Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

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ceorl

Dictionary links
Wright's OE grammar
§85; §91; §311; §335;
Dele first passage under II, and add:
a
man, male person
Show examples

  • Ceorl

    mas,

      Wrt. Voc. ii. 58, 39.

  • Ciorl vir, Kent. Gl. 1195. I a. poet,

    a (noble) man

    :-- Snotor ceorl monig,
      B. 908.

  • Gomelum ceorle,

      2444; 2972.

  • Leóde míne þá sélestan, snotere ceorlas, 416: 202: 1591. I b. a (married) man, husband :-- Ceorl þe wíf hæfð

    maritus,

      Wrt. Voc. i. 73, 13.

  • Ceorl

    uxorius,

    ii.
      124, 26.

  • Wearð forðféred sumes wífes ceorl ... and sæt ꝥ wíf ofer þám líchaman hire forðférdan ceorles,

      Gr. D. 215, 18: Gn. Ex. 97.

  • Þú wilnast ceorles,

      Hml. S. 3, 396.

  • Wǽron wydewan fornýdde on unriht tó ceorle,

      Wlfst. 158, 11.

  • Ceorl

    maritum,

      An. Ox. 5166.

  • Hæbbe ǽlc monn his wíf, and ǽlc wíf hiere ciorl,

      Past. 99, 12.

  • Wóhhǽmed begangan mid óþerra ceorla wífum,

      Bl. H. 61, 14.
a man of inferior class, peasant, rustic
Show examples

  • Hwæt is þes ceorl (

    rusticus

    )?,
      Gr. D. 35, 2: 45, 24.

  • Se mǽra landbegenga (

    St. Paul

    ) underféng ðá hálgan gesomnunga tó plantianne, suá se ceorl déð his ortgeard,
      Past. 293. 4.

  • Dúnhere, unorne ceorl (

    simple peasant

    ),
      By. 256.

  • Mon ðane chiorl slóh for ðan buccan,

      C. D. iii. 434, 21.

  • Ceorla samnung

    compita,

      Wrt. Voc. i. 36, 32.

  • Mid mycelre ceorla (

    rusticorum

    ) mænigu,
      Gr. D. 213, 13.

  • Eádwíg ceorla cyng, Chr. 1017; P. 155, 8. II a. where ceorl

    is in contrast with

    eorl :-- Eóde ánrǽd eorl tó þám ceorle,
      By. 132.

  • Cuð þeódum gewelhwǽr, ceorlum and eorlum, Men. 31. II b.

    in contrast with þeów :-- Þá ofþúhte heora ceorlum (libertinis) þæt mon þá þeówas freóde, and hí nolde, Ors. 4, 3; S. 162, 16. II c. a layman :-- Swá mæssepreóst, swá munuc, swá ceorl (laicus ),

    swá cempa,
      Coll. M. 31, 37.

  • Swylce hit nán pleoh ne sý ꝥ se preóst libbe swá swá ceorl, Ll. Th. ii. 344, 18. þæt mæssepreóst lybbe his líf swá swá ceorl, Wlfst. 269, 29. II d. as a term of contempt? :-- Wæs Eaxeceaster ábrocen þurh þone Frenciscan ceorl Hugon (far ánes Frencisces ceorles ðingan Hugo hátte,

    v. l.) through the French fellow, Hugh,

      Chr. 1003; P. 135, 5.
the legal status of the
ceorl is illustrated by the following passages
Show examples

  • Gif on eorles túne man mannan ofslæhð .xii. scill. gebéte ... Ceorles mundbyrd .vi. scillingas,

      Ll. Th. i. 6, 9-12.

  • Gesíðcund man gebéte .C. scill. Ceorlisc man gebéte .L. scill.,

      38, 4-7.

  • Gesiðcund mon landágende geselle .cxx. sciłł. ... unlandágende .lx. sciłł. ... cierlisc .xxx. sciłł.,

      134, 8-10.

  • Gif syxhyndum þissa hwæðer gelimpe þriefealdlíce áríse be þǽre cierliscan bóte; .xii.-hyndum men twyfealdlíce be þæs syxhyndan bóte,

      88, 2-5: 9-11.

  • Ceorles wergild is on Myrcna lage .cc. sciłł. Ðegnes wergild is syx swá micel,

      190, 2.
  • Cyninges þegn gilde .x. healfmarc; landagende .vi. healfmearc; ceorl .xii. ór., ii. 300, 10. v. beo-, hæmed-ceorl.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “ceorl.” In An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online, edited by Thomas Northcote Toller, Christ Sean, and Ondřej Tichy. Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, 2014. https://bosworthtoller.com/41579.

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