Now only literary. Forms: 4–7 li(g)n-, ly(g)nage, (5 len-, lyne-, lyngnage, 6 linn-, lyna(d)ge), 7– lineage. [a. OF. lignage, linage = Pr. linhatge, Sp. linaje, Pg. linhagem, It. lignaggio, legnaggio:—L. type *līneāticum (see -AGE), f. līnea LINE sb.2 The spelling lineage, which appears late in the 17th c., is prob. due to association with LINE sb.2; the mod. pronunciation is influenced by lineal or L. līnea.]
1. Lineal descent from an ancestor; ancestry, pedigree.
a. 1330. Otuel, 336. Tel me … of what linage þou art come.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 1820, Lucrece. Tarquinius that … sholdist as be lynage & be right Don as a lord & as a worthi knyght.
c. 1440. Generydes, 3873. The Kyng of Egipte, born of highe lenage.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., I. vii. 16. The gretenes of his lignage and hye blood of his persone.
1547–64. Bauldwin, Mor. Philos. (Palfr.), 64. He, that to his noble linage addeth vertue & good conditions, is highly to be praised.
1586. Q. Eliz., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. I. III. 23. I am not of so base a linage, nor cary so vile a minde.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], Hist. Ivstine, XLI. 129. There was at the same time one Arsaces, though of unknown lynage, yet of approued valor.
1701. Rowe, Amb. Step-Moth., III. iii. 41. Thou art the Father of our Kings, The stem whence their high lineage springs.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), VIII. 209. I have … been thought to disgrace my lineage.
1767. Blackstone, Comm., II. 233. When the lineage is clearly made out, there is no need of this auxiliary proof.
1835. Lytton, Rienzi, I. i. The quiet and lowly spirit of my mother’s humble lineage.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., vii. 43. She was … so white as not to be known as of coloured lineage without a critical survey.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., I. xiii. 546. Norman lineage was vulgarly regarded as the more honourable.
† b. said of animals and inanimate objects. Obs.
c. 1435. Torr. Portugal, 493. Ther be hawkes, ase I herd seyne, That byn of lenage gene.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 253. These are said to refuse copulation with any other Horses that are not of their own kinde and linage.
1635. Swan, Spec. M., v. § 2 (1643), 153. White hoar-frost is of the house and linage of dew.
1693. Sir T. P. Blount, Nat. Hist., 195. They proceed in the Main from the same Stock and Linage, and are all more or less of the Kindred of Salts.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 252. Distinguish all betimes, with branding Fire; To note the Tribe, the Lineage, and the Sire.
2. quasi-concr. (Chiefly collect.)
† a. The persons through whom one’s ‘lineage’ (sense 1) is traced; one’s ancestors collectively. [So F. lignage, in opposition to lignée = descendants.] Obs.
13[?]. K. Alis., 3068. Thow woldest geve vyl trowage; So dude never non of thy lynage.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, V. x. Duke Iosue and Machabeus were of oure lygnage.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xxiv. 402. My linage and forebearis war ay lele.
1557. North, trans. Gueuara’s Diall Pr., 46. His linage was not of the lowest sort of the people … but were men that lyved by the swete of their browes.
b. The descendants of a specified ancestor [= F. lignée]. † Also rarely applied to an individual descendant.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 2883. She wepte nat for any outrage But for of here come no lynage; þat no fruyt of here myȝt spryng [Orig. pur defaute de ligne].
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxix. (Placidas), 254. Þat herytag þat to man I hicht & his lynag.
a. 1400[?]. Arthur, 269. Y am þeir Eyr & þeyre lynage.
1430–40. Lydg., Bochas, I. vii. (1554), 10. Tencrease his lynage … He toke a wife that was but yong of age.
1485. Caxton, Chas. Gt., 21. Pepyn … was chosen kyng of Fraunce when the lygnage of kyng cloys faylled.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 183. With hym died … heires of greate parentage in the Southe parte, whose linages revenged their deaths.
1573. L. Lloyd, Pilgr. Princes (1586), 167 b. Fully perswaded with himselfe that hee was of the linage of the Gods.
1623. trans. Favine’s Theat. Hon., VI. iii. 118. Of this Mariage ensued a plenteous lignage, to witt, three Sonnes and foure Daughters.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 34, ¶ 3. I am now arrived at that part of life in which every man is expected to settle and provide for the continuation of his lineage.
1838. Thirlwall, Greece, II. xii. 154. Callias, a seer sprung from the gifted lineage of Iamus.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., I. vii. 65. The dignity of the peerage … was confined to the lineage of the person ennobled.
fig. 1863. Kinglake, Crimea (1876), I. ii. 37. The ‘Eastern Question,’ as it was called, had become consecrated by its descent through a great lineage of Statesmen.
† c. A family or race viewed with reference to its descent; a tribe, clan. Obs.
a. 1366[?]. Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 258. She [Envye] is ful glad, in hir corage, If she see any greet linage Be brought to nought in shamful wise.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 51. Þat was þe bygynnynge of þe þraldom of þe ten lynages of Israel.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xxi. 224. The first Nacyoun or Lynage was clept Tartar.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, d v b. The fait or dede whiche … the humayne lynage bought ful dere.
1532. Galway Arch., in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 405. Whatsoever man or woman shall make any comperacion betwixt lynadge and [l]inadge … shuld … forfayte an hundrid shillinges.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, I. xxv. 80. From him sprang two families or linages.
