† volunty Obs.
Forms: α. 4–6 volunte (5 -ee), 6 wolunte, volounte; 5 voluntie, 6–7 volunty. β. 5–6 volente (5 uol-, voulente), volante, 6 volenty.
[a. OF. volonte (voulonte, -unte), volente (mod.F. volonté = It. voluntà, Sp. voluntad, Pg. vontade), ad. L. voluntāt-, voluntas will, f. vol-, velle to will.]
Will, desire, pleasure; that which one wishes or desires.
Rarely, the faculty of willing, volition.
| α c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 681 (Kölbing), A forseyd deuel liȝt adoun & of þat wiif made a couioun, To don alle his volunte. c 1400 Rom. Rose 5276 For that he May not fulfille his volunte Fully, as he hath requered. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. xi. 210 That this answere is a feyned and forgid thing bi pure volunte withoute eny for him sufficient evidence, Y proue thus. 1490 Caxton Eneydos iv. 19 O cursid and false deceyuable auaryce whiche blyndeth the voluntees humayn. c 1525 Doctr. Gd. Servaunts (Percy Soc.) 7 Seruauntes ought not to ensue Theyr owne wyll nor volunte. 1649 Evelyn tr. Le Vayer's Lib. & Servit. Misc. Writ. (1825) ii. 11 Our volunty cannot (after some sort) embrace the evill, considering it as evill. 1652 ― St. France 15 The handsomer to disguise and apparell these his volunties, and render them at the least specious proceedures of Justice. |
| β 1418–20 J. Page Siege Rouen in Archaeologia XXI. 48 Byfore Rone that reche cyte Fore that he lovyde as hys own volante. c 1450 Merlin i. 22 Neuer shall I make the do thynge that shal be ageyn the volente of oure lord Ihesu Cryste. c 1477 Caxton Jason 134 But as sone as I was leyd in my bedd an euill volente or wil surprised me. 1518 H. Watson Hist. Oliver of Castile (Roxb.) E 4 b, The knyght..sayd that al his volente was for to go there as he had specyfyed. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. xliv. 143 Syth it is your pleasure and volante y{supt} I shall pursewe my wordes, I shall shewe you euery thynge as I knowe. |
b. In the phrases
of (free) volunty,
of or at one's (own) volunty.
| (a) c 1402 Lydg. Compl. Bl. Knt. 299 The whiche..Of volunte, withoute more trespas, Myn accusurs hath taken vnto grace. 1426 ― De Guil. Pilgr. 23031 The space of xxxix yere I was bound of volunte, to obedience. c 1430 ― Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 79 The kyng..That..Into a virgyns wombe immaculate, Descendid..of fre volunte. |
| (b) c 1407 Lydg. Reson & Sens. 4453 Thow sholdest chese here tabyde..Of thin ovne volunte, Syth thou hast swich lyberte. 1459 Rolls of Parlt. V. 347/1 This that I here have promitted and sworn, procedeth of myne owne desire and fre volunte. c 1485 Digby Myst. (1882) iii. 3 Of my most hyest and mytyest wolunte, I woll it be knowyn to al þe word vnyversal. 1508 Fisher 7 Penit. Ps. cxxx. Wks. (1876) 230 Almyghty god of his owne voluntary wyll and gracyous volunty..redemed vs. 1533 Bellenden Livy iii. xii. (S.T.S.) I. 295 Þis Iulius, of his fre volunte & benevolence, remittit certane thingis to þe Iugement of pepill. |
| (c) 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 20335 Bothe to shette and ek vnclose And as hym lyst, for to dyspose At ther owne volunte. c 1450 Merlin iii. 58 They shall neuer haue power over me at her volunte. 1461 Rolls of Parlt. V. 492/1 The same Letteres Patentes..to endure and be of force..at our pleasure and voluntie. |