Middle English Dictionary Entry
cǒuntẹ̄ n.(3)
Entry Info
| Forms | cǒuntẹ̄ n.(3) Also comite, conte, counti(e. |
| Etymology | AF; CF contëé; cp. ML comitātus earldom. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The territory ruled by a count; also, an English earldom; also fig.; (b) ?country, territory.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)2.85 : Þe Erldome of enuye and Wratthe togideres..Þe counte [vr. countee; A: kingdom] of coueitise and alle þe costes aboute.
- (1439) Proc.Privy C.5.359 : The duchie of Guyenne, the conte of Poetowe.
- (1450) RParl.5.177b : That your said grete Ennemye..shuld conquere..youre seid Reame of Fraunce, Duchies and Countees.
- (1455) RParl.5.306b : The Counte of Guysnes, the Towne and Marches of Caleys.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)7.189 : The cowntes of Godewynus were ȝiffen to Harald, and the cowntee [Trev.: erldome; L comitatus] of Harald was ȝiffen to Algarus, sonne of Leofricus the erle.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)10 : The said king Richard kept..the duchees of Normandie, Gascoigne, Gyen, the counteez of Anjou and Mayne, Tourayne, Pontyve, Auverne, and Champaigne.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)29a : A County: hic Comitatus.
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Jul C.6)382 : The grete humanytie and kyndnes of my lord Gruthuse shewed to his highnes when he was in the counties of Holand and Flaunders.
b
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)11 : King Edward first after the Conquest..put hym in gret laboure..amonges the Sarrasins in the countye of Aufrik.
2.
(a) An English or Welsh shire; a comparable unit in Ireland; (b) ~ palatin, a shire whose lord has privileges resembling those of an independent sovereign; (c) ~ reve, an officer in charge of a shire; ? = sheriff.
Associated quotations
a
- [ (c1290) Britton 1 (Lamb 403)p.53 : Nous..maunderoms par nos brefs a nos viscountes de cel counte et des countez joingnauntz, qe il facent crier la pes de eux. ]
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.309 : The kyng..his messengere sent For þe bisshopes askis to com to þe parlement, For erles & barons at London suld it be, Four knyghtes be somons chosen in ilk counte.
- (1411) EEWills20/9 : Þe londes and þe rentes in þe Counte of deuon-schire.
- (1423) RParl.4.198b : He..set his Lordship of Oghtryn in the Countee of Kildare.
- (1423) RParl.4.258a : Justices of Pees in every Counte of Engelond shuld examen all manere of servauntz in her Countees.
- (1430) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.93-4 : Sutton and Clyfton yn the counte of Notingh..yn the seid countees of Norff and Suff.
- (1430-1) RParl.4.385b : Petirburgh in the Counte of Northampton.
- c1432 Bishop Notes in PMLA 49 (Cmb Dd.14.2)457 : At Abyndon' in þe Counte of Berkes.
- (1439) EEWills122/3 : The Countes of Lincoln and Warrewyke.
- (1442) RParl.5.43b : Besecheth mekely the Comons off the Countees of York, Lincoln, Notyngham, and Derby.
- (1444) RParl.5.110a : That no Shirref lete to ferme in no wyse his Counte, ne noon of his Baillywykes.
- (1449) RParl.5.168b : Burnelshede in the Countee of Westmerland.
- (1450) RParl.5.188a-b : The Countee of Waterford in Irland..Newebryggyng in the Countee of Northumberland.
- (1450) RParl.191a-b : The Hundred of Seysdon in the Counte of Stafford..The Maner of Helston in the Counte of Cornewaill.
- (1455) RParl.5.315b : John Doreward of Bockyng in the Counte of Essex..The Counte of Anglesey within the Principaltee of Northwales.
- (1455) RParl.319a-b : The Countees of Warrewyk and Leycestr'..The Counte of Merionneth in Northwales..The Counte of Salop.
- (1461) Grant Arms in Hrl.Soc.77 (Add 14295)192 : William Swayne borne in the Countie of Somerset.
- (c1465) Cart.Tropenell in BGAS 23200 : The Castell of Trobrigge in the counte of Wilteshire.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)20/14 : Englonde conteynythe ii and xxti shires or provincis, the which at þis day byn clepid countees.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)164/23 : The comyte of Kyldare.
b
- (1436) RParl.4.498a : Tho two Shires [Lancashire and Cheshire] ben Countees Palantynes.
- (1455) RParl.5.312b : Undre the seall of oure Countee Palatyn of Chestre.
- c1475-a1600(a1473) Fortescue Declaration (Clermont)524 : [He]..made the Countee of Lancastre to be a countee Palatyn.
c
- (1319) Pat.R.Edw.II464 : Nicholas le Countereve.
3.
Law A shire court, a meeting presided over by the sheriff for transacting the legal business of the shire; plein ~, the full shire court.
Associated quotations
- [ (c1290) Britton 2 (Lamb 403)p.329 : En primes se deit le pleintif pleindre al viscounte et moustrer le bref en plein Counte..Et pur ceo se deit chescun pleintif pleindre a celi..eynz ceo qe la parole soit remuable jekes en Counte. ]
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)8911 : Also hyt ys vyleynye to werche, A lewed man to plete yn cherche, lay courte, or elles counte.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.133 : Contek in countes alle was peysed wele.
- (1433) Proc.Privy C.4.163 : Þe Chancellor have power to sette a longer day withynne whiche þe pleine countees may be holde.
- (1439) RParl.5.17b : A Writte of Proclamation..to be directid to his Sheref of his Shire of Salop..to do proclayme in 11 pleyne Countees to be holden in the same Shire of Salop, mesne bitwene ye date of ye seide Writte and ye dai of ye retourne yereof, yat ye seide Phelip [etc.].
- (1444) RParl.110b : That the Shirref of every Shire..in the next Counte holden in thaire Shires..make an opyn proclamation.
- (1444) RParl.111a : The suytours..beyng there, in the pleyne Counte.
- (1449) RParl.151a : That the Shirrefs of the Shires..make proclamation in ther Countes.
- a1525(?1452) Cov.Leet Bk.274 : And ye shall duly holde your Countees whithe-in this seyde Cite fro monethe into monethe.