Middle English Dictionary Entry
brọ̄therhēde, -hōd n.
Entry Info
| Forms | brọ̄therhēde, -hōd n. Also brether-, brother(r)ede, brodered, brotherode, brether(r)ed, brethereth, brythyrrode. |
| Etymology | From brọ̄ther n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A fraternal relationship: (a) between sons of the same father or mother; fleshli ~, natural (as opposed to spiritual) brotherhood; (b) between sworn brothers; (c) between close friends or comrades; (d) between members of a fraternal organization (e.g. a monastery, a guild); also, membership in such an organization; (e) between nations or rulers; alliance, accord, treaty; (f) between spiritual brothers; ~ gostli.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)146 : [Spiritual brotherhood]..is worþ betere þanne þe broþerrede ulesslich [Vices & V.(2): fleschely broþerhed].
- c1390 RSicily (Vrn)291 : Þe Pope ne þe Emperour nouþer Þe ffol ne kneuȝ not for heor broþer. Þo was he more fol iholde..To cleyme such a breþerhede.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3412 : Þe loue..was so..Atwixe hem two [Castor and Pollux], of verray breþerhede, Þat noon from other koude lyue alone.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)690/16 : Nomina consanguinitatis et affinitatis..Hec fraternitas: a brotherode.
b
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)362 : Sir Amis..do bi mi red, & swere ous boþe broþerhed [a1500 vr.: brotherede] & pliȝt we our trewþes to.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1399 : Of thyn aqueyntance I wolde praye thee And eek of bretherhede [vr. breþerhode].
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1452 : Eche was to other trew..vnder a knotte bounde of brotherede [vrr. brotherhed, brothrehede, bretherhed].
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)6252 : With a suraunce sworn in broderhode, Togeder bothe in grete frendshippe thei rode.
c
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Thes.4.9 : Of the charite of britherhed, we hadden not nede for to wryte to ȝou.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1232 : Ech of hem gan oother for tassure Of bretherhede [vrr. broþerhode, breþerode, broþerhed] whil that hir lyf may dure.
- a1425 HBk.GDei (Arun 507)142 : Nede byndis man til prai for him-selfe, bot charite of brotherhede [Thrn: brethirhede] steris til prai for all.
d
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)110 : Hit is wel grat þing Huanne me bit þe broþerhede and þe uelaȝrede and part and riȝt ine alle þe guodes of þe house..He heþ þe broþerrede and part and uelaȝrede and riȝt.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.326 : Breþerheed of freris..breþerheed of gildis.
- (1433) Doc.Merchant York in Sur.Soc.12938 : Item, resayved of xv persones payde for entre of thaire bretherhede, within the tyme of this accompt.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)109/5 : He haþ broþerehode and part..in alle þe goodes of heuene, þat is þe bred of þe blessed couent.
e
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Zech.11.14 : Y shulde departe..the brotherhed [L germanitatem] betwixe Juda and Yrael.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.12.10 : To renule bretherhed [WB(2): britherhod; L fraternitatem] and frenship, lest perauenture we ben maad aliens fro ȝou.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.105 : After broþerhede and fraternite [L post fraternitatem; Higd.(2): after that acorde] atwene þe kynges..Edmond deide.
- (1417) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)9.435 : The Bretherred [L pacto Fraternus Amor] bygan wyth hym and my Lord ȝour Fader.
f
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)146 : We byeþ..children of holy cherche, broþer germayn of uader and of moder be ane broþerhede gostlich.
2.
Coll. (a) Sons of the same father or mother, brothers; (b) members of an order of friars, priests serving a church; a monastery, religious order; (c) members of a fraternal organization; a guild, society, etc.; (d) all clerics of a given jurisdiction or national church; (e) all Christians.
Associated quotations
a
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Lamb 633)192/14 : In thre thingis my spirit is pleassit..the accord in brethereth, loue of negheboris, And man and his wif well togeddir assentyng.
b
- (1387) Will in Bk.Lond.E.209/13 : To the Brethered of our lady of Abbechirch, xx s. Also to eueri prest that ys of this chirch, ij s.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)259/51 : Fel auntur þat hire breþur ede In labour to don heore dede.
- (1470) LRed Bk.Bristol2.133 : The Maister of Bredernhede of seynt John Baptist with the ffraternite of the same hath a litill newe howse.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)602/12 : To be paid yerely to the brethered of Ierusalem.
- c1525 Rule & T.St.Francis(2) (Fst D.4)72 : None of the bretherne shalbe so bolde to preche..but yf he be of þe generalle minister of this brethered examyned.
c
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.511 : He sette nat his benefice to hyre..with a bretherhede [vrr. breetherede, broþerhed] to been withholde.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.27 : A bretherhode þer is ordened of barbres.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)41/1 : Þe brotherede of Carpenteres of London.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)50/1 : The brotherheed of seint Fabian & sebastian.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)51/31 : Ȝif a sengle womman come in to the bretherhede.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2516 : Vche burne of þe broþerhede a bauderyk schulde haue.
- (1418) Grocer Lond.in Bk.Lond.E.199/138-9 : Ȝyf any of the same Brethyrhode die..the same Brothyrhod grauntyth [etc.].
- (1439) EEWills113/14 : I be-queth to the brederhede of my craft of Corpus Christi..vj s. viij d.
- (1448) Acc.Bk.Carpenter Co.15 : Of ye Broþerede of albalwyn xij d.
- (1464) Acc.Howard in RC 57272 : I payd at my dyner fore the brodered of the ȝeld of Seynte Johnes.
- (1466) LRed Bk.Bristol2.235 : A Table of the Names of the Britherhoode.
- a1500 Jhesu lord owr (Pen 53A)p.203 : For then owr brythyrrod wyll neuer be do But euer endywre well.
d
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.189r : The rescript of the pope seith thus to the erchebisshop of Caunterbury: 'Thy bretherred -- not the byshoppes al one that thou hast ordeyned, ne onliche thulke that by the archebisshop of Yorke beth ordeyned, but alle the prestes of Brutaigne -- thourugh the auctorite of Oure Lorde Jhesu Xrist haue thow subiectes and vnder the.'
e
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.296 : Love þe breþerheed, bi þe fourme þat Crist haþ tauȝt.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)326 : Cristene men shulden be loveris..of breþerhed in Crist and of holy Chirche.
- a1450(1411) Many man (Dgb 102)167 : Þouȝ we agylte þe godhed, Mercy moueþ þe manhed For loue of his breþered.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)506/250 : Beholdis both body, bak, and side, How dere I bought youre brotherhede.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)380/407 : Here may ye se my Woundys wide that I suffred for youre mysdede..how dere I boght youre broder-hede.
3.
Action or behavior befitting a brother; also, kindness.
Associated quotations
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1159 : Felauscipe ne broiþerhede [Göt: broþerhede] Mought te [Cain] drau fra felon dede?
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)3750 : He has me done ofte vnresun..Fader, þis was na broder-hede [Vsp: broþer dede].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1319 : O broþer myn, whom þat I louede so, Haue now pite & rewe vp-on my wo Of kyndenes and of broþerhede.
- (1441) Let.Coldingham in Sur.Soc.12116 : I commend me to yowe, thankand yowe hertly of all your goode brotherhed, and grett labour, of lang tyme shewid till us.
- (1454) EEWills133/11 : As tochyng my brother Richard, y can not assigne no thyng of my good recompensible to his good brotherhede.
4.
As a title or form of address: (a) to one's brother by birth; (b) to a fellow ecclesiastic.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1475) Stonor1.160 : Right reverent and wurshypfull Brothyr, I recomawnd me unto yowe, good Brothyrhod, desiring [etc.]..No more to your good Brothyrhod at thys tyme.
b
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)93/13 : Gregory, bisshop..sende to his welbeloved brother bisshop..he comaunded to his brotherhede that he wold yeve to them licence I-axed.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)20 : A nobil man, Ysidore, pleynid him to be cursid of þe [read: þy] broþer hed.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)39 : Eft writiþ þe pope to þe bischop, 'We bid to þi broþerhed, þat þu steer bisili þe clerkis of þi jurisdiccoun.'