arch. Forms: α. 5 sursese, 5–6 sursease, 6 surseace. β. 5 surceese, (sourcesse), 5–6 surcese, -cesse, 6 -ces, -ceas, -ceace, 6–7 -ceasse, 8 -cess 5– surcease. [f. OF. sursis, fem. sursise (cf. AF. sursise sb., omission), pa. pple. of surseoir to refrain, delay, suspend:—L. supersedēre to SUPERSEDE. The spelling was at an early date assimilated to CEASE (cesse, ceasse).]
1. intr. To leave off, desist, stop, cease from some action (finally or temporarily). (Cf. SUPERSEDE 2 b.) a. const. † of, from.
1428. Lett. Marg. Anjou & Bp. Beckington (Camden), 40. Men sayen hit hadde be muche better for me to have surcesed of my service long or this.
1429. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 342/2. The Tresorer…, may have in commaundement by Writt, to sursese of any proces made. Ibid. (1433), 425/2. That the seide Collectours … sursease of any levie to make.
c. 1510. More, Picus, Wks. 14/1. Wherfore he counseiled Picus to surceace of study.
1538. Cromwell, in Merriman, Life & Lett. (1902), II. 159. The kinges pleasure is that … you do Surcese and cause the partie to surces frome any further sute.
1549. Bk. Com. Prayer, Ord. Deacons. The Bisshoppe shal surcease from ordering that person.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. xlvii. § 4. Vnder that pretense to surcease from prayers as bootles or fruitles offices.
1615. Brathwait, Strappado (1878), 165. Silke-wormes … Who do surcesse from labour now and then.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 258. The great Arch-Angel from his warlike toile Surceas’d.
1812. Cary, Dante, Purg., xxv. 131. Nor from the task … Surcease they.
1853–8. Hawthorne, Engl. Note-bks. (1879), II. 104. I … thereupon surceased from my labors.
b. without construction (spec. to discontinue legal proceedings).
1456. Paston Lett., I. 390. I shal be his servaunt and youres unto such tyme as ye woll comande me to sursese and leve of. Ibid. (1479), III. 257. My Lord of Ely desyred myn oncle as well as you to surcease.
1544. Cranmer, Lett., in Misc. Writ. (Parker Soc.), 411. For the better expedition of the matter, I have sent to the dean of the arches, commanding him to surcease therein.
1586. A. Day, Engl. Secretorie, I. (1625), 13. Wishing vnto you and yours as much happinesse as myselfe am clogged with carefulnes, I surcease.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. ii. 19. In stead of praying them surcease, They did much more their cruelty encrease.
1637–50. Row, Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.), 440. I might relate many others,… but I surceasse.
a. 1652. Brome, Covent Gard. Weeded, IV. i. Hector … held up his brazen lance, In signal that both armies should surcease.
1671. F. Philipps, Reg. Necess., 114. To stay and Surcease and no further prosecute or proceed against the Complainant.
1859. Singleton, Virgil, x. 1260. Surcease. I now am coming, doomed to die.
c. const. inf.
1535. Cromwell, in Merriman, Life & Lett. (1902), I. 420. His graces pleasure is that ye shall surcease any farther to yntermedle with the … landes belongyng to the Busshopriche of Hereford.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 231 b. Onlesse thei would surceasse so to abuse hym.
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet. (1580), 193. I will surcesse to talk any further of this matter.
1615. Brathwait, Strappado, etc. (1878), 254. Beasts to their caues resort, surcease to prey.
1671. Milton, Samson, 404. She surceas’d not day nor night To storm me over watch’t, and wearied out.
1708. J. Philips, Cyder, I. 364. Prevent the Morning Star Assiduous, nor with the Western Sun Surcease to work.
1802. J. Struthers, Poor Man’s Sabbath, ix. Till yonder orbs surcease t’ admeasure nights and days.
1863. W. K. Kelly, Curios. Indo-Europ. Tradit., i. 7. They could never surcease to feel the liveliest interest in those wonderful meteoric changes.
† d. transf. To forbear, omit (to do something).
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., Pref. & so forth of the other writers whiche I surcease by name to speake of.
1577. Harrison, England, II. xiii. [xvii.] (1877), I. 291. I might take occasion to tell of the … voiages made into strange countries by Englishmen … but … I surcease to speake of them.
1610. Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God (1620), 246. Tertullian … wrote much: which being recorded I surcease to recount.
2. To come to an end, be discontinued; to cease.
1439. in Antiq. Repertory (1780), III. 274. That all manere of processe … in the mesne tyme surcese.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VI. clxxi. (1811), 167. He … seased that Kyngdom, and ioyned it to his owne of West Saxons, by whiche reason the Kyngdome of Mercia surseased.
1533–4. Act 25 Hen. VIII., c. 21 § 2. All suche pensiones censes porcions and peterpense,… shall frome hense forthe clerely surcesse and never more be levyed.
1600. Hakluyt, Voy. (1810), III. 36. It may … bee thought that this course of the sea doth sometime surcease … because it is not discerned all along the Coast of America.
a. 1633. T. Taylor, God’s Judgem., I. I. xv. (1642), 48. That the cause being taken away, the effect also might surcease.
1675. E. W[ilson], Spadacr. Dunelm., 15. These [sc. Rain or Snow] surceasing the Springs also become dry.
c. 1750. Shenstone, Ruin’d Abbey, 238. Nor yet surceas’d with John’s disastrous fate Pontific fury!
1860. Motley, Netherl., vi. I. 322. Intrigues and practices … would of necessity surcease.
1898. Hardy, Wessex Poems, 146. When I surcease, Through whom alone lives she, Ceases my Love.
3. trans. To desist from, discontinue; to give up, abandon (a course of action, etc.); also, to refrain from. (Cf. SUPERSEDE 2.)
1464–9. Plumpton Corr. (Camden), 25. To cause the said Thomas & Richard to surcease & leave theire said threatnings. Ibid. (1493), 105. I caused them to surcease ther purposse unto the tyme I had wrytten to you, & known your mynd.
1544. in Sel. Cases Crt. Requests (Selden Soc.), 97. Olyuer shall withdrawe & surseace all maner his suettes and accions.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 813/2. That it might please him to surcease his cruell kind of warre, in burning of townes and villages.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. iv. 31. The waues … their rage surceast.
1607. Dekker, Hist. Sir T. Wyat, Wks. 1873, III. 99. Surcease your armes, discharge your Souldiers.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., Democr. to Rdr. 49. [If he] prosecute his cause, he is consumed, if he surcease his suite he looseth all.
a. 1648. Ld. Herbert, Hen. VIII. (1683), 40. It was resolved to surcease the War for this Year, Winter now beginning to enter.
1658. W. Burton, Itin. Anton., 140. For my part I surcease all farther enquiry.
1720. Pope, Iliad, XXIII. 970. Greece … Bade share the honours and surcease the strife.
a. 1774. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 514. Did he surcease the common civilities … would he have better leisure to perform more important services?
1820. Scott, Abbot, xiv. The hobby-horse surceased his capering.
1897. F. Thompson, New Poems, 219. [She] had surceased her tyranny.
† b. To give up, resign (a position or office).
[Cf. quot. c. 1435 s.v. SURCEASING vbl. sb. 1.]
1552. Lit. Rem. Edw. VI. (Roxb.), II. 432. The chauncellour of th’ augmentation was willed to surceasse his commission, geven him the third yeare of our raigne.
† 4. To put a stop to, bring to an end, cause to cease; to stay (legal proceedings). Obs.
c. 1435. in Kingsford, Chron. Lond. (1905), 48. For as much as the Kyng was changid all plees in euery place weren surcesed.
1490. Act 4 Hen. VII., c. 20. No relesse … be … available or effectuell to lette or to surceace the seid accion.
1594. Spenser, Amoretti, xi. All paine hath end,… but mine no price nor prayer may surcease.
1594. Kyd, Cornelia, I. 220. If gentle Peace Discend not soone, our sorrowes to surcease, Latium … will be destroyd.
1692. trans. Sallust, 72. ’Tis death not torment that surceases all our Miseries.
1695. Temple, Hist. Eng. (1699), 174. The abrogating or surceasing the Judiciary Power, exercised by the Bishops.
† b. To cause to desist from some action. rare–1.
1791. Cowper, Iliad, XV. 311. Ajax me … hath with a stone Surceas’d from fight, suiting me on the breast.
† 5. To put off, defer; to delay till the end of, overpass (the time for doing something). Obs. rare.
1531. Dial. on Laws Eng., II. xxxvi. 74. When the ordinarie hathe surcessed his tyme he hathe loste his power.
1560. [see SURCEASING vbl. sb. 3].
a. 1693. Urquhart’s Rabelais, III. xl. 332. I defer, protract,… surcease,… and shift off, the Time of giving a Definitive Sentence.
