vassalagen.
/ˈvasl̩ɪdʒ/, U.S. /ˈvæsəlɪdʒ/ 1. † b. A brave or chivalrous act; a noble or gallant exploit. Obsolete.in extended use.1570 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xiii. 132 His Fatheris murther also ȝe cleirly knew, Myschantly hangit, ane wickit vassalage.† c. Pre-eminence, supremacy. Obsolete. rare.
a. Action befitting a good vassal or a man of courage and spirit; prowess in battle, warfare, or other difficult enterprise. Obsolete exc. archaic.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > courage > valour > warlike valour > [noun] > warlike excellence
worshipOE
chivalry1297
vassalage1303
bountyc1330
valuea1393
well-doingc1475
war-proofa1616
nine-worthiness1663
the mind > emotion > courage > valour > warlike valour > [noun] > courageous action
vassalage1303
α.
ironical.c1385 G. Chaucer Legend Good Women Hypsipyle. 1667 And of Iason this is the vassellage That in hise dayis nas ther non i-founde So fals a louere goinge on the grounde.β. 1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) x. 268 He knew his worthy wassalage.1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. 290 He had a sone..Þat wes þan bot a litill page; Bot syne he wes off gret waslage.a1500 Lancelot of Laik (1870) 2708 Thar schew the lord sir ywan his curage, His manhed, & his noble wassolage.1575 J. Rolland Treat. Court Venus i. f. 4 He..in the Net of wanhoip had bene tane, Quhilk causit him want baith welth, & wassallage.a1578 R. Lindsay Hist. & Cron. Scotl. (1899) I. 153 He was of tender aige and could not wse no wassaledge nor feit of weiris.1303 R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne 4610 Whan he wendyþ to þe tournament She..byt hym do for hys lemman Yn vasshelage alle þat he kan.
1338 R. Mannyng Chron. (1810) 188 Gentille of norture, & noble of lynage, Was non þat bare armure, þat did suilk vassalage.
c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) l. 1671 Riȝt as he wil let it be do for þat is vassalage.
c1400 Laud Troy Bk. 12873 Kyng Sarpedoun Was in his tyme a stalworth man, A noble knyȝt of vasselage.
1477 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre Hist. Jason (1913) 41 Our defendour..whiche hath only in him self more of vaisselage than is in all Esklauonye.
c1485 ( G. Hay Bk. Law of Armys (2005) 50 To count all the vasselage yat thare was done on ayther syde, jt war meruaile to here.
1508 W. Dunbar Ballade Barnard Stewart in Poems (1998) I. 177 Welcum..incomparable knight, The fame of armys and floure of vassalage.
1565 in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1824) 1st Ser. II. 204 And maynie made knightes that never showde anye greate token of their vasellage.
1567 R. Sempill Test. & Trag. King Henrie (single sheet) Deianira hir husband Hercules..Brocht to mischeif, for all his vassalage.
1825 W. Scott Betrothed v, in Tales Crusaders II. 100 Were I to choose some knight of name,..he would be doing deeds of vassalage upon the Welch.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > courage > valour > deed of valour > [noun] > heroic feat
chivalry1297
bountyc1330
vassalagec1330
feata1400
turnc1400
pointc1440
valiance1470
valiantise1513
valiancy1627
gallantry1652
heroism1740
heroics1873
c1330 R. Mannyng Chron. Wace (Rolls) 12331 Me þynkeþ hit were no vasselage, Þre til on; hit were outrage!
1426 J. Lydgate tr. G. de Guileville Pilgrimage Life Man 10606 Record off folkys that be sage, Sclaundere ys no vasselage.
1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) i. l. 158 Thus he conteynde in-till his tendyr age, In armys syne did mony hie waslage.
1572 (a1500) Taill of Rauf Coilȝear (1882) 890 For that war na wassalage, sum men wald say.
a1578 R. Lindsay Hist. & Cron. Scotl. (1899) II. 118 Ane gret navie..landit in orknay and thocht to haue done sum wassallage thair.
c1650 J. Spalding Memorialls Trubles Scotl. & Eng. (1850) I. 23 The Erll of Morray..rejoisit michtellie at this vassallage done be his men.
c1650 J. Spalding Memorialls Trubles Scotl. & Eng. (1850) I. 182 The barronis..left the houss, thinking it no vassalage to stay whill thay war slayne.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > surpassing excellence > [noun]
pricea1275
sovereigntyc1340
primacyc1384
sublimityc1429
vassalagec1430
precellence?a1439
pre-excellencec1450
pre-eminencec1460
superexcellencec1475
chief1519
pre-eminency1523
greaterness1540
precellency1557
superexcellency?1563
divinenessa1586
superancya1586
sublimenessa1599
pre-excellency1603
especialness1614
transcendencea1616
transcendency1615
transcendentness1625
top1627
antecellency1657
quality1665
transcendingness1730
transcendentalism1841
surpassingness1879
transcendentality1881
c1430 J. Lydgate Minor Poems (Percy Soc.) 176 Is noon so greet encress Off world tresour, as for to live in pees, Which among vertues hath the vasselage.
2. attributive.1791 T. Paine Rights of Man 82 Submission is wholly a vassalage term, repugnant to the dignity of Freedom.
a. The state or condition of a vassal; subordination, homage, or allegiance characteristic of, or resembling that of, a vassal.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > subjection > service > feudal service > [noun] > vassal > condition of
bondheada1400
servitudec1500
feemanship1509
vassalship1578
vassalage1594
envassalage1646
vassaldom1876
1594 T. Nashe Terrors of Night in Wks. (Grosart) III. 266 Much more may I acknowledge all redundant prostrate vassailage to the royall descended Familie of the Careys.
1605 W. Camden Remaines i. 4 Acknowledging no superiours, in no vassalage to Emperour or Pope.
1655 T. Fuller Church-hist. Brit. iv. 182 He was a worthy man in his generation, had not his vassalage to the Pope..ingaged him in cruelty against the poor professors of the truth.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost ii. 252 Let us not then pursue..our state Of splendid vassalage . View more context for this quotation
1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 46. ⁋2 The only Part of Great Britain where the Tenure of Vassalage is still in being.
1749 T. Nugent Grand Tour II. 57 The peasants are all in a state of vassalage to the nobility.
1774 T. Pennant Tour Scotl. 1772 294 Tyranny more often than protection was the attendance on their vassalage.
1807 G. Chalmers Caledonia I. iii. iv. 347 They acknowledged their vassalage..by receiving rulers, from the Scandian peninsula.
1846 H. H. Wilson Hist. Brit. India 1805–35 II. xi. 462 That they had no right..to reduce to vassalage the native Princes, who had always been treated..as independent.
1869 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest (1876) III. xiii. 312 William's vassalage for England will be still more nominal than his vassalage for Normandy.
b. In semi-personified use.
ΚΠ
1609 W. Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida iii. ii. 36 Like vassalage at vnwares encountring the eye of maiesty. View more context for this quotation
1616 J. Lane Contin. Squire's Tale ix. 410 For trewe kinges this inscribe of soveraigntie, that vassalage backe startes at maiestie.
c. In the phrase to hold (lands) in vassalage.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > legal right > right of possession or ownership > tenure of property > have tenure of or hold as tenant [verb (transitive)] > hold of or from another > hold on conditions of service
relieve1490
to hold (lands) in vassalage1747
1747 T. Carte Gen. Hist. Eng. I. 195 Who being tired with beating Cerdic consented at last that he should hold a great part of the west of him in vassalage.
1761 D. Hume Hist. Eng. I. ix. 186 The prince..offered..to hold his kingdom in vassalage under the Crown of England.
1791 ‘T. Newte’ Prospects & Observ. Tour 284 Several good families held their estates in vassalage of feudal Chiefs.
3. Subjection, subordination, servitude; service. Frequently const. to.
a. To a person or persons.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > subjection > [noun]
dangera1375
subjectiona1398
subalternation1483
vassalry1594
subordination1595
vassalage1595
subordination1599
subordinacy1612
subserviency1646
subjectedness1647
subservience1648
vassalation1648
subduedness1653
subordinancy1680
subservientness1727
heteronomy1798
subordinateness1876
1595 Blanchardine & Eglantine ii. Ded. [A] most worthy Patrone; to whose vasselage..bountifull rewardes haue bound me during life, in all obseruancie.
1604 T. Wright Passions of Minde (new ed.) v. §4. 231 Man is bound both by nature, grace, gratitude, vassaladge..to loue, honour, and blesse thee.
1622 G. Wither Faire-virtue sig. L5 Who before time, held in scorne, To yeeld Vassilage, or Duty, Though, vnto the Queene of Beauty.
1793 E. Burke Observ. Conduct Minority in Two Lett. Conduct Domestick Parties (1797) 81 This insolent claim of superiority on their part, and of a sort of vassalage to them on that of other Members.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. i. 1 How our country, from a state of ignominious vassalage, rapidly rose to the place of umpire among European powers.
1878 N. Amer. Rev. 127 100 The revelation it makes of the condition of the solid South; its continued vassalage to the reckless and dangerous class.
b. To some influence, esp. of a detrimental kind.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > necessity > [noun] > subjugation of the will to something else
bondagea1450
captivitya1538
slavery1577
subjugation1609
vassalage1612
subordination1663
1612 T. Taylor Αρχὴν Ἁπάντων: Comm. Epist. Paul to Titus ii. 14 It must worke in vs a..watchfulnes against all sinn, which bringeth such vassaledge vpon vs.
1665 J. Glanvill Sciri Tuum: Authors Defense 13 in Scepsis Scientifica An attempt to redeem the free-born spirits of Men, from an unworthy vassallage to so stigmatiz'd an Authority.
1743 R. Blair Grave 31 Human Nature groans Beneath a Vassalage so vile and cruel.
1767 W. Dodd Poems 8 Princes..unfortunately great, Born to the pompous vassalage of state.
1833 E. Bulwer-Lytton Godolphin I. xii. 97 All round bore the seal of vassalage to time.
a1834 S. T. Coleridge Notes & Lect. Shakespeare (1849) I. 136 The subservience and vassalage of strength and animal courage to intellect and policy.
1871 J. R. Lowell Pope in Prose Wks. (1890) IV. 11 English literature..showed the marks..of an artistic vassalage to France.
4. † a. The authority of a superior in relation to a vassal. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > [noun] > chief authority or dominion > of a feudal lord
vassalage1630
1630 tr. G. Botero Relations Famous Kingdomes World (rev. ed.) 140 Lots, Sales, Homages, rights of Vassalage, Forrests, Ponds, Rivers.
1671 A. Seller Devout Communicant 101 How many slaves under the vassallage of an Enemy fare better than thou..?
1681 H. Neville Plato Redivivus 37 This Vassallage over the People, which the Peers of France had, being abolisht.
b. An estate or fief held by a vassal.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > legal right > right of possession or ownership > tenure of property > a legal holding > [noun] > a feudal holding or fief > fief held by a vassal
vassalage1855
1855 H. H. Milman Hist. Lat. Christianity IV. ix. viii. 190 The Countship of Foix, with six territorial vassalages.
5. A body or assemblage of vassals.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > subjection > service > feudal service > [noun] > vassal > body or assemblage of vassals
vassalrya1470
vassalage1815
1815 W. Wordsworth White Doe of Rylstone ii. 27 But now the inly-working North Was ripe to send its thousands forth, A potent vassalage, to fight In Percy's and in Neville's right.
1826 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 20 416 The assembled vassalage were all still as death.
1849 J. Grant Mem. Kirkaldy xx. 230 Kirkaldy, whose garrison was probably recruited from his own vassalage.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > subjection > subjecting or subjugation > subject [verb (transitive)] > make subject to
underputc1374
subjecta1382
subduea1398
summitc1400
inclinec1425
submit?c1425
endanger1551
vassalize1599
servanta1616
vassal1615
vassalage1648
1648 Royalist's Defence 38 Refusing to acknowledge it His duty to bee governed by them His Subjects, and..to vassalage unto those Rebels Himselfe, His Royall Posterity, and all the rest of the people.
1660 R. Mathews Unlearned Alchymist 48 What man laboring to fulfil his desire is not ten times further off by being vassallaged more thereunto?
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1916; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
<
n.1303