fealty
(ˈfiːəltɪ)
Forms: 4–6 feaute, (5 feauty, 6 feautie), 4–5 feute(e, 4–6 fewt(e(e, (5 fewthe, fewtye), 4–7 fealtie, -ye, (5 fealtee, feaulte, 6 -ie), 6– fealty.
[ad. OF. feaute, feaulte, fealte = Pr. fealtad, fedeltat:—L. fidēlitāt-em, f. fidēlis faithful, f. fidēs faith.]
1. The obligation of fidelity on the part of a feudal tenant or vassal to his lord.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 427 Schir byschop..Gyff thow wald kep thi fewte Thou maid nane sic speking to me. c 1460 J. Russell Bk. Nurture 1204 Þey haue knowleche of homages, seruice, and fewte. 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1362/1 From all debt or dutie of fealtie. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, v. ii. 45, I am..pledge for his..fealtie to the new⁓made King. 1765 Blackstone Comm. I. 367 This obligation on the part of the vasal was called his fidelitas or fealty. 1814 Scott Ld. of Isles iii. viii, Each bent the knee To Bruce in sign of fealty. 1842 Tennyson Morte D'Arthur 75 Not rendering true answer, as beseem'd Thy fëalty. |
2. The recognition of this obligation (see
quot. 1635). Also
pl. Frequent in phrases
to do fealty,
make fealty,
receive fealty,
swear, etc. fealty.
| c 1300 K. Alis. 2911 Alle heo duden him feuté. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 3 Ine toke his feaute of alle þat lond helde. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 95 To whom [Swane] þe men..þat dwelled at þe norþ side of Watlyng strete gefen ostage and sworen feutee. c 1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 3762 Sho sal hald hir land of the, And to the tharfor mak fewte. 1475 Bk. Noblesse 38 Prince Edwarde..received theire homages and feutees..in the name of King Edwarde .iij{supd}. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxvi. 571 They of the londe receyved him to be their lorde & made to him fewt & homage. 1523 Fitzherb. Surv. 12 These tenauntes maye holde their landes by..fealtie. 1533–4 Act 25 Hen. VIII, c. 20 §5 Making..othe & feautie only to the kinges maiestie. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World ii. 416 Solomon..received fealtie of all the Princes and People of the Land. a 1626 Bacon Max. & Uses Com. Law (1635) 32 Fealty is to take an oath upon a book, that hee will bee a faithfull Tenant to the King. 1682 Burnet Rights Princes v. 149 The Bishops were also obliged to swear fealty to the Prince. 1855 Milman Lat. Chr. (1864) IV. vii. ii. 58 Where there was no fealty there could be no treason. 1862 Ld. Brougham Brit. Const. xi. 146 The vassal swore to his baron fealty absolutely. |
| attrib. 1851 Sir F. Palgrave Norm. & Eng. I. 359 Henceforward, though Lotharius Imperator might appear in Charter or Diploma and the fealty-form be preserved to him, his sovereignty in Italy was gone. |
3. transf. and
fig.| c 1530 Hickscorner in Hazl. Dodsley I. 173 We all to him [God] owe fealty and service. a 1536 Calisto & Melibæa ibid. I. 54 The more to God ought I to do fealty. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. ii. iv. 91 Be-like that now she hath enfranchis'd them Vpon some other pawne for fealty. 1667 Milton P.L. iii. 204 Man disobeying Disloyal breaks his feältie. 1681–6 J. Scott Chr. Life (1747) III. 276 The Church..makes a visible Profession of Fealty to him. 1717 E. Fenton Homer Odyss. xi. in Poems 94 Studious to win your Consort, and seduce Her from chaste Fealty to Joys impure. 1866 Felton Anc. & Mod. Gr. I. v. 82 The most advanced minds acknowledged their fealty to the old master [Homer]. |