Forms: α. sing. 4 truwe, 4–5 trewe, 5 tru, 5–6 trew, 5–7 true. β. pl. 3 triwes, triws, 4 treus, treuwes, Sc. trowis, 4–6 trewes, trues, 5 trewys, triew(i)s, trieux, tryew(e)s, trowes, truwes, -ys, trwes, trwys, trux, 5–6 trews, treux, 5 (5–7 Sc.) trewis, 6 treuis, -ys; treuges. γ. 5 trewysse, truyse, 5–6 trewse, truxe, 5–7 truse, 6 trowice, -yce, treuce, trewce, trwce, trusse, 7 trousse, 5– truce. [ME. trewe and triewe, mostly in pl. form trewes and triewes:—OE. tréow sb. masc. (fem. pl. tréwa), ‘truth or fidelity to a promise, good faith, assurance of faith or truth, promise, engagement, covenant, league,’ = OEFris. tríuwe, OWFris. and MDu. trouwe (Du. trouw), OS. treuwa, tríuwa, OHG. tríuwa (MHG. triuwe, Ger. treue):—WGer. *trewwa, Goth. triggwa ‘covenant’ (whence late L. and Romanic tregua, treuga, F. trève); also, in ablaut form, OE. trúwa sb. masc. and pl. -an; = ON. trúa, trú, Norw. trū, Sw. trōa: see TRUE a. Already in OE. the pl. tréwa was often used in the sense of the sing.; this became still more frequent with the ME. pl. trewes, triues, triwes, trues, and finally this, as trews, trewse, truse, truce, became the received sing. (app. in reference to the pledges or engagements given by both parties), with a new pl. truses, truces, when required. Cf. cherries, pease. See also trève from French, and the rare treuges after MLat. treugas.]
1. A suspension of hostilities for a specified period between armies at war (formerly also between combatants in a private feud or quarrel); a temporary peace or cessation from arms; an armistice; also, an agreement or treaty effecting this.
To † take, † cry, call (a) truce, to make, call for a truce. Flag of truce: see FLAG sb.1 1 b.
α. c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 193. If þou pes wille ȝerne,… & trewe for seuen ȝere, I consent þertille. Ibid., 275. For þre days trewe þe Inglis him hete.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, IV. 1284–6 (1312–4). It is now a truwe … And er þat truwe is don I shal ben here.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 7874. Then takyn was the true. Ibid., 8372. For a trew to be takon of a tyme short.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VI. clxxxi. 179. To requyre a trewe or trewse for .iii. monethes.
1575. Churchyard, Chippes (1817), 91. But ere the heate, of this great skirmishe grew, The Dowager, with trumpet tooke a trew.
β. a. 1225. Ancr. R., 286. He … brekeð þe triws, & awrekeð him of þe, oðer of him seoluen.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 10005. He … triwes nom of saladin.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 7843. Þorow trist of trues … Þey sette a day of Parlement.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 26768 (Fairf.). As trewes þat is tane.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 413. Whan Hector was i-buried, were trewes i-take for a ȝere. Ibid., VIII. 337. Trewes [v.r. truwes] were i-take bytwene þe kynges.
1442. Rolls of Parlt., V. 44/2. Ayenst þe fourme of trieux … betwixt … England and Scotland had and concludyd.
1483. in Rymer, Foedera (1711), XII. 174/1. By thies Presentis is made … assured Treux and Abstinence of Werre for oon hool Yere.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 306 b/1. The Crysten men tooke triews for thre dayes.
1495. Act 12 Hen. VII., c. 13 § 15. After the seid perfite peas be had and concluded, or such abstynence of Warre, Trux and Peax for a tyme be had and made.
1524. Carew MSS. (1867), I. 25. The patched and inhonorable treuges, which by inforcement of pure necessity be tolerated.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. (S.T.S.), I. 75. Trues ar bund, mariages ar maid with sum of the Inhabitouris.
γ. 14[?]. in Wars Eng. in France (1864), II. 526. The tyme that the last truxe was take betwene Herre the VI. … and his aduersarie of Fraunce.
c. 1440. Generydes, 5882. To graunt them truse for ij monethis day.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 503/2. Truwys, or truce of pees.
1483. Cath. Angl., 393/1. Trewysse, inducie.
1494. Trewse [see α].
1538. Cromwell, in Merriman, Life & Lett. (1902), II. 124. To offer therfor a longer treux.
1552. Huloet, Trewice, fœdus,… induciæ.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 41. Yt eyther a suer peace, or els a long treuce may be taken.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 634. They obserue three dayes in a week truce, when euery man may travell or barter safely.
1621. in Foster, Eng. Factories Ind. (1906), 306. Truse taken betwene the Mogull and them.
a. 1780. Watson, Philip III. (1839), 145. To put a period to the miseries attendant upon war, by a peace or truce.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., II. xiv. 148. A truce which in the following November became a permanent peace.
b. Loosely or vaguely: Cessation or absence of hostilities (without limitation of time); peace.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVIII. 416. Trewes, quod treuth … Clippe we in couenaunt, & vch of vs cusse other.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 164. Nocht brekand gude faith, and, namely, fra trewis be gevin our, and diffiaunce maid.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Macc. vi. 49. The kynge toke truce with them that were in Bethsura.
1578. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., Table RRRR vj/1. I will put my couenaunt betwene me and thee: and betwene thy seede after thee … by an euerlasting truce.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. ii. I. Ark, 377. Behold the peacefull Dove Brings in her beak the Peace-branch, boading weal And truce with God.
† c. A document recording the terms of a truce. Sc. Obs. rare.
1502. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., II. 350. To illumyn the trewis and the conjunct infeftment.
† d. Sc. Law. A suspension of judicial proceedings; a stay. Obs.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., II. 112. And therfore this time is called induciæ deliberatoriæ, because … the pley ceases, and stayes: and trewis are taken betwixt the parties.
† e. Day of truce, a court held by the Wardens of the Marches (of England and Scotland), or the day appointed for this, on which a truce was observed. Also called truce-day (see 4).
1486–7. Plumpton Corr. (Camden), 56. Ye prepared yourselfe to have ridden with me to this day of trewe.
1564. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 282. Accustumat to serve and await upoun the wardane at all dayis of trew.
1863. S. S. Jones, Northumberland, 162. The days of Trews, or Warden Courts, had to be held frequently.
f. Truce of God, a suspension of hostilities between armies, or of private feuds, ordered by the Church during certain days and seasons in mediæval times. Hence allusively.
[a. 867. in Mansi, Concilia, XV. 448. Pax vero illa quam treguam Dei dicimus, fideliter observetur.]
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., Truce of God, Treuga Dei, is a phrase famous in the histories of the xith century, when the disorders and licences of private wars … obliged the bishops of France to forbid such violences within certain times, under canonical pains.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xxxiv. The Church of Rome … had decided that during the holy season of Easter … the sword of war should he sheathed, and angry monarchs should respect the season termed the Truce of God.
1870. Lowell, Study Wind., I. 20. It was Sunday, and I gave him the benefit of its gracious truce of God.
2. Figurative and allusive uses (from 1).
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 140 b. He would now take occasion to breake that treuce of Religion.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., II. ii. 147. Keepe then faire league and truce with thy true bed. Ibid. (1606), Tr. of Cr., II. ii. 75. The Seas and Windes (old Wranglers) tooke a Truce.
1647. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., I. lxiv. (1739), 137. The King foresaw the storm, and thought it safest first to cry truce with the people.
a. 1711. Ken, Hymns Evang., Poet. Wks. 1721, I. 52. But jealous Fears no Truce with Tyrants make.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., ii. I. 159. Between the bigoted followers of Laud and the bigoted followers of Calvin there could be neither peace nor truce.
† b. King’s truce: a cry for the discontinuance of a game. Obs.
1608. Day, Hum. out of Br., IV. iii. Hort. What haue I catchd you? Pa. Kisse her and let her goe. Host. Kings truce till I breath a little.
3. Hence, Respite or intermission (more loosely, freedom or liberty) from something irksome, painful, or oppressive.
1567. Drant, Horace, Epistles, To Rdr. To take truce with myne other studyes,… and to become a sillye translator rythmical.
1598. J. Dickenson, Greene in Conc. (1878), 160. Till death gaue truce to hir distresses.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 526. Where he may … find Truce to his restless thoughts.
1713. Swift, Imit. Hor., I. vii. 130. Truce, good my lord, I beg a truce,… Your raillery is misapply’d.
1859–69. Heavysege, Saul (ed. 3), 337. Let us dry these unavailing tears, And, with such truce to sorrow as we may, Wend each … his … several road.
b. In interjectional phrase (a) truce with, now usually (a) truce to, enough of, have done with.
1700. Congreve, Way of World, II. v. Truce with your Similitudes: For I am as sick of ’em —.
1757. Mrs. Griffith, Lett. Henry & Frances (1767), II. 150. But a truce with the subject, for I am determined to never mention it more.
1786. trans. Beckford’s Vathek (1868), 90. I am going on affairs of emergency, a truce therefore to parade!
1835. Lytton, Rienzi, II. i. A truce to this light conversation.
1846. Browning, Soul’s Trag., I. 142. Truce with toying for this once! Ibid. (1878), La Saisiaz, 249. Truce to such old sad contention.
attrib. and Comb. a. attrib., as truce-day († true-day = day of truce), -flag, -note, -place (true-place). b. objective, as truce-bearer, -breaker, -maker, -taker; truce-breaking, -hating, -making, -taking sbs. and adjs.
1853. Hickie, trans. Aristoph. (1887), I. 11. This *truce-bearer would not so easily have escaped.
1534. Tindale, 2 Tim. iii. 3. Vnkinde, *truce-breakers, stubborn.
1625. K. Long, trans. Barclay’s Argenis, I. xx. 61. The Herald … rehearses a long prayer, contayning many curses against Truce-breakers.
1592. Timme, Ten Eng. Lepers, vii. I j. A wilful *trucebreaking and perjurie.
1719. Free-thinker, No. 110, ¶ 1. An unjust, Truce-breaking Prince.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1413/2. Slaine … by a Scot … as they met vpon a *true daie.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 403. In a tumult upon a True-day in the midle marches.
1876. T. Hardy, Ethelberta (1890), 376. A little tufted white feather … like a *truce-flag between the blood of noble and vassal.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. ii. 251. *Truce-hating Twins.
1552. Huloet, *Trewice maker, symmachus.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. clxii. 197. Without any peace or *trewse makynge.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., VI. xxi. Clarion and trumpet … Rung forth a *truce-note.
1674. Blount, Glossogr., *† True-place, i. e. a place of Parley and Conference in Northumberland, antiently so called.
1483. Cath. Angl., 393/1. *Trews taker.
1533. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., VI. 138. For keping of gude reule during the *trewis taking.
1581. Marbeck, Bk of Notes, 471. This tranquilitie of the sea … as a trewes taking in the Winter, called the Halcions daies.
