Middle English Dictionary Entry
warisǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | warisǒun n. Also warisoune, warison(e, warisun, warisumme, wareisoun, wareisun, wareson, warrison, warsoun, warson, werison, weresoun. |
| Etymology | ONF warison, var. of OF garison, AF garisoun(e, garaisoun, g(u)arisun, guare(i)sun; some quots., esp. in sense 2., may reflect confusion with ME gersum(e n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. garisoun n.
1.
(a) A reward or payment bestowed by a superior in exchange for some service; also used iron. [quot. a1470]; also, specif. a reward in the form of property;
(b) heavenly reward; hevenli ~, ?spiritual reward or largesse;
(c) deserved recompense for wrongdoing, due punishment.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)1672 : Þe king…him bede mani warisone & miche tresour.
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)810 : Finlac King…To ȝif him his warisoun…tok malkan kinges lond & sesed it in to Hornnes hond.
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)836 : For heore foule tresoun Hy wenden habbe warisoun.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1099 : Doþ…þat faire cure &…Of ȝour warysoun ȝe schul be sure wan þat ich it seo.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2508 : Rynges, Herneys, armes, oþer þinges, Alisaunder freli diȝttes After werþe amonge his kniȝttes; Þere nas knaue ne quystroun Þat ne had his warisoun.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)2225 : He…said þat he sold…gif þam ful gude warisowne Þat kowth bring þat ymage doun.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)782 : Madame…My waryson ȝe me highte; I aske noghte bot ȝone knyghte To slepe be my syde.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)10046 : For his goode seruyce…The lordeship of a grete tovn He yafe him to his warison.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)1907 : Than gyf us oure warryson.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)693 : Thou shalte haue thy warysowne And chose thyselfe a ryche towne.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3431 : Þai wend wele þaim to wyn a waryson for euire.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)504/8 : Well am I rewarded for the sleyng of Tauleas, the myghty gyaunte…many…dedys have I done for hym, and now have I my waryson!
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)158 : Hark þou, cokes knaue, Of me þy warsoun þou schalt haue, Wyth þat dow do þat y wyll craue In pryuyte.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)193/2 : When Seneca…askyd his waryson as þe maner was, Nero wyth al his myȝt smot hym on the hed.
b
- c1400 PLove (Hrl 2254)201/19 : Þou art ladi of þe hiȝe kyngdome & departer of heuenly warisoun.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)254/5 : We arn alle felawys in goddys host, þat yche day fyȝten as his knyȝtes, and alle we abyde on warysoun.
c
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1537 : Narcisus…his warisoun [F Son guerredon et sa merite] he took For the lady that he forsook.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1908 : I sall sle ȝow, bothe two, And all siche othir mo, Þaire waryson to ȝelde!
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)362/89 : For thy presumpcyoune Þou haste thy warisoune!
2.
(a) A payment; law monetary payment in exchange for land or rights over land, a monetary payment in a land transaction; also, ?a fine or amercement [quot. ?c1475]; in (in-to) ~, as payment;
(b) a pension, dole, an endowment; a portion, esp. in the form of land or office.
Associated quotations
a
- c1460 Oseney Reg.164/18 : I, Hugh of Tywe, ȝafe…to Nicoll …j mese with ij croftes…And for this ȝevyng…Nycoll ȝafe to me cl li. of goode & lawfull moneye by-fore handes in weryson.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)156/28 : And for this yifte…the forsaid mynchons of Godestowe yaf to hym ix marke of siluer into waryson [L in gersumma].
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)223/5 : Martyn clerk…yaf…to henry styuor of hampton, for hys homage & seruice & for xxx shillings of syluyr, the whyche the foreseyd henry gafe by-fore hondys to the seyd martyn in warisumme, a place of hys court conteynynge of brede xxxvj feete, [etc.].
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)354/26 : Race fitz Alisaundre…yaf…to dame Amphelice, abbesse of Godestowe and to the Couent of the same place, xvj acris of arable lond…and for this graunte…the forsaid abbesse and Couent in the stede of a warison the vesture of xx acris of lond…yelded to hym.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)135b : A Warysoun: Emercio, Emercium.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.231 : Godiue…naked throughout all Couentree…rode…For otherwise therle would not it free…Trustyng she would not for no waryson Haue doen it so.
b
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)308 : Lyflode, or warysone: Donativum.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)261 : Indwyn, and yeve warysone: Doto.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)39 : Now was he kyng…He sendes afftyr hys breþeryn þre And gaff hem here warysoun.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)8196 : He gaue to cuthbert norham toun, Bathe Gedeworth, as warysoun.
- ?1457 Hardyng Chron.A (Lnsd 204)p.743 : Ye graunted me to haue…The maner hool of Gedyngton…Bot…your noble chaunceller…wolde nought suffre I had such waryson.
3.
Possession; haven to ~, to have (a woman) in one’s possession, have to wife; also, have (land) in one’s full possession; wedden to ~, wed (a woman), take to one’s possession in wedlock; yeven to ~, give (a woman) as a possession; also, give (sb. a woman) in marriage [1st quot.].
Associated quotations
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.21 : Elfride þorgh heritage toke him þe coroune & gaf Alfride his broþer Surray to warisoune.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.69 : Þe duke wrote to þe kyng…Bisout him…þat he wild hold his oth & ȝeld him þe coroun of Inglond…Or Marie to warisoun wed hir, & joy it wele.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)2399 : Þat damysele I sal…gif to warisowne Ane of þe foulest quisteroun, Þat ever ȝit ete any brede; He sal have hir maydenhede.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)3586 : To þe king al þai bisoght…Þat he sold evin þe landes dele, And gif þe ȝonger damysele Þe half…Þat sho mai have to warisowne.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1284 : ‘My moste fo & my feloun Schal haue my doughter to warisoun, Bot of o þyng ys my ioye: He ys þe doughtiest man of Troye’…Þe kyng dide his doughter brynge & gaf hure Brutus in weddynge.
4.
(a) Wealth, possessions; gold and ~;
(b) fig. immaterial treasure; a precious possession;
(c) advancement, advantage; enrichment, prosperity, profit; bringen to (in) ~.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)105/2142 : Wide…ichaue iwent And me warisoun [vrr. gret raunsom, moche golde] ispent.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2253 : What man…miȝt…finde tvo breme wite beres…he schold winne his wareson to weld for evere, þurh þe grete god of gold þat him bi ȝive schold.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.671 : Now aday is manyon Which…fasteth ofte and hiereth Messe…Bot yet his herte…Goth in the worldes cause aboute, How that he myhte his warisoun Encresce.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.3349 : Mi fader…hath bot a lite Of warison, and that he wende Hadde al be lost.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)708 : Þe porter ys Florys man bycome For his gold…and his warysone [vr. garsome].
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.184r : Kyng William honoured his moder .. which moder tofor kyng Williames faders deth was wedded to a mene man of waryson [L (Wm of Malmesbury (Hardy 456)): mediocrium opum viro] me cleped Harlewyne de Countevile.
b
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.2 : Wit and wisdom Is god wareisun.
- a1350 St.Marina (Hrl 2253)109 : Þou ne dudest nout ase hende to by nymen þat may hire wareisoun.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2190 : Ȝyf þou rauysshe a mayden powre…Þou hast stole here warysun.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)8372 : Of alle foles are þey fyles Þat gentyl wymmen begylys…To reue here here warysun.
c
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2463 : Vortiger…ȝef him lindeseye…Ware þoru him & is men in vair warison he broȝte.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8878 : Þe king vor ire eritage him gan vnderstonde To bringe roberd is sone abast in is warison [B vrr. weresoun, warson] þere Þoru spousinge of þis mayde.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)5330 : Douke Otus soudour was he, For his warisoun wiþ him to be.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)2202 : Þyse madenes gent…war sent To þe Kyng…To brynge þem to warisone; Al were þey gyuen…To þe Troiens men of gode.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6552 : Conan sente his sonde To Dianot…To sende hym…gentil damysels…able to mennes companye…To gyue hem to knyghtes & to swayns…Alle þat he myghte he schold hym sende, Wiþ waryson he schold þem mende.
- c1450 Lydg.SSecr.Ctn.(Sln 2464)2413 : Thy men of Armys…Gyf them fair speche, behete them warysoun.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.177 : The Saxons…To Saxon they sente…And bad them come in haste…For theyr owne helpe and for their waryson.
5.
Security of life and limb, safety; protection; bringen (saven) to ~.
Associated quotations
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)13/234 : I mai liue to god ending, And sauue me to warisoun, And ȝou fram destruccioun.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.198 : His doughter with þe quene was, for hir warisoun [F garisoun].
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)918 : I sal help þe fra presowne And bring þe to þi warisowne.
- c1450 Lydg.SSecr.Ctn.(Sln 2464)2337 : Doo them avaunce…Which…besy…be In thy nedys…in them stant the warysoun Of thy worshepe, thy lyf or thy destruccioun.