Middle English Dictionary Entry
bishop n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bishop n. Also (early) biscop, biskop; bishup, biship, bishob; bissop; ? bisp; bushop, boshop, boship; bechop, beyshop. Pl. bishop(p)es, etc.; bispes; (dat.) biscopen. |
| Etymology | OE bisc(e)op |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An officer or dignitary of the Christian Church ranking below an archbishop, having jurisdiction over a diocese; (b) any dignitary in the hierarchy of the church of the rank of bishop or higher; ~ of Rome; also used of Christ.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1114 : Se cyng geaf þet arceb rice on Cantwara byrig Raulfe; se wæs æror biscop on Hrofe ceastre.
- (1155) Chart.Hen.II in Hall EME (Hrl Charter 3.B.49)11 : H'þurh godes ȝefu ænglelandes king, gret ealle mine bissceopas & ealle mine eorlas.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13245 : Wes i þere ilke wike þe ærchebiscop forþ iwiten; nes þer nan biscop þat forþ on his wæi ne scoc.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)61 : Ech bishup þe in his minister beð.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)109/9 : Þat he bie hersum gode and..ðe biscope, and his prieste, and his louerde.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1761 : Þat his bischopen [Jes-O: biscopen] muchel schame.
- a1300(OE) Deed Crediton (CotR 2.11)115 : Hich, egger bischob, be-bude alle mine afther-comende to cridintones ministre [etc.].
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)93 : Þane bischop of londone for-soþe he fond þere.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)603-4 : To þe bischop fram þe Ercedekne his apel [he] scholde make, And fram þe bischop to þe Erchebischop.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1766 : In sentence he let do And þene bischop of salesburi.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6983 : Þe bissopes ech on..asoilede þe king of þis trespas.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)235 : Of clerkes y-hoded, ase byeþ suþdeaknes, dyaknes, prestes and bissoppes.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.343 : Bulles of popes and of cardynales, Of patriarkes and bisshopes I shewe.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.838 : If she were a gentil womman, she sholde be slayn with stones; and if she were a bisshopes doghter, she sholde be brent by goddes comandement.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1317 : For er the bisshop caughte hem with his hook, They weren in the erchedekenes book.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)129a/a : Children beþ I cristened..of a bisschop in þe forehede whanne þey beþ confermed.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.114 : Thurstan sent his sond tille a bissh [?read: bissp] sauuage, Rauf of Orkeney.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)prol.83 : Persones and parisch prestes pleyned hem to þe bischop.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.561 : Euery bisshop [C: busshope] þat bereth crosse, by þat he is holden Thorw his prouynce to passe and to his peple to shewe hym..And feden hem with gostly fode.
- ?a1425(a1400) Brut-1377 (Corp-C 174)327/7 : Bosship of Ely..bisship of Worsschestre.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Prelates (Corp-C 296)85 : Ȝif prestis wolen..techen þe gospel in a bischopis diocise, a noon he schal be forboden but ȝif he haue leue of þat bischop; & he schal paie comunly for þat leue myche money, or ellis swere þat he schal not speke aȝenst grete synnes of þat bischop.
- (c1438) MKempe B (Add 61823)250/4 : For þe Pope & alle hys cardinalys, for alle erchebischopys & bischopys, & for al þe ordir of presthoode.
- c1440 Treat.PN(2) (Thrn)263 : Erchebechopes and bechopes.
- (1449) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 875 : Ye beschope of lynkole.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)349 : Þe toun Off Cauntyrbery, þat noble wyke, þerin lay þat bysschop ryke, þat lord off gret renoun.
- a1450 Desert Relig.(Add 37049)354 : Confermyng of byschopehande.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)417 : Bischops & archidekenes..shulden not amersy pore men.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)33 : Now of þis Augustynes art is Erkenwolde bischop..Syttes semely in þe sege of Saynt Paule mynster.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)1689 : 'Wyltou forsake the deuyl?' sayd the bosschope tho.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1100 : Þa witan..Heanrig to cynge ge curan..And hine syððan..se biscop of Lundene, Mauricius, to cynge gehalgode.
- 1123 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1123 : Ða ferde se ærcebiscop..to Can't'warabyrig..& was þære sone gebletsod to biscop fram se biscop of Lundene, & se b Ernulf of Roueceastre, & se b Willelm Gifard of Winceastre, & se b Bernard of Wales, & se b Roger of Searesbyrig.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1958 : Wiþ cardenales & bischopus & abbotes fele.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)prol.75 : Weore þe Bisschop I-blesset and worþ boþe his Eres, Heo scholde not beo so hardi to deceyue so þe peple.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)8.13 : Busschops [B: Bisshopes], þat blessen and boþe þe lawes cunnen, Lokeþ on þat on lawe and lereþ men þat oþer.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.41 : Bisshopes yblessed, þei bereth many names: Presul and pontifex and metropolitanus..episcopus & pastor.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)3804 : Pardon of papes and bisschopes..May availe þair saules in purgatory.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)0a/b : To ȝow my lordes leches of Mountpelers..of paryse & of Auinioun..which haþ taken me to felawship in seruise of bisshopes of Rome.
- ?c1430(?1382) Wycl.Pet.Parl.(Corp-C 296)511 : Bisshopis dowid wiþ seculer lordshipes.
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)331 : Þis bischop of Rome wiþ his court.
2a.
(a) bishop-stọ̄l [OE bisceop-stōl], a bishop's seat or residence; (b) bishop-sẹ̄, bishopes ~, a bishop's seat; (c) bishop-cros, a bishop's ceremonial staff; ~ hǒus, the High Priest's palace; ~ sēte, a bishop's raised seat or throne; ~ shọ̄n, a bishop's sandals; ~ wīte, imposing of fines by a bishop, or the right to do so.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)24287 : Þe biscop stole wes at sein Aaron.
- a1300 Hundreds Engl.(Jes-O 29)24 : On willames daye þe yonger kynges wes þat Abboddie by-numen And imaked þer Bisscop stol.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.5 : Bisshopriches and of bisshoppes sees.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.248 : Þe olde chartres & titles..Of ilk a bisshop se & ilk a priourie.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6871 : Þen was at Londone þe bischopes se, When Cristendam com first to be. Þe Erchebischop highte Guncelyns.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)11059 : Seint Aaron, þer was þe byschopes se [vr. bisshop see].
c
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.675 : Ic beode æc þet þe seyr biscop ne seo swa dyrstlece þet he ne hading ne haleging ne do on þis abbot rice..ne biscop wite, ne sinað.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)9.86 : Dobest..Bereþ A Busschopes cros, Is hoket atte ende to holden [hem] in good lyf.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)15873 : His hend þai band and ledd him forth..Vntil þair aun biscop hus [vr. bisshop hous].
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)11b/a : Cambuca: a bysshopes cros or a croked staf.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)14b : A Byschope seyt: orchestra..Byschope shone: Sandalia.
2b.
bishopes court, the ecclesiastical court of a bishop; ~ halle, bishop's palace; ~ lettre, letter of a high church official; ~ minster, cathedral; ~ sele, seal of a high church official.
Associated quotations
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)prol.66 : A pardoner..brouȝt vp a Bulle with Bisschopes seles.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)8.157 : Dowel Indulgence passede..and Busschopes lettres.
- (1446) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 483 : For caryage of the bordys..into the bushopys halle.
- (1447) Shillingford20 : Of the Bysshoppis fe..and of the Bysshoppis Court.
- (1480-82) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.32148 : Paid to the bisshoppes corte for breking of the bisshops seale on the chirche dorre, vij s.
- a1525(?1424) Cov.Leet Bk.96 : Seyng þat he..licens had to preche, of the bischops minysters of this diocese.
2c.
(a) lord bishop; (b) ~ possessioner, a bishop holding endowments or property; (c) ~ diocesan, the bishop of a diocese.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)171b/b : Þe lord and bisshop of Marsilienser.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)180b/a : Þe lord bisshop of Rygence counseilled þe lord bisshop of marsilence.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)201 : Mi lorde Sire Bisshop, with ȝowre mitre & crose..to accounte ȝe shul be browȝt.
b
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apost.(Dub 245)438 : Þer ben fewe bisshopis, possessioners..þat þei ne ben apostataes.
c
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)676/19 : The lawfull right and reverence of the Bisshoppe diocesane.
3.
A chief priest, high priest, pontiff, flamen (of the Hebrews, Romans, etc.); ~ chef, grettest ~, High Priest.
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1138 : Þe ramm wass offredd forr þe preost To clennsenn himm off sinne, & ffor þe bisscopp wass þe calf Offredd.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)9184 : Tweȝȝenn preostess wærenn þa..þatt wærenn oferr Godess follc Bisskopess..Kayphas & Anna.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25623 : Biscopes [Otho: bissopes] þis iherden & boc-ilærede men.
- a1300 I-hereþ nv one (Jes-O 29)352 : Pilates hym onswerede: 'am ich Gyv þenne? þe byspes þe me bitauhte.'
- a1300 I-hereþ nv one (Jes-O 29)471 : Þe bispes of þe gywes seyden pilates to.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3842 : Ðo wisten he ðat Aaron was hem bissop ðurg God don.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)236 : God het to aaron, þet wes prest and bissop, þet alle his children [etc.].
- c1390 Chart.Abbey HG (Vrn)358 : And smot of a boyes ere þet was a Bisschopes mon.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)129b/b : Þe same day þe hiest bisschop entride..wiþ þe blood of a reed hayffar & wissche and clensid þat holy place.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14506 : Biscops [vr. Busshoppes] war þai þan a-bute, Ilkan bot his tueluemoth v[te].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19422 : Þe biscop a þair lai.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1445 : Þe gay coroun..þat hade ben blessed bifore wyth bischopes hondes, And wyth besten blod busily anoynted.
- c1410 Trev.Higd.(Add 24194)1.217 : [Þre temples were..in Rome þat hadde flamines] þat were bisshops to serve false goddis.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)23/243 : A bisschop..Þat was mayster of þaire maumettri.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)9/4 : Afterward was oure lord lad forth before the Bisschoppes & the maystres of the lawe.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)3470 : A noble Clerk, that het Calcas, Off hem of Troye bysshop was.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)37 : Bysshoppe: Episcopus, antistes, pontifex, presul.
- ?a1450(1422) Lydg.SD (McC 182)60/36 : Þe grettiste bisschope of here lawe.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)2005 : Aron was ordand byschop to be..And prestes and dekyns..at serue to hym.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)2681 : Elyazer, byschope was he the pepyll forto rewle and rede.
- a1456(a1402) *Trev.Nicod.(Add 16165)96b : And broughte him first to þe bisshop [vr. beyschop].
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)21.48 (v.1:p.183) : The bysshop of the ydols came to Felix, seyeng ..: 'My god .. whan he sawe the commen, he fled awey fast.'
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)70.65 (v.2:p.42) : The bisshops of the templys .. whan blissid Marc in the solempte of Estern was at his messe .. come togider and threwen a rope abouten his necke.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)22213 : Moyses, the byschop cheeff.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.83rb : Joachim the highe bisshop of Jherusalem cam vnto Bethulye with all the preestis for to see Judith.
4.
Spiritual leader or adviser.
Associated quotations
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)189 : King he is and bissop, ase zayþ þe writinge. Vor he nom kende of man, of kinges kennd and of bissoppes.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)1 Pet.2.25 : Ȝe ben conuertid now to the sheperde and bischop of ȝoure soulis.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 20.28 : Al the folk in which the Hooly Gost sette ȝou bischopis.
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)310 : Crist, verrest bischop of alle.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 ?Scrope Ribot First Monks (Lamb 192)118/25 : The Rewle of the relygion was approbatt be Honory the thrydde pope and confermyd be Gregory the ix pope and Innocent the viijte, all hey bysschoppys [L pluros summos pontifices].
Note: Ed.: "'all hey bysschoppys' added to Ribot's text; here, as below, where it translates 'pluros summos pontifices'..Scrope uses the phrase to mean 'popes'."
Note: ?New sense.
Note: New phrase: heigh ~, the Pope, bishop of Rome.
- (a1410) Love Mirror (CmbAdd 6578:Sargent2005) 21/3 : I [Mary] asked grace to be obeschante to þe biddynges & þe ordinances of þe bischope [L pontificis] of þe temple.
Note: Additional quote for sense 3.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.46 : What þe prest schal don ȝif þe buschop bydde hym cursyn a man…whom he woot vngylty.
Note: New form: Also..buschop.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 1.(a).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--notes per MLL