v. Forms: 4–6 lycence, 5–6 lyc-, lysense, (7 lycens), 9. Sc. leeshance, 4– licence, 6– license. [f. LICENCE sb., q.v. for the question of spelling. In sense 2, ad. F. licencier, f. licence.]
1. trans. To give (a person) permission to (do something). Now rare. (In early use the personal obj. may be interpreted as dative, and occas. appears preceded by to.)
c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 2983. If it be your will to licence me to tel my tale.
c. 1460. G. Ashby, Dicta Philos., 739, in Poems (E.E.T.S.), 76. If ye be to any man licencyng To set his fote vpon youres areryng, He wol after set his fote vppon your nekke.
1555. Latimer, in Foxe, A. & M. (1563), 1366/1. I beseche your Lordshyp license me to sytte downe.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., I. 175/2. The dead bodies of both armies are licenced to be buried.
1590. Greene, Orl. Fur. (1599), D 4 b. King Marsillus licenst thee depart.
1618. Earl Suffolk, in Fortesc. Papers (Camden), 50. But I pray your Lordship to lycens me truly to acquaynt you what mesery yt hath produced unto me.
a. 1639. W. Whateley, Prototypes, I. xix. (1640), 212. To license ourselves to commit any sinne out of a conceit that it is small.
1676. Towerson, Decalogue, 75. Our friendship with God … licenceth us to come with assurance.
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. 193. Therefore they were licensed to make bold with any of his things.
1863. Kinglake, Crimea (1876), I. viii. 127. Lord Stratford was licensed to do no more than send a message to an Admiral.
b. To permit (a thing) to be done; sometimes with dat. of the person. Now rare.
1477. J. Paston, in Paston Lett., III. 191. The Pope will suffre a thyng to be usyd, but he will nott lycence nor grant it to be usyd nor don, and soo I.
1555. Ridley, in Foxe, A. & M. (1563), 928/2. At the last I was contente to take it for lycenced, and so began to talk.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. xiii. (1634), 45. To attempt things not licenced.
1598. Grenewey, Tacitus’ Ann., III. ii. (1622), 66. Neuer shewing themselues more attentiue, nor at any time licencing themselues a more secret speech of the Prince.
1633. J. Done, Hist. Septuagint, 99. Hee hath licensed us eating the flesh of foure-footed beasts.
1861. M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 40. A patent of Henry II…, in which he … licenses the sale of Rhenish wine at the same price as French is sold at.
1869. Browning, Ring & Bk., VIII. 554. If this were … Allowed in the Spring rawness of our kind, What may be licenced in the Autumn dry? Ibid., 712. The divorce allowed by Christ, in lieu Of lapidation Moses licenced me.
† c. with clause as obj. Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., IX. xxvi. (1495), 363. It was lycencyd that seruauntes and wymmen and bestes shold reste in the Saturday.
1586. J. Hooker, Hist. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 96/2. The governor licenced that it [the corps] should be buried.
† 2. [After F. licencier.] To give leave of departure to; to dismiss, set free from (something); to send away to (a place). Obs.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, B j b. The kyng thenne lycencyd them and gaf to them fayr gyftes.
1551. Robinson, trans. More’s Utopia, II. (1895), 143. Beynge then lycensed from the laboure of theyr owne occupacyons.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. (1629), 276. Amphialus licenced the gentleman, telling him, that by next morning he should have an answer.
1594. Southwell, M. Magd. Funeral Teares, 188. Licence from thee that needlesse suspition.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, IV. i. 103. He … comming vnto the companies, do licence them to their lodgings.
1603. Florio, Montaigne, II. iii. 210. I wil now departe, and licence the remainder of my soule [F. donner congé aux restes de mon ame].
1630. Wadsworth, Pilgr., 17. Tuesdayes and Thursdayes … on the after noones they are licenced to the recreation of the open fields.
1632. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 74. Having then taken instructions for the way, and licensed himselfe from the King, he set him forwards on his journey.
a. 1639. Wotton, Parallel, in Reliq. (1651), 17. When he listed he could licence his thoughts.
1676. Dryden, Aurengz., I. i. 333. Sir, you were pleas’d your self to License me.
1814. Scott, Waverley, xl. Thus licensed, the chief and Waverley left the presence chamber.
3. To grant (a person) a licence or authoritative permission to hold a certain status or to do certain things, e.g., to practise some trade or profession, to hold a curacy, to preach, to use armorial bearings, to keep a dog, to carry a gun, etc. Const. for, to, and to with inf.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 7692. I am licenced boldely In divinitee to rede.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 7598. And besoght his reuerence Þat he walde þaim lycence in his diocise to haue place.
1450–1530. Myrr. Our Ladye, 102. None oughte in holy chyrche to … preche openly the worde of god but yf he be specially lycensed therto.
1481. Caxton, Reynard (Arb.), 62. I am lycensyd in bothe lawes.
1555. Eden, Decades, 125. Beyng therto lycenced by the kynge of castile.
1638. Penit. Conf., viii. (1657), 277. So licensing them (as it were) for Priestly power.
1764. Burn, Poor Laws, 72. Poor folks licensed to beg out of the limits of any city or town corporate.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 270. Licensing candidates for the ministry.
1828. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. III. 178. Judith Kent, widow, ‘Licenced’—as the legend imported, ‘to vend tea, coffee, tobacco, and snuff.’
1830. Galt, Lawrie T., IV. ix. II. 78. Amos Bell … had not been leeshanced above a week.
1878. Simpson, Sch. Shaks., I. 23. The proclamation of July 8, 1557, licensing all English subjects to fit out ships to molest the French and Scots.
1901. Durh. Dioc. Cal., 215. Curates licensed.
b. To grant a licence permitting (a house, theater, etc.) to be used for some specified purpose.
1777. Parsons, Lett., in 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. (1896), 232. A petition … for leave to bring in a bill to license a theatre at Birmingham.
1868. [see LICENSED ppl. a.].
1874. [see LICENSER].
1882. Miss Braddon, Mt. Royal, iii. In which there is … not even a cottage licensed for the sale of ale.
4. To authorize the publication of (a book), or the acting of (a play).
1628. Wither, Brit. Rememb., Pref. 279. Were my writing As true as that of holy Iohns inditing, They would not licence it.
1634. Documents agst. Prynne (Camden), 23. Mr. Buckner did lycence 64 pages of the booke.
1644. Milton, Areop. (Arb.), 39. That no Book … should be Printed … unlesse it were approv’d and licenc’t under the hands of 2 or 3 glutton Friers.
1667. Poole, Dial. betw. Protest. & Papist, 155. Books Licensed by the Approbation … of your Church.
1858. Halliwell, Dict. Old Plays, 264. This play was licensed on June 6th, 1634.
† b. To vouch for. Obs. rare.
1694. R. Burthogge, Reason, 216. A Story Licensed by a Person of Quality and of Great worth.
5. To allow liberty, free range, or scope to; to privilege, tolerate. Obs. exc. in ppl. a.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. iv. § 1. 17. Poesie is … in measure of words for the most part restrained: but in all other points extreamely licensed.
1640. Ld. J. Digby, Sp. in Ho. Com., 9 Nov., 4. I shall … with your Permission licence my Thoughts too, a little.
1704. Steele, Lying Lover, I. i. 9. Licence my innocent Flames, and give me leave to love such charming Sweetness.
