governanten.

c1570 J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1830) 74 He fearit the Duches of Burgondye, than governant of Flanders, suld invaid his cuntrey, as sho did eftiruart.

1581 R. V. S. tr. Ioyfull Entrie Dukedome of Brabant sig. A.vii Nor that they shall stand to the order of any man, but of vs, our gouernour or gouernant general [Du. Gouuernante generael] [sc. Mary of Hungary].

1582 Dial. Two Personages sig. A.v The greatest troubles risen in the sayde Countries, by the dealing of the sayde Gouernant [sc. Margaret, duchess of Parma] and her Adherentes, in the sayd yeare 1566. was agayne pacified.

1760 T. Smollett Contin. Compl. Hist. Eng. I. 110 The administration of the government devolved upon the princess, as governante, during her son's minority.

1770 W. Smith Xenophon iii. 89 Pharnabazus, having heard her, determined that the Lady should be Governante of the province.

1804 C. Mayo Compend. View Universal Hist. I. 171 The governante, who had just ideas of the true interests of the provinces, and was not influenced by a regard to commercial profits only.

1817 C. Kelly Full Acct. Battle Waterloo 112/2 The governante received orders to proceed against heretics with the utmost severity.

1907 H. S. Williams Historians' Hist. World (new ed.) XIII. xvii. v. 401 Courier after courier was despatched to the governante at Brussels to implore her presence.

1637 State Imperiall-court in tr. Particular State Govt. of Ferdinand II sig. I3 Lady Agnes Countesse of Farensbach, is Governante of the Court Ladies.

1639 T. B. tr. J.-P. Camus Certain Moral Relations in S. Du Verger tr. J.-P. Camus Admirable Events 232 What diligence soever widowed fathers use to finde out good governants, they never find any whose eyes be so vigilant over their daughters as their mothers.

1685 J. Crowne Sir Courtly Nice iv. 32 Other Nations by their spyes and Governantes are at great toyle and charges to be Cuckolds.

1688 in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1827) 2nd Ser. IV. 114 The Lady Marquis of Powis, governante to the Prince.

1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 9. ⁋3 The young Lady saw her good Governante on her Knees.

1711 E. Ward Life Don Quixote v. xix. 373 Lovers..Steal a Squint at One another, When Jealous Governant sits by To Watch Each Motion of the Eye.

1756 Connoisseur No. 119. 717 The governantes at the boarding-school teach miss to be a good girl.

1796 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) II. 265 A lady of a Polish grandee,..attended by..an old gentlewoman for her governante.

1898 A. C. Gunter Jack Curzon xviii. 202 A sharp German governante will not be so easily hoodwinked as the old imbecile Spanish duenna who used to permit her charge to accept your attentions.

1930 E. Sitwell Coll. Poems 158 ‘Madam, Princesses must be obedient; For a medicine now becomes expedient,—Of five ingredients,—a diapente,’ Said the governante.

1667 R. L'Estrange tr. F. de Quevedo Visions 46 I saw Envy there drest up in a Widow's Vail, and the very Picture of the Governant of one of your Noblemen's Houses [Sp. tan parecida a dueña].

1787 E. Inchbald tr. A.-J. Damaniaut Midnight Hour i. 10 I am..the general governante of the whole house.

1816 W. Scott Old Mortality vi, in Tales of my Landlord 1st Ser. II. 137 ‘Mercifu' powers!’ said the governante.

1840 G. M. Barrot Let. 21 Feb. in Acct. Voy. Manilla (1842) 13 The only person present, when we entered, was the Governante—a fat old woman, famous for any thing rather than her good looks.

1995 R. L. Gale Herman Melville Encycl. 391 Rosa kept Lucrezia Paolino, a beautiful Florentine, as his household governante and regarded himself as her husband.