Obs. Also pl. 6–7 weale publiques. [WEAL sb.1 + PUBLIC a. 2 a, after F. le bien publique and L. bonum publicum.]
1. The general good of the community; public welfare or interest. Hence, the state or body politic.
1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 34, Preamble. The reformacion of the weale publique … in the seid parties of Southwales.
1540–1. Elyot, Image Gov., 16 b. The sondry dignities and offices in the weale publik were aptly distributed.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. iv. ¶ 2. Therefore, the weale-publicke was more to be regarded, then any person or magistrate that therevnto was ordeined.
1602. F. Hering, Anatomyes, 19. The Weale-publike Prudently and Religiously prouided for.
1641. Milton, Reform., II. 46. What is all this either here, or there to the temporal regiment of Wealpublick, whether it be Popular, Princely, or Monarchical?
1671. F. Philipps, Reg. Necess., 338. Private mens Actions and Suits must be suspended for a convenient time, where it is pro bono publico, the Weal-publick.
1710. Steele & Addison, Tatler, No. 253, ¶ 6. The Advantages that may arise to the Weal-Publick from this Institution.
1731. Peyton, Divine Catastrophe Ho. Stuarts, 62. To … keep and defend the Weal-publick in Health and Prosperity.
2. A state, community or commonwealth.
1540–1. Elyot, Image Gov., 83 b. Truely god gyueth wysedome, but fauour and aucthoritie mooste chiefely sheweth it in a weale publyke.
1551. Robinson, trans. More’s Utopia, I. (1895), 30. They found townys and cytyes, and weale publyques, full of people, gouerned by good and holsom lawes.
1610. Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God, I. xxix. 45. When Carthage was raized downe, and the greatest curber and terror of the Romaine weale-publike vtterly extinguished and brought to nothing.
1622. [E. Misselden], Free Trade, 33. This is our case in this Weale-publike; no Kingdome hath better Lawes.
1627. Hakewill, Apol. (1630), 107. Whatsoever the force of the starres be, upon the persons of private men, or the states of weale-publiques.
