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VILLAINY. 207 VILLAN.
velonye, welonye ; villonye. €, 7 villainie,
7- villainy, [a. AK. vi/e{^i)ni€, vz'/at'nye, vilanie^
OF. viUinnie^ viilenu, vilanUy vHonie, vilenie (so
mod.K.). etc., = Pr. vilanta, -onia^ Sp., Pg., and
It. xnllania^ whence also med.L. viliania: sec
Villain sb. and -y.
The present spelling was rai'e before the i8th c. and did
not become esiabiisned until the 19th, when it gradually
displaced the more prevalent viilany.l
1. Action or conduct befitting, characteristic or
typical of, a villain ; evil or wrongdoing of a foul,
intamons, or shameful nature ; extreme wickedness
on the part of a person in dealing with others.
a. a isag Ancr. R. 216 Lechurs, l>et habbeS so uorloren
scheome Jret ham nis nowiht of scheome. auh secheS hwu
heo muwen mesi uileinie wurchen. i«97 R. Glouc. (Rolls)
1329 Vor it is ech prince iwis & king vileinie To defouli is
kni^tes t>oru warn he ab )>e maislrie. 1340 Ayenb. 18 He is
wei vileyn and ontrewe auoreye his lhord,..and yelt him
kuead uor guod, and vileynye uor corteysye. 13.. E. K.
Allii. /'. B. 863 Dos away your derf dyn & derez neuer my
gestes, .Xvoy !
hit is your vyiaynye, ^e vylen your seluen.
/J. a 1300 Cursor M. 2422 Bot godd hir [kept] ^at was hir
wit..^at moghl naman o licherie Hir liody necht wit wjl.
anie. 13 . . E. E. A Hit, P. C. 7 r For iwysse hit arn so wykke
(>at in J>at won dowellez, & her malys is so much I may not
abide, Bot venge me on hir vilanye & venym bilyue. 1396-7
in Enz. Hist. Rev. (1907) XXII. 2C)7 We knowe wel J>at
euery tesyng opinli prechid turnith him to velanye t»at euere
was trewe and with cute defaute. c 14x5 Wvntoun Cron.
!i. 981 Tenelayus..mad hym cortasse welcummynge... Bot
he did willany J?ar agayn : pis Tenelayus he walde haf stayn.
a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) E vij b, The
f;rcatcste vyllany in a villayne is to be gyuen in largesse of
yes. 1538 Elvot^ Oiscetaitas, villany inactes; rybauldrie.
i$9S Shaks. yoAn ni. i. 116 Thou little valiant, great in
villanie. Thou euer strong vpon the stronger side, 1616
R. C Timei' IVhistU (1871) 55 From thirst of wcaUh &
golden villany I now am come to brutish gtuttonie. 1679
Haiton Corr, (CamdenJ 199 He hath been twice pillor'd,
and committed alt manner of villaney. 1x17x6 Blackall
i^ks. (1723) I. 95 He will hardly ever l>e able to carry his
Matters so cunningly, but that his Villany will at last be
discover'd. 1771 Junius Lett. liv. (1788) 300 '1 his may be
logic at Cambridge, . . but among men of sense and honour,
it IS folly or villany in the extreme. 1841 Jamrs Brigand
iii. 41 There is some mistake here, and I think some villany.
1855 Macaulav Hist. Eng, xii. Ill, 217 He had
been induced, by the villany of 'I'yrconnel, to trust himself
at Saint Germains.
personi/. ? a 1^66 Chaucer Rom, Rose 166 Another image,
that Vilanye V-clepcd was, saugh I... Vilanye was lyk
somdel That other image \sc. Felony]; and . . She semed a
wikked creature.
trans/. 3iX\d,^g. «6ii Shaks. Cymb.w.n. 13 Nothing rowts
vs,but I'he villany of oure feares. 1638 Sir T. Herbert
Trav. (ed. 2)349 Ignorant of the deceits of men, and unused
to the villany of powder.
Y* '^'3'5 Shorkham III. 328 Ac ys (deadly sin] ^at uoule
wyl al so To swyche fylenye. 1393 Langu P. PL C. vn.
433 Ich can nouht speke for shame The \-ylenye of my foule
mou)»e and of my foule mawe. a 14*5 Cursor M. 4405
(Trin.), Here may men se ^ vilcny pat he sou^te on his
lady, a 1450 A"///, de la Tour {1868) 36 He and y hadd
gret communicacion diuersc tymes, but it was neuer in no
ueleni, nor in no euell thought nor in dede. 1584 Stanv-
HUKST /Eneis 11. (Arb.) 61 In father his presence with
spightful villenye cancred, Thee soon that murthrest, my
sight with boucherye stayning. 1596 Spenser F. Q. vi.
viL 23 The gentle knight Would not be tempted to such
villenie.
i. c 1380 Wyclif Tracts Wks. (1880) 204 To be aschamyd
of cche cuyl spcche, & namely of lecherie & euyl contenaunce
of synne & ribaudrie & vilonye. £1430 Hotu the
Good Wi/e in Babees Book (1868) 38 Kepe (>ee from synne,
fro vilonye, & fro blame. 1485 Caxton Chas, Gt. 44 Who
wold hauc thought that I shotd hauehadvylonyeofRoUand?
f. 1605 \st Ft. Jeronimo 11. iii. 49 O, that villainy should
be found in the great Chamber. i7»« Woluvston Relig.
Nat. vi. 133 He may .. endeavour to recover what has
been by any kind of violence or villainy taken from him.
i77aPENMANT Tours Scot. (1774) 10 Murdered by assassins
who crossed the moat to perpetrate their villainy. 1819
Sheli-ev Cenci i. iii. 175 Manhood's purpose stem, And
age's firm, cold, subtle vdlainy. 1843 Bethune Sc. Fireside
Stor. \oj Jenny and his other friends declaimed loudly upon
the villamy of Mr. M'Quiddit, in keeping him so long from
his own. 1861 Gem. P. Thomi'son Audi Alt. cxlvu III.
133 The same kind of villainy was meditated in China.
b. With a and pi., thisjhaty etc. An instance
or case of this ; a piece of wicked conduct or dealing
; a vile act or deed.
13.. Genu, if Gr. Knt. 634 Gawan was for godc knawen,
& as golde pured, Voydcd of vche vylany, wyth vertuez
ennourned in mote. 1377 Lanci.. P. Pi. B. xvni. 94 For J>is
foule vyieynyc vcniaunce to 50W alle. 1390 Gower Conf.
\\. i:j3 Him thenkth it were a vilenie, Bot he rewarde him
for his dede. ^1400 Destr. Troy 6912 Vlixes,,To venge
of ^at vitany vili dissirit. 1483 Ca/A. Angl. ^00/ 1 A velany,
dedicus. 1568 Grafton Lkron. II. 755 Rcquiryng them
therefore to stuHie how to rcucnge and punishe so great a
villanie. 1593 Kvd Sp. Trag. in. viit. 12 Bought you a
whistle and a whipstaike too. To be reuengcd on their
yillanies? c 1618 Morvsom Itin. iv. (1903) 483 Though
indeedc they take it rather for a grace to be reputed actiue
in any Villany, espetially Cruelly and theft. 1677 Gilpin
Demoiiol. II, i. 187 Other Errours there are, that lead to
beastly and unnatural Viilanies. 1691 Hartcliffe Virtues
53 Under pretence thereof Wars might be raised, Robberies
and all manner of Viilanies committed. 1715 Dk Foe Voy,
round iVorld (1840) 42 If ihey are honest men and would
not appear in this villany. 174a Fielding J. Andrmvs i.
xjijv, The greatest viilanies are daily practised to please
thee. 18^ Macaulav Hist. En^. vi. II. 152 He was
detcrminetf to keep his place, if it could be kept by any
villany but on^. i860 Gkn. P. Thompson Audi Alt.
cxxviii. III. 86 But such is what the poor have to expect,
when they assistin the villainiesof the rich. 1867 Fkeeman
Norm. Conq. I. 411 ^thelred, if he had not ordered this
villany, at any rate made himself an accessory after the fact.
t 2. Treatment of a degrading or shameful nature
as suffered or received by a person ; ill-usage, injury,
indignity, insult. Obs,
Not always clearly distinct from sen?:e 3.
/t 1300 Cursor M, 17150 Befor mi moder eien. .Sufferd i
al )n& wilani [v.r, velani], 13. . A'. Alts. 2500 (Laud MS.),
per dude Alisaunder curteisie; He kepte hem from vche
vilenye, Darries moder, & darries wijf. c 137S Sc, Leg.
Saints i. {Peter) 548 He . . mad gret playnt of l>e schame, of
t?e vilne, and of pc blame, )>at lytil befor thoHt he. £^1440
Vork Myst, xx\\. 70 And gladly suffir I for thy sake swilk
velany. 1567 Trial Treas. Ciijb, Ve, ye they hane vsed
me with to much vilanie. 1586 J. Hooker Hist. Irel, in
HoUnshed\\.%^li Kildare pursuing Ormond to the chapiter
house doore, vndertooke on his honor that he should receiue
no villanie. X590GREKNE j'^^y'/i/ A'jri:^. Wks. (Grosart) VII.
263 To see villanie offered him, and to holde his peace.
+ b. In the phr. to put (a person) to villainy,
1513 Bbadshaw St. Werhurge II. 207 Wyddowes and
wyues were put to vilany, Maydens were corrupt and slayne
chamfully. 1C48 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Mark ix. 62
Syth menne shoulde se hym \sc. Jesus] sone after putte to
so muche shame and villany. 1565 Cooper Thesaurus,
CoHCulco, . . to treade vnder foote : to put to extreme vilanie.
t O. ? A punisliment of a degrading or ignominious
nature. Obs.~^
a 1400-50 Bk. Curtasye 56 in Bahees Bk.^ Vf (>ou make
mawes on any wyse, A velany |?ou kacches or euer )>ou rise.
fS. Disgrace, dishonour ; ignominy; discredit.
Obs. (freq. c 1400-r 1500).
c 1375 Cursor M. 803 (Fairf.), pai clad ham |?an for velane
wibbrade leues of fyge tree. 1375 Barbour Bruce ix. 545
Schir Amery . . Raid till Yngland, and purchast ther Of armyt
men gret cumpany, 'I'o venge hym of the velany. c 1410
Chron. Vilod. 2384 V J>e niekely prey.. to correcty hit so
^at y naue no vyleny J»ere-by. 1436 Hen. VI in Rep.
Hist. M.SS. Comm. Var. Coll. IV. 199 To caste this land
oute of alt reputacion into perpetual reprofe, vylonye and
shame thorwgh the wordil, a 1470 Harding Chron. vn.
clxxxi. The kyng Kdwarde had all the viclorye, The kyng
Philyp had all the vilanye. c 1530 Ld. Bkrneks Arth. Lyt,
Bryt. (1814) 23 Dame Luke ., Icnew wtl y^ her doughler
Perron was no mayde, therfore she doubtecf greatly to haue
vylonye. a 1533 — Huon viii, 20 It slialbe greatly to your
veleny and reproche yf I be thus slayne by you. 1565
Jewell Reply Harding (1611) 371 They thought great
villanie in that kind of Death. 1594 T. B. La Primaud.
Fr. Acad, 11. 327 For this cause there is in Shame not
onely a feare of villanie, but indignation also, after the
committing of some fault.
fb. Used predicatively: A fact or circumstance
bringing disgrace or discredit to a person. Also
without const. Obs.
c 1340 Hamfole Prose Tr, sj It es a velany a man for to
be curyously arrayede apone his heuede. .and all his body
be nakede and bare as it ware a beggere, ? a 1366 Chaucer
Ro/u, Rose 12^1 But .she l^ym holpc his harme to aswage;
Hir thought It elles a vyianyc. a 1400 Afinor Poems Jr.
Vernon MS. 533/173 5lf \^^ ^'OU chyde J>i .sogct, Hit is to
J»c vileynye gret. 1467 Paston Lett. II. 308, If I wer ther
withought I had the mor sadder or wurchepfull persones
abought me,.. it shuld be to me but a vyincy. 1470-85
Malorv Arthur 111. viii. 108 Ve haue doone a passynge
fowle dede in the sleyinge of the lady, the whiche will be
freie vylany vnto yow. 01533 L^- Berners Huon Iv. 185
t shal be to you greie velany [ed. 1601 dishonour].
f c. A person or thing that is the source of
discredit or disgrace. Obs, rare.
138a WvcLiF Ecclus. xxiii. 31 He shal ben vileny to alle ;
forth! that he vnderstod not ihedrede of the Lord. 1549
Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. Galat. 21 The Gentiles..
coumpte his crosse for a vilanie and reproche.
t 4. To do villainy or a villainy^ esp. to (a person),
in prec. senses. Obs.
a, 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Sywte 6516 The syxte synne
ys glotonye; J>at ys a shameful vyieynye |>at men doun of
mete and drynk. a 1330 Otuel 358 King charles . . was
hende & good, & nolde for hise wordes he^e Don otuel no
vileinie. 1:1380 Wyclif ,V^/. Wks. III. 287 pei.-don hym
more dispite and vileyne )>an didcn Judas Scarioth and
Jewis. a 14S5 Cursor M. 20340 (Trin.), perfore J>eron haue
Jhju Y\ ^>ou5t. .pat ^i me do no vilayne.
^. A 1300 Cursor M. 16306 Pilate said and badd (lai ne
suld do nim \sc. Jesus] na vilanL c 1385 Chaucer L. G. IV.
1B2 } Lucrece,W ni hast thow don this lady vilanye? f 1450
Mirk's Festial 106 By heipe of t>e fende, he made hym
lyke an angyll,and come to dyuers maydyns,..and soo lay
by hoin, and dude hom gret vylany. 1480 Caxton Chron.
Ettg. ciii. 52 b, 1 he kyng Osbright me hath done shame &
vilanye ayens my wyll. 15x6 Pilgr. Per/, (W. de \V. 1531)
254 [They] spared not to do all the vylany & shame to
the sone of god that they coude deuyse. 1597 Shaks. 3
Hen. IV, II. L 130 Pay her the debt you owe her, and vnpay
the villany you haue done her. e vylonye. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 389
Atthalus hadde despitousliche i-scorned ^is Pausania, and
i-doo hym grete vilonye. c 1449 Pecock Repr, \. xvii. 100
Ther in thei doon foul vilonie to Cristis lawe of feith. 1474
Caxton Chesse 11. i. (1883) 20 Thanswer of a noble ik.
debonair prynce That suffred that villonye don to his
doughtcr.
+ 6. To say or speak (a, nOy etc.) villainy^ to
speak evil, to use wicked, low, obscene, or opprobrious
language. Also, to speak villainy of, to
defame or throw discredit on (a person). Obs.
After OF, dire vilonie (Du Cange s.v. Viliania),
(a) a t^po Cursor Af. 7832 For qua lais hand in feloni O
king, or sais him vilani, .. wii-vten grith. He dei. 1303
R. Brunnr Handl. Synne 1549 A nunne. .pat jede to helle
for no (jyng ellys But for she spake euer vyleyny. c 1386
Chaucer Frol. 70 He neuere yet no vileynye ne sayde In
al hislyf vn to no maner wight. I4i9in S. lB>^x\.\\^y Excerpta
Historica (1831) 38 That no man saye no vilony to non
other, throughe the whiche vilony saynge, may falle sodenly
man slaughter, or risinge of people. 1474 Caxton Chesse
II. i, (1883) 20 This prince had also a frende that..sayd on
a tyme as moche villonye unto the prynce as ony man miht
saye. 1483 — Gold. Leg. 424/1 She,. said many Iniuryes
& vyionyes to fyacre contumeleyng & blasphemyng hym.
j6ii Bible Isaiah xxxii. 6 The vile person wil speake
villenie, and his heart will worke iniquitie.
{6) 1470-85 .Malory Arthur xx. xix. 832 Alle the world
wylle speke of yow v>-lony. 1568 Grafton Chron, II. 285
Do not a thing that should blemlshe your renowne, neither
geue occasion for any to speake vilanie of you. 1581 A.
Hall /Had v. 83 Al men of vs great villany would say.
t b. ^o tvonls of villainy. Obs.
a 1300 Cursor M. 28531, I ha bene wont thorn lucheri
Wordes to --pek of vilany. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. p 22
If. .he be a talkere of ydil wordes of vanite or of vilonye.
1568 Bk. Nurture To Parents, Take heede they speake no
wordes of vilany.
discourtesy,
fS. Lack of courtesy or politeness ;
incivility, rudeness ; boorishness, rusticity. Obs,
£M34o Hampole Pr. Cortsc. 1528 For ]jat somtyme men
held velany Now yhung men haldes curtasy ; And ]>at som
tyme was curtasy c.ild, Now wille yhong men velany bald.
c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 740 Crist spak hym self ful brode in
hooly writ. And wel ye woot no vileynye is it. 14.. Voc.
in Wr..\Vulcker 590 fuurbanitas, x-ylonye. C1480 in Hazl.
E. P. P. I, 45 Syr erle, he seyd, take and begyn ; He seyd :
nay, be seynt Ausiyn, That was to me vylony. £1481
Caxtoji Dialogues 2g For I reffuse not The cuppe ; That
were vylonye [F. Tillonic'],
a 1677 Bahrow Settn. Titus iii. 2 Wks. (1687) I. 259 This
practice [of railing and reviling] doth plainly signifie..ill
breeding and bad manners.. . In our modern languages it is
termed Villany, as being proper for rustick Boors. 1694
Drvden Love Triumph, i, i, But this large courtesy, this
overpraise You give liis worth, in any other mouth Were
villainy to me.
+ 7. The condition or state of a villein ; bondage,
servitude ; hence, base or ignoble condition of
life ; moral degradation. Obs,
£1386 Chaucer Pars. T. r g Certes wel aughte a man
hauedisdeyne of synne, and wi(>drawe him fro \>nt J>raldom
and vilenye. 1540 Coverdale Fruit/ul Less. 1. Wks.
(Parker Soc.) 1. 300 Jesus.. took upon himself the most
extreme shame.. to deliver us from eternal villany. 1543
T. Becon Neiv Catech. Wks. 1560 I. 415 1», These, these
goo about to bring vs vnto vilany.
t b. Low or wretched condition. Obs.
1570 Jewel Vie^v Seditious Bull (1582) 47 Haue not they
spoiled & wasted tliose two noble Cuntries & brought them
to such vilanie & miserie, as they neuer felt before?
t8.
Imperfection, defect, or injury ia things.
Obs.-^
c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) 11. Iviii. (1859) 56 The bones
stoden vp, as men, in the same persones, ryght as they were
byfore, withouten ony spot or vylonye.
0. hase, villainous, or wicked quality.
1703 Addison Dial. Medals ii. (1726) loi Ingratitude..
can arise-from nothing but a natural
of soul.
baseness and villany
Hence f Vi'llainy (in 5 vylonye) v. trans. ^ =>
Villain v. i, Obs.—^
1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 113/3 f'or as moche as they hane
dyspyted and vylonyed the blood of Jhesu.
Villakin (vi-lakin). [f. Villa + -KIN.] A little
villa; a villa-residence.
Chiefly in familiar or jocular use, or with some degree of
disparagement.
1730 Swift Let. to Gay 19 March, I writ lately to Mr.
Pope: I wish you had a little Villakin in his neighbourhood.
1730 Gay Let. to Sivi/t 31 March, I am every day
building villakins and have given over that of castles. 1805
J. Almon Corr. Wilkes V. 79 In this cottage (or villakin,
as he usually termed it) he passed the pleasantest hours
which he had enjoyed since the period of his adversities.
184X Tail's Mag. VIII. 258 The villakin was transformed
into a domestic paradise. 1883 Miss Broughton Belinda
II. 159 .Spick and span villas and villakins, each with its
half acre of tennis-ground and double daisies.
Vi'llaless, «• [f. Villa.] Having no villa or
villas.
1833 Eraser's Mag. VIII. 481 The touch at the end, as to
the villaless condition of Bulwer, is admirable.
Vi'llan. Also 6-7, 9 villane. [ad. med.L.
villan-us villager, etc., f. L, villa Villa.]
1. Hist. A villein ; an occupier of land
feudal vill.
in the
i55« HuLOET, Villan, seruus, . . villanus, 1570 Levins
Manip, jo Villane, verna, 1609 Skene AVf. Maj. 98 Gif
ane over-ford causes marie the heires of his vassall, being
in his custodie, with villans (or bondmen) or Burgesses,
quhereby the heires are disparaged [etc.]. 1699 Temple
Hist. Eng. (ed. 2) 255 What Stock they were possessed of,
and how many Villans upon their respective Estates. 1809
Bawdwen Domesday Bk. 9 There are only t wo villanes there
and four bordars having one plough and a half. 1851 T. H.
Turner Pom. Arc/tit. I. iii. 105 To these woods [at Osterley,
Middlesex] resorted moreover all lawless men, fugitive
villans, and persons of the like description.
t2. A villager, a peasant. Obs.
1685 Hedges Diary (Hakl. Soc.) I- 208 Vineyards stored
with excellent good grapes, which the villanes carry every
night to sell at Shirash.
Villan, obs. f. Villain. Villanage, variant
of Villeinage. Villane, obs. f. Villain.