arch. [orig. two words COMMON a. + WEAL (:—OE. wela, weola well-being, prosperity); used side by side with general weal, public weal, and esp. weal-public. Cf. F. bien commun, bien public, L. res publica, res commūnis. It is still used as two words in sense 1. In sense 2 (= commonwealth) it was in 16th c. more esp. Scotch, and is now archaic or rhetorical, or used with etymological emphasis.]
1. (Properly two words.) Common well-being; esp. the general good, public welfare, prosperity of the community.
a. 1469. Gregory’s Chron. [an. 1450] (Camden, 1876), 191. They [the Kentish insurgents] wente, as they sayde, for the comyn wele of the realme of Ingelonde.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. 33. The partes of mannes body hath … theyr offyce … for the commune wele of the hole body.
1542. Boorde, Dyetary, Pref. (1870), 228. I do it for a common weele [1547 a common weale].
1553. Q. Mary, in Strype, Eccl. Mem., III. App. i. 3. As shall avaunce Gods glory and the commonweal.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 10. The law is made for the commonwell and profite of baith the parties.
1622. Bacon, Hen. VII., 157. To the Commonweale and Prosperity of our Subiects.
1744. Thomson, Summer, 1617. Ever musing on the common weal.
1874. F. Seebohm, Prot. Rev. (1887), 7. Citizens for whose common weal the nation is to be governed.
2. The whole body of the people, the body politic; a state, community. = COMMONWEALTH 2.
This use was adversely criticized by Elyot: see quot. 1531.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 202. Þe comen wele was paied of þat conseilyng Þat it were not delaied, so was R[ichard] þe kyng.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. i. Hit semeth that men haue ben longe abused in calling Rempublicam a commune weale … There may appere lyke diuersitie to be in englisshe betwene a publike weale and a commune weale, as shulde be in latin, betwene Res publica, & Res plebeia.
1535. Lyndesay, Satyre, 2436. The common-weil of fair Scotland.
1549. Latimer, Ploughers (Arb.), 26. Wherefore are magistrates ordayded, but that the tranquillitie of the commune weale maye be confirmed.
1611. Coryat, Crudities, 460. A most excellent aristocraticall fame of common-weale.
1726. Thomson, Winter (1738), 432. Solon the next who built his common-weal On Equity’s wide Base.
1850. Kingsley, Alt. Locke, Pref. 23. The most truly liberal-minded class of the commonweal.
† b. The Christian commonweal: Christendom.
1559. in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. App. viii. 20. The Christian commonweale is decayed.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks, Introd. The … state of the Christian Commonweale … might … mooue euen a right stony heart to ruth.
† 3. = COMMONWEALTH 3. (poetic nonce-use.)
1733. Swift, On Poetry. They plot to turn, in factious zeal, Duncenia to a common-weal.
† 4. Comb.
1579. J. Stubbes, Gaping Gulf, D iv b. These aduenturous commonwealminglers.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xii. 175. Ridding goode Commonwealemen out of the way, that he may mainteine himself stil in his tyranny.
