Obs. Forms: α. 4–5 vicarie (4 vik-), -arye, 4–6 vycary (4 -arye), 4–7 vicary (5 -ari), 6 vykary. β. 4–5 vicori(e, viccorie; 4 vycory, 4–5 vicory, vecory, 5 vicorye. γ. 4 vi(c)kery, 5 vekery. [ad. L. vicāri-us VICAR.]
1. = VICAR 1 and 1 b.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 11789. Þe prest ys crystys vycarye. Ibid. (1338), Chron. (1810), 283. No man has powere þer of to deme no wirke, Withoute þe pape of Rome, Gode’s vicarie.
c. 1381. Chaucer, Parl. Foules, 379. Nature, vicarye o the almyghty lord.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XV. 70. Cleregie is cristes vikery to conforte and to curen.
1502. Arnolde, Chron. (1811), 159. Unto the most holyest and fauorablist Prince in erthe, Vicary and Lieftenaunt of Cryst.
1529. More, Dyaloge, II. Wks. 179/2. The Pope which is vnder Christ vycary & the head of our churche.
2. = VICAR 2.
α. 1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 11607. Alle prestes haue nat powere … to assoyle þe … But hyt be þy parysshe preste…, Or at þy parsone or vycary. Ibid. (c. 1330), Chron. Wace (Rolls), 5775. To parsones & to vicaries Was graunted grete seignuryes.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Parson’s Prol., 22 (Corpus). Sire Preest, quod he, art þou a vicary Or art þou a person? say soþ, by þy fey.
1417. E. E. Wills (1882), 28. Sir Iohn Dey, parsone of Bageworthe,… sir Edward Osbourne, vicary of Thornecombe.
1463. in Somerset Medieval Wills (1901), 200. The same writinges I send you nowe by the vicarye of Porestoke.
c. 1502. Joseph Arim., 253. The vykary of welles, that thyder had sought,… Released he was of part of his infyrmyte.
a. 1529. Skelton, Col. Cloute, 572. Of persons and vycaryes They make many outcryes.
1538. North Country Wills (Surtees, 1908), 158. To the vicarye of Willoby a mortuary.
β, γ. 1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIX. 407. Thanne is many man ylost, quod a lewed vycory.
1406. E. E. Wills (1882), 12. Y wyt to the vekery of the same Kyrke xij d.
1426. Audelay, Poems, 16. Alas he ner a parsun or a vecory.
c. 1450. Chron. London (Kingsford, 1905), 134. Ther was a prest of thaksted, that whas vicory some tyme, whas brent in Smythfelde.
1479. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 421. The Maire … and the Vicorye and the Propters [sic] with them.
3. = VICAR 3
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), VI. 465. For those men fleynge the laboure of the qwere … ordeynede vicaryes to occupye theire places.
1505. Will R. Gybbys, 26 March (Prerog. Crt. Canterb.). Alsoe to Owen Parsons my rose cuppe…; but if he shold dye, thenne to my brethren the Vicaries of the Quere.
4. = VICAR 4.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VI, 243. He ȝaf to þe pope, Peter his vicary, a rente by þe ȝere of everich hous of þe kyngdom.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. xiii. (1869), 8. A maister j sigh fasteby that seemede to be a vicarie of aaron or of moyses.
5. = VICAR 5.
? 14[?]. S. Eng. Legendary (MS. Bodl. 779), in Herrig’s Archiv, LXXXII. 383/57. To myssian þe vecory þey were betake anon, Þat he hem cholde make here sacrefise to don.
1422. Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 214. Whan thou haste mestere to the Service of ten thousand men, thou cal a gouernoure, and hym shal Serve ten vicaries, and wyth euery vicarie shall cvm ten leders.
1491. Caxton, Vitas Patr., I. clviii. (1495), 166/2. One of the sayd chyldren was made Senatour of Rome; the other Consul of Cartage, and thother vycarye in Affryque.
1648. Hunting of Fox (1649), 8. Yet this [council of state] is not our new intended King;… this is but his vicary.
