Middle English Dictionary Entry
testā̆ment n.
Entry Info
| Forms | testā̆ment n. Also testamente, test(e)ment, testmonde & tēstament. |
| Etymology | L testāmentum & OF testament, AF testement. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An expression of the final disposition of the testator's property, a will; a legal instrument requiring the execution of the testator's will concerning the final disposition of property; also, a dying bequest or injunction; (b) the willed estate of personal, as opposed to real, property; (c) that which is passed on, a legacy; also fig.; also, a gift; (d) ~ and (laste) wille.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)191/1-3 : Uerst hi hedde y-write ine hare testament þet he him let a þousend and vyf hondred pond, Ac hi lokede efterward ine hare testament and hi yzeȝ þe þousend pond defaced of hire write.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Gal.3.15 : I seye vp man..no man dispisith the testament of a man or ordeyneth aboue.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.78 : I wole, ar I Wende, write my Testament; In dei nomine, Amen, I make hit mi-seluen.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3860 : David in his testament, Whan he non lengere myhte live, Unto his Sone in charge hath yive That he Joab schal slen algate.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.424 : As help me verray god omnipotent, Thogh I right now sholde make my testament, I ne owe hem nat a word that it nys quyt.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2470 : Some haue so grete cumbrement Þat þey may make no testament, For holy cherche neuer vndyrstode To haue of okerers gode.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28322-4 : Ic seketur made of testament, Ne folud noght wit god entent þe testament for to fulfill.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)173/14 : First he schal make him haue hise riȝtis of holy chirche, & lete him make his testament, or þat his vertu faile.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7505 : Al his wil, for more assuraunce, He made write in his testament, Þe fyn concludyng of his last entent.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)59/18 : Sche scholde lete smyte of all the hedes of the lordes whan he were ded & þan scholde all the lond make sorwe for his deth & ell nought & þus he made his testement.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)73 : Ȝif the executoures of the dede be malice or by collusyon willen not preven the testament..thanne ben the sume executoures warnyd.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.1305 : No man may quethe in his testament Gentilesse vnto his successours.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)668 : If me be destaynede to dye..mynystre my mobles fore mede of my saule..Take here my testament of tresoure full huge; As I trayste appon the, betraye thowe me neuer!
- (1450) Lin.DDoc.40/29 : Al my siluer vessell that I haue not beset neither in this testament nor in my Testament at london I vvol that it be solde.
- c1450 Form Excom.(3) (Dc 60)106/55 : We accorsen..alle false executores þat maken false testamentes or wickedly disposen the goodes..of the dede oþer than his will was at his departyng.
- c1450 Yk.BPrayer(2) (Yk-M 16.M.4)71/24 : We sal pray also specialy for all þase þat gifes or sends or in testment wytes any gode in mayntenyng of þis kirk.
- (1470) Paston (EETS)1.562 : William Wayneflete..oone of th'executoures of the testament of the same Ser John Fastolf, now sole hathe taken vpon hym th'execucion of þe same testament.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)5 : Tho þis knyȝt made his testament, and made him redy to his deth.
- a1500 3rd Fran.Rule (Seton)51/25,26 : Iche of them..muste make his Testament..that none of them discese withoute testament.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5354 : Here qwemly I beqwethe þe to be qwem kyng..Þis I take the be testament, as my trew aire.
b
- (1424) EEWills56/1-2 : I..declare my last will in þis bille, als well of my testament as of my land þat standez in my feffez handes. First I wille þat my testament be..þat Thomas my sone haue all my seluere vessell.
c
- c1400 Aelred Inst.(1) (Vrn)35/392 : A blessed testament was þis to seynt Ihon, to whom þe..queen of heuene wit so gret auctorite was take to kepe.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.MRose (Hrl 2255)78 : Where is Alisaundir that conqueryd al? Failed leiser his testament to dispoose.
- a1500 Mirk Fest.Revis.(Hrl 2247)66/24 : First, to be born in sekenes, second to life with labour..This made Adam in his testament to euery Cristen creature þat shuld be born of woman after hym.
d
- (1413) Will in Bdf.HRS 216 : I, John Cheyne, fals and Traitour to my lord god and to his blissid moder..make and ordene my testament and my laste Wille in this maner.
- (1455) Lin.DDoc.76/5 : I, in the said testament and last wille, ordeyned, disposed, and willed that my feoffes in and of all my Maners, landis, and tenementz..shuld occupie..my said Manoiers, [etc.].
- (1455) Lin.DDoc.80/33 : I wol that all my elther feoffes..make a relesse vnto Thomas, Archiebisshop of Canterbury, and vnto his cofeoffies to perfourme my said testament and wille.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4936 : I..calle vpon hym to do his part in alle thinges longyng to my testement and wille.
- (1464) RParl.5.549b : Ayenst the Testament and the last Wille of your seid noble Progenitour.
2.
(a) A spiritual will; also, a spiritual bequest; last ~; (b) a statement of one's final obligations to and requests of God; last ~, the title of a penitential poem by John Lydgate.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)286/308 : Of þreo þing he made is testament riȝt bi-fore his deþe: pouerte, and loue, and Meoknesse his breþren he dude bi-queþe.
- (c1400) Gower PP (Eg 2862)177 : Er Crist wente out of this erthe hiere, And stigh to hevene, he made his testament, Wher he beqwath to his disciples there And yaf his pes, which is the foundement Of charite.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4610 : But first, withoute repentaunce, I wole me confesse in good entent, And make in haste my testament, As lovers doon that feelen smerte: To Bialacoil leve I myne herte All hool.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)110/22 : He is oures, for at his leue-takynge at his last testament he lefte vs Ihesu Crist þe al-þer largest, as for þe grettest, tresour þat he myȝt lete vs.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)8/13 : Þou shalt haue þat mery blessyng wich oure blissed lord graunted in his testament to his disciples.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)4758 : Or he the deth sholde vnderfonge He fforgate nat..ffor to make hys testament..'Myn herte I quethe..To all that my commaundement Kepe.'
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)4764 : My sylff wrot yt, euery lettre, And namyd yt..'The trewe testament off pes.'
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)48/31 : Ihesus Criste is their soueraigne Lorde and Bischope of the chirche, of whom the testament was humilite and charite, from whose iugement no man may appele.
- a1500 Mirk Fest.Revis.(Hrl 2247)66/26 : But our sauyour Criste Ihesu he commyth now to be executor of his testament for þe welth and wellfare of mankinde.
b
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)239 : I now purpose..To wryte a trites of surfetes don to the And calle it my last testament.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)604 : O gracious Iesu, graunt..To haue memorie vpon thi passioun..In my testament set for allegeaunce, This clause last of my peticioun, Graunt, or I deye, shryft.
3.
(a) A covenant between God and humankind; a binding commitment between Christ and humankind [quot. a1393]; ~ neue, neue ~, the covenant between God and man established by Christ; ~ of circumcisioun, the covenant between God and Abraham and his descendants symbolized by the ritual of circumcision; (b) the written record of God's covenant with man; either of the two broad divisions of the Christian Bible; neue (olde) ~, the New (Old) Testament of the Bible; arke of the (huche of his) ~, the Ark of the Covenant; tables of ~, the two stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)20/541 : Þys hys my chalis of my blode Of testament nywe.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)49.6 : Assembleþ ȝe to hym his halwen, þat ordeine his testament [L testamentum] vp sacrifices.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)77.13 : Hij ne kept nouȝt þe testament of God.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.7.8 : Þe lord haþ loued ȝow & haþ kept þe testament [L iuramentum] þat he haþ sworyn to ȝoure faders.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.26.28 : This is my blood of the newe testament.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 7.8 : He ȝaf to him the testament of circumcisioun.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.245 : The worldes swerd on honde is take, And that is wonder natheles, Whan Crist him self hath bode pes, And set it in his testament.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)127b/b : Lente..lastiþ to..Cene þursday, In þe whiche..oure lord bigan to [Seymour: þe] sacrifice of þe newe testament and fedde vs wiþ aungelis breed.
- a1400(?a1325) Bonav.Medit.(1) (Hrl 1701)185 : A newe testament he gan sone, Þe olde sacryfyce to fordone; A new sacryfyce hym self he fonde.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)65/14 : Wiþ here tonge þei lieden to God: here herte was not trewe wiþ God, ne þei were not trewe in his testament.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Letab.(Hrl 2255)248 : Cedrus, Cipresse and ysope conbynynge With Letabundus in Ysrael and Syon, In Reioysshyng of Crystes glad comynge; Two testamentys that day wer maad bothe Oon.
- 1530(c1450) Mirror Our Lady (Fawkes)132 : That was hys testamente, that was hys othe, to gyue hymselfe to vs.
b
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)pp.89,90 : Þe temple of god in heuen is open, & þe hucche of his testament is in his temple..Þe hucche of his testament bitokneþ Iesus crist.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 6.15 : Dauiþ & al þe hous of israel brouȝten þe arke of þe testament of þe lord.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Jer.3.16 : Whan ȝee shul ben multiplied & encresen in þe lond in þoo daiys..þei shul sey no-more þe arke of þe testament of þe lord, ne it shal steȝen vp vp on herte.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.9.4 : The tabernacle was maad first..aftir the veil..the arke of testament..hauynge..the tablis of testament, vpon whiche thingis weren cherubyns of glorie, schadewinge the propiciatorie.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.293 : In þe olde testament me redeþ..of foure men names..In þe newe testament.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4318 : I pray yow, looketh wel In the olde testament, of Danyel, If he heeld dremes any vanytee.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)330b/a : Of him com al þe poeple of Israel and two and twenty bookes of þe olde testament and two and twenty lettres of 'abc.'
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)120 : I sal yow schew wit myn entent Bre[fl]i of aiþere testament.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21717 : O cros in þe ald testament [Phys-E: testamente] Was bisening.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)3/29 : This book among oþire bookis of þe newe teestament is clepid bi þe name of prophecie.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)60/9 : Þe two wyngis of þe egle þat weren ȝeuen to þe womman ben þe two teestamentis.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)16/9 : Þe boke of þe haliȝes sal be red, baþe of þe newe lay & of þalde testament.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)12/36 : Wee synne dedly in etynge of bestes þat weren forboden in the olde testement.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)61 : As the old testament beryth wytnesse, The sone hys fadrys wykkydnesse Shal not bere, but if he it sewe.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)268/38 : Þat noþur clerkes of þe old testament ne of þe newe wondre not of oure gouernaunce.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)43/19 : He sent to Jerusalem onto Eleazar þe bischop for to haue þe Elde Testament translate out of Hebrew into Greke tonge.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)28/7 : Þese seid vij maters..in þe holy bible, made of þe oolde testament and of þe newe..mowe be knowen.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)prol.4 : This boke of all haly writ is mast oysed in halykyrke seruys..for it contenys..the lare of the ald testament, & of the new.
- a1500 Nicod.(4) (Hrl 149)128 : Make me an arche, wher-yn y wyl that ye put the Testament. And y wyl that yt be made.
- a1500 WBible(2) GProl.(Wor F.172)16 : This booke comprehendith al thold and the newe testament and techith plainly the mysteries of the Trinite.
4.
(a) Legal witness to the authenticity of a document; (b) a declaration, testimony; (c) a pledge, an obligation; (d) a decree, law.
Associated quotations
a
- (1412) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.50 : In testmonde of thys wyll endentyd, we hafe set howre selys.
- (1439) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.18 : Jn-to ye testement of ye whych thyng, to ye present wrytyng eueredyr parte hafe set to yer seeles. These wytnes: jon lynacure, Thomas cavse.
b
- (c1390) Gower CA 1st Concl.(Bod 902)8.2955* : And gret wel Chaucer whan ye mete, As mi [Venus'] disciple and mi poete..Thow schalt him telle this message..Do make his testament of love, As thou hast do thi schrifte above, So that mi Court it mai recorde.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)3.1120 : Beleue þat of a virgyn his manhood grew, And she ondefowled—for she is present, She can bere wittenesse of this testament.
c
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)68/14 : Freres be neuerþelasse y-holde and holde þat testament ȝif Fraunceys bitoke hem þat by auctorite of God.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.158r : Ho so ever by any maner here afterwarde by any occasion enforseth hem to breke this testament of priuilegie be he after with a wyndwe so wyndwed away in the laste dome.
- c1450(?c1400) 3 KCol.(1) (Cmb Ee.4.32)86/23 : Whan þes iij kyngis had ordeyned her testamentys and do what þei wolde, þan þei toke her leve euerych of oþir and..rode home in to his owne londe.
d
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.14.12 : Be þou myndeful for deþ shal not tarien & þe testament of helle þat is shewid to þee, þe testament forsoþe of þys world bi deþ shal dien.
- ?a1425 WBible(2) Gloss.Ecclus.(Cld E.2)14.12 : The testament of hellis; that is, the ordenaunce of God, of the deth of ech man; it is seid the testament of hellis, for whanne this book was maad, iust men ȝeden doun to helle.