Obs. Forms: 1 wærscipe, -scype, werscipe, 2 warshipe, 3 warscipe, -sipe, -schipe. [OE. wærscipe str. masc., f. wær WARE a.: see -SHIP.] Caution, prudence, astuteness, sagacity.

1

c. 888.  Ælfred, Boeth., xxvii. § 2. Wisdom is se hehsta cræft, and se hæfð on him feower oðre cræftas; ðara is an wærscipe, oðer ʓemetʓung.

2

a. 1124.  O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1026. Ʒif he [William of Normandy] moste þa ʓyt twa ʓear libban he hæfde Yrlande mid his werscipe ʓewunnon.

3

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 193. Biddeð ȝiu to gode þat he ȝiue ȝiu ȝepshipe, and warshipe ȝiu wið to werien.

4

c. 1205.  Lay., 5603. Belin wes swiðe wis & warscipe [c. 1275 warsipe] him folweden [= folwede].

5

c. 1220.  Bestiary, 426, in O. E. Misc., 14. Twifold forbisne in ðis der to frame we muȝon finden her, warsipe and wisedom wið deuel and wið iuel man.

6

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 252. Dumbe bestes habbeð þeos warschipe, þet hwon heo beoð asailed of wulue … heo þrungeð alle togederes.

7

a. 1225.  Hali Meid., 57 (Titus MS.). As rihtwisnesse & warschipe aȝaines unþeawes.

8