Middle English Dictionary Entry
vavasǒur n.
Entry Info
| Forms | vavasǒur n. Also vavasoure, vavasor, vavaser, vavacour, vavaceoure, vavesour, vavis(s)our(e, (WM) favasour & (in surnames) vavas(s)ur, vavaseur, vavassor, vavasawer, vaveser, vaversur, wawasur, wavesour & (errors) vanasour, vanasur, lavasour; pl. vavasour(e)s, etc. & (in rime) vavasour & (error) velasours. |
| Etymology | OF vavas(s)or, vavas(s)our, vavasseur, AF vavaçor, vavas(s)ur, wavasor; also cp. ML vavassor, AL valvassor. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A feudal tenant holding land of some other vassal, a subvassal; a feudal vassal, a liegeman; also, a member of the landholding nobility, presumably ranking below a baron;—often used in contrast with a king, knight, squire, etc.;
(b) ?a swaggerer; ?a vagrant or thug;
(c) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)4761 : Þai seyden whos sones þai were…Chasteleins sones and vauasours.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8661 : Boþe kniȝtes and vauasour Þis damisels loue par amour.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)71/1532 : After an emperour Mai me wedde a vauasour [vr. vauysour; 7S(2): vauaceowre].
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)430 : Knyȝt, þou art a qued…Litel prowesse for me it were wiþ a vauasour for to melle.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.360 : Ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire…A shirreue hadde he been and a countour; Was nowher swich a worthy vauasour [vrr. lauasour, vanasour, vavisoure, vauaser].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.166 : Statin his stiward spak to þe Emperoure…& was his seruitoure…Sir kyng Isakin, I am þi vauasoure…I wille be no traitoure.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3301 : Noot Ich no tale of his squyers, Ne of vavasoures [LinI: velasours] ne of bachilers.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3823 : Þere nas…forberyng Bituene vauasoure [LinI: fauasour] ne kyng.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)7312 : Schulde neuere kyng ne Emperour, Duke ne knyȝt ne vauesour Haue made vs passe the salte strem.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)10996 : He gaf giftes of honurs & landes & rentes to vauasours.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)26.53 : To An hygh good levere sche drowh here vnto, An old vauasour, A ful gentil knyht that Inne sche trosted with Alle hire Myht, For norre he was to hire sone so dere.
- c1475 Guy(4) (Cai 107/176)8839 : Hys lord…made hym knyght of gret honour From a pore vavyssoure.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1613 : Euerych was ȝong vauyssour Wyth goode gysarmes.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)192 : Ryche mennes sones, as Castelleins and vauasours of the londe…were of grete prowesse in the house of kynge Arthur.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)307 : This mayden…was the doughter of a vauasor of right high lynage.
b
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)6316 : Ȝit ben þer oþer ful many Þat ben holden right hardy And ben cowardes…Vauacours [F bobanciers et…gent de ville] suche men calle.
c
- (a1135) Cart.Whitby in Sur.Soc.691.30 : Willelmus le Vavassur.
- (1166) in Pipe R.Soc.98 : Gilbertus Vauassur.
- (c1174) in Hearne Liber N.Scac.(1728)40 : Willelmo Vanasur.
- (1191) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.2 ()69 : Malgerus Vauassor.
- (1198) Feet Fines Rich.I in Pipe R.Soc.24108 : Robertus le Vauasur.
- (1218) Justice in Eyre R.in Seld.Soc.5359 : Gilebertus Vavassur.
- (1252-3) Doc.Oxf.in OHS 70301 : Malgerus le Uauasur’.
- (1269) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms48 : Joh. le Vaversur.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 1334 : Johannes le Wawasur.
- (1288) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms48 : Joh. le Vavaseur.
- (1302-3) Feudal Aids 1100 : Willelmus le Vavasour.
- (1319) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms48 : Thom. Vauesour.
- (1332) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms48 : Will. Vauacour.
- (1371) Fabric R.Yk.Min.in Sur.Soc.357 : Dati forestar’ domini de Vavasor…6 s. 8 d.
- (1439) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms48 : Joh. Vavasour, Vavasawer.
- (1471) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms48 : Nic. Vaveser.
- (1484) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms48 : Henr. Vavisour.
- (1490) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms48 : Ric. Wavesour.
- -?-(1166) Red Bk.Exch.in RS 99424 : Willelmus Le Vavasur.