c1300 K. Alis. 3559 Archelaus, of proud corage.

c1405 (c1387–95) G. Chaucer Canterbury Tales Prol. (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 11 Smale foweles maken melodye..So priketh hem nature in hir corages.

c1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode (1869) i. xxxiii. 20 What thinkest in thi corage?

c1430 Stans Puer 5 To all norture thi corage to enclyne.

?1556 (a1500) Knight of Curtesy (Copland) sig. B.iiii^v In his courage he was full sad.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 (1623) ii. ii. 57 This soft courage makes your Followers faint. View more context for this quotation

a1649 W. Drummond Irene in Wks. (1711) 163 Men's Courages were growing hot, their Hatred kindled.

1656 B. Harris tr. J. N. de Parival Hist. Iron Age i. ii. iv. 40 The Spaniards..attacked it with all the force, and industry the greatest courages were able to invent.

c1420 Pallad. on Husb. xi. 90 In this courage Hem forto graffe is goode.

1561 T. Hoby tr. B. Castiglione Courtyer iv. sig. Rr.i The prowes of those diuine courages [viz. Marquesse of Mantua, etc.].

a1645 W. Browne tr. M. Le Roy Hist. Polexander (1647) iv. ii. 197 These two great courages being met, and followed by a small companie of the most resolute pirates.

a1498 J. Warkworth Chron. (Camden) 2 Thei..were greved with colde and rayne, that thei hade no coreage to feght.

1565 J. Jewel Def. Apol. Churche Eng. (1611) 505 In the Cardinals of Rome, Pride, Auarice, and Lechery are in their greatest Courage.

1630 tr. G. Botero Relations Famous Kingdomes World (rev. ed.) 249 They have horses of excellent courage.

1705 London Gaz. No. 4182/4 A Chesnut Mare..of great Courage.

c1386 G. Chaucer Knight's Tale (Harl.) 1154 The hunt[e] strangled with wilde bores corage.

1484 W. Caxton tr. G. de la Tour-Landry Bk. Knight of Tower (1971) lxiii. 92 [She] became..so..grete of courage that also to the kynge her lord she bare not so grete reuerence as she ought.

1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 285 Euery man cryed and besought the king to haue mercie..for Gods sake refraine your courage, ye haue the name of souereigne noblenesse.

1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene iii. x. sig. Mm5 Trompart..Besought him his great corage to appease, And pardon simple man.

1608 T. Middleton Trick to catch Old-one i. sig. A4 I will..set so good a courage on my state, That I will be beleeued.

1541 R. Barnes Wks. (1573) 329/1 By the reason that priestes are so hoate of courage, and can not keepe theyr chastitie.

1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry iii. f. 127* Yf the Bull be not lusty yenough about his businesse,..his courage is also stirred vp by the like odours.

1606 G. W. tr. Justinus Hist. 56 Darius horse..by reason of the courage had to the Mare, forthwith neighed alowde.

1615 H. Crooke Μικροκοσμογραϕια 45 If they be taken away, the iollity and courage of the Creature is extinguished.

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Isa. xxxv. 3 Seith ȝee of litil corage, taketh coumfort.

1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) v. 208 A knycht of gret corage..That thame confort vith all hys mycht.

1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. lxv. 162 The faith of Christ..armeth vs with patience, constancie and courage.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 108 Courage never to submit or yield. View more context for this quotation

1783 W. Thomson in R. Watson & W. Thomson Hist. Reign Philip III v. 372 He possessed..the virtues of political and martial courage.

1839 C. Thirlwall Hist. Greece (new ed.) IV. 409 Evagoras..had raised himself by his courage and prudence to the throne.

1841 R. W. Emerson Love in Ess. 1st Ser. (London ed.) 176 Courage to defy the world.

1887 T. Fowler Princ. Morals ii. i. 24 We speak of a man's courage in undertaking some financial, literary, or political enterprise, or in sustaining some misfortune, or in braving public opinion where he believes himself to be in the right. In this application the term is often qualified as Moral Courage.

1887 T. Fowler Princ. Morals ii. i. 25 Courage in the original sense of the term [the readiness to face physical dangers], that is, Physical Courage.

1540 R. Jonas in tr. E. Roesslin Byrth of Mankynde Prol. sig. D.ii The gud courages of al honest enterpreysers, in those matters & al other.

1610 R. Knolles Gen. Hist. Turkes (ed. 2) 1191 Euery man..gaue God the praise, for taking away the Turkes courages.

1675 T. Shadwell Psyche 111 If danger cou'd our courages remove.

1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis v, in tr. Virgil Wks. 334 Their drooping Courages he cheer'd.

1847 R. W. Emerson Poems 124 Undaunted are their courages, Right Cossacks in their forages.

1886 M. F. Tupper My Life as Author 92 But there is nothing like flight: it is easy and speedy, and more a courage than a cowardice.

1888 Wolseley in Sat. Rev. 4 Aug. 136/1 As for Charles Gordon, he had all the courages—the courage of instinct, of religion, of contempt of life.

1490 Caxton's Blanchardyn & Eglantine (1962) 154 Bycause they sholde take a better corage for the persone & sight of her.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) 1 Chron. xx. C Take a good corage vnto the, and let vs quyte oure selues manly.

1611 Bible (King James) Josh. i. 9 Be strong, and of a good courage. View more context for this quotation

1611 Bible (King James) 2 Chron. xv. 8 He tooke courage, and put away the abominable idoles. View more context for this quotation

1726 W. R. Chetwood Voy. & Adventures Capt. R. Boyle 42 I pluck'd up Courage enough to speak to her.

1826 W. Scott Woodstock I. xii. 289 Laying in a store of what is called Dutch courage.

1841 E. W. Lane tr. Thousand & One Nights I. 104 He took courage and entered.

1873 H. Spencer Study Sociol. viii. 188 A dose of brandy, by stimulating the circulation, produces ‘Dutch courage’.

1878 T. H. Huxley Physiography (ed. 2) Pref. 8 I never could muster up the courage..to undertake the business.

1878 J. Morley Diderot II. 12 He is one of Swift's Yahoos, with the courage of its opinions.

1883 J. Payn Thicker than Water (1884) xxxviii. 306 That courage of his opinions which he never failed to display against any odds.

1887 H. Caine Life Coleridge i. 21 [He] believed in the efficacy of the birch, and had the courage of his convictions.

1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice iv. i. 110 What man, courage yet. View more context for this quotation

1785 W. Cowper Tirocinium in Task 787 But courage, man! methought the muse replied. View more context for this quotation

1856 Ld. Tennyson Maud (rev. ed.) xxv, in Maud & Other Poems (new ed.) 91 Courage, poor heart of stone!