Forms: 4 vysytacyun, 5–6 vysytacyon (5 -acyone, 6 -acion), vysitacyon, visytacion; 4–5 visitacioun (6 Sc. -atioun), 4–7 visitacion (7 -acyon), 4– visitation; 6 vesyt-, ffessyt-, fecytacyon. [a. AF. visitacioun (Gower), OF. and F. visitation (= Sp. visitacion, Pg. visitação, It. visitazione), or ad. L. vīsitātiōn-, vīsitātio, noun of action f. vīsitāre to visit.]
I. 1. The action, on the part of one in authority, or of a duly qualified or authorized person, of going to a particular place in order to make an inspection and satisfy himself that everything is in order; an instance of such inspection or supervision.
a. A visit by an ecclesiastical person (or body) to examine into the state of a diocese, parish, religious institution, etc.; spec. in English use, such a visit paid by a bishop or archdeacon; a meeting or gathering of persons concerned in such a visit.
Quotations for an archdeacon’s visitation are placed separately under (b).
(a) 1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 2103. He [an abbot] went hys wey To Palestyne, þat ys an abbey, To make hys vysytacyun As falleþ yn relygyun.
1401. Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 21. Why be ye not under your bishops visitations, and leege men to our king?
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 64. Abbot Pyor, whiche among a great multitude of fathers and bretherne gathered together in maner of a vysytacyon … dyd in this wyse.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 143. The Cardinall by Visitacions, makyng of Abbottes,… and other pollynges … had made his threasore egall with the kynges.
1591. Spenser, M. Hubberd, 569. All their Parishners … to the Ordinarie of them complain’d,… Till at the length he published to holde A Visitation, and them cyted thether.
1661. J. Stephens, Procurations, 17. For what are Visitations other then laborious travellings from place to place?
1739. Bp. Herring, in J. Duncombe, Lett. (1773), II. 132. It was the year of my primary visitation, and I determined to see every part of my diocese.
1761. Warburton, in W. & Hurd’s Lett. (1809), 326. I fancy my Visitation … will be the last week in June and the first in July.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist., ii. (1876), I. 70. Wolsey, as papal legate,… commenced a visitation of the professed as well as secular clergy in 1523.
(b.) 1536. Dunmow Churchw. MS., fol. 22 b. Item payd at the ffessytacyon, iiiid. Ibid. (1537), fol. 23. Item payd at Chelmsford at the Vesytacyon for howr costs, xviiid.
1566. Eng. Ch. Furniture (Peacock, 1866), 56. Imprimis a box made of bone sold to Jho Wattes sens the last visitacion who keeps yt to put monney in.
1603. Constit. & Canons, cxi. In all Visitations of Bishops and Archdeacons, the Church-wardens … shall … present the names of all those which behaue themselues rudely … in the Church.
1692. Prideaux, Lett. (Camden), 152. I have yours of the 16th, but it came not to my hands till last Friday, for I was absent at Ipswich on a visitation.
1713. Gibson, Codex, 999. If any Archdeacons are entituled to require Exhibits in their Visitations, it can only be upon the foot of Custom.
1726. Ayliffe, Parergon, 96. For the Bishop ought to visit his Diocess every Year in his own Person, unless he thinks fit to omit the same,… and then in such a Case he ought to send his Archdeacon, which was the Original of the Archdeacons Visitation.
1842. Words to Churchwardens (Camb. Camd. Soc.), I. 3. The Archdeacon at his Visitation seldom ends his charge without a few words to us Churchwardens.
1857. Toulmin Smith, Parish, 94. The articles of Visitation issued by him, when archdeacon in 1713, as to be answered by all churchwardens.
(c) 1727. P. Walker, Life Semple, Biog. Presbyt. (1827), I. 158. There were few parochial Visitations … but he was at them, for encouraging of laborious godly Ministers, and censuring of such as were scandalous.
b. A visit of inspection made by one or more persons having civil authority or jurisdiction or specially appointed to exercise supervision within a certain sphere; the making of such visits; † the body of persons making an inspection of this kind.
† Visitation of maners: see quot. 1607 and MAINOUR.
1533–4. Act 25 Hen. VIII., c. 21 § 14. Redresse visitacion and confirmacion shalbe had by the Kynges Highnes.
1556. Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden), 54. Iteni the v. day after in September [1547] beganne the kynges vysytacion at Powlles, and alle imagys pullyd downe.
1607. Cowell, Interpr., Visitation of maners … was wont to be the name of the Regarders office in auncient time.
1665. in W. Campbell, Ch. & Par. Kirkaldy, 84. The visitation present appoynts the school to be visited four times in the year.
1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon., I. 327. On the 8. of Nov. … the Visitation of his Library is commonly made.
1773. Gentl. Mag., XLIII. 349. Sir Thomas Pye … has it in command from the King to acquaint [certain admirals, captains, etc.] that he is pleased with their attention during his visitation at Portsmouth.
1845. Polson, in Encycl. Metrop., II. 826/1. It was held, that in default of … a special visitor appointed by the founder or charter, the king, in the person of his chancellor, had the right of visitation.
1874. Bucknill & Tuke, Psychol. Med. (ed. 3), 2. The bill of 1828, by which the Secretary of State was allowed to appoint fifteen Commissioners annually, for the license and visitation of those houses which had been previously licensed by the College of Physicians.
c. A periodic visit made to a district by heralds to examine and enrol arms and pedigrees. Now only Hist.
1572. N. Roscarrocke, Prelim. Verses, in Bossewell, Armorie. Of dubbing knights, the orders ther they haue;… With visitacions, which allottes to eche desert his right.
1640. Yorke, Union Hon., To Rdr. For the Armes of our Lincolnshire Gentlemen, I haue taken their knowledge from themselues, and by Visitations.
1849. R. Sims (title), An Index to the Pedigrees and Arms contained in the Heralds’ Visitations.
1864. Boutell, Her. Hist. & Pop., xiii. (ed. 3), 133. The Records of these Visitations are preserved in the College of Arms.
d. In general use: Examination, inspection.
1583. Melbancke, Philotimus, E iij b. The old huddle missing his monye at his next visitation, toke the haulter and hanged himselfe.
1643. Sir T. Browne, Relig. Med., I. § 16. I cannot tell by what Logick we call a Toad, a Beare, or an Elephant, ugly, they … having past that generall visitation of God, who saw that all that he had made was good.
e. spec. Examination of goods by a customs officer or similar official; the action on the part of a belligerent vessel of ascertaining, by entry or close examination, the character of a merchant ship belonging to a neutral state.
1755. Magens, Insurances, II. 513. Where these Goods shall be subject to Visitation in the same manner, as those which are made in the Kingdom.
1826. Kent, Comm., I. 31. Maritime states claim upon a principle just in itself and temperately applied, a right of visitation.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., 714. The law of nations gives to every belligerent cruiser the right of visitation and search of all merchant ships.
2. The action of going to a place, either for some special purpose or merely in order to see it; an instance of this.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Wife’s Prol., 555. Therfore I made my visitacions To vigilies, and to processions To prechyng eek and to thise pilgrimages.
1654. Codrington, trans. Justin, xxxviii. (1672), 377. The Ambassadors of the Romans … made a visitation into those parts to observe the condition and Kingdoms of their Confederates.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 172. We took the way by Tor, partly to see it, and partly to take a Monk to guide us in our visitations.
1720. Welton, Suffer. Son of God, II. xviii. 495. The Blessed Jesus … found Time enough to make His Circular Visitation thro’ all those Towns in and about Palestine.
a. 1774. Goldsm., Surv. Exp. Philos. (1776), I. 395. In this manner we find, that no part of nature is wholly secluded from human visitation.
1829. Lytton, Devereux, I. viii. The town was a favourite place of visitation with all the family.
1832. G. Downes, Lett. Cont. Countries, I. 311. We proceeded from hence to the Church of St. Mary Segreta, and terminated our visitation at that of the Holy Sepulchre.
1866. Rogers, Agric. & Prices, I. xxvii. 654. As they possessed estates in widely distant places, it was an object to them that they should have easy and convenient means of visitation.
transf. 1821. Scott, Kenilw., xxix. Lambourne, on whom his last draught, joined to repeated visitations of the pitcher upon former occasions began to make some innovation.
b. poet. The object of a visit. rare–1.
1667. Milton, P. L., XI. 275. O flours,… My early visitation, and my last At Eev’n, which I bred up with tender hand.
c. The action, on the part of animals, of resorting to a particular place at certain seasons, or of exceptionally appearing in places which are not their usual habitat.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), VI. 330. Along the coasts of Norway,… these animals are found punctual in their visitations.
3. The action or practice of visiting sick or distressed persons as a work of charity or pastoral duty.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (E.E.T.S.), 79. Whan Abackuk … Broughte potage in to Babyloun,… Affter figure this mater to conveye, How almesse-dede and vysytacyoun Gretly avaylleth to sowlys whan they deye.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, II. v. (1883), 120. And as to them that ben seke contynuell visitacion of them.
1548–9. (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Offices, 18. The Order for the visitacion of the sicke.
1583. in Wodrow Soc. Misc. (1844), 460. As tuitching the Visitatioun of the seik, he declairit he was … glad to wissie the puirest creatour.
1777. Brand, Pop. Antiq., 379. In performing … the Service appropriated to the Visitation of the Sick with one of these Men who died a few Days after).
1795. Paley, Clergym. Comp., Pref. The offices of Public and Private Baptism, though no ways relating to the visitation of the Sick, are retained.
1862. Chambers’s Encycl., III. 180. The Church of England … retains private confession in the rubric for visitation of the sick.
1886. Kington Oliphant, New English, I. 160. An office for the Visitation of the sick, which dates from about 1390.
b. The action of pastoral visiting on the part of a clergyman.
1546. Yorks. Chantry Surv. (Surtees), 253. The curate beinge of visitacion in the one parte of his paroch, cannot com to the church by the space of ij dayes.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, iii. Country parsons, jogging homewards after a visitation.
1911. T. B. Kilpatrick, N. Test. Evangelism, III. ii. § 2. 167. The Work of Visitation. Every minister knows that this may be the most profitable part of his pastoral duty…. The work of visitation can never be stereotyped.
4. The Visitation (of our Lady), the visit paid by the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth, recorded in Luke i. 39. ff.; hence ellipt., the day on which this is commemorated, July 2; also, a picture representing the event.
1498. Coventry Leet Bk., 588. This ȝere the Chaptur of blak monkes was kept at Couentre aboute þe visitacion of our Lady.
1547. Boorde, Introd. Knowl., xiv. (1870), 161. I haue seen snowe in somer on saynct Peters day and the Vysytacion of our Ladye.
1611. Cotgr., s.v., The feast of the Visitation of our Ladie.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 10 Nov. 1644. There are in it divers good pictures, as the Assumption…; the Crucifix; the Visitation of Elizabeth.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v., The Visitation of the Virgin Mary is a feast instituted first by pope Urban IV. in the year 1389.
1880. F. Meyrick, in Dict. Chr. Antiq., II. 1140/1. Among the black-letter or second-class festivals [in the Anglican calendar] occur:—1. The Visitation, July 2nd.
1880. trans. Woltmann & Woermann’s Hist. Paint., I. 420. The Visitation, in which the weak drawing of the hands is striking, and the expression of Elizabeth surprises by its individuality.
b. The (order of the) Visitation, the Visitandine order of nuns.
1701. in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., VII. 94. We were at the Nuns of the Visitation, St. Frances de Sales’ Festivall.
1745. A. Butler, Lives Saints (1845), VIII. 277. He [St. Francis of Sales] then mentioned his project of forming a new establishment of a congregation of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary.
1864. Newman, Apol., iv. (1904), 143/1. There was a lady, now a nun of the Visitation, to whom at this time I wrote the following letters.
1899. A. Shield in Dublin Rev., July, 64. To visit the Nuns of the Visitation in their convent at Chaillot, founded by Queen Henrietta Maria.
5. The action of making a friendly or formal call or calls; social intercourse of this nature; visiting.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. xviii. (1912), 463. He … so much abhorred all visitation or honour,… that he besought his two noble friends to carrie him away to a castle not far of.
1588. Parke, trans. Mendoza’s Hist. China, 190. Many of the Gentlemen of the cittie did go vnto the Spaniards to visite then … in the which visitation they spent all the whole day.
1605. Journ. of Earl of Nottingham, 50. Sunday, Munday and Tuesday were … spent onely in visitation and matters of complement with one or other.
1631. May, trans. Barclay’s Mirr. Mindes, II. 81. Because there was acquaintance betweene the two families, this youth was brought by way of visitation to the Ladies lodging.
1643. Baker, Chron., Edw. III., 169. The King of Scots came for businesse and visitation.
1819. Crabbe, T. of Hall, IX. How much she grieved to lose the given day In dissipation wild, in visitation gay.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 411. Family visitation [of the insane] should be prohibited.
b. An instance of such visiting; a visit.
1581. Pettie, Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., III. (1586), 157 b. The chaunces of these visitations in deede are so often, and so many, that they spend six daies of the week in them.
1588. Parke, trans. Mendoza’s Hist. China, 176. He … was more familiar than at his first visitation.
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 17. Men of best quality will easily beleeve, that their name is knowne among strangers, and they take these visitations for honours done them.
1629. Wadsworth, Pilgr., viii. 83. Which Letters and visitations I entertained vntill my Mother had paid my debts.
1642. Eglisham, Forerunner of Revenge, 14. Hee knowing Buckinghams visitation to proceed of dissimulation, requested your petitioner … to finde the meanes to get him away quickly.
1786. Mrs. A. M. Bennett, Juvenile Indiscr., I. 180. As he attended Mr. Orthodox to the door, to press his early visitation next morning.
1798. S. & Ht. Lee, Canterb. T., II. 509. Feasts and visitations occupied the Duke.
a. 1817. Jane Austen, Watsons (1879), 337. In the occurrences of the visitation … she heard Mr. Howard spoken of as the preacher.
1877. Black, Green Past., ii. Her father hearing that she contemplated some charitable visitation of the kind had strictly forbidden it.
c. A prolonged visit, or one which is disagreeable to the recipient.
1819. Metropolis, I. 231. She now went on a visitation (for her visits are far beyond the common length) to Lord ——.
II. 6. The action, on the part of God or some supernatural power, of coming to, or exercising power over, a person or people for some end: a. In order to encourage, comfort or aid.
c. 1340. Hampole, Prose Tr., 19. If he … halde it a specyalle vesytacyon of oure Lorde, and thynke it mare þan it es.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 72. Whan God of his grete visitacioun, List out of this worlde for hym to sende.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 41. Syr, ȝe mowe blesse þe tyme þat ȝe wer borne, forto haue suche vysitacion, as I now haue herde.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron. (1811), 306. Now drawe ye therfore holefull water of lore of my wellys, & that wt ioy, for ye tyme of youre vysytacyon is comyn.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. xxiii. For which cause we see that the most comfortable visitations, which God hath sent men from above have [etc.].
1643. Caryl, Expos. Job, I. 636. Mercies are visitations; when God comes in kindness and love to do us good, he visiteth us.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 22. My Celestial Patroness, who deignes Her nightly visitation unimplor’d.
a. 1741. Chalkley, Wks. (1766), 86. The merciful Visitations of that High and Lofty One who inhabits Eternity!
1814. Wordsw., Excurs., I. 212. In such high hour Of visitation from the living God, Thought was not.
1841. Myers, Cath. Th., III. § 9. 34. In such a high hour of religious visitation and in this etherial region … the Divine Spirit may mingle with the Human.
b. In order to test, try, examine or judge.
1382. Wyclif, Luke xix. 44. And thei schulen not leeue in thee a stoon on a stoon, for thou hast not knowe the tyme of thi visitacioun. Ibid. (1382), 1 Pet. v. 6. Therfor be ȝe mekid vndir the miȝty hond of God, that he reise ȝou in the day of visitacioun.
a. 1450. Mankind, 281, in Macro Plays, 11. Lyke as þe smyth trieth ern in þe feer, So was he triede by Godis vysytacyon.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 134 b. It maketh hym … glad to receyue the visitacion of our lorde what so euer it be.
1551. Abp. Hamilton, Catech., 24 b. For na vther cause … bot yat thai wald nocht knaw the tyme of thair uisitatioun.
1560. Bible (Genev.), Isaiah x. 3. What wil ye do now in the daie of visitation, & of destruction.
1645. Caryl, Expos. Job, I. 636. Jerusalem is threatned to be searcht with candles, and that was the time of Jerusalems visitation.
1801. Southey, Thalaba, I. xxvii. In the Day of Visitation, In the fearful hour of Judgement, God will remember thee!
c. So as to afflict with sickness or other trouble, esp. by way of punishment for wrong-doing.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 207. And in alle þingis bewar of grucchyng aȝens God and his visitacion, in gret labour and long, and gret sikenesse, and oþer adversities.
1421. Hoccleve, Complaint, 382. My sycknesse, which came of god[de]s visytacion.
1439. Rolls of Parlt., V. 33/1. That notorie sekenesse or impediment by Gods visitation. Ibid. (1455), 313/2. John Banham Squier,… which is blynde by Goddes visitation.
1485. Coventry Leet Bk., 524. And any Casualtes of disease by Godes visitacion com vnto the Recourder.
a. 1529. Skelton, Magnyf., 2016. Pray to God your sorowes to asswage: It is foly to grudge agaynst his vysytacyon.
1603. (title) Certaine Prayers … most necessary to be vsed at this time in the present Visitation of Gods heauy hand for our manifold sinnes.
1635. Life & Pranks of Long Meg of Westminster (Hindley II), 45. ’Tis the visitation of the Lord for the great sins you have committed.
1645. Caryl, Expos. Job, I. 636. If God in affliction visit us,… let us answer his visitation of us with our visitation of him.
1820. John Bull, 31 Dec., 24/2. A verdict of ‘died by the visitation of God’ was recorded.
1898. J. Arch, Story of Life, xiii. 312. A visitation of the Almighty … upon a luxurious and dissipated aristocracy.
d. A similar action on the part of an evil power or disembodied spirit.
1844. Dickens, Christmas Carol, ii. 14. The ghost had warned him of a visitation when the bell tolled one.
1861. Geo. Eliot, Silas M., i. 7. He observed that, to him, this trance looked more like a visitation of Satan than a proof of divine favour.
7. A heavy affliction, blow, or trial, regarded as an instance of divine dispensation; retributive punishment operating by this means.
a. 1450. Mankind, 721 (Brandl). Yt were to me solace, þe cruell vysytacyone of deth.
1567. Trial Treas. (1850), 37. Enter God’s Visitation. I am God’s minister, called Visitation…. Sometime I bring sickness; sometime perturbation.
c. 1585. Faire Em., V. i. Put case I had beene blinde, and could not see—As often times such visitations falles That pleaseth God.
1639. Bury Wills (Camden), 172. My late wives kinsman … at the late heavy visitacion did take great paines about me in the time of my trouble.
1642. Earl of Eglinton, Lett., in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 52. I am sorrowfull from my heart for your lordships great losse and heavie visitatioun.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Visitation,… the great Sickness with which the People of this Kingdom were sorely afflicted during … 1665 and 1666.
1798. S. & Ht. Lee, Canterb. T., II. 544. [I] now can account for the severe visitation on me, and mine.
1806. Med. Jrnl., XV. 287. You boast an intimate knowledge of the decrees of Heaven, and shew what is ordained for the visitation of man.
1865. Seeley, Ecce Homo, vi. (1866), 55. Jehovah was considered … as punishing by providential visitations and by mysterious pains inflicted on the dead.
1885. Dunckley, in Manch. Weekly Times, 21 Feb., 5/5. War is here regarded … as a punitive visitation, as a form of retribution for our sins.
8. The fact of some violent or destructive agency or force coming or falling upon a people, country, etc.
1535. Coverdale, Prov. xix. 23. The feare of the Lorde preserueth the life, yee it geueth plenteousnes, without the visitacion of any plage.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., III. i. 21. In the visitation of the Windes, Who take the Ruffian Billowes by the top.
1757. Chesterf., Lett., cclxxxix. The Austrians always leave behind them pretty lasting monuments of their visits, or rather visitations.
1833. Lyell, Princ. Geol., III. viii. (1835), III. 116. In Arabia and India, and other countries, their [sc. locusts] visitations have been periodically experienced.
1838. Arnold, Hist. Rome, I. 187. The period … was marked by the visitations of pestilence, as well as those of war.
1844. Kinglake, Eöthen, xv. Thanks to Ibrahim Pasha’s terrible visitation the men of the tribe were wholly unarmed.
9. The fact of some immaterial power or influence acting or operating on the mind.
1791. Mrs. Inchbald, Simple Story, I. Pref. p. iii. In justice to their heavenly inspirations, I believe they have never yet favoured me with one visitation.
1819. Shelley, Ye Gentle Visitations, 1. Ye gentle visitations of calm thought.
1841. Emerson, Ess., Ser. I. Love (1901), 100. But be our experience … what it may, no man ever forgot the visitations of that power to his heart and brain.
1866. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt, xiv. His voice was what his uncle’s might have been if it had been modulated by delicate health and a visitation of self-doubt.
1873. Black, Pr. Thule, xvi. Or was he moved by some visitation of compunction?
III. 10. attrib. (chiefly in special senses), as visitation acquaintance, book, court, day, dinner, fee, nun, office, sermon, work.
1822. Galt, Sir A. Wylie, xc. Mary would fain hae had me to cultivate a *visitation-acquaintance with him.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 105. Their original *visitation-books, compiled when progresses were solemnly and regularly made into every part of the kingdom, to enquire into the state of families,… are allowed to be good evidence of pedigrees.
1870. F. R. Wilson, Ch. Lindisf., 80. The visitation books show us the old edifice once more.
1841. (title), Report of the *Visitation Court of the Archbishop of York.
1708. J. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit. (1710), 292. This day still continues to be the *Visitation-day, when the Curators … do inspect the Library and call over all the Books.
1900. Daily News, 27 June, 6/5. Chocolate is the time-honoured beverage on visitation day at Greenwich Observatory.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xi. There was not … a ball, nor an election, nor a *visitation dinner … but he found means to attend it.
1850. J. H. Newman, Diffic. Anglic., I. ii. (1891), I. 61. Was it a subject … discussed and denounced … in episcopal charges and at visitation dinners?
1880. Wyclif’s Wks., 249, marg. *Visitation fees.
1899. Dublin Rev., Oct., 273. Three *visitation nuns from the monastery of Chaillot, near Paris.
1795. Paley, Clergym. Comp., v. Prayers for a sick Child. (*Visitation office.)
1676. Glanvill, Ess. Philos. & Relig., Pref. a 3. The Fifth [Essay] of the Agreement of Reason and Religion, was at first a *Visitation Sermon.
1782. C. Simeon, in W. Carus, Life (1847), 28. There is a Visitation Sermon preached every month at my own parish-church at Reading.
1747. Bp. Sherlock, Lett., 27 Aug., in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 297. As the *visitation work is divided between me and the Bp. of L. we have got thro’ it with great ease.
Hence Visitational, of or pertaining to a visitation. † Visitationer, one who performs, or takes part in, a visitation.
1670. Eachard, Cont. Clergy, 91. A money-renouncing clergy, that can abstain from seeing a penny a month together, unless it be when the collectors and visitationers come.
1791. Gentl. Mag., 20/2. Without impairing the utility or expediency of visitational charges.
