Middle English Dictionary Entry
bondāǧe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bondāǧe n. |
| Etymology | AF bondage, formed on ME bō̆nde n. (as also AL bondagium). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The feudal tenure or status of a bonde or bond(eman (q.v.), bondage; holden lond in ~; (b) a service required of a customary tenant; (c) the class of bondmen and serfs, the unfree.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)72a/b : Isidir seiþ þat þere beþ þre manere of seruauntez, for some..ben bonde & I bore in bondage; and suche hauen many peynez by lawe, ffor þey mowe not selle noþir ȝeue awey here owne good and catell..noþir fonge office of dignite noþir bere witnes wiþoute leue of here lordes.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2203 : Ȝyf a lorde of a tounne Robbe hys men oute of resoune, Þogh hyt be yn bondage [AF vileynage]..he doþe outrage.
- (1414) RParl.4.59b : In changyng of the fre tenure of the Coroune into thraldom and into bondage, for her owne singuler profit.
- (1414) RParl.4.60a : Chaungynge the tenure of frehold into bondage.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)43 : Bondage: Servitus.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.10/18 : A bonde man..evyn þerwith fro his bondage is delyuered.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)207/29 : Arable lond..the whiche he holdith in vilenage or bondage.
b
- c1460 Oseney Reg.124/37 : I, Richard..for Euer quite have i-claymed of..Demaundes, seruices, Bondages, and all maner Burdons.
- (c1464) Pet.Chanc.in Seld.Soc.10152 : The same Herry came to youre said besecher and claymed of hym bondage, saying that the same youre besecher was his bondman.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)257/15 : Rentis, homages, wardes, relefis, villenagis or bondages, and all other availes that comyn out of the londe.
c
- c1400(a1376) *PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)[prol.96] f.2a : Barouns, burgeis, & bondage [Vrn: bonde-men].
2.
Servitude, vassalage; subjection.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.389 : Scottes..hateþ bondage [L servitutem] most of eny þing.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)14405 : Pharaon..in bondage [Vsp: seruage] helde ham lange.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)23626 : Þei shul lyue in fredome fre, þe oþere euer in bondage [Vsp: caitiuete] to be.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.71 : Suld he neuer els haf lorn for William no lond Ne bien in þat bondage, þat brouht was ouer þe se.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.261 : Alle þis þraldam þat now on Inglond es, þorgh Normanz it cam, bondage & destres.
- a1450(c1400) Wor.Serm.(Wor F.10)22/15 : Wen þe childyr of þat Israel wer in þe land of Egipt, ondyr þe bondag & þe seruice of Kyng Pharoo.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)3999 : The Cety fell..And þen in bondeyg ware þei bown.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)27/16 : Yet shulde he, to his power, kepe hem in fredame and nat in bondage.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)30 : That wretchid bondage of the Hebrew puple in Egipt.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)377/29 : Trystrams..asked hym counceyle, what was beste to do for to recovir Cornwayle frome bondage.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.85 : That he [þe egle] hem fede shulde and fostre forther, And bringe hem out of bondage þat þey were brouȝth inne.
- c1475(a1400) Brut-1333 (Dc 323)7/4 : Brynge ȝe vs out of this wrechidnes & bondage, & fyght we with þe kyng.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)4668 : That we moun..from Egipt..be deliueret..o bondaghe in-to mych blys.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)66/78 : Sych bondage shall I to thaym beyde.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)67/88 : Al redy, lord, We shall be bowne in bondage thaym to bynde.
3.
The state of being subject to punishment or damnation (for Adam's or one's sin), or of being under someone's domination.
Associated quotations
- c1390 Psalt.Mariae(1) (Vrn)559 : Þorwh whom [Jesus] now of bondage Þe harde ȝok is vnbounde.
- c1400 Ilka man (Tbr E.7)84 : Þarfore þai amend þam noght, and so þai er in bondage broght.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)9/36 : Ilke man treuly þat lufyse god is fre, nor to bondage of synne byndes noȝt hym-self.
- a1450(c1400) Wor.Serm.(Wor F.10)33/365 : & ha good trust & good hope in Crist, þat a wil deliuere ȝow vrom þis seruise & tis bondage oþ þe deuel.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)368/10 : Thyne vndirstondynge..moste be constreyned & brouȝte in to þe bondage of criste.
- c1450(?a1400) Quatref.Love (Add 31042)332 : Þan bide we in bonddage, in bale for to be.
- c1450 From þe tyme (Lamb 853)82 : For þe feend haþ cauȝt hem in his nett, and holdiþ hem fast in bondage.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)1/9 : Forto by mankind out of þe deueles bondage.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)133/18 : Trewe seruauntis..seruen me truly wiþoute ony seruile or bondage drede, þat seruen me not for dreede of peyne, but for loue.
Note: New combination for sense 3.: ~ drede, fear inspired by the threat of punishment or damnation.
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. Provisional revised form section: Also bonddage, bondag(he, bondeig.--notes per MLL