ppl. a. Obs. [f. SPOUSE v.] Espoused, married, wedded.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 10458. Quar-for suld i haue ioi and blis Quen i mi spused lauerd mis? Ibid., 28264. Mi spussed wyfe i haue misledd Bath in burdyng and in bedde.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, vii. (James Less), 314. A voyce sal be hard wele rath one spowsit men & wemen bath.
c. 1425. Eng. Conq. Ireland (1896), 120. [They] mythten neuer haue chyldren of her spoused wyues.
1521. in Acts Parlt. Scot. (1875), XII. 39/1. To seperate himselff fra his avn spousit Wyff.
1588. A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 116. Vnto ye faithfull spoused persones is … giuen fruictfulnes.
1616. B. Jonson, Epigr., I. v. The world the temple was,… The spoused pair two realms.
1654. Gayton, Pleas. Notes, IV. xxiv. 280. Now all the plot and chiefe contrivance, Was how to get his spoused wife—hence.
b. Used absol. as quasi-sb.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2898. Sibbe ne spused tak yee nan. Ibid., 10170. Tuix ani spused and his wijf.
1608. B. Jonson, Masque Ld Hadington’s Marr., Wks. (1616), 943. In the happy choyce, The spouse, and spoused haue the formost voyce!
