Middle English Dictionary Entry
Venī̆ce n.
Entry Info
| Forms | Venī̆ce n. Also venicia, venise, venis(se, venix, venece, venẹ̄s, (in surnames) veneiz, venu(i)z. |
| Etymology | OF Venise & L Venetia, ML Venecia, Venicia, Venisia. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The city, region, or province of Venice; ~ ducat (grot), a Venetian coin; to ~ ward, into or toward Venice;
(b) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.377 : Aboute þe ȝere of oure Lord foure hondred þre score and sevene he [Mark] was translated and i-brouȝt out of Alexandria into Venys [Higd.(2): Venece].
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.51 : The Poo…encresseth in his cours To Emeleward, to Ferare and Venyse [vr. Venyce; rime: deuyse].
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)820/29, 821/3 : Uenicia is yseyde of oolde men þe prouynce of Venix, þe whiche prouynce streccheþ fro þe clyffe of þee see Adriaticum anoone to þe ryuer Padus…In the cooste of þe forsaide see aforne and nyȝe to þis prouynce þe citee of Venice is nouw ybylt.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)821/21 : The vertu and myȝt, avisement and redynes, and grete acord and loue of al ryȝtwysenes and myldenes of men of Venicia ben now yknow nyȝe to alle naciouns.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)35/18-19 : Summe men taken the see at Gene, Somme at Venyse, & passen be the see Adryatyk þat is clept the Goulf of Venyse, þat departeth ytaylle & Grece on þat syde.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)204 : Osay a[n]d algarde and oþer ynewe, Rynisch wyne and Rochell, richere was neuer; Vernage of Venyce, vertuouse and Crete [read: swete], In faucetez of fyn golde, fonode who so lykes!
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)344 : The grete galees of Venees and Florence Be wel ladene wyth thynges of complacence.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1348 : Every wal…Was plated half a foote thikke Of gold…As fyn as ducat in Venyse [rime: is].
- c1450 *Bk.Marchalsi (Hrl 6398)11a : A sted of Oliuete…or of Venise…þu ne shalt finde non of þeise þat he ne ben all good of kynde.
- c1470(?1458) Wey Money (Bod 565)2 : A market ys a galy halpeny, At Venyse clepyd an solde.
- c1470(?1458) Wey Money (Bod 565)3 : A Venyse doket ys worth xix jouetys and deners…In Surrey ye schal haue dremes and halfe dremes; ij dremes be worth iij Venyse grotis.
- (1461-83) Wardrobe Acc.Edw.IV in Hill Hist.Eng.Dress148 : Frenge of gold of Venys.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)69/9 : In his [Leo I’s] dayes þe body of Helize was translate to Alisaundre, and þe body of Mark onto Venys.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)167/29 : Venyce [F Venise]…fro the firste fundacion hedyrtoo was neuer gouerned othre wyse.
- a1500 Travel Instruc.(CotApp 8)278 : Be not to large of despences…for drede of suche aspies as ben…comene to Venyse-ward and suche other townes.
b
- (1130) in Ewen Surnames Brit.146 : Rob. de Venuiz.
- (1200) in Ewen Surnames Brit.146 : Leonard de Veneiz.
- (1315) in Ewen Surnames Brit.146 : Ric. de Wenise.
- (1322) in Ewen Surnames Brit.146 : J. Venuz.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Some or all of the examples in sense (b) may refer to a different place altogether. Both P. Hanks, et al., Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland (s.v. 'Veness'), and P. H. Reaney (3rd ed., rev. R. M. Wilson), Dictionary of English Surnames (s.v. 'Venes') trace these names to the former commune of Venoix, near Caen, in the present Department of Calvados in Normandy.