a. Forms: 5 condyngne, 5–6 condygne, 5–7 condigne, 6 condynge (Sc. conding), 6– condign. [a. F. condigne, ad. L. condign-us (med.L. also -dingnus) wholly worthy, f. con- together, altogether + dignus worthy.]
† 1. Equal in worth or dignity (to). Obs.
c. 1470. Harding, Chron. LXXXIV. vii. This Kyng Arthure, to whom none was condigne Through all the world.
1490. Caxton, How to Die, 6. And yet be not the passyons of this world condygne ne worthy to the glorye to come.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Rom., viii. 18. The passions of this time are not condigne [Vulg. condignæ, Wyclif & 16th C. vv. worthy] to the glorie to come.
1854. Syd. Dobell, Balder, xxiii. 116. Rank after mingling rank … but each Condign, and in a personality Confest.
† 2. Worthy, deserving. Const. of, to do a thing. a. Of persons. Obs. (or arch.)
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, II. 1744. She hath great honour … As most condigne to beare the principalite.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. xxiv. There shall nat lacke here after condigne writers to registre his actes.
1585. James I., Ess. Poesie (Arb.), 37. He of Laurell is conding, Who wysely can with proffit, pleasure ming.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VII. vi. 11. Her selfe of all that rule she deemed most condigne.
[1833. I. Taylor, Fanat., vi. 147. The persuasion that [our fellow-men] are condign objects of such treatment.]
b. Of things. Obs.
1509. Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1570), 202. This noble Citie … Condigne to be gouerned by an emperour.
1534. Whitinton, Tullyes Offices, I. (1540), 20. That we shall gyue after the condigne merites of the man.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., V. (1682), 207. My own weak judgment … could never mount to the true acquittance of his condign merit.
† 3. Worthily deserved, merited, fitting, appropriate; adequate. Obs. (or arch.), exc. as in b.
In 16–17th c. exceedingly common in condign laud, praise, thanks.
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, II. xlii. (1859), 48. Take him vp in to thy blysse on hye in what degree that to hym is condygne.
1530. Fruyte of Redemp. (W. de W.), A iij. A frayle man … fayleth in thy condygne laude.
a. 1535. More, On the Passion, Introd. Wks. 1271/1. To tourne vnto God … & geue him condigne thankes for the same.
1555. Eden, Decades, 17. Euery man shall receaue condigne rewarde or punyshement.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., I. ii. 26. In thy condigne praise.
1633. T. Stafford, Pac. Hib., xiv. (1821), 159. To whom wee render condigne thanks.
1683. trans. Erasmus’ Moriæ Enc., 104. Heaven can never be a condign reward for their meritorious life.
[1873. F. Hall, Mod. Eng., 10, note. The eulogy bestowed on Chaucer by Spenser’s well-worn metaphor has not been quite unanimously recognized as condign.]
b. Since the end of 17th c. commonly used only of appropriate punishment: a use originating in the phraseology of Tudor Acts of Parliament.
Johnson 1755 says, ‘It is always used of something deserved by crimes.’ De Quincey, Templars’ Dial., Wks. IV. 188, note. ‘Capriciously … the word condign is used only in connection with the word punishment.… These and other words, if unlocked from their absurd imprisonment, would become extensively useful. We should say, for instance, “condign honours,” “condign reward,” “condign treatment” (treatment appropriate to the merits).’ [Cf. 1873 in 3.]
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XIII. vii. 64. The godly power … Onto tha wikkyt Sawlis … Hes send conding punytioun, and just panys.
1533–4. Act 25 Hen. VIII., c. 4. Former statutes … for lacke of condigne punishment … be littell feared or regarded.
a. 1592. Greene, Selimus, Wks. 1881–3, XIV. 273. To punish treason with condigne reward.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., III. 130. Condigne punishment.
1614. Bp. Hall, Recoll. Treat., 1124. And plague thee with a condigne death.
1642. Declar. Ho. Comm., in Rushw., Hist. Coll. (1721), V. 25. That the Authors … shall be … brought to this House to receive condign Punishment.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), III. xx. 127. So shall [I] not fail of condign punishment.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 575. He had been brought to condign punishment as a traitor.
1878. Bosw. Smith, Carthage, 195. To wreak condign vengeance on the common oppressor of them all.
