Middle English Dictionary Entry
wicche-craft n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wicche-craft n. Also wicshcrafte, wischecraft, whicchecrafte, (early) wiecchecraft, wiccecræft, vichecraft & (errors) wychcrte, wycchecaste. |
| Etymology | OE wicce-cræft |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: For other forms see wicch(e n. & craft n.(1).
1.
(a) Sorcery, magic, necromancy, etc. as an activity, a body of knowledge, or a subject of study; an occult art, a specific magical art or practice; also, superstitious or pagan practice; a heathen custom;
(b) supernatural power; a magical power; a particular exercise or display of supernatural power, a demonstration of magic; also, a specified medium through which supernatural power is displayed, such as an incantation, a spell, charm, etc.;
(c) the effects, usu. harmful, of the use of magical powers, enchantment; also, an enchantment;
(d) ?a sorceress or an enchantress; ?= (a).
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.VA (Vsp D.14)14/36 : He sceal…þa arlease adræfen of his earde, mid eallen wiccecræft aleggen.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7077 : Driȝmenn…follȝhenn wicche crafftess.
- c1225 Wor.Bod.Gloss.(Hat 115:Pope)607/380 : Wicchecreft [OE scincræftum].
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)108/26 : Herto falleð sygaldren…lefunge o swefne…& on alle wicchecreftes.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1308 : Þu wiecchecrafte neauer ne [l]ete.
- ?a1300 Sirith (Dgb 86)206 : Ich am on holi wimon, On wicchecrafft nout I ne con.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)4441 : Of wichecraft & vilaine and eke of nigramace Of þis warld sche couþe mast.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)118 : Al þe werk of wicchecraft wel ynouȝ che couȝþe.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1305 : Ther was…a man…That…dide execucioun In punysshynge of fornicacioun, Of wicchecraft, and eek of bawderye.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)796/9 : In Persida…wicchecrafte was furst yfounde.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)354 : Ȝyf you yn swerd, oþer yn bacyn, Any chylde madyst loke þeryn, Or yn þumbe, or yn cristal—wycchecraft men clepyn hyt al.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1560 : Baltazar…[b]ede þe cete to seche segges…Þat wer wyse of wychecrafte.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)61b/a : Sortilegium: wycchecraft [Hrl 1738: divinacio].
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)8/26 : Þe Foure Maistres þe whiche made bookes of cirurgie…medled in hem many charmes or wicche-craftes.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)9 : Þei studien on þe holy day aboute experymentis or wiche craft.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)117/25 : Circes…was a grete enchaunteresse & knewe myche of sorcerie & wich-crafte.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)79/7 : What is wicchecraft in itsilf and wheþir wicchecraft be enye trespase aȝens eny poynt of þe iiij seide tablis…is tauȝt…in þe reule of cristen religioun.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)47 : Þis fals man…was gretly exercised in wischcraft and ful familiar with spiritis.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)23/20 : Zorastes…was fynder of wichcraft.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.340 : Thow shalt vse noo wichecraft for non entent.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)139a : A Wechecrafte: Sortilegium, venificium idem est.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.167 : Euery craft þat man or woman vsyth to knowyn…or to don ony þyng þat he may nouȝt knowyn ne don be weye of reson ne be werkynge of kende, it is wychecraft.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)33/154b : Carmina: wychcrte [read: wychcrafte] or prophesy.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)94/326a : Venecisium: wycshecrafte.
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Bod 34)118/830 : Þu wið þi wicchecreft habbe imaket se monie to eornen towart hare deað.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)57/487 : Oðer þurh wiheles ant þurh wicchecreftes wurchið summe wundres.
- a1275 *Body & S.(4) (Trin-C B.14.39)131 : Ne wiche ne walkirie vit hire uiche craft Ne mit binimen þen det, hir mitte and ir maite.
- ?c1335 Nou ihc for þi (Hrl 913)47 : Ve [read: Ye] beþ hi þe deuil betauȝt Þat…makiþ goddis þroȝ wichcraft.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)43/17 : To þise zenne belongeþ þe zenne of ham…þet makeþ…be wychecreft…þet uolk þet byeþ ine spoushod togydere ham hatieþ.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4044 : His wif with wichecraft to a wolf him schaped.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1211/3 : Wicches vsen þe herte…of þis beste [hyena] in many wicchecraftes.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1712 : Ȝyf þou madest euer any wyche, Þurgh whycchecraft [vr. wycchecaste] wedlak to flycche, For to destruble þe ryȝt weddyng, Þou art a-cursed yn þat þyng.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Deeds 8.11 : Thei leueden hym, for long tyme he hadde maddid hem with his witche craftis [WB(1): wicchingis; L magiis].
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)183a/a : It softeneþ and resolueþ alle maner hardenesse, riȝte as it were a þing don bi wicchecrafte.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2)859 : Hast þow made any wych-crafte, For any þynge þat þe was rafte?
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)378 : Þer worthid he by his wiche-craft in-to a wild dragon.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)65/11 : The moste party of the knyghtes…seyde that Balyne dud nat this adventure only by myght but by wycchecrauffte.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)121 : With chaynys and barrys the dyche lay wyde & depe; the thef with hys wycchecraft ouer hem all he lepe.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)2871 : Som seide he had to his entent Som wichecraft or som experyment.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13237 : Þe worthy…sped hir full specially my sped for to let, With wiles & wicchecraft my way for to hindur.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)465 : Egipt by eritage entred hee never, Hee wanne it by witchcraft.
c
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)833/30 : Adamas…putteþ of diuers dredes and…wiþstondiþ wicchecrafte.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)852/21 : Gete…helpeþ aȝeins wicchecraft and fordoþ harde enchauntementz.
- a1400 Newberry Lapid.(Nwb Case 32.9)15/2 : Saphire is wel good…forto breke wicchecraftes.
- a1500 Bod.EMisc.Lapid.(BodEMisc e.558)32/262 : She [jet] distroyeth wichecrafte.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)280 : Þat lond ywis Euery-del bi-wicched is…Þerof shal neuere come bounte, Til þe wicchecrafte fordone be.
d
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)17/107a : Incantatrix: wycchys or wycchecrafte.