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VASSAL.
thanoer roll Along her vas-^al deep, 1817 Moobe Lalla
Rff^k Wks. (1910) 42a I As if ihe loveliest plants and trees
Had >-assaI breezes of ilieir own. a 1854 H. Reed Lett,
Eng. Lit. iii. (1S55) 93 Britain was a kind of vassal nation
of the Roman Empire. 1868 Freeman Xortu. Conij. (1876)
II. App. 636 A title most commonly given to vassal princes.
b. In predicative use. Also const, to or unto.
tssa Noh^y 4- Someb. (1878) 28+ lie be no longer vassaile
To such a tirannous rule. i6o» J. Rhodes Ahs7V. Romish
Rime E, And now the other Bishops three . .Were first made
\-assal vnto Rome. 1671 Miltos P. R. iv. 133 That people
victor once, now vile and base, Deservedly made vassal.
1848 W. H. Kelly tr. L. Blanc's HisU Ten Years \, 325
It would have been to make Belgium vassal to the hve
powers. 1864 Lowell Fireside Trav. 215 The eye that saw
the whole earth vassal
O. Of or pertaining to, characteristic of, a vassal.
scSS Smkks. L.L.L. IV. iii. 23* Who sees the heauenly
Rosaline, That . . Bowes not his vassall head. 1607 Middi^e.
TON Michlelmas Term 1. i. 57 With what a vassal-appetite
they gnaw On our reversions. 1898 Atlantic Aionthly
LXXXII. 562/1 The oath of vassal loyalty constraining
him to stand at his post
Vassal (vae-sal), v. Now rare. Also 7 vas-
8ail(e, -ayl, -all. [f. prec]
1. trans. To make subject or subordinate to some
thing or person.
1613 Drumm. of Hawth. Cypress Grave Wks. 1913 II. 98
Celestiall thinges fauour him, earthly ihinges are vassaled
vnio him. 1615 G. Sandvs Trav. 77 Whose posterity in
part remaineth to this day, though va^saled to the often
changes of forraine Govcniours. i6a8 Feltham Resolves u.
Ixxi. 205 It vassailes him to the world, to beasts, and men.
r
to t»e tournament She..byt hym do for hys lemman Yii
vasshelage alle Jjat he kan, 1338 — Chron. (1810) 188
Gentille of norture, & noble of lynage, Was non )?at bare
armure, )>at did suilk vassalage. c\-^ Sir Ferumb. 1671
Ri^t as he wil let it be do, for pat is vassalage. ^ 1400 Laud
Troy Bk. 12873 Kyng Sarpedoun Was in his tyme a stalworth
man, A noble kny^t of vasselage. 1456 Sir G. Have
Laxv A rms (S.T.S.) 54 To count all the vasselage that thare
was done on ayther syde, it war mervaile to here, c 1477
Caxtom 7(Zj£?»34b, Our defendour. .whiche bath only in
him self more of vaUselage than is in alle Esclauonye. 1508
Dunbar Poems vii. 10 Welcum. .incomparable knight, The
fame of armys, and fioure of vassalage. 1565 in Ellis Orig.
Lett. Ser. i. II. 204 And maynie made knightes that never
showde anye greate token of their vasellage. x^y Sntir,
Poems Reform, iv. 141 Deianira hir husband Hercules..
Brocht to mischeif, for all his vassalage, xSaj Scorr Betr.
xxi, Were I to choose some knight of name, . . he would be
setting about to do deeds of vassalage upon the Welsh.
ironical, c 1385 Chaucer L. G. IK 1667 (//jyPsi/yle), And
of lason this is the vassellage That in hise dayis nas ther non
i-founde So fals a louere goinge on the grounde.
fi, X37S Barbour Bruce 1. 290 He had a sone . . pat wes h^n
hot a litill page; Bot syne he wes off gret waslage. /bid.
X. 268 He knew his worthy wassalage. c 1500 Lancelot
2708 lliar schcw the lord sir ywan his curage, His maiihed,
& his noble wassolage. f 1550 Rolland Crt, Venus i. 171
He.. in the Net of wanhoip had bene tane, Quhilk causit
him want baith welth & wassallage. a 1578 Lindusay
(PitscottieJ Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 153 He was of tender
aige and could not wse no wassaledge nor feit of weiris,
fb. A brave or chivalrous act ; a noble or gallant
exploit. Obi.
f X330 R. Bru.vnb Chron. Wnce fRolIs) 12331 Me J>ynkel>
hit were no vasselage, f>re til on; hit were outrage! 1426
Lyoc. De Guil. Pilgr. 10606 Record off folkys that be sage,
Sclaundere ys no vasselage. £'1470 Henry Wallace i. 158
Thus be conteynde tn till hys tendyrage; In armys syne
did mony hie waslage. c 1475 Rau/Coil^ear 887 For that
war na wassalage, sum men wald say. a 1578 Lindesay
(Pitscottie) Chron, Scot. (S.T.S.) M. n8 Ane gret navie..
landit in orknay and thocht to haue done sum wassallage
thair. 41670 Spalding Troub. Chas. I C1840) I. 23 The
Erll of Morray. .rejoisit tnichtelHe at this vassalage done be
his men. Ibid. 182 The barronis..left the houss, thinkingit
no vassalage to stay whill thay war slayne.
60
transj. iST© Satir, Poems Reform, xiii. 132 His Fatheris
murther also 56 cleirly knew, Myschantly hangit, ane wlckit
vassalage.
to. Pre-eminence, supremacy. Obs.~^
c 1430 LvDG. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 176 Is noon so greet
encress Off world tresour, as for to live in pees, Which
among vertues hath the vasselage.
2. The state or condition of a vassal ; subordination,
homage, or allegiance characteristic of, or
resembling that of, a vassal.
1594 Nashk Terrors of Night Wks. (Grosart) III. 266
Much more may I acknowledge all redundant prostrate
vassailage to the royal! descended FamiUe of the Careys.
1605 Camden Rem. 4 Acknowledging no superiours, in no
vassalage to Emperour or Pope. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. iv.
182 He was a worthy mail in his generation, had not his
vassalage to the Pope ingaged him in cruelty against the
poor professors of the truth. 1667 MiLTON P.L. 11. 252 Let
us not then pursue.. our state Of splendid vassalage. 1709
Steele Taller No. 46 P 2 The only Part of Great Britain
where the Tenure of Vassalage is still in being. X756
Nugent Gr. Tour, Germany II. 15 The peasants are all in
a state of vassalage to the nobility. 1774 Pennant Tour
Scot, in 1772, 294 Tyranny more often than protection was
the attendance on their vassalage. 1807 G. Chalmers
Caledonia 1. 111. iv. 347 They acknowledged their vassalage
. .by receiving rulers, from the Scandian peninsula. 1844
H. H. Wilson Brit. India II. 46* That they had no right
. . to reduce to vassalage the native Princes, who had always
been treated, .as independent. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq.
(1876) III. xiii. 312 William's vassalage for England will be
still more nominal than his vassalage for Normandy.
attrib. 1791 Paine Rights of Man 82 Submission is wholly
a vassalage term, repugnant to the dignity of Freedom.
b. In semi-personitied use.
1606 Shaks. Tr. ^ Cr. in. ii. 40 Like vassalage at vnawares
encountring The eye of Maiestie. s6i6 J. Lane Contn.
Sqr.'s T. ix. 410 For trewe kinges this inscribe of sover*
aigntie, that vassalage backe startes at maiestie.
C. In the phrase to hold (glands) in vassalage.
X747 Carte Hist. Eng. I. 195 Who being tired with beating
Cerdic consented at last that he sliould hold a great part
of the west of him in vassalage, 1761 Hume Hist. Eng. 1.
ix. 186 The prince.. offered, .to hold his kingdom in vassalage
under the Crown of England. 1791 Newte Tour En^.
/f- Scot. 284 Several ^ood families held their estates m
vassalage of feudal Chiefs.
3. Subjection, subordinntion servitude ; service.
Freq, const, to. a. To a person or persons.
'S9S T. P. GoODWiNE Blanchardyn \\. Ded., [A] most
worthy Patrone; to whose vasselage,. bountifull rewardes
haue bound me during life, in all obseruancie. 1604 T.
Wright Passions v. § 4. 231 Man is bound both by nature,
grace, gratitude, vassaladge..to loue, honour, and blesse
thee. 162a Wither Philarete (1633) Kj b, Who, beforetime
held in scorne, To yeeld Vassalage, or Duty, Though unto
the Queen of Beauty. 1793 Burke Obs. Conduct Minority
Wks. 1S42 I. 626 This insolent claim of superiority on their
part, and of a sort of vassalage to them on that of other
members. 1849 Macaulav Iliit. Eng. i. I. i How our
country, from a state of ignominious vassalage, rapidly rose
to the place of umpire among European powers. 1878 N.
Amer. Rev. CXXVII. 100 The revelation it makes of the
condition of the solid South ; its continued vassalage to the
reckless and dangerous class.
b. To some influence, esp. of a detrimental kind.
x6ia T. Taylor Comm, Titus W, 14 It must worke in vs a
..watchfulnes against all sinn, which bringeth .such vassaledge
vpon vs. 1665 Glanvii.l Def. Van. Dogm. 13 An
attempt to redeem the free-born spirits of Men, from an
unworthy vassailage to so stigmatiz'd an Authority, 174a
Blair Grave 598 Human Nature groans Beneath a Vassalage
so vile and cruel. 1767 Dr. Dodd Poems 8 Princes .
unfortunately great, Born to the pompous vassalage of state.
1833 LvTTON Godolphin 24 All round bore the seal of vassalage
to Time. 1849 Coleridge Shaks. Notes (1875) 126 The
subservience and vassalage of strength and animal courage
to intellect and policy. 1871 Lowell Pope Pr. Wks. 1890
IV. II English literature.. showed the marks..of an artistic
vassalage to France.
4. t a. The authority of a superior in relation to
a vassal. Obs.
1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. ^ Commit}. 140 lK>ts, Sales,
Homages, rights of Vassalage, Forrests, Ponds, Rivers.
x^yo Devout Commun.{\tZZ) 81 How manyslaves under tiie
vassailage of an enemy fare better than thou ! 1681 H,
Nevile Plato Rediv. 37 This Vassailage over the People,
which the Peers of France had, being abolisht,
b. An estate or fief held by a vassal,
1855 MiLMAN Lat. Chr. ix. viii. IV, 190 The Countship of
Foix, with six territorial vassalages.
6. A body or assemblage of vassals,
1807 WoRDSw. White Doe 11. 30 But now the inly-working
North Was ripe to send its thousands forth, A potent vassalage,
to fight In Percy's and in Neville's right, xQz6 Blackw,
Mag. XX. 416 The assembled vassalage were all still as
death. 1849 }. Grant Kirkaldy xx. 230 Kirkaldy, whose
garrison was probably recruited from his own vassalage.
Hence t Va'ssalagre v.j = Vassal v. Obs.
16^ Royalist's Defence ^8 Refusing to acknowledge it His
duty to bee governed by them His Subjects, and . . to vassalage
unto those Rebels Himselfe, His Royall Posterity, and
all the rest of the people. i66a R. Mathkw C/nl. Alch. 59
What man Ial>ouring to fulfil liis desire, is not ten times
fuither off by being vassalag'd more thereunto?
t Va*ssalate, ». Obs.—^ [f. Vassal sbJ] =
Vassal v. So t Vassalation, vassalage, subjection.
Obs."^
1648 W. MouNTAGUK Devout Ess. I. XV. § 2. 271 Thus God
suffereth things which have no true goodness, to work upon
our imagination ;. .and this vassaltation is a penalty set by
the true Judge of all things, upon our attempt to design of
our own heads, the forms of good and evil. 1659 Gauof.n
Tears Ch. 496 Conventions, where either X^y-men shall
over-number and over-awe the Clergy, or Clergy-men shall
vassalate their consciences to gratifie any potent party.
VAST.
Vassaldom.
= Vassalage 2.
rare-K [f. Vassal sb. + -dom.]
1876 BuRNABv Ride to Khiva xxvii. 262 The khanate [of
Khiva] was reduced to a stale of complete vassaldom.
Va'SSaless. rare. [t. Vassal sb. t -ess.]
female vassal.
A
>S9« [see Vassal sh. 2 b]. 1842 Agnes Stujcklasd Queens
Eng. II. 41 He could have forbidden his fair vassaless to
marry the subject of King Philip.
Vassalic (vaesaelik), a. [f. Vassal sb^ Of
or pertaining to vassals or vassalage.
1897 ^ • ^ ' Maitland Domesday Bk. i^ Beyond 75 The
very highest storeys of the feudal or vassalic edifice. 1898
— Townsh. 4- Borough 45 There are feudal or vassalic distinctions.
Va'Ssalism, [f. Vassal j^.] Tendency to
accept a position of vassalage.
1854 Eraser's Mag. L. 600 That obsequious compliance.,
whicli indicated the shameful vassalism (if we may coin a
word) of a German government.
Vassalize (vae-sabiz), v. [f. Vassal sb^
1. trans. = Vassal v. 1.
^599 ^' LiNCHE Ane. FictionC ijh. Since Asia was vassalized
and subiugated to the Romanes. 1648 Cromwell Z,f^/.
^ sp. 20 Nov., The former Quarrel was that Englishmen
might rule over one another, this to vassalise us to a foreign
nation. 1653 Chisenhale Cath. Hist. 36 Their, .close practises
against all that will not. .vassalize themselves to their
impious Lord and Master. 1670 in E. B. Jupp Carpenters'
Co. (1887) 308 All other workemen depending on the same
must lye adle [sicj and bee vassalized to their rudenes and
exorbitances.
2. = Vassal v. 2.
1641 March Act. for Slaunder 7 He might seize all his
estate, .and vassalize his person at pleasure. 1654 Sfittle-
HOUSE Vind. Eifth-Mon. Men 5 Against all arbitiary or
absolute power, .vassalizing the Saints and People of God
in this Commonwealth. 184S Lowell Fablefor Cfitics 1506
To vassalize old tyrant Winter.
Hence Va'ssalized///. «., Vassalizing vbi. sb.
1647 Maids" Petition 3 Till then, wee'le remaine your
*Vassalized Virgins. 1841 T. MacQueen in Poets Ayrsh.
216 It marked tlie deep bondage of vassalised man. 1607
Wai.kington opt. Glass 80 The "vassalizing of the rebellious
affections. x66j J. Chandler Van Helmont's Oriat, 215
Therefore the meat is not yet fully transchanged, unless
when its own Archeus being subdued, our vital one is introduced
with a full vassalliziiig of the former.
Va'SSalry. Also 5 vasselry, 6 vassalrie,
-rey. [f. Vassal sb. •¥ -ky, Cf. med.L. vassekria
(1238) fief, OF. vassellerie warlike exploit.]
1. « Vassalage 5.
01470 Harding Chron. xcix, Thei reigned vpon the
vasselry That were out castes of all Britany. x8o6 W. Taylor
in Ann. Rev. IV. 67 Something could be done., to facilitate
the acquisition of a peculium. .by the negro vassalry. 1831
TvTLER Hist. .Scot. (1864) II. 209 The Earls of Ross and
Huntly, whose dominions and vassalry embraced almost the
whole of the Highlands. 188a E. Arnold Pearls 0/Faith
xxiii. (1883) 84 Queens were his slaves, and Kings his
vassalry.
2. = Vassalage 3.
"594 O. B. Quest. Profit. Concern, 13 b, The olde bondajge
and vassalrie men of your condition were wont to be in.
c 1600 in E. E. Wills (1882) 117 This beast .. disdainetb
vassairey and subjection.
Vassal's grass. (Seequots.)
a 1818 M. G. Lewis Jrtil. W. Ind. {1834) 251 Many years
ago, a new species of grass was imported into Jamaica, by
Mr. Vassal.. .This nuisance, which is called' Vassal's grass ,
..has now completely overrun the parish of Westmoreland.
1885 Ladv Brassev The Trades 262 The greater part of it
was a coarse- looking but sweet herbage, called Vassal's
grass.
Vassalsliip. [f. Vassal sbi\ Vassalage.
1578 T. N. tr. Long. W. India 50 These generally gave
their vassalship to the King of Spaine into the handes of
Hernando Cortez. 1841 W. Spalding Italy