| 释义 |
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.
1375Barbour Bruce i. 427 Schir byschop..Gyff thow wald kep thi fewte Thou maid nane sic speking to me. c1460J. Russell Bk. Nurture 1204 Þey haue knowleche of homages, seruice, and fewte. 1587Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1362/1 From all debt or dutie of fealtie. 1593Shakes. Rich. II, v. ii. 45, I am..pledge for his..fealtie to the new⁓made King. 1765Blackstone Comm. I. 367 This obligation on the part of the vasal was called his fidelitas or fealty. 1814Scott Ld. of Isles iii. viii, Each bent the knee To Bruce in sign of fealty. 1842Tennyson 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.
c1300K. Alis. 2911 Alle heo duden him feuté. c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 3 Ine toke his feaute of alle þat lond helde. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 95 To whom [Swane] þe men..þat dwelled at þe norþ side of Watlyng strete gefen ostage and sworen feutee. c1400Ywaine & Gaw. 3762 Sho sal hald hir land of the, And to the tharfor mak fewte. 1475Bk. Noblesse 38 Prince Edwarde..received theire homages and feutees..in the name of King Edwarde .iijd. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxvi. 571 They of the londe receyved him to be their lorde & made to him fewt & homage. 1523Fitzherb. Surv. 12 These tenauntes maye holde their landes by..fealtie. 1533–4Act 25 Hen. VIII, c. 20 §5 Making..othe & feautie only to the kinges maiestie. 1614Raleigh Hist. World ii. 416 Solomon..received fealtie of all the Princes and People of the Land. a1626Bacon 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. 1682Burnet Rights Princes v. 149 The Bishops were also obliged to swear fealty to the Prince. 1855Milman Lat. Chr. (1864) IV. vii. ii. 58 Where there was no fealty there could be no treason. 1862Ld. Brougham Brit. Const. xi. 146 The vassal swore to his baron fealty absolutely.
attrib.1851Sir 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.
c1530Hickscorner in Hazl. Dodsley I. 173 We all to him [God] owe fealty and service. a1536Calisto & Melibæa ibid. I. 54 The more to God ought I to do fealty. 1591Shakes. Two Gent. ii. iv. 91 Be-like that now she hath enfranchis'd them Vpon some other pawne for fealty. 1667Milton P.L. iii. 204 Man disobeying Disloyal breaks his feältie. 1681–6J. Scott Chr. Life (1747) III. 276 The Church..makes a visible Profession of Fealty to him. 1717E. Fenton Homer Odyss. xi. in Poems 94 Studious to win your Consort, and seduce Her from chaste Fealty to Joys impure. 1866Felton Anc. & Mod. Gr. I. v. 82 The most advanced minds acknowledged their fealty to the old master [Homer]. |