[15th c. ad. med.L. contentātiōn-em (1409 in Du Cange), n. of action f. med.L. contentāre, F. contenter to CONTENT. A much commoner word in Eng. than in any Romanic lang.: Godefroy cites a single instance from a Swiss Burgundian document of 1424, and the word is not in Cotgr., nor is it in It., Sp., or Pg.]
† 1. The action of contenting or satisfying. Obs.
1519. Interl. Four Elem. (Pollard, 1890), 101. For the contembtacyon of my mynde.
1574. R. Scot, Hop Gard., To Rdr. To the contentacion of the ydle.
1603. Jas. I., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 239. For the contentation of our subjects.
† b. The contenting oneself or one’s mind with what one has; acquiescence in or acceptance of the situation. Obs.
1567. Harman, Caveat, 40. He vsed contentacion for his remedy.
1570. J. Heywood, Be merry, friends (1848). Let contentashyn be decree, Make vertue of necessytee.
1589. Cooper, Admon., 234. The bridling of the affections and humble contentation of the minde before God.
1631. Bp. Webbe, Quietn. (1657), 121. With a Christian contentation to bear with their masters infirmities.
† 2. The resulting fact of being satisfied; satisfaction. Obs.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VII. ccxxxv. 271. Ye which he punysshed … to the great contentacion of the countrey.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1966/1. To atchiue his purpose to his good contentation without anie great danger.
1611. Dekker, Roaring Girle, I. Wks. 1873, III. 138. Your pleasure shall be satisfied to your full contentation.
1681. R. Knox, Hist. Ceylon, 94. Before they can settle themselves to their contentation.
1709. Strype, Ann. Ref., I. xlvii. 514. To further it, to her contentation and honour.
3. Contented or satisfied condition. arch.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), E v. Than holde you sure of my contentacion.
1555. Eden, Decades, 100. Their contentation with the benefytes of nature.
1598. Grenewey, Tacitus’ Ann., XII. x. (1622), 170. In his company hee spent his idle time with delight and contentation.
1667. Waterhouse, Fire Lond., 159. The resignation of an Empire, and the contentation with a private life.
1709. Strype, Ann. Ref., I. xl. 453. So as nothing wanted to show contentation.
1833. Fraser’s Mag., VIII. 700. To profess his contentation at the great éclat he had attained.
1858. Anne Manning, Ladies of Bever Hollow, I. viii. 102. He stood before the fire, face to face with Fulk, surveying him with no small contentation.
† b. as a habitual quality or frame of mind: Contentment. Obs.
1553. Elyot, Gov., III. xvii. His contentation [ed. 1531 continence] in pouertie.
a. 1593. H. Smith, Serm., 1 Tim. vi. 6 (1867), II. 279. Such a commander is contentation, that wheresoever she setteth foot, an hundred blessings wait upon her.
1677. Hale, Contempl., II. 14. Religion, Temperance, Patience, and Contentation, are those Virtues that advantage the party himself.
† 4. A source of satisfaction or pleasure. Obs.
1569. Newton, Cicero’s Old Age, 33. A good fyer, is unto me a singuler contentacion.
1585. Parsons, Chr. Exerc., I. x. 140. Among all other ioyes and contentations, this shal not be the least.
1672. Sir T. Browne, Lett. to Friend, xxiv. We are fain to take in the reputed contentations of this world. Ibid. (1682), Chr. Mor., 46. Temperate minds … enjoy their contentations contentedly.
† 5. Satisfaction of a claim; compensation; payment in satisfaction. Obs.
1467. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 403. The contentacyon of sommes so forfett.
1474. Bond of Edw. IV., in Rymer, Fœdera (1710), XI. 792. Whereof he never as yet had any Paiement or Contentacion.
1540. Act 32 Hen. VIII., c. 5 title, An acte for contentacion of debts vpon executions.
1652. Z. Boyd, in Zion’s Flowers (1855), App. 24/2. In full contentatioune to hir of the lyk sowme of hir tocher.
† b. The making of satisfaction for sin. Obs.
1535. Goodly Primer, To Rdr. Jesus Christ, the onely sufficient price, satisfaction, reconsiliation, full contentation … for our synnes.
1548. Gest, Pr. Masse, 89. Yf Christe were to be agayne sacryfyced to the ful contentacion and cleansing of synne.
1656. O. Sedgwick, Humbled Sinner, iii. § 1. 16. To … fulfil it even to appeasment and contentation.
† 6. The satisfying of the conscience, of the moral or rational faculty; the allaying of scruple or doubt.
1533. More, Apol., viii. Wks. 861/2. Then hathe he neede for hys contentacion to see the matter handeled somewhat more at lengthe.
1552. Latimer, Serm. & Rem. (1845), 13. To their contentation and quieting of their consciences.
1555. Harpsfield, in Bonner, Homilies, 46*. For your better contentation herein you shal here the authorities of the Aunciente fathers.
1645. Pagitt, Heresiogr. (1661), 53. For the contentation of your request.
¶ Sometimes erroneously for CONTENTION.
1633. T. Adams, Serm. Dan. xii. 3. There is no weake contentation betweene these, and the labour is hard to reconcile them.
