Vicar

Forms: α. 4 vikere, 4–6 vykere, vyker (5 vykeyr), viker; 4 veker, 6 -ere; 4, 6 vicker (6 ficker, fycker, vyckyr). β. 4–6 vicare (4 wic-, 6 vycare), 4– vicar (5–6 vycar, 6 Sc. wicar; 5 vikar, 6 vykar), 6 Sc., 7 viccar (6 Sc. vyccar, wickar); 5 vicour. γ. 4, 7 vicaire, 5 vic-, vycayre; 4, 7 vicair, 5 vicayr, 6 vycayr. [a. AF. vikere, vicare, vicaire (OF. and F. vicaire), ad. L. vicārius substitute (VICARY sb.¹), f. vic-is change, occasion, place (of another), etc. Cf. It. and Sp. vicario, Pg. vigario.] One who takes the place of, or acts instead of, another; a substitute, representative, or proxy. Chiefly Eccl.

  1.  Applied to persons, etc., as earthly representatives of God or Christ; also to Christ or the Holy Ghost as representing the Father.

  The second line of the first quot. is partly corrupt.

  2.  1300.  Cursor M., 27106. Noght anes to preist his sinnes [to] scriue, Bot elles to godd bot was wicare In mans scappe he sittes þare.

c. 1366.  Chaucer, A. B. C., 140. God … hath þee maked vicair & maistresse Of al þe world.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 30. Siþ prelatis ben vikeris of crist.

c. 1400.  Love, Bonavent. Mirr. (1908), 122. The preostes that he hath specially ordeyned in his stede as his vikeres.

1546.  Supplic. Poore Commons (E.E.T.S.), 73. These hierlinges intend … to be taken for Goddes vicars upon earthe.

1548.  Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. St. John xviii. 102 b. If thou [sc. Peter] wylt succede me as my vicar, thou must fight with no other swerde than of Gods woorde.

1621.  Burton, Anat. Mel., II. i. I. i. 290. He calls a Magician Gods Minister and his Vicar.

1651.  C. Cartwright, Cert. Relig., II. 32. Christ sitting at the right hand of his father, holds but a second degree with him in honour, and rule, and is but his Vicar.

1678.  R. Barclay, Apol. Quakers, ii. § 2. 21. Knowledge might be … brought to perfection by the holy Spirit, that Vicar of the Lord.

1829.  I. Taylor, Enthus., vii. 161. Though the vicar of Christ [sc. every true Christian minister] be not unconditionally responsible for the happy result of his labours.

1848.  Lowell, Biglow P., Ser. I. viii. Introd. By and by comes along the State, God’s vicar.

c. 1850.  Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.), 496. I tell you again I am Commander of the Faithful, and vicar upon earth of the Lord of both worlds.

  b.  spec. Applied to the Pope († or the Patriarch of Jerusalem); also to St. Peter in a similar sense (cf. quot. 1548 above).

c. 1340.  Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 3837. Þat falles hym of office to halde, For he es in erthe, Godes vicar calde.

1370[?].  Robt. Cisyle, 50. Hys oon brodur in ȝovthe Godes generalle vykere, Pope of Rome, as ye may here.

c. 1440.  Gesta Rom., xix. 66 (Harl. MS.). ‘How of the Pope?’ ‘For god is oon,’ seid he, ‘and þerfore he hath made a vyker.’

1481.  Caxton, Godfrey, ccv. 301. The duc godeffroy and the prynce buymont,… whiche had gyuen to hym this honour as for to be the vycayre of Ihesu Criste in that londe,… assygned rentes to the newe Patriark.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 203. Heare deuoute chrystyan what saynt Peter the apostle and hye viccar of Chrystes chirche sayth.

1570.  Jewel, Sedit. Bull (1609), 17. Would the Vicar of Christ give this counsell?

1638.  Penit. Conf., vii. (1657), 132. God and the Pope … are not alwayes of one mind; and if Christ confirm not in heaven the sentence of his Vicar on earth, we [etc.].

1728.  Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The Pope pretends to be Vicar of Jesus Christ on Earth.

1756–7.  trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), III. 244. The victory gained by the Most Christian King, Lewis XII. when he made war upon the Vicar of Christ.

1847.  Sarah Austin, Ranke’s Hist. Ref., III. 311. The divine right of the catholic church, and the character of its head as Vicar of Christ.

1864.  Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., x. (1875), 160. Proclaiming that to the Pope, as God’s vicar, all mankind are subject, and all rulers responsible.

  c.  nonce-use. (See quot.)

1641.  Milton, Animadv., Wks. 1851, III. 198. For Antichrist wee know is but the Devils Vicar, and therefore please him with your Liturgie, and you please his maister.

  2.  In early use, a person acting as priest in a parish in place of the real parson or rector, or as the representative of a religious community to which the tithes had been appropriated; hence, in later and modern use, the incumbent of a parish of which the tithes are impropriated or appropriated, in contrast to a RECTOR.

  α.  c. 1325.  Metr. Hom., 87. Erles, knihtes, and baronnes, Prestes, vikers, and parsonnes.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 76. Þei … don neiþer office of prelatis,… neiþer þe office of parsones ne vekeris to here parischenes. Ibid., 424. Þe fend haþ founden cautels to bringe in vikeris in persouns stede.

1425.  Rolls of Parlt., IV. 290/2. All maner of Persones, and Vykeyrs, and Hospitilers.

c. 1456.  Pecock, Bk. of Faith (1909), 224. A greet famed kunnyng mayster of divinite is curat, and parsoun and viker.

1533.  in Archaeologia, XXV. 523. To the vykers woman of Dokkynge. Ibid. The vykere of Snettysham servante.

1556.  Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden), 49. A gret generalle processione of alle parsons, vekeres, curattes, with alle other prestes.

1588.  J. Udall, Diotrephes (Arb.), 28. How shall we doe for the parsons and vickers?

  β.  1388[?].  in Wyclif’s Sel. Wks., III. 493. Þat no persone ne vicare ne prelate is excusud fro personele residense … in þer beneficys.

1402.  J. Upland, 279. Sith persounes and vicares alone,… with bishops above hem, were y-nough to … do prestes office.

1439.  Rolls of Parlt., V. 15. She … openly seide unto y^e seide Vicar, that she wold never … have hym to hur Husbond. Ibid. (1482), VI. 210. Upon the same apropriation, ther shuld be a vicour endowed sufficiently.

1521.  Lincoln Wills (1914), I. 90. Sir Thomas Markby vykar off the sayd church.

1531.  Test. Ebor. (Surtees), VI. 24. The vicare to have iiijd. and the clerke ijd.

1560–.  [see PARSON 1].

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., IV. vi. 52. Ile to the Vicar, Bring you the Maid, you shall not lacke a Priest.

1609.  Dekker, Guls Horn-bk., Wks. (Grosart), II. 206. Like some pedantical Vicar stammering out a most false and crackt latine oration.

1647.  Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. § 185. He was preferred … to the Bishoprick of Coventry and Litchfield … before he had been … Vicar or Curate of any Parish Church in England.

a. 1700.  Evelyn, Diary, 2 March 1682. Our Viccar preached on Proverbs.

1765.  Blackstone, Comm., I. I. xi. 301. A vicar has generally an appropriator over him.

1796.  H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), III. 482. Not a simple village Vicar ought to be without the actual necessaries of life.

1818.  Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), III. 59. Where the vicar produces an endowment, then the situation of the parties is reversed.

1870.  F. R. Wilson, Ch. Lindisf., 99. The present vicar … speedily brought about a different aspect.

  γ.  c. 1395.  Plowman’s Tale, 830 (Skeat). Pope, bishoppes, and cardinals, Chanons, persons, and vicaire, In goddes service.

1520.  Caxton’s Chron. Eng., VII. 90/1. There was decreed y^t all persones & vycayres sholde be called prestes.

  b.  fig. or transf.

1563.  Homilies, II. Perils Idolatry, III. Yy iij b. We nede not to complayne of the lacke of one dombe person, hauyng so manye dombe deuyllyshe vycars (I meane these ydolles and paynted puppettes) to teache in theyr steade.

1588.  Marprel. Epist. (Arb.), 38. I doubt not … to get a hundreth of these stratagemes, especially if I trauell neere where any of the vickers of hell are.

1602.  2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass., IV. ii. 1722. And you Maister Amoretto, that art the chiefe Carpenter of Sonets, a priuileged Vicar for the lawlesse marriage of Inke and Paper.

1660.  Tatham, Rump, V. i. Sure the viccar of fools was his ghostly father.

  c.  Vicar of Bray, one who readily changes his principles to suit the times or circumstances.

  Bray is the village of that name near Maidenhead in Berkshire. According to Fuller (see ref. below) the ‘vivacious vicar’ held the benefice from the reign of Henry VIII. to that of Elizabeth, and was twice a Papist and twice a Protestant. In the later song, to which the currency of the phrase is mainly due, the sovereigns under whom the vicar successively changes his religion and politics are those from Charles II. to George I.

[a. 1661.  Fuller, Worthies, I. Berks. (1662), 82. But first we will dispatch that sole Proverb of this County, viz. The Vicar of Bray, will be Vicar of Bray still.

c. 1720.  Song, Vicar of Bray (Chorus).

1735.  Brome, in Lett. by Eminent Persons (1813), II. 100. I have had a long chase after the Vicar of Bray, on whom the proverb…. I am informed it is Simon Aleyn or Allen, who was Vicar of Bray about 1540, and died 1588.]

1725.  Ld. Harley, in Dk. Portland’s MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), VI. 116. His chief crime is having been once Episcopal, and playing the Vicar of Bray upon them, and keeping his living, when the rest of his Episcopal brethren were ejected.

1767.  Public Advertiser, 14 Aug., 1/3. He timidly and basely deserted the difficult Task of America the last Year; and finding at the End of the last Sessions of Parliament this Ministry tending towards its Dissolution, he tried to secure himself a sure Place in a new Administration by as meanly deserting his Colleagues in the old; but when in this Lottery of Politics their Duration seems probable for a few Months or Weeks more, no Vicar of Bray more ready at Tergiversation. Ibid. (attrib.), (1777), 9 Aug., 2/2. The Dutch, however seemingly inactive at the present Conjuncture of Affairs, are actually said to have many secret Engines at Work, in order (in the true Vicar of Bray Stile) to keep a profitable Game in their own Hands, let Success attend either Colonists or Mother-Country.

1785.  Grose, Dict. Vulg. T., s.v. Bray, A vicar of Bray, one who frequently changes his principles, always siding with the strongest party.

1828.  P. Cunningham, N. S. Wales (ed. 3), II. 248. The regularly educated thieves … are Vicars of Bray to every man whom it is their interest to humour,—blaspheming with the blasphemer and praying with the saint.

  transf.  1895.  Daily News, 12 June, 5/4. The Iguanas at the Zoo show a habit which the Iguana shares with many lizards, and not only the chameleon, that is the habit of changing its colour; most lizards are Vicars of Bray to this extent.

  † d.  Temporal vicar (see quot.). Obs.

1726.  Ayliffe, Parergon, 509. Temporal vicars … are much the same with our Curates as we now call them; and these are constituted for some particular Acts and Seasons.

  3.  = VICAR CHORAL.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VI. 465. For clerkes fliȝ þe travayle of þe queere,… and dede vikers in here stede þat hadde ful litel for to lyve by.

1531.  Protocols Town Clerks Glasgow (1897), IV. 33. To the wiccaris of the qweyr; with the borrow maell.

1641.  Baker, Chron., Eliz., 116. This Queen … ordained a Dean,… forty Schollars, Vicars, Singing-men, &c.

1700.  J. Brome, Trav. Eng., 248. A Collegiate Church, consisting of a Dean, four Prebendaries, five Singing-Men, three Vicars, and four Deacons.

1878.  Grove’s Dict. Mus., I. 52. His choir was well appointed, and every vicar, clerical as well as lay, gave his daily and efficient aid in it.

  b.  Lay vicar, = prec. (Also Priest-vicar: see PRIEST sb. 10.)

1837.  Penny Cycl., VII. 110. The Choir is also the term by which the lay-vicars, or lay-clerks, and choristers, i. e. the singers, of a cathedral, are collectively designated.

1843.  Jebb, Choral Service, xii. 108. The Lay Vicars of the old Cathedrals … are sometimes members of the inferior Colleges, sometimes merely part of the foundation at large.

1877.  Lee, Gloss. Liturg. & Eccl. Terms, 184. Lay vicar, a term used in the statutes of some of our cathedrals to designate the superior grade of singing men.

  4.  One who takes the place of, or acts as the representative of, another (esp. the Pope or other high dignitary) in the performance of ecclesiastical or religious functions; spec. in the Roman Catholic Church, a bishop’s deputy.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 18. Ȝif þe Pope and his vikeris wolden studie wel þis mater.

1426.  Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 1393. And sempte that he sholde be Lyk a vyker douteles Off Aaron & of Moyses.

1576.  W. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent, 130. This Prelate [the Bishop of Ely], hauing nowe by the Kings commission the power of a Viceroy, and besides by the Popes gifte the authoritie of a Legate and Vicar.

1586.  in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., V. 129. Directed lo the Archbishopp of Cant: or to his vicar or Commissary generale.

1611.  Sir D. Carleton, Lett., in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 546. Upon y^e late remove of our patriarch’s vicar there hath fallen vacant a benefice annexed to y^e vicariat.

1642.  Jer. Taylor, Episc., I. 372. When S. Paul sent for Timothy from Ephesus, he sent Tychicus to be his Vicar.

a. 1677.  Barrow, Pope’s Supremacy, vi. Wks. 1687, I. 261. The Popes … began to practise a fine trick,… which was to confer on certain Bishops … the title of their Vicar or Lieutenant; thereby pretending to impart Authority to them.

1782.  Priestley, Corrupt. Chr., II. X. i. 238. They [the patriarchs] appointed vicars, or deputies, to act for them in the remoter provinces.

1820.  Milner, Suppl. Mem. Eng. Cath., 108. The late B. Berington’s Vicar, Dr. Bew.

1898.  W. Bright, Some Aspects Prim. Ch. Life, ii. § 6. 83. Nor can it be said that this ‘high and Divine power,’ which Cyprian claimed as inherent in the episcopate, was larger than that which St. Paul had entrusted to his own ‘vicars.’

  b.  With defining term preceding, as grand, papal, Pope’s vicar.

1662.  in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., VIII. 236. M^r Hoden *Grand Vicair of Paris being Superior.

1688.  [see GRAND a. 2].

1696.  Phillips, s.v., The Pope’s Grand Vicar, who is a Cardinal, has a Jurisdiction … over all Secular and Regular Priests [etc.].

1756–7.  trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), I. 249. Some days since,… the king unexpectedly nominated him grand vicar to the archbishop.

1796.  Helen M. Williams, Lett. France, IV. 102 (Jod.). One of my college companions had become grand-vicar and first confidant to the archbishop of my diocese.

1843.  Penny Cycl., XXVII. 827/2. Faber, grand-vicar of the bishop of Constance.

1844.  Lingard, Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858), I. App. E. 341. The bishop of Arles the *papal vicar in Gaul, in place of the pope, whose representative he was.

1902.  H. K. Mann, Lives Popes, I. I. 22. When he [Saint Gregory] came to Thessalonica, it is more than likely he may have left a letter for its metropolitan, as he was a papal vicar.

1670.  G. H., Hist. Cardinals, I. III. 84. And first I shall begin with the *Popes Vicar, which office is the most antient of all, and was for a long time executed by Bishops, and other Prelats.

1902.  H. K. Mann, Lives Popes, I. I. 159. Augustine crossed over to France and was consecrated bishop by Virgilius of Arles, the Pope’s vicar in Gaul (December 5, 597).

  c.  With defining defining term appended, as vicar apostolic, capitular, episcopal, foran(e) or foreign, provincial.

  See also VICAR-GENERAL.

1766.  in E. H. Burton, Life Bp. Challoner (1909), II. xxvii. 83. After all, by the terms of the circular letter, the Vicars *Apostolic have, in case of necessity, a power to dispense.

1800.  C. Butler, Life A. Butler, vi. 11. The Vicar Apostolic of the Middle District claimed him, as belonging to that district, and appointed him to a mission in Staffordshire.

1836.  Penny Cycl., VI. 373/1. Where the succession of the Catholic hierarchy has been interrupted, as in England,… the bishops who superintend the Catholic church and represent the papal authority, are known by the name of vicars apostolic.

1851.  Bright, Sp., Eccles. Titles Bill, 12 May (1876), 518. The changing of vicars-apostolic to bishops in ordinary.

1849.  Stovel, Canne’s Necess., p. xxxv. Wolsey, to carry on the policy of his church, obtained his own appointment as vicar-*apostolical of England.

1846.  M’Culloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), II. 305. On the death of a bishop, the clergy of the diocese elect a vicar *capitular, who exercises spiritual jurisdiction during the vacancy.

1903.  Westm. Gaz., 7 Sept., 10/2. A special meeting … for the purpose of electing a Vicar-Capitular to administer the See of Southwark during the vacancy.

1877.  Lee, Gloss. Eccl. Terms, 439. Vicar *Episcopal, an office corresponding in some particulars to the English archdeacon, as well as to the Greek ‘Chorepiscopus.’

1825.  Doyle, in Fitzpatrick, Life, xi. (1861), I. 282. Whenever a priest falls into any dangerous illness, the Vicar-*Foreign within whose deanery he lives shall visit him.

1888.  Cassell’s Encycl. Dict., s.v., Vicar-forane, Roman Church, a dignitary or parish priest appointed by a bishop to exercise a limited jurisdiction in a particular town or district of his diocese.

1896.  Tablet, 18 April, 619. The curé and vicar-foran at Castries … receives £200 a year.

1856.  Vaughan, Mystics (1860), II. 134. Vicar-*provincial of Andalusia, he plies his task anew.

  5.  In general use: One acting, or appointed to act, in place of another, esp. in administrative functions; a vicegerent.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xli. (Agnes), 250. [The prefect] deput in his sted þare, Þe law to hald þaim, a vicare, & sorouful went away.

c. 1400.  trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 109. Folwe þanne vche comandour tene vicaires, & vche vicaire tene lederes.

1430–40.  Lydg., Bochas, VIII. viii. (1558), 6. In his empyre he set two vicars, Gaue them power in euery region [etc.].

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 169/2. Gordyan that was vicayr unto Julyan themperour.

1533.  Bellenden, Livy, V. vii. (S.T.S.), II. 170. I wil mak him (for he is weil institute in chevelrie) vicare and lieutenent for me.

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.), II. 278. He commandes that women, barnes, and citisenis all to him cum and craue mercie as to the Kingis vicare.

1602.  T. Fitzherbert, Apol., 38. To assemble his friends, and witnesses of his wil, and those whome he meant to make his heyres, his vicars, and substituts.

1655.  Fuller, Ch. Hist., XXV. 207. Lord Cromwell … sate in state above all the Bishops, as the King’s Vicar, or Vicegerent-Generall in all spirituall matters.

1702.  Lond. Gaz., No. 3814/3. It is said, the King of Spain has made the Duke of Burgundy Vicar of the Spanish Low-Countries, which Title gives him a Power over those Provinces, equal to that which the King would have if he were there in Person.

1753.  Scots Mag., XV. 27/1. During a vacancy of the Imperial throne, the government of the empire devolves upon the two vicars.

1781.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., xvii. (1787), II. 37. The eleven remaining dioceses [= provinces] … were governed by twelve vicars, or vice-præfects, whose name sufficiently explains the nature and dependence of their office.

1835.  Lytton, Rienzi, III. iii. He was chosen afterwards vicar (or vice-gerent) of Louis in Aversa.

1870.  Lowell, Among My Books, Ser. I. (1873), 169. We may be very sure that Heminge and Condell did not, as vicars, take upon themselves a disagreeable task.

  transf.  1474.  Caxton, Chesse, 45. The rookes ben vycayrs and legates of the kynge.

1541.  R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Chirurg., C iv b. All the synewes of the body brede and come out of the brayne by it selfe, or of the noddle that is his vycare.

  b.  A thing substituted for another. rare.

1675.  Evelyn, Terra (1676), 16. All dungings and other sordid temperings, being but the vicars succedaneous to this improvement.

1846.  Thackeray, Cornhill to Cairo, xiii. Abraham caught the Ram, which was to serve as the vicar of Isaac.