▪ I. † houseling, n. Obs. or dial.
(ˈhaʊslɪŋ)
[f. house n.1 + -ling.]
One that stays in the house; a stay-at-home. b. (See quot. 1847–78.)
| 1598 Florio, Mansionaro, a homekeeper, a houslin [1611 houseling], one that seldome goes abroad. 1847–78 Halliwell, Houselings, tame animals, or rather animals bred up by hand. North. |
▪ II. houseling, -lling, vbl. n. Obs. exc. Hist.
(ˈhaʊz(ə)lɪŋ)
[f. housel v. + -ing1.]
1. The action of the verb housel; administration of the Eucharist; communion.
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 548 æfter þære huslunge. c 1315 Shoreham 25 Alle taketh that ryȝ t body Thyse men at hare houslynge. c 1450 Myrc 253 After that holy hoselynge. 1548 Confess. Faith Ch. Switzerland in Wodrow Soc. Misc. (1844) I. 18 There is twayne whiche are named in the Churche of God Sacramentes, Baptyme, and Howslynge. 1642 Jer. Taylor Episc. (1647) 255 Houseling of people is the office meant, communicating them at home. 1886 M. K. Macmillan Dagonet the Jester i. 51 When all the houselling was done, the chaplain led me again to the bed. |
2. attrib. a. Used at the celebration of the Eucharist; sacramental (in quot. 1590 transf.).
| 1474 Will of Selby (Somerset Ho.), Howseling towell. 1532 Yatton Churchw. Acc. (Som. Rec. Soc.) 147 Payd for xxviij yards of Irys cloth for a hussyllyng cloth. 1566 in Peacock Eng. Ch. Furniture 86 One howslinge bell. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. xii. 37 His owne two hands..The housling fire did kindle and provide, And holy water thereon sprinckled wide. 1872 N. & Q. 4th Ser. IX. 318 It is not generally known that houseling cloths are still used [in the Church of England], but only in one place that I know of in England—viz., in Wimborne Minster. |
b. houseling people: communicants, or people of age to receive the Communion. (Cf. OE. h{uacu}slbearn, -wer.)
| 1519 in Pleadings Duchy Lancast. (1896) 83 A gret paroch and hath seven thousand howseling peple and moo. 1568 Reg. Parish Ulcombe, Kent (MS.), Ther are housholders in the said paroch xlti. Ther are houslinge people 165. 1895 W. Page Yorksh. Chantry Surv. (Surtees) II. Pref. 16 Every one over 14 would be accounted a houseling person, or one who received the sacrament. |