Middle English Word of the Day: Bihoveful

Another great word for use in legal document style texts.  Especially stealing that first example from 1425: "Hit it thoght necessarie and behoofful . . . "

bihoveful, bihoeful (adj.)

(a) Helpful, serviceable; expedient, opportune; (b) requisite, necessary; pertinent, relevant; (c) appropriate, proper.

(a)  (1425) RParl.  4.277a:  Hit is thoght necessarie and behooffull, yat..the Chanceller have commandement to do make Lettres Patentes [etc.].  (1430-1) RParl.  4.371b:  Consideryng ye birdon of ye Werre..and howe behoffull yerfore ye Pees were to hit.  (1433) RParl.  4.423b:  Whether hem thought expedient and behovefull, yat ye Kyng requirid [etc.].  (1436) Will York in Sur.Soc.30   76:  Yat she yerof..dispose os hir yinks best and most behufull to hir and to ye hele of my soule.  (1439) EEWills   125/2:  To be sold by the Executours..like as hem shall seme that best is, and most meritoire & behouefull.  (1440) Proc.Privy C.  5.421:  At suche tymes and places as shall be thought unto you convenient & behovefull.  (1441-2) Let.Coldingham in Sur.Soc.12   127:  I sall than doo in thatt mater as me thyng most profitable and be hovfull.  (1443) Reg.Spofford in Cant.Yk.S.23   253:  All other occupacions and plesieres that be not behovefull.  (1448) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1   355:  Behoueful and conuenient for the seruice of the seide chirch.  (1449) Let.Hen.VI in Archaeol.40   452:  Thei shall entende effectuelly to alle suche thinges as may be thoughte good and behovefulle.  (1450) RParl.  5.211a:  To the grete hurt of the Kyng and of the lande, and lette of such behovefull usesse.  1454 Ordin.Househ.Hen.VI (Cleo F.5)   *15:  It is full expedient, byhooffull, and necessarie to..stablish a sadde and substantiall reule in the king's houshold.  ?a1475(a1396) * Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)   2.7.68b:  Þt confessioun of synnes..is nouþer nedful to a synner ne behofle.  ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)   11b:  Behovefull: oportunus, tempestiuus, tempestus, vtilis.  

(b)  (1425) Proc.Privy C.  3.171:  Hit was thoght mooste behoefull and algate necessarie to þe conservacion of þe saide trewes.  ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)   79:  Hit semeth thoo behofull, that the Toure off London shulde have be..vitaylled.  (1449) RParl.  5.167a:  That your seid besecher may have severally als mony Writts..as shall be behovefull and necessary to hym to be had.  (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)   120:  It is behouefull, that we furst esteme what his..expences bith likely to drawe vnto.  c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)   2/29:  As fer as is bihoueful into deuoute lyuyng.  c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)   24/16:  How moche is of bihoueful nede to be tau3t and leerned.  c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.  1.1190:  The hoole wittis fyve Whiche ar behouefull to euery man alyve.  c1475(?c1451) Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)   58:  Behofefulle to the savyng of the ship frome dangers.  a1500 Treat.GBattle (Hrl 1706)   421:  Hit ys behouefulle that the body be buxome and mylde to the soule..yeff he shalle haue victory off hys enemyes.  

(c)  (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))   Ps.144.15:  Thou 3yuest the mete of hem in the behofful [WB(2): couenable; L opportuno] time.  a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)   35:  It is for vs behoveful to withold necessarie thynges whereof to live, and lieful it is.

Lillia's Pelican Text (in French and English)

+Rebecca Johnson 's elevation to the Order of the Pelican happened at Pennsic.  I will have more to say on the methodology of this text later.  Right now I just want to get the text out there.  It was based on a conglomeration of 14th cen. parliamentary records, with the initial English words done by me and then put into Froissart-era French by +Mathilde Poussin 

Comment la dame Lillia de Vaux fur ordonnée de par l’empereur pour de venir en celi court, et des parolles que lui furent dittes.

L’on se souvenra qu’en cil merquedi 6 aoust en cele quarante huitime anee de la Société, lors que l'empereur Brennan et l’impératrice Caoilfhionn estoient sur le trône du Tygre lors des batailles de Pennsic ; une multitude de pers, de signeurs et li conmuns peuples estoient presents  mandes là de par l'auctoritez imperiale, et avecques eux les souverains des armes. Icelle bonne Dame Lillia de Vaux estoit apparue de par la convocation imperiale et là devant la court assamblee on entendi le tesmongnage de gens bonnes et de grant renonmee sur les vertus de celle ladite Lillia et de ses moult labours dans le domaine de l’armoierie et d’icelle grant valleur au Royaulme. Lors, faisant compte desdits tesmongnages leurs Majestés imperiales veurent et accorderent à ladite Lillia d’ estre envestie dans l'orde du Pellican, avoec l'acort et consentement de joir et d' excerser icelles libertés et franchisses; et leurs Majestés imperiales accorderent ausi à celle Lillia le droit de porter armes conme siennes et de son droit et par lettres patentes, icelles armes pour estre portees par icelle et ses hiretiers, à tousjours: d'Argent semé de crampets, une bande d’azure.  Adonc leurs Majestés imperiales causeerent celles lettres à estre faictes et à estre patentes et seelees de leur grant seel, tels comme ladite Lillia pourroit desormais avoir, tenir et joir a toujours a sa plaisance de tous les droits et privileges escripts dans chà devant lettres.  Escript et seellé a ce jour de celle datte faicte mencion par les heraulz imperiaux.

Be it remembered that on Wednesday, August 6 in the forty-eighth year of the Society, with the Emperor Brennan and Empress Caoilfhionn sitting on the Tyger Throne upon the battlefields of Pennsic; there being also present many peers, nobles and the commons summoned there by Imperial authority, along with the assembled Sovereigns of Arms; the good lady Lillia de Vaux appeared at the Imperial summons, and there was heard before the Court the testimony of good and notable persons of repute as to the virtues of the said Lillia and as to her manifold labors in matters of heraldry and as to her great value to the Realm; and, taking heed of the testimony so given, thereupon their Imperial Majesties willed and granted that the said Lillia be endowed and invested with the Order of the Pelican, with leave to enjoy and exercise each and every liberty and privilege appertaining to the same; and their Imperial Majesties did further invest and endow the said Lillia with the right to bear Arms in her own right by letters patent, the said Arms to be borne by her and her heirs in perpetuity:  Argent semy of crampets, a bend azure.  And so willing and granting, their Imperial Majesties caused these letters to be made and to be made patent and marked with their signs manual, such that the said Lillia might have, hold and enjoy in fullest measure all rights and privileges stated herein at all times henceforward.  Written and witnessed upon the day and date aforesaid by the Imperial Heralds.