> as lemmas

a1402 J. Trevisa tr. R. Fitzralph Defensio Curatorum (Harl.) (1925) 56 Siche þefþe and trespace is siche stelyng of children wiþinne þe ȝeres of discrecioun while þei beþ vnder fader & moder keping.

1447 O. Bokenham Lives of Saints (Arun.) (1938) l. 1623 Whan she to ȝeris of dyscrescyon Was comyn, aftyr ther lawes guyse,..Wedded sche was.

1530 Myroure Oure Ladye (Fawkes) (1873) 145 The morowe tyde kepeynge ys oure yonge age, when we are come to yeres of dyscrecion, that we can knowe good and yuel.

1587 J. Bridges Def. Govt. Church of Eng. x. 805 They which are baptised in their infancy..when they came to the yeares of discretion, shoulde be diligently instructed in a certaine & simple catechism of the churches doctrine.

1605 S. Rowlands Hell's broke Loose sig. C2^v Wee'le have no Babes to be Baptized, Vntill th[e]y come to yeeres of ripe discretion.

1773 O. Goldsmith She stoops to Conquer i. 2 He's not come to years of discretion yet.

1848 J. J. S. Wharton Law Lexicon 21/1 A male..at fourteen is at years of discretion, so far at least that he may enter into a binding marriage.

1910 Pop. Sci. Monthly June 609 The social life which the idle classes maintain after reaching years of discretion.

1985 R. W. Beales in N. R. Hiner & J. M. Hawes Growing up in Amer. i. 17 It was agreed that the minister and at least one other church member were to examine the knowledge and spiritual experience of children who had grown to years of discretion.

2002 Times 1 June (Weekend section) 8/4 I try to give everybody something at Christmas. But once they reach the years of discretion (some hope), I cannot cope with a birthday a week.