Middle English Dictionary Entry
tenūre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tenūre n. Also tenur, -or(e; pl. tenures, etc. & tenouris. |
| Etymology | OF teneure, tenure, AF tenour; cp. ML tenura. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Land or real property legally held under an obligation to a superior; a piece of land or a building so held; (b) the right to possess or use land, a building, etc., in exchange for the performance of some duty or service to a superior; (c) the holding of land, a building, etc., under an obligation to a superior.
Associated quotations
a
- (1439) RParl.5.16b : The saide Tennauntz dare nat abide in thaire Tenures and Places, ne no laboure there do.
- (1447-8) Shillingford79 : They come nought, ne no wyse wolde come to a cesse..of mere malice..manacyng the sayde tenantes..yf they dede the contrary [to] put ham out of theyre tenures.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.70/10 : Euery ȝere þe same chanons pay dj. a marke of Siluer for that same tenure or holde where we shall commaunde.
- (1461) RParl.5.476a : All Tenures within the same Lordship been Chartre land, and Free land, and nat Copie land.
- (?1473) Paston2.411 : We arn greuously troubled, and not lyke to kepe oure tenourys, the whiche we holde of you, but yf ye helpe vs..we stonden..in grete doute of our lyves and losse of our goodys.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)660/13 : Henry..comaunded to all Sherifs..and mynystris in whos bailly-wykis the mynchons..helde all theire tenuris and all theire tenementis that they shold hold hem wele.
b
- (1414) RParl.4.57b : Also to ȝow..compleynen alle the Kynges tenauntz of the Ryal Lordshipe..of Chestreton..the whiche holden of the tenure of anxien demeyn.
- (1436) RParl.4.501b : That no Shirreve..empanell..no persones but thoo enhabitauntz..that thenne have estat..of Fee Simple..in Londes and Tenementz..withynne his Baillie, out of auncien Demesne, ye Five Portes and tenure of Gavelkynde.
- (c1450) Deed Yks.in YASRS 65124 : He payd to hed lord more rente then hym aght to pay, the qwylk sosstynhyt the sayd Bryan in hys payment as for landes that thai both held be the loghere tenore.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)407/25 : He..warantiȝed the forsaid tenement to the forsaid Torald and..for this graunte..of the forsaid tenure the ofte saide Toralde yaf to hym xxiij shillings iiij d.
c
- (1442) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8518 : We..serched a tenement of..John of Bolton..in ye tenur of John Wetelay.
- (1443) Indent.Medilton in Yks.CM 1273 : A cotag wyth a yard lygyng y' by a plase yhen in yhe tenor of John Vttyng.