Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

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ESNE

  • noun [ masculine ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
ESNE, es; m.
Wright's OE grammar
§56; §354;
A man of the servile class, a servant, retainer, man, youth; mercēnārius, servus, vir, jŭvĕnis. The esne was probably a poor freeman from whom a certain portion of labour could be demanded in consideration of his holdings, or a certain rene [gafol, q. v. ] reserved out of the produce of the hives, flocks or herds committed to his care. He was a poor mercenary, serving for hire, or for his land, but was not of so low a rank as the þeów or wealh
Show examples

  • Ánan esne gebýreþ to metsunge xii púnd gódes cornes, and ii scípæteras and i gód mete-cú, wudurǽden be landsíde ūni æsno, id est, inŏpi, contingent ad victum xii pondia bŏnæ annōnæ, et duo scæpeteras, id est,

    ŏvium corpŏra, et una bona convictuālis vacca, et sartícāre juxta sĭtum terræ,

    • L. R. S. 8
      • ;
    • Th. i. 436,
      • 26-28.

  • Gif man mid esnes cwynan geligeþ, be cwicum ceorle, ii gebéte

    if a man lie with an 'esne's' wife, her husband still living, let him make twofold amends,

    • L. Ethb. 85
      • ;
    • Th. i. 24,
      • 9.

  • Gif man mannes esne gebindeþ, vi scillinga gebéte

    if a man bind [another] man's esne, let him make amends with six shillings,

    88 ;
    • Th. i. 24,
      • 15.

  • Gif esne ofet dryhtnes hǽse þeów-weorc wyrce an Sunnan ǽfen, efter hire setlgange, óþ Mónan ǽfenes setlgang, lxxx scillinga se dryhtne gebéte. Gif esne déþ, his ráde, ðæs dæges, vi se wið dryhten gebéte, oððe sine hýd

    if an esne do servile labour, contrary to his lord's command, from sunset on Sunday-eve till sunset on Monday-eve [that is, from sunset on Saturday till sunset on Sunday], let him make amends to his lord with eighty shillings. If an esne do [servile work] of his own accord on that day [Sunday], let him make amends to his lord with six shillings, or his hide,

    • L. Win. 9,
      • 10;
    • Th. i. 38,
      • 18-22.

  • Ic eom ðín ágen esne, Dryhten

    O Dŏmĭne, ĕgo sum servus tuus,

    • Ps. Th. 115, 6: Gen. 24, 61, 66: Exon. 112a,
      • 112b;
    • Th. 430, 9, 17,
      • 31;
    • Rä. 44, 5, 9,
      • 17.

  • On ðínes esnes gebéd

    in orātiōnem servi tut,

    • Ps. Th. 79,
      • 5.

  • Ic Dauide, dýrum esne, on áþsware ǽr benemde

    jūrāvi David servo meo,

    • Ps. Th. 88,
      • 3.

  • He him Dauid geceás, deórne esne

    ēlēgit David servum suum,

    • 77,
      • 69.

  • Wæs se ofen onhǽted, hine esnas mænige wurpon wudu on innan

    the oven was heated, many servants cast wood into it,

    • Cd. 186
      • ;
    • Th. 231,
      • 9;
    • Dan. 244: Ps. Th. 68,
      • 37.

  • Twá hund-teontig and fíftig ðara monna esna and mennena he gefullode

    servos et ancillas dŭcentos quinquāginta baptīzāvit,

    • Bd. 4,
      • 13;
    • S. 583, 20: Ps. Th. 78,
      • 11.

  • Án esne of Leuies híwrǽdene

    vir de dŏmo ievi,

    • Ex. 2, 1: 11,
      • 2.

  • Se hwata esne

    the brave man,

    • Bt. 40,
      • 3;
    • Fox 238,
      • 10.

  • Penda, se fromesta esne

    Penda, vir strēnuissĭmus,

    • Bd. 2,
      • 20;
    • S. 521,
      • 8.

  • Ealle we synd ánes esnes suna

    omnes fīlli ūnīus vĭri sŭmus,

    • Gen. 42, 11,
      • 13.

  • Uton agifan ðæm esne his wíf

    let us give to the man his wife,

    • Bt. 35,
      • 6;
    • Fox 170,
      • 7.
Etymology
[
O. H. Ger. asni, m. mercēnārius:
Goth. asneis, m. a hireling
.]
Derived forms
fyrd-esne
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “ESNE.” 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/9722.

Checked: 1
Full form

Word-wheel

  • ESNE, n.

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