & mynistracion of temporel godes.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.685 : Accidie..destroyeth alle goodes temporels by reccheleesnesse.
- (1395) Wycl.37 Concl.(Tit D.1)135 : Prelatis othir seculer lordis that ordeynen vnable curatis, and most for fleshli affeccioun othir for temporal lucre, ben cruel enemyes of holi chirche.
- a1425 LOL (Wnds E.I.I)79/5 : Þerfore þe modir of God is blessid..for she was maad temperal ministre of Goddis sone to be maad man.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.Lear (Göt Hist 740)51 : Nothyng it is at mannes hert yiernys Vndyr þe mone..That is to men thyng temporele Os þowe in hert I lofe so wele.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)268/12 : Tei kepten no tresour of temperale goodis for to departe to poore men aftir her discese.
- (1435) RParl.4.487a : Alwey forseyn yat no persone Espirituell be chargyd..of any Manoirs, Londes, Tenements..or ony other Possessions Temporels.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.2368 : Temporal rewmys sholde..Resemble the kyngdam which that is dyuyne.
- a1450(1411) Many man (Dgb 102)135 : Þat sellen soules for temperal getyng, Þey maken skourges to here owe betyng.
- ?a1450(1422) Lydg.SD (McC 182)55/20 : Whan eny temperall prosperite is moste flowenge in felicite, þan is a sodeyne ebbe of aduersite moste to be dradde.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)371/10 : Hyt is wondir þat an amarows sowle maye be..sorye for any temporalle thinge in þe whiche he hath receyued his byloued makere god.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)46/15 : He setteth no more store bi all temperall goodes þan he doth bi foule stingking filth.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)889 : Þei browt ȝow to Myscheffe to conclude ȝour temporall glory.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.316 : Cursys of temporyl myschef fallyn as sone to þe goode as to þe wycke[d].
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)160/29 : So by yche other man that is..strengþid by the Holy Gost, he dredeþ not temperal tribulacions.
- a1500 15c.Serm.Cycle(Hrl 2247:Powell)63/105 : Aungelles before Cristes temperall natiuite suffred man to worship hem.
3.
(a) Of a person or group: belonging to or living in secular, as opposed to ecclesiastical, society; of a judge or a member of the ruling class: having jurisdiction or power over secular matters; also, as noun: secular leaders or rulers [quot. c1440]; (b) ~ lordes, lordes ~, lay peers who are members of the House of Lords or Privy Council of England; lordes spiritual (espirituel) and ~; (c) of law, authority, position, etc.: secular, civil.
Associated quotations
a
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)70/141 : Þer beþ þre bayleis þat shullen be clepid to þis streyte rekenyng..prestis þat han cure of mennis soulis, and temperal lordis þat hauen gouernayle of peplis.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)21/851 : I mai not ȝiue awei Godus temple..Ne to no temperel lord hit ȝelde.
- c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn)268 : Þe þridde lyf þat is medlet..longeþ generali to sum temporal men þe wȝuche han souereynte wiþ muche hauyng of worldly godes and also han..a lordschipe ouer oþur men to gouerne.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)304/35 : Þei goon and playe..hawkynge and huntynge as þouȝ þei weren seculeris or temperalle lordis.
- (1425) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.12 : We han put to owre seales and offere vs..to swere..be-for any juge Spiritual or temporal.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2409 : Than will I..The tyrauntez of Tu[s]kayn tempeste a littyll, Talke with þe temperall.
- (1442) RParl.5.57a : And it fortune upon a Temporall man, thenne his wyfe were therof endowable.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)281/31 : Þe powre..of a kynge oþur of a prynce temperall, it goyþ vppon þe body and vppon worldely þinges.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)365 : Kynge dauyd..presumyd..not to take eny þinge þat god had assigned to þe temporall parte of his peple and endowe wiþ siche goodis þes mynystres of þe temple.
- ?c1450 Brut-1447 (Trin-C O.9.1)468/19 : Þe King..borowed a somme of gold þurghout þe Reame of temporall peple..to sende his peple ouer the see.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)538 : I dede se..ffolkys ful diuers of maner, Both temporal & seculer.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)231/31 : They arn temperal jewgys þat knowyth þe parayl With..cayphas þis matere to Amende.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.335 : Whan Sent Powil seyde þo wordis, emperouris..& nyhȝ alle princys & temperyl lordys upon erde wern heþene.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)50/15 : When ȝe come to holy chyrche..knelyth adowne, not on your kne as to a lord temporall, but on boþe your knees.
b
- (1399) RParl.3.451b : The Kyng, to wyt..the trowth of this matere and to come to the best jugement..by the avys of his Lordes Temporels..dyd come thos same Lordes Appellantz..all thes Temporell Lordes thoght that ther shuld be..Juggement gifen in this cas opon thes Lordes Appellantz.
- (1419) Proc.Privy C.2.260 : In the last parlement be the avys of my lord of Bedford and alle the lordes espiritualx and temperalx, it thowght unto them, [etc.].
- (1437) RParl.4.502b : We youre pore Comunes..by the assent of the Lordes Espirituell and Temporell..graunten..for the defence of this youre said Roialme, a xvme and a xme of the goodes moeble of the lay poeple of this youre said Roialme.
- (1451) Pet.Hen.VI in Archaeol.Ael.n.s.3185 : By the assent of all the Lordes spirituelx and temporelx.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)145 : The kyngis counsell was wonned to be chosen off grete princes and off the gretteste lordes off þe lande, both spirituelles and temporellis.
- c1475-a1600(a1473) Fortescue Declaration (Clermont)528 : Wherunto Harold..and also the more parte of all the lordis spirituelx and temporalx of this londe, were welle aggreyd.
- (1478) Indent.in Archaeol.16169 : Robert Hill, William Wodeward..were sworen upon the hooly Evangeliste in the Sterre Chamber, before the Chaunceler of England..and many other noble Lords of the Kyng's Counceill spiritual and temporall, to make this standard of xxiij carrats iij greynes and an halfe of perfite fyne gold.
c
- (1395) Wycl.12 Concl.(Th 17)299 : Alle manere of curatis..ben fulli excusid of temporel office.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)16/6 : Spiritual power schal gouerne & rule þe temporal power.
- a1425(c1400) 5 Wits (Hrl 2398)10/23 : Þou schalt byhalde diligently þulke þat þou hast in gouernaile temperal and spiritual.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.2/4 : Whoose prouyd puryte of soule..prudent besynes yn temperalle mynystracyun..were gretly to prayse.
- (1426) Paston2.506 : Þer longeth no more..þer-to ine temperele law as I haue hard.
- (1442) Let.Coldingham in Sur.Soc.12137 : This..was..endentid betwixt sir Alexandre and me..in presence of..William Hoton..and a man lerynd in the temporall lawe of England.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)127 : Though his estate be þe highest estate temporall in þe erthe, yet it is an office, in wich he mynestrith to his reaume defence and justice.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)237/293 : Send them to pilate, the temporall law to yeme has he.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)131/15 : The statute renneth that he hath drawen them to the worldly estates and followed [vr. fowled] them of the charges temporalles [F temporelles].