prebend, n.
(ˈprɛbənd)
Also 5–6 -ende, 6 -ente.
[a. Of. prebende (14–15th c. in Littré), in earlier popular forms provende (12th c. in Littré), prevende, mod.F. prébende, ad. med.L. præbenda a pension (Cassiodorus), a daily pittance, an ecclesiastical living, prebend, prop. ‘things proper to be supplied’, neut. pl. gerundive of L. præbēre to offer, grant, furnish, supply, for præhibēre (Plaut.), f. præ before, forth + habēre to hold.]
1. The portion of the revenues of a cathedral or collegiate church granted to a canon or member of the chapter as his stipend. Also transf.
| c 1400 Plowman's Tale 721 They han greet prebendes and dere, Some two or three, and some mo. 1480 Caxton Descr. Brit. 37 In pryuelege of clergy and in prebendes they knowleche hem selfe clerkis. 1502 W. Atkynson tr. De Imitatione iii. iii. 197 For a lytell fee or prebende great Iourneys & harde labours be take an hande for such wor[l]dly lordes. 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. iv. v. (1634) 536 Daintie men, that get their living with singing, as Prebends, Canonships, Parsonages, and dignities, Chaplainships, and such other. 1607 Cowell Interpr., Prebend..is the portion, which euery member, or Canon of a Cathedrall church receiueth in the right of his place, for his maintenance... Prebends be either simple, or with dignity. Simple Prebends be those, that haue no more but the reuenew toward their maintenance: Prebends with dignity are such, as haue some Iurisdiction annexed vnto them according to the diuers orders in euery seuerall church. 1845 Stephen Comm. Laws Eng. (1874) II. 674 note, Such canons, however, as are prebendaries, differ from such as are not, as having a prebend, or fixed portion of the rents and profits of the cathedral or collegiate church for their maintenance. 1852 Hook Ch. Dict. (1871) 599 Prebend is the stipend received by a prebendary... Hence the difference between a prebend and a canonry. A canonry was the right which a person had as a member of the chapter. A prebend was the right to receive certain revenues appropriated to the place. |
2. The separate portion of land or tithe from which the stipend is gathered (hence known as the corps of the prebend); the tenure of this as a benefice.
| [1167 Pipe Roll 13 Hen. II (1889) 202 Episcopatus de Bada..Johanni Cumin .xl.s. pro prebenda sua per breue Regis. 1290 Rolls of Parlt. I. 33/2 Ne quis Possessionem predictarum Prebendarum ingrediatur..aut Stall' in choris Ecclesiarum..occupet.] 1422 Ibid. IV. 194/1 The Kyng..had title to present unto the Prebend of Bykeleswade in the Chirche of Lincolne. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge ii. 1002 Whiche parke from Upton was distaunt a myle space A prebende to a chanon of her mynstre and place. 1711 Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) III. 141 The Bp. of Durham has given..the Golden prebend to Dr. Adams. 1844 Lingard Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858) I. App. i. 362 Where the clergy lived together, the land of the church was possessed by them in common..where separately, it was divided into prebends. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. II. x. 453 The Canons of Waltham..lived..each man in his own house on his own prebend. |
3. = prebendary 1.
| 1556 Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden) 91 The dene with alle the residew of the prebentes went but in their surples and lefte of their abbet of the universyte. 1628 Bp. Cosin's Corr. (Surtees) I. 151 Mr. Archdeacon and Mr. Robson, Prebends of Durham. 1661 Colet's Serm. Conf. & Ref. 20 And to..these Monkes, Prebends, and Religious men, let the canons be rehearsed. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. 15 July, The golden prebends keep plentiful tables. 1776 Carlisle Mag. 13 July 4 A college of canons, or, as we now call them, Prebends. 1872 W. Minto Eng. Prose Lit. ii. x. 615 To make him a prebend of St. Paul's. |
4. attrib. prebend house.
| 1609 Mem. Ripon (Surtees) III. 334 The Parsonage or Prebend House in Stanwick. |
Hence nonce-wd. ˈprebend v. [= obs. F. prebender, med.L. prebendāre] trans. to give a daily allowance to (a canon). ˈprebendage, name of a part of the town of Southwell, formerly under the collegiate chapter.
| 1868 Walcott Sacr. Archæol. s.v., When regular canons only existed, all were maintained from a common stock, from which they were prebended or fed. 1759 B. Martin Nat. Hist. Eng. II. 224 Southwell..is divided into two Parts, viz. the Burgage, which comprehends all that Part betwixt the Market and the Greet; and the Prebendage of the Church. The Church is both parochial and collegiate,..and has 16 Prebendaries. 1840 Penny Cycl. XVI. 341/1 The burgage, or burridge, the high town or prebendage (which two divisions constitute Southwell proper). |