Now arch. or Obs. Forms: 4–7 wreke (4, 6 wrek), 6–7 wreake, 6– wreak. [In early Northern texts a normal variant of WRECHE sb.; in later use prob. substituted for this, or for WRAKE sb., under the influence of the verb.]
1. Pain or punishment inflicted in return for an injury, wrong, offence, etc.; hurt or harm done from vindictive motives; vengeance, revenge.
In frequent use from c. 1540 to c. 1620.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 22604 (Edin.). Saint Peter sal be domb þat dai,… For doubt of demsteris wrek [Cott. wreke].
c. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 5338. Howe suld þai þan in þe tyme of wreke Bestille? Ibid., 6101. Þe day of wreke and of vengeaunce.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 12072. Þe sayntis of hell Were wode in hor werkis for wreke of Achilles.
c. 1420. Prose Life Alex., 76. Þe wrethe & þe wreke of oure goddez … fallez apon vs.
a. 1500[?]. Chester Pl., X. 120. [On] all knaves childer in this Countrey … shall fall the wreake.
1526. Tindale, Prol. Romans, Wks. (1572), 49/1. He describeth the outward conuersation of Christen men, how they ought … to commit wreake and vengeaunce to God.
1559. Myrr. Mag., 63. But wrath of man his rancour to requite, Forgets all reason … I mean by rancour the parentall wreke.
1587. Turberv., Trag. T. (1837), 158. Such fames of wreake withyn her bowels fride.
1629. Sir W. Mure, True Crucifixe, 2610. Thee carying headlongs to eternall wreake.
16[?]. Faithful Friends, II. iii. Nor shall the life or goods Of thee, or any thy assistants, feel The wreak of his just anger.
1865. Reader, No. 142. 309/2. Pride and haughty wreak From irreverence begin.
1899. Swinburne, Rosamund, II. 32. I would … the wreak of wrath were wroken, and I Dead.
b. In the phr. to perform, seek, spend, work, and esp. take (…) wreak.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace, Prol. 202 (Petyt MS.). When god toke wreke of Caym synne.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 1156 (Fairf.). Þat I sal take wreke on þe.
c. 1440. Capgrave, St. Kath., V. 61. God … on the puple tho took ful grete wreke.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xxv. 191. I saide that he shuld … of youre warkys take wreke.
1525. Tindale, Wks. (Parker Soc., 1849), 229. No man should avenge himself, or seek wreak, no, not by the law.
1576. Whetstone, Rock of Regard, I. 72. Sith fortune threates, to woorke our wreake of ioy, By sowsing of our ship in seas of yre.
1582. Batman, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. xii. 349/1. No creature is more wreakful, nor more feruent to take wreak than is the Bee when he is wrath.
1607. R. C[arew], trans. Estienne’s World Wond., 162. A huswife of Millan … wrought her wreake vpon the fruite of her womb.
1613. Chapman, Rev. Bussy D’Ambois, III. i. E 4. Dull and drossie in performing Wreake of the deare bloud of my matchless Brother.
1855. Singleton, Virgil, II. 308. Enough of wreak is spent; A passage hath been made among the foes.
1886. Burton, Arab. Nts. (abr. ed.), I. 167. None murdered the damsel but I; take her wreak on me this moment.
† c. In (or for) wreak of, in revenge of, in return or repayment for. Obs.
1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., II. iv. Would to heaven (In wreak of my misfortunes,) I were turn’d To some faire water-Nymph.
1599. Peele, David & Bethsabe, E ij. They with him conspire, And kill thy sonne in wreake of Thamars wrong.
1606. Chapman, Gentl. Usher, V. i. 123. Death … he shall indure For wreake of that joyes exile I sustaine.
d. The avenging of a person.
1613. Chapman, Rev. Bussy D’Ambois, III. i. Your defect of spirit and valour, First showne in lingring my deare Brothers wreake.
† 2. An instance of taking vengeance or exacting retribution. Obs.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter xvii. 51. God þat giues wrekes me to.
a. 1547. Surrey, Æneid, II. 750. Of the Grekes the cruel wrekes.
c. 1586. C’tess Pembroke, Ps. LXXI. xiii. My tongue … [shall] Tell thy wreakes and their disgraces, Who this ill to me procure.
1592. Spenser, Ruins of Time, 397. Where mortall wreakes their blis may not remoue.
a. 1626. Bp. Andrewes, 96 Serm., Passion, xvi. (1661), 224. To take a wreak or revenge upon sin.
† 3. Harm, injury; damage. Obs.
15[?]. Parl. Byrdes, 24, in Hazl., E. P. P., III. 168. All the byrdes … Said, the Hauke doth vs great wreake.
a. 1542. Wyatt, in Tottel’s Misc. (Arb.), 38. Vnkind tongue, to yll hast thou me rendred, For such desert to do me wreke and shame.
1591. Spenser, Ruins Rome, 33. These same olde walls … is that which Rome men call. Behold what wreake, what ruine, and what wast.
a. 1600. Montgomerie, Mindes Melodie, vi. 44. My foes … would rejoise To see my wreak, and would my soule subuert.
