Middle English Dictionary Entry
West-sexene lawe phr.
Entry Info
| Forms | West-sexene lawe phr. Also westesaxenelaga, westesaxenelega, (early) westsaxenelage. |
| Etymology | From OE West-Seaxena, -Sexena (pl. gen. of West-Seaxe) & lagu. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An Anglo-Saxon code of laws, West Saxon law;
(b) the area governed under this code of laws in OE and early ME times.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1300) in Stubbs Select Chart.()208 : Propositis igitur legibus Anglicanis secundum tripartitam earum distinctionem, hoc est Merchenelage, Denelage, Westsaxenelage…Neustriae leges…adjecit.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)21/25 : Kynge Aluredus addid þer-to the lawe Englyssh, and þis lawe was clepid Westesaxene-lega.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.85 : These ix sowthe prouinces…were iuggede somme tyme by the lawe of the Weste Saxones, whiche is callede Westesaxenelaga.
b
- a1300 Hundreds Engl.(Jes-O 29)146/39-40 : Þes xxxij schire syndon to-delede on þreo lawan; On is west-sexene lawe, Oþer Dene lawe, þe þrydde Mercena lawe; To west-sexene lawe bi-lympeþ ix schiren: Kent, suþsexe, Bearruc schire, wilton schire…suþhampton schire, sumerseth schire, Dorset schire, Deuena schre.