▪ I. vassal, n. and a.
(ˈvæsəl)
Forms: 4 vassale, 6 wassale; 5–7 vassall (6 phasalle, Sc. wassall), 5– vassal (8 vasal); 5 vayssal, vaysall; 5 vasseyll-, 6–7 vassaile, 7 vassail(l; 6–7 vassell, Sc. wassell-.
[a. OF. vassal, vasal (F. vassal, = It., Pg. vassallo, Sp. vasallo):—med.L. vassall-us man-servant, domestic, retainer, a word of Celtic origin: the simpler form vassus (used in the same senses) corresponds to Old Gaulish -vassus, vasso- (in personal names), OBreton uuas (MBret. goas, Bret. goaz), W. gwas, Ir. foss servant, serf. Cf. vavasour.]
1. In the feudal system, one holding lands from a superior on conditions of homage and allegiance; a feudatory; a tenant in fee. Now Hist.
| 13.. Coer de L. 3365 They are doughty vassales, Kynges sones and amyrales. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon iii. 69 The emperour Charlemayne called to hym his goode vasseylles. 1523 [Coverdale] Old God & New (1534) I, John..ye xij. pope of y{supt} name..dyd prescribe an othe vnto Otho, in whiche Otho shold acknowlege him self to be y⊇ popes phasalle (as we do now cal it). a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 32 It becummeth ane prince to leiwe frielie..nocht subiectit to ane vassellis correctioun or chastisment. 1601 [Bp. W. Barlow] Serm. Paules Crosse 62 The Queene mured vp with her owne vassalles. 1665 in Extr. S.P. rel. Friends Ser. iii. (1912) 234 The foreman and Chiefe thereof [sc. the jury] being all Tennants and vassalls to the Major and Aldermen. 1683 Temple Mem. Wks. 1720 I. 453 The Emperor made an invincible Difficulty, declaring he would never treat with a Vassal of his own. a 1781 R. Watson Philip III, iv. (1783) 293 It was enacted, that all their effects should belong to the lords whose vassals they were. 1817 Byron Manfred ii. i. 13 To bask by the huge hearths of those old halls, Carousing with the vassals. 1860 Adler Prov. Poet 196 Princes having under them as their vassals other chiefs as renowned and valiant as themselves. 1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) IV. xvii. 29 All was trusted to the loyalty of William's new-made vassals. |
b. Used in addressing persons of this class.
| c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon vii. 172 Tell me, vassall, knowest thou noo tidynges of Reynawde, the sone of Aymon? ― Blanchardyn xxviii. 104 Vassall! vassal! to whom I haue taken in hande that thynge most dere to me in this world. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon ix. 23 Wassale, who art thou that hath slayn my brother? 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iv. i. 125 Presumptuous vassals, are you not asham'd..To trouble and disturbe the King, and Vs? 1822 Byron Werner ii. ii. 329 March, vassals! I'm your leader, and will bring The rear up. |
c. In Scottish legal use.
| 1474 Sc. Acts Parlt. (1814) II. 107/1 Anent ourlordis þat in defraude & skaith of þair vassalis & tenentis deferris till enter to þair landis and superioriteis. 1581 Reg. Privy Council Scot. 407 In respect that thay nor nane of thame ar nather frehalders, vassellis, subvassellis, bot ar fewaris only. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj., Stat. King Robt. I, 28 Gif it sall happen that ouer Lords poynd and distrenzie their vasselles contrare the constitution forsaid. 1689 in Acts Parlt. Scot. (1875) XII. 74 The forfaultors of vassells and cre[dito]rs, who shall be innocent of þair superiors or debitors crymes. 1739 Morison's Dict. Decis. (1806) XXXIII. 14507 The vassal is not bound to accept of a new charter, disconform to his former rights. 1765–8 Erskine Inst. Law Scot. ii. iii. §13 A vassal..may make over his property to a subvassal by a subaltern right. Ibid., The vassal who thus subfeus [etc.]. 1815 R. Bell Convey. Land 238 The consent of both superior and vassal must be adhibited by those forms which practice has prescribed. 1853 H. Barclay Digest Law Scot. 964 Vassal is he who has the right of fee or property—dominium utile—distinguished from the right of superiority, or dominium directum. 1896 W. K. Morton Man. Law Scot. ii. iii. 84 The law held the feu to transmit to heir of vassal, but superior could reject a stranger. |
2. transf. One who holds, in relation to another, a position similar or comparable to that of a feudal vassal.
| 1563 Golding Cæsar 23 b, To bynd theyr Citye by othe, that they shoulde neyther requyre their hostages agayn,..nor yet refuse to be their subiectes & vassales for euer. 1578 T. N. tr. Conq. W. India (1596) 47 The Lorde of that town and other foure Lords..came vnto Cortez with a good trayne of their vassals and seruitours. 1732 T. Lediard Sethos II. vii. 51 The king of Phœnicia, whose vassal I declare myself to be. 1807 J. Robinson Archæol. Græca ii. iii. 148 From the time of their [the Helots] first reduction these vassals, impatient of their servitude, often endeavoured to break their yoke. 1836 Thirlwall Greece (1839) II. 173 The death of Cyrus is speedily avenged by one of his vassals, Amorges king of the Sacians. 1909 J. Stuart Burma thro. Cent. iv. 42 The King of Bengal determined to restore the exiled King, and did so, the restored King becoming a vassal of Bengal. |
b. esp. A humble servant or subordinate; one devoted to the service of another.
| c 1500 Melusine xxiv. 163 Damoyselle,..as to my part, your vassall & seruaunt shal I euer be. 1591 Spenser Daphnaida 181 For rare it seemes..That man..Should to a beast his noble hart embase, And be the vassall of his vassalesse. 1596 J. Melvill Diary (Wodrow Soc.) 370 Mr. Andro [Melvill]..calling the King bot ‘God's sillie vassall’. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. lviii, Being your vassail bound to staie your leisure. 1651 in Nicholas Papers (Camden) 254 Lord Digby is a vassal of the Louvre. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 90 The Vassals of his anger, when the Scourge Inexorably..Calls us to Penance. 1757 Keene in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. I. 220 Dn Carlos does not care to make the Figure of a Sort of Vassal. 1782 J. Brown View Nat. & Rev. Relig. vi. i. 549 These donations ought to be made conscientiously under a sense of our debt to God as his vassals and tenants. 1823 Scott Peveril xxxix, Alas, for the captive princess, whose nod was to command a vassal so costly as your Grace! 1857 J. Hamilton Less. fr. Gt. Biogr. 140 The man who by sin makes himself Satan's vassal may soon be his victim. 1858 Lytton What will He do? vii. iv, Flora Vyvyan had still guarded..a seat beside herself for Darrell, by lending it for the present to one of her obedient vassals. |
| transf. 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 666 Thy thoughts, low vassals to thy state. 1692 Prior Ode Imit. Horace x, Where-e'er old Rhine his fruitful Water turns, Or fills his Vassals Tributary Urns. |
c. One who is completely subject to some influence. Const. of or to.
| c 1614 Sir W. Mure Dido & æneas ii. 780 Ȝe happy maids,..Frie from love's plague and perillows infection, Nor wonne by men, nor vassaills to affection. 1631 R. Bolton Comf. Affl. Consc. (1635) 34 These vassals of selfe-love and slaves of lust. 1676 Hale Contempl. ii. 86 Either the Soul becomes servant and vassal to Sin, or at best it is led away Captive by it. 1732 Neal Hist. Purit. I. 253 In this Bull he calls her Majesty ‘an usurper and a Vassal of iniquity’. 1855 Tennyson Maud ii. i. ii, The feeble vassals of wine and anger and lust. 1859 ― Merlin & V. 341 Fame with men..Should..work as vassal to the larger love. |
3. A base or abject person; a slave.
| 1589 Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 37 Vassaile auant or with my wings you die, Ist fit an Eagle seate him with a Flie? 1598 R. Bernard tr. Terence, Heavtontim. Prol., That I may not euer continually..play the part of a vagabond vassaile. 1605 Shakes. Lear i. i. 163 Kent. Now by Apollo, King, Thou swear'st thy Gods in vaine. Lear. O vassal! Miscreant. 1766 Blackstone Comm. II. 53 We now use the word vasal opprobriously, as synonymous to slave or bondman. 1820 Scott Abbot xxvii, Thou that man!—vassal, thou liest! |
4. attrib. or as adj. a. Having the status or character of a vassal; subject, subordinate; † servile. Chiefly fig.
| 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 608 No outrageous thing From vassal actors can be wiped away. 1596 Edw. III, ii. i, Vassell feare lies trembling at his feete. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. cxli, Thy proud hearts slaue and vassall wretch to be. 1616 R. C. Times Whistle iv. (1871) 41 Other mettals all Are but his vassaile starres. 1680 Otway Orphan i. iv, Man..Forlorn, and silent as his Vassal-Beasts. 1718 Pope Iliad xv. 117 Supreme he sits: and sees..Your vassal godheads grudgingly obey. 1735 Somerville Chase ii. 352 When Ammon's Son With mighty Porus in dread Battle join'd, The Vassal World the Prize. 1762 Falconer Shipwr. Introd. 4 Albion bids the avenging thunder roll Along her vassal deep. 1817 Moore Lalla Rookh Wks. (1910) 422/1 As if the loveliest plants and trees Had vassal breezes of their own. a 1854 H. Reed Lect. Eng. Lit. iii. (1855) 92 Britain was a kind of vassal nation of the Roman Empire. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) II. App. 686 A title most commonly given to vassal princes. |
b. In predicative use. Also const. to or unto.
| 1592 Nobody & Someb. (1878) 284 Ile be no longer vassaile To such a tirannous rule. 1602 J. Rhodes Answ. Romish Rime E, And now the other Bishops three..Were first made vassal vnto Rome. 1671 Milton P.R. iv. 133 That people victor once, now vile and base, Deservedly made vassal. 1848 W. K. Kelly tr. L. Blanc's Hist. Ten Years I. 325 It would have been to make Belgium vassal to the five powers. 1864 Lowell Fireside Trav. 215 The eye that saw the whole earth vassal. |
c. Of or pertaining to, characteristic of, a vassal.
| 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. iv. iii. 224 Who sees the heauenly Rosaline, That..Bowes not his vassall head. 1607 Middleton Michaelmas Term i. i. 57 With what a vassal-appetite they gnaw On our reversions. 1898 Atlantic Monthly LXXXII. 562/1 The oath of vassal loyalty constraining him to stand at his post. |
▪ II. vassal, v. Now rare.
(ˈvæsəl)
Also 7 vassail(e, -ayl, -all.
[f. prec.]
1. trans. To make subject or subordinate to some thing or person.
| 1613 Drummond of Hawthornden Cypress Grove Wks. 1913 II. 98 Celestiall thinges fauour him, earthly thinges are vassaled vnto him. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 77 Whose posterity in part remaineth to this day, though vassaled to the often changes of forraine Governours. 1628 Feltham Resolves ii. lxxi. 205 It vassailes him to the world, to beasts, and men. |
| refl. 1622 Wither Philarete (1633) H xii, Lovers..Vassaling themselves with shame To some proud imperious Dame. 1652–62 Heylin Cosmogr. (1682) iii. 209 The other nine.. have vassalled themselves to the great Mongul. |
2. To reduce to the position of a vassal; to subdue or subjugate. Also fig.
| 1612 W. Parkes Curtaine-Dr. (1876) 17 The rules of reason, and the lawes of nature,..vassayled, obliterate and vnregarded by him. 1621 Bp. R. Montagu Diatribæ 493 For Crœsus King of Lydia..was vanquished..and vassalled by Cyrus of Persia. a 1653 G. Daniel Idyll Illustr. 5 And fellow-Creatures vassail'd, tumble downe To either Face or Hand, the Axe, or Crowne. |
Hence ˈvassalled ppl. a.
| 1606 Warner Alb. Eng. xiv. lxxx, (1612) 338 And oft his vassalde English he gainst forraine Swords did bring. 1649 G. Daniel Trinarch., Hen. V, cccii, The Vassail'd Earth was rent, vnder his Rule. 1815 J. C. Hobhouse Substance Lett. (1816) I. 102 To restore the kings..of that ancient, oppressed, vassalled, decimated France. 1933 W. Faulkner Green Bough 63 Thrall to the vassalled garrison that keep Thy soft unguarded breast's white citadel. |