Obs. Forms: α. 4–6 volunte (5 -ee), 6 wolunte, volounte; 5 voluntie, 6–7 volunty. β. 5–6 volente (5 uol-, voulente), volante, 6 volenty. [a. OF. volonte (voulonte, -unte), volente (mod.F. volonté = It. voluntà, Sp. voluntad, Pg. vontade), ad. L. voluntāt-, voluntas will, f. vol-, velle to will.] Will, desire, pleasure; that which one wishes or desires.
Rarely, the faculty of willing, volition.
α. c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 687 (Kölbing). A forseyd deuel liȝt adoun & of þat wiif made a couioun, To don alle his volunte.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 5276. For that he May not fulfille his volunte Fully, as he hath requered.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., II. xi. 210. That this answere is a feyned and forgid thing bi pure volunte withoute eny for him sufficient evidence, Y proue thus.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, iv. 19. O cursid and false deceyuable auaryce whiche blyndeth the voluntees humayn.
c. 1525. Doctr. Gd. Servaunts (Percy Soc.), 7. Seruauntes ought not to ensue Theyr owne wyll nor volunte.
1649. Evelyn, trans. Le Vayer’s Lib. & Servit., Misc. Writ. (1825), ii. 11. Our volunty cannot (after some sort) embrace the evill, considering it as evill. Ibid. (1652), St. France, 15. The handsomer to disguise and apparell these his volunties, and render them at the least specious proceedures of Justice.
β. 1418–20. J. Page, Siege Rouen, in Archaeologia, XXI. 48. Byfore Rone that reche cyte Fore that he lovyde as hys own volante.
c. 1450. Merlin, i. 22. Neuer shall I make the do thynge that shal be ageyn the volente of oure lord Ihesu Cyste.
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 134. But as sone as I was leyd in my bedd an euill volente or wil surprised me.
1518. H. Watson, Hist. Oliver of Castile (Roxb.), E 4 b. The knyght … sayd that al his volente was for to go there as he had specyfyed.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. xliv. 143. Syth it is your pleasure and volante yt I shall pursewe my wordes, I shall shewe you euery thynge as I knowe.
b. In the phrases of (free) volunty, of or at one’s (own) volunty.
(a) c. 1402. Lydg., Compl. Bl. Knt., 299. The whiche … Of volunte, withoute more trespas, Myn accusurs hath taken vnto grace. Ibid. (1426), De Guil. Pilgr., 23031. The space of xxxix yere I was bound of volunte, to obedience. Ibid. (c. 1430), Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 79. The kyng … That … Into a virgyns wombe immaculate, Descendid … of fre volunte.
(b) c. 1407. Lydg., Reson & Sens., 4453. Thow sholdest chese here tabyde … Of thin ovne volunte, Syth thou hast swich lyberte.
1459. Rolls of Parlt., V. 347/1. This that I here have promitted and sworn, procedeth of myne owne desire and fre volunte.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), III. 3. Of my most hyest and mytyest wolunte, I woll it be knowyn to al þe word vnyversal.
1508. Fisher, 7 Penit. Ps. cxxx. Wks. (1876), 230. Almyghty god of his owne voluntary wyll and gracyous volunty … redemed vs.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, III. xii. (S.T.S.), I. 295. Þis Iulius, of his fre volunte & benevolence, remittit certane thingis to þe Iugement of pepill.
(c) 1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 20335. Bothe to shette and ek vnclose And as hym lyst, for to dyspose At ther owne volunte.
c. 1450. Merlin, iii. 58. They shall neuer haue power over me at her volunte.
1461. Rolls of Parlt., V. 492/1. The same Letteres Patentes … to endure and be of force … at our pleasure and voluntie.
