Middle English Dictionary Entry
bishop-rīch(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bishop-rīch(e n. Also bisceop rice, bishop-rik(e, -rige, bissop-rich(e, bispriche. |
| Etymology | OE bisceop-rīce |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The province under the authority of a bishop (or archbishop); diocese (or archdiocese); the ~ of hevene, the kingdom of heaven; (b) the seat or residence of a bishop (with its cathedral).
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.963 : Þa makode he feola minstra, & draf ut þa clerca of þe biscop rice, forþan þet hi noldon nan regul healden.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1100 : He heafde on his agenre hand..þat bisceop rice on Win ceastre & þat on Sear byrig.
- a1126 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1125 : Willelme of Cantwarabyrig..ferde ofer eall Engla lande to ealle þa biscop rices.
- a1300 Hundreds Engl.(Jes-O 29)12.13 : Þis bispryche wes hwylen two bispriche.
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)54 : Þe bischopriche of wynchestre..þe bischopriche of baþe.
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)58 : Cornwaile, þat in þe bischopriche of Eccestre nouþe is.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)127-8 : Þe bissopriche of kanterbury þat of engelond is hext & þe bissopriche of roucestre.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1659-63 : Þer were arst in engelond, hor false lawes to lere, Eiȝte & twenti chef studes, bissopriches as it were..Þis gode king & þis holimen let velle hom alle þere, & eiȝte & twenty bissopriches in hor stede lete rere & þre erchebissopriches as þe erche temples were.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)53/1488 : Hyt by-tokneþ þane bisschop In þe bisschopriche of heuene..Was vicary þe pope hys I-maked here an erþe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.305 : Bygan þe ordre of the Charthous in Calabria in þe bisshopriche of Grannopolican.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)18/10 : A bischop, whanne he is made bischop, is made lord of al þe cuntray of his bischop-riche.
- (1421) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.9 : Medews, landes..þat liges in þe bisshoprige of doreham.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)12/79 : Ful wele [he] rewlid his bisschop-rike.
- c1525 Rule & T.St.Francis(2) (Fst D.4)573 : That the bretherne preche not in the bisshoperiche of eny bisshope, yf he be forbidden of hym.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1100 : On morgen æfter hlam mæsse dæge wearð se cyng Willelm on huntnoðe..mid anre fla of sceoten, & syððan to Winceastre gebroht, & on þam biscop rice bebyrged.
- (1404) Will York in Sur.Soc.4527 : Item y pray and charge to my forsaid executors, that thai sende to Northumberlond and to the Bysshoprik, for to wite if my faders aughte any dette atte his deyng.
2.
The office or benefice of a bishop (or archbishop); episcopacy.
Associated quotations
- (1100) Chart.St.Paul in RHS ser.3.5820 : Ic habbe geunnan Maurice bisceope þat bissceoperice on Lundone mid saca and mid soka.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1120 : Se arceb Turstein of Eoferwic wearð þurh þone papan wið þone cyng acordad..And his biscoprices onfeng, þeah hit þam arceb of Cantwarabyrig swyðe un gewille wære.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1123 : Ða hwile þat se ærcebiscop wæs ut of lande geaf se kyng ðone biscop rice of Baðe þes cwenes canceler, Gode[f]reið wæs gehaten..þa geaf he þone biscop rice of Lincolne an clerc Alexander wæs gehaten.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)357 : Þe bischop of wirecestre sone þere-after ded was, And þe bischop of hereforde al-so..Þe bischopriches fullen boþe In-to þe kingus hond..ase lawe was in þe lond.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)42 : Dyngnetes of holi cherche, ase byeþ bissopriches.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.131 : Þe bisshopriche of Ȝork cesede þritty ȝere..for to þat Egbert the bisshop..recouered it by auctorite of þe pope.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)11116 : He..wykkedly boȝt hys bysshopryche.
- (1418-9) MSS PRO in App.Bk.Lond.E.292 : [Master Henry Ware], Elit to þe Bysshopriche of Chichestre.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)37 : Byschypryche: Episcopatus, diocesis.
- (1449) RParl.5.158a : Yf ony person..have of the Kynge..ony graunte or lycence to entre into his inheritaunce..or voydaunces of Bisshupriches, Abbathiez, Prioriez.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)471 : Þou me gaff Boþe þe cros and þe staff..My bysschopryche þou reues me.
- a1450(1410) This holy tyme make (Dgb 102)154 : Ȝif a clerk haue þurgh hap Cure of soules or bischopriche.
- a1500(?c1400) EToulouse (Cmb Ff.2.38)1150 : Fette me the monke..A byschoperyke y wyll hym geue.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)81/35 : When Saynt Wolstan vyset hys byschopryche.
3.
Stewardship.
Associated quotations
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)2449 : Dauid in his sauter..seiþ, þat his bisschopriche an-oþer schal a-ffonge.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)108.7 : Ben his dayes made fewe, & anoþer tak his bischop bride [read: bischopriche; L episcopatum].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18892 : For his tresun and his suike Anoþer most haf his biscop-rike [Trin-C: bisshopriche].