Middle English Dictionary Entry
conventicle n.
Entry Info
| Forms | conventicle n. Also conventicule. |
| Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A meeting or gathering; (b) an illicit or secret meeting (as of malcontents, Lollards, etc.); (c) used disparagingly of a religious house or a church.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.15.4 : I shal not gadere togidere the conuenticulis [L conventicula] of hem of blodis.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)3.215 : Other philosophres toke theire names of conuenticles [L conventiculis] of places, as Stoici, Achademici.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)49 : Him [Deane of Chapell] ought every Friday to kepe a conventicle with them all and there to reherse the fautes.
b
- [ (1414) Statutes Realm2.182 : Q[ue] les Justices..eient pleine poair denquerer de toutz yceux q[ue] teignent ascuns..heresies come Lollardes, & queux sount lour maintenours..de lour escoles, conventicles, congregacions, & confederacies. ]
- (1384) Procl.Brembre in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk H)31 : The Mair..Comaundeth..that no man make none congregaciouns, conuenticules, ne assembles of poeple in priue nen apert.
- (c1431) Let.Hen.VI in Archaeol.23343 : Nat sufferyng pryue gaderynges or conuenticles to be had or made, be nyght or be day.
- (1437) Proc.Privy C.5.83 : Þer are..gaderinge of greet routes and divers conventicules of mysgoeverned men.
- (1450) Complaint in War.AM 4183 : The Kynges statuits and lawes of his land made ayenst suche confetrecyes, conuenticles, and aliaunce.
- (1457) Lin.DDoc.97/9 : I haue bee present where suche articles and opinions haue bee taught..& yaf faith..to hem att diuers tymes, where suche conuenticles was maad.
- (1469) Paston (Gairdner)5.46 : In eschewyng of insurreccions..that be like to growe..be cause of such conventicles and gaderyngs.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)50 : Conuenticlis purposing iuel, as þeft, or manslawt.
c
- (1395) Wycl.37 Concl.(Tit D.1)112 : A! hou abhominable is the feynid preiere..of siche prelatis othir religious in the conuenticlis of glotons.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)60/29 : In þe fendis chirche..foolis fynden conventiclis þat haasten hem to helle.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)366 : Monkis, chanons or eny oþer endowid prestis þat dwellen in siche conventycles.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 ?Scrope Ribot First Monks (Lamb 192)129/36 : Thys hows is named..'Sem[ni]on'..Sem[ni]on in Grew is as meche to seyn in Latyn, aftyr transposed in to Englysch, a conuentycle of honest folk.
Note: ?New sense or modify gloss of sense (c) 'used disparagingly of a religious house or a church'. There seems to be no negative connotation to 'conuentycle' as used here.