Middle English Dictionary Entry
York n.
Entry Info
| Forms | York n. Also yorke, ȝork(e, everwik(e, (N) eborwik & (early) ȝorc, ȝeorc, everwich, everwic, evirwike, evorwic, eoverwic, eoferwic, eoforwic, (NEM) yerk. |
| Etymology | OE Eofor-wīc, Eofer-wīc, Efor-wīc, Efer-wīc & ON (cp. OI Jōr-vīk, Jōrk); ult. Celt. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) In combs. referring to the city, county, or ecclesiastical see of York: ~ (yorkes) cite, ~ toun; ~ (yorkes) lond; ~ minster, York Minster; ~ peni, a type of bronze coin minted at York; ~ walles, the city walls of York; yorkes wold, the Yorkshire Wolds; from (to) ~ ward, from (in) the direction of York, away from (toward) York;
(b) in comb. with shire, referring to the county: ~ shire, Yorkshire; ~ shire ston, a magnesian limestone quarried in Yorkshire;
(c) as adj.: of York; ?also, the Yorkist party or faction [glossing L eboracensis participium];
(d) in surnames and noble titles;
(e) in names of the city, county, or ecclesiastical see of York; for further exx. see EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks. & York) 275-76.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)25897 : Þe waies he tok Priue fra eborwikes cite…to excestre.
- (1428) Rec.Norwich 1 ()303 : [Thomas paid…10 shillings in separate pennies and in other pennies called] pens of to pens [coined of brass called] braspens [according to the forms and similitude of pence called] Yorkpens.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)23/10 : Þis creatur was komyng fro-Ȝorke-ward beryng a botel wyth bere in hir hand.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)122/7 : A worschepful doctowr…had monyschyd hir…to aperyn beforn hym in þe Chapetyl-hows…in Ȝorke Minstyr.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6190 : When Constant had y-mad his fyn, In Euerwyk toun þey byried hym.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)144/30 : Scottis come euene to Ȝork walles.
- (1472-5) RParl.6.157b : Grete multitude of Woll…growyng in Yorkeswold, and in the Shires of Lincoln, Notyngham, and Derby…been caried oute of this Reame into Flaundres.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.188 : Tharchbyshop Egbert Of Yorke…The primacye and pall brought to Yorkes [vr. Yorke] lande.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.276 : At Yorke citee…he then did homage For Scotland whole and isles apperteinyng.
- c1616(1441) Coucher Bk.Plumptonp.lix : The said officers, servants, and tenants of the said Cardinall had knowledge of their said lying in waite for them and were disposed therefore to eschew that way, and to take the way to York-ward by Thornton brig.
b
- 1130-35(OE) Leges Edw.Conf.in Liebermann Gesetze 1652 : Euerwichescyre, Nicolescyre, Notingehamscyre…usque ad Watlingestret et viii ultra Watlingestret sub lege Anglorum.
- a1300 Hundreds Engl.(Jes-O 29)45 : To Dene lawe bilympeþ xv schire: Everwich schire, Snotingham, Deoreby schire, Leycestre schire, Lyncolne schire, Hertford schire, [etc.].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.87 : Ȝorkschire now streccheþ onlich from þe bowe of the ryuer of Humber anon to þe ryuer of Teyse, and ȝit in Ȝorkschire beeþ two and twenty hondredes.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1709 : Ther is in Yorkshire…A mersshy contree called Holdernesse.
- (1443) Proc.Privy C.5.273 : Þe Lord Willughby ij þe chief jug’ beth assigned to go & sitte in Yorkshir’ & sitt upon’ an oier & terminer.
- (a1450) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1367 : The enlargeyng of the seid qwere be take lowe att the bottom of the fundement with ij courses, first j cours of platt Yorkschire stone playne and well bedded.
- (1461) Paston2.230 : I herd…that Herry the Sext is jn a place in York-schire is calle Corcumbre.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.51a : Thomas Farnell, by force of a Writte…direct to the Shiref of Yorkshire…was brought before the Kyng.
- a1500(a1451) Commodities Eng.(LdMisc 593)550 : Fleynborough Hed…in Yorke schyre abuttyth evyn agenst Stauorn in Freslond.
- ?a1500 The propyrte of (Hrl 7371)p.269 : Yorkeschir, fall of kniȝtes; Lincolnschir, men full of miȝtes.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.364 : In Yorkshire so the Rokeby with theim mette Shrief of the shire, with power that he gette.
c
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)427 : Ȝorke: eboracus; eboracensis participium.
d
- (1130) Pipe R.Hen.I26 : Aldreti de Everwic.
- (1260) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames396 : John de Euirwikescire.
- (1324) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames396 : John de York.
- (1379) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames396 : William Yorkescher.
- (1379) Surnames in Bardsley D.834 : Agnes de York.
- (1454) Paston2.93 : As to my lord York, he abydyth…tille Corpus Christ feste be passed.
- (1455) Paston (Gairdner)3.33 : Harpere and ij other of the Kynges chamber were confedered to have steked the Deuk York in the Kynges chamber.
- (1456) Paston (Gairdner)3.75 : My Lordes York and Warwik comen to the Parlement in a good aray…all jakkid and in brigantiens.
- (1461) RParl.5.473b : That this Acte extend not in any wise nor be prejudiciall unto William York the Elder…nor unto William York the yonger.
e
- ?a1114 Chron.Dom.A.9 (Dom A.9)245 : Se king…geaf ðar þet erce biscoprice on Eoforwic Turstone his clerice.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1103 : Willelm Giffard…ongean riht nolde his hades on fon æt þam arce biscop Girarde of Eoferwic.
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1138 : On þis gær…Dauid king of Scotlande…com to gænes Willelm eorl of Albamar þe þe king adde beteht Euorwic.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1335,1337 : Kaer Ebrauc seððen wes icleped Eborac; Seoððen comen vncuðe men, Eoverwic heo hahten, & þa norþerne men…þurh ane unþewe Ȝeorc [Otho: Ȝorc] heo ihæhten.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1178 : Þe messe he deden, eueridel Þat fel to spusing, and god cle[r]k—Þe erchebishop uth of yerk.
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)143 : Eboras…Everwik [vrr. Euerwike, Ȝorke] made and met More then Londone by seve stret.
- (1343) Cart.Whitby in Sur.Soc.69230 : The sayd Abbote as ye aforsayd Robert…to this endenture…have putt ther seyls. Gyfuen at Ȝork, the third Day of Feuerȝere.
- (1381) Let.Ball in Robbins Hist.Poems (Roy 13.E.9)p.55 : Iohan schep, som-tyme seynte marie prest of ȝork…biddeþ hem þei bee war of gyle in borugh.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.63 : York is a grete citee in eiþer side of þe water of Ouse.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.135 : Alle þese sees outake York faillede litell and litel.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.483 : David, kyng of Scotland…destroyed þe lond anon to the ryver of Tese in þe marche of the province of Ȝork.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20621 : To eborwik kyng arthur wald Solempne cristemesse þar in to halde.
- (1442) RParl.5.44a : A streme called the Dike, in the Counte of York…daiely ebbith and floweth.
- (1450) RParl.5.191a : Suche Fraunchisez…have been had, used and accustumed, within the Libertie…of Rychemund…within the Shire of York.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)31/10 : The norþehumbirlonde pepelis tonge, specially yne Yorke, stradelithe soo brode & so vnsavorly is wyde þat þe sowtherne peple vnnethe can vndirstondyn hit…for þe grete distaunce of kyngis of þe londe from þo marchis.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)429 : Freris han tauȝt in englond þe paternoster in engliȝsch tunge, as men seyen in þe pley of ȝork.