† chevancechievancen.

1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis II. 275 Netheles men se pouerte..Full ofte make a great chevaunce And take of love his avauntage.

1481 W. Caxton tr. Myrrour of Worlde i. v. 28 By their auarice & cheuaunce the sciences come to nought.

1577 R. Holinshed Chron. II. 616/2 Suche cheuaunce made the Legate..that he got together .xii. thousand markes toward his charges.

1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. xxx. xlii. 770 Those..who happen to meet with some new good chevance [L. bona fortuna].

1477 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre Hist. Jason (1913) 87 All my richesses and cheuanche.

1490 W. Caxton tr. Eneydos vi. 23 Destructyue of theyr personis, honoures, goodes, and chyuaunches.

1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World II. xix. iv. 10 At Rome, a good Garden..was thought a poore mans chievance; it went..for land and living.

1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 46 What tell you me of Pluto [= Plutus] and his chievance.

1538 H. Latimer Let. 25 Aug. in Serm. & Remains (1845) (modernized text) II. 400 He was not able to make provision for household; and therefore required the best mitre, the best cross, and another thing or two, to make chevance withal for provision.

1570 J. Foxe Actes & Monumentes (rev. ed.) II. 2039/1 As all is gone, you would fayne haue me make an other cheuaunce with the Bishops landes.

1622 F. Bacon Hist. Raigne Henry VII 66 Vnlawfull Chieuances and Exchanges, which is Bastard vsury.

1645 E. Pagitt Heresiogr. (ed. 2) 161 You would make a cheavance of Church lands, [etc.].

1570 J. Foxe Actes & Monumentes (rev. ed.) I. 681/2 What a matter of how great cheuance it is, wherin so many and so great difficulties do lye.

1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. xxii. 437 The vow made unto Mars, for the good cheevance of that war.