Vowed

ppl. a. [f. VOW v.¹ + -ED¹.]

  1.  Of persons: † a. Bound by religious vows.

1532.  More, Confut. Tindale, II. VI. Wks. 654/2. A man professynge once vowed chastitie, was for all that at hys lawefull lybertie to wedde a vowed professed nunne.

1565.  Stapleton, trans. Bede’s Hist. Ch. Eng., 140. One of those vowed virgins to God … had her departing shewed vnto her the same night in a vision.

1581.  Allen, Apol., 60. Incestuous mariages of vowed persons, spoile of Churches.

1631.  Weever, Anc. Funeral Mon., 154. One Isola Heton widow … made sute to King Henry the sixth, that shee might be an Anchoresse, or vowed recluse.

a. 1708.  T. Ward, England’s Reform., III. (1710), 55. How Durst you seise Church-Lands, Rob Priests and Poor, And turne the Vow’d Religious out of Door?

  absol.  1565.  Harding, Confut., II. viii. 73 b. The vowed be forbidden mariage by expresse word of God.

  b.  Devoted to some service or cause.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 308. Neither hath there chaunced as yet any suche controversie in the Counsell, that I neded any suche addicted and vowed men.

1589.  Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 82. Seeing thou hast made a rape of faire Samela, one of her vowed Shepheards is come … to challenge thee to single combate.

1655.  Ld. Norwich, in Nicholas Papers (Camden), III. 227. Your Ma^ties all vowed and most obedient subiect and seruant.

1825.  Scott, Talism., i. The Crusader … as a vowed champion of the Cross … might have preferred the latter.

1836.  Keble, in Lyra Apost. (1849), 105. The champions vow’d of truth and purity.

  † c.  United by vows; betrothed or wedded. Obs.

1577.  Grange, Golden Aphrod., L iij b. I craue it not for my selfe but for my vowed wyfe.

1665.  Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Wars, 553. He was absolutely taken with one Gabrielis Estræa, a Noble Woman, but led aside from the Embraces of her vowed Husband.

  d.  Confirmed (in hostility) by a vow or solemn resolve.

1583.  Melbancke, Philotimus, T iv. Thy vowed enemie Aurelia.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., I. xii. 19. The troubler of my happie peace, And vowed foe of my felicitie.

1633.  T. Stafford, Pac. Hib., I. xix. (1821), 204. He was a vowed enemy to the English Government.

1810.  Scott, Lady of Lake, V. v. Whence the bold boast by which you show Vich-Alpine’s vow’d and mortal foe?

  † e.  transf. Pertaining to a devotee. Obs.^–1

1665.  T. Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Wars, 49. Others, after the old manner of Mourning, in a vowed Habit, promise and swear, Never to cut their Hair, untill they had revenged the Blood of those Noble-men.

  2.  Undertaken or performed in consequence of, or under the sanction of, a vow.

1532.  [see 1 a].

1561.  T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. 25. Why do they wery themselues with vowed pilgrimages to visit those images wherof they haue like at home.

1626.  Donne, Serm., Luke ii. 29–30 (1640), 30. Nothing that countenances a vowed virginity, to the dishonour or undervaluing of marriage.

1712.  P. Metcalfe, Life S. Wenefride, Pref. S. Wenefride offer’d herself a Sacrifice, to preserve her Vow’d Virginity.

1720.  Welton, Suffer. Son of God, I. xi. 280. That the Religious might not over-value themselves on Account of their Vowed Poverty.

1818.  Shelley, Rosal. & Helen, 342. That mother Whom to outlive, and cheer, and make My wan eyes glitter for her sake, Was my vowed task.

  † b.  Solemnly consecrated or dedicated. Obs.

1585.  Fetherstone, trans. Calvin on Acts xxiii. 16. Paul shoulde come out on the morrowe to be slaine, as a vowed sacrifice.

1591.  Spenser, Virg. Gnat, 603. Curtius … stifly bent his vowed life to spill.

c. 1630.  Milton, 5th Ode Horace, 13. Me in my vow’d Picture the sacred wall declares t’have hung My dank and dropping weeds To the stern God of Sea.

1691.  trans. Emilianne’s Frauds Rom. Monks (ed. 3), 181. These Vow’d Pictures we generally find in all the Churches of Italy.

  c.  Confirmed by a vow or vows; solemnly promised or guaranteed.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., II. iv. 18. Our selues in league of vowed loue we knit.

1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., V. i. 209. This is the hand, which with a vowd contract Was fast belockt in thine.

1625.  K. Long, trans. Barclay’s Argenis, II. xv. 111. She would not suffer the memory of their vowed love to be blotted out with absence.

1655.  Ld. Norwich in Nicholas Papers (Camden), II. 259. I may without danger now present my humblest and all vowed duty to you.

1697.  Dryden, Æneid, IX. 365. No fate my vow’d affection shall divide From thee, heroick youth!

1704.  J. Trapp, Abra-Mulé, V. i. 2544. Nor Fate, nor you, can my vow’d Faith control.

  d.  Solemnly sworn or threatened.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., II. vi. 8. Of his way he had no souenance, Nor care of vow’d reuenge, and cruell fight.

1697.  Dryden, Æneid, V. 1063. I sought with joy The vowed destruction of ungrateful Troy. Ibid., XII. 1355. If thy vow’d revenge pursue my death.

1808.  Scott, Marmion, I. xxii. The vow’d revenge of Bughtrig rude, May end in worse than loss of hood.