Middle English Dictionary Entry
burǧeis n.
Entry Info
| Forms | burǧeis n. Also burgais, -as, -ees, -es, -is, burieis, -iais, -iace, -ies, bourgeis, borgeis, -ais, -ois, borieis. Pl. burgeis(es, -ē̆s(es, -ess(es; etc. |
| Etymology | OF burgeis, borgeis, bourjois. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A freeman of a town, a citizen with full rights and privileges; also, an inhabitant of a town; -- usually used of city merchants and master craftsmen in the guilds; fre ~, a master craftsman; (b) a freeman or citizen at, in, or of (a specific town); (c) ~ box, a box for fines collected from the burgesses; ~ man, a freeman of a town, a burgess; ~ rolle, the list of burgesses of a town.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)45a : Hit is beggilde riht to beore bagge on bac, burgeise [Nero: burgeises] to beore purs.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)291 : His sweuen he tolde Vrles & barons & burgeis ful bolde.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)222 : Þis child..Seruede A borgeys [Hrl: burgeys] of þe toun.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11210 : Þe burgeis were wel fers.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)2903 : 'Sir,' quaþ a burieys [Cai: burgeis], 'bi seyn Martin, It beþ þe liþer Sarrazin.'
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)729 : Þe buriays alle, curteys & fre, Welcomed him fair in to þat cite.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)162 : Nou yziȝ ane yongne boryeis..þe borgeys wylneþ to chapfari an to wynne and to gaderi.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1889 : Tvo flaketes..bouȝt were for a burgeis of a borwe bi-side.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)5017 : Burgeys with here burdes..weyteden out at windowes.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)444 : At Perigot ich was y-bore; a borgeys dude me gete.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.369 : Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)prol.96 : Barouns and Burgeis [B (Trin-C): burgeises] and Bonde-men also I sauȝ in þat Semble.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.543 : A Burgeis riche of gold and fee Was thilke time in that cite.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12492 : And was þar wonnand..a burges [Trin-C: Burgeis; Frf: buries] rik.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)15.91 : Noþer in cote noþer in caytyf hous was crist y-bore, Bote in a burgeises [vrr. burgeys, borgeis] hous.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)135/341 : Hirtachus..Sone efter gert samyn bring Al þe burgas wiues of þat cete.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)63 : Vpone this be he warned be ij burgeises of the toun to ben afore the ballives att a certayn day.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3082 : No lele lige-mane..Sulde lye be no ladysse..Ne be no burgesse wyffe, better ne werse.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)28/34 : Þe burgez of þe Citee..þay criede till Alexander.
- (1444) RParl.5.125b : That non of hem bryng eny persone of the seid Burgeysz or Tenserz so attached to no Gaoll.
- c1450(c1420) Proph.Becket (Hat 56)60 : He buskis hym til a burgeys hous.
- ?c1450 Brut-1430 (Hrl 2256)404/4 : Thanne alle the Capteynys of that Cite, bothe Baillis, Burgeses and comunnalte, toke her counseill.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1730 : The Burgeys was a stuffid man.
- (1467) Ordin.Wor.390 : That ther be no Burges made free..without that he pay to the comyn cofre..except that he be a Burgeys Son.
- (c1475) LRed Bk.Bristol2.155 : That no maner persone..holde no maner house..to ocupye ynne his seid Crafte vnto he be accepted free burgeys..the seid now maistres and burgeise of the seid Crafte of Barboures.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)185 : Ladyes and borieies of þat cite þyder come.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9860 : A bourgeis at [vr. of] bristowe..wel was mid þe king.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1737 : Þe buriays of Winchester he gret, & bad þai schuld þe gates schet.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.113 : At þe prayer of..þe citezeins and burgeys [L civium] of Caunterbury.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.48 : Þe burgeis of London were wroþe.
- (1405) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.31 : The Baillies, Burgeis [vr. Burges], and Comuners of the towne of Donewych.
- (1422) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)86/35 : To oure right trusty and with al oure hert welbeloued, the Maire, Sherifs, Aldermen, bourgoys, and Communes of the Cite of London.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)15/15 : Þe buriase of Bruge ne war noght to blame.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 22.27 : Lyghtly sais þou þat þow erte a buriase of Rome.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)56/10 : Þe forseyd preste..went to a worshepful burgeys in Lenn.
- (1444) Will York in Sur.Soc.30105 : Also I witt to ye Mayre, Aldermen and Burges of ye Kyngeston opon Hull all my terez and tenementez with in the said town.
- (1467) LRed Bk.Bristol1.17 : To the Bailliffes and Burgeises of our Towne of Ludlowe, greting. We late you wite that the Mair, Communes and Burgeyszes of our Towne off Bristowe have unto us by Peticyon schewyd that [etc.].
- (1473) RParl.6.79b : The Maire, Aldermen, and Burgesses of oure Toune of Caleys..the Maire and Burgeis of oure Toune of Leicestre.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)29/4 : The citteseyns and burges of Oxenford.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)41 : The chyldren..were put in hostage thorugh the burgesys of Berwyck.
c
- (1433) RParl.4.479b : The rentall rolle and all Burgeis rolles..been putte and kepte in the cofre.
- (1444) RParl.5.126a : All Burgeysz rolles..ben put and kept in the Coffre aboveseyd.
- (1464) RParl.5.515b : Maire, Baillifs, Burgeismen, and Communalte.
- (a1450) Code Laws in Willmore Hist.Walsall166 : That if eny of the said Burgesses refuse the ordenaunce of the article next above wrytten, that then he or they so refusyng to forfett to the Burges Box, for his obstinacy, vi s.
2.
(a) A magistrate or other official of a town; a member of the council or assembly governing a town; (b) the representative of a town in the House of Commons.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)2.130 : Fals..and Fauuel..lette sompne alle men..To Arayen hem redi, Boþe Burgeys and Schirreues, To weende with hem to westmunster to Witnesse þe deede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)16060 : Pilatt satt, and him a-butte þe burges [Göt: burgeises; Trin-C: Burgeys] o þe tun.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.346 : Pandare, which that in the parlement Hadde herd what every lord and burgeys seyde.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)2620 : My trewe lordes, my trewe burgeis! To ȝow alle it is right couthe How we ben in euery mannes mouthe.
b
- (1472) Paston (Gairdner)5.151 : If ye mysse to be burgeys of Maldon..ye may be in a nother plase; ther be a doseyn townys in Inglond that chesse no bergeys, whyche ought to do.
3.
In names.
Associated quotations
- (1107-28) Liber Winton (Antq 154)541 : Gaufr. Burgeis.
- (1182-5) Cart.Oseney in OHS 97258 : Iohannes Burgeys.
- (1195) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.637 : Radulfus le Burgeis.
- (c1200) Doc.Ireland in RS 5337 : Robertus burgeis.
- (c1220) Cart.Oseney in OHS 90424 : Philippus Burges.
- (1228) Close R.Hen.III23 : Willelmo Burgay.
- (1230) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.4242 : Henricus le burgeys.
- (1249) Select Pleas Manor.in Seld.Soc.219 : Petrum le Borgeys.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 2223 : Johannes le Burges.
- (1279) Doc.St.James in BGAS 58235 : Willelmi borgois.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1067 : Willelmus Burgays.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 Terms Assoc.(2) (Cmb Ll.1.18)232 : A Route of burgesez.
Note: Addditional quot. for sense 1.(a).
Note: This quot. has been taken back to books.
- (1303) Freeman R.in KRec.18 ()184 : Bourgeys.
Note: Postdates sense 3.
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--notes per MLL