Obs. Forms: 4–6 volupte(e, 6 voluptie, 6– volupty. [a. OF. volupte (mod.F. volupté), or ad. L. voluptāt-, voluptas pleasure. Cf. VOLUPT.] Pleasure, delight. Freq. (esp. in earlier use) in pl.
(a) c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., II. 380. So volupteis and rychesse of þe worlde maken þei to be loved. Ibid. (1382), Titus iii. 3. We weren sum tyme vnwyse, vnbileueful, erringe, and seruynge to desyris, and dyuerse voluptees.
c. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, II. x. 52. Spiritual consolacions passiþ all þe delices of þe worlde, & all flesshly voluptes.
1483. Caxton, Cato, 7 b. Seneque sayth that by voluptees and excesse comen foure euylles.
1540. Hyrde, trans. Vives’ Instr. Chr. Wom. (1592), C j. It is so, because they bee ever among volupties & pleasures, & banketing.
1541. Paynell, Catiline, xlii. 68 b. Syth ye at home giue your selfes to volupties and pleasures.
(b) 1382. Wyclif, Ezek. xxxi. 9. Alle the trees of voluptee [1388 lust], that veren in paradise of God, sueden hym.
1508. Fisher, 7 Penit. Ps. xxxviii. Wks. (1876), 55. Whan Adam was set in paradyse a place of grete pleasure volupty & rest.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 232. To haue the fruicyon, that is full volupte & pleasure of ye same.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 137. For that the same caused in deede … delicious pleasure & voluptee.
1716. Bolingbroke, Refl. on Exile (1752), 475, note. The doctrine of volupty taught by Epicurus. Ibid. (c. 1730), Fragm., Wks. 1777, V. 402. I will crayon out a picture in imitation of those Cleanthes used to draw when he disputed against the partizans of volupty.
1799. W. Taylor, in Robberds, Mem. (1843), I. 251. His poems are the sweetest blossoms of the rose-garden of volupty.
personif. c. 1590. J. Stewart, Poems (S.T.S.), II. 206. Dame voluptie vith proud pernicious spreit.
