also † brotherhead. Forms: α. 4 broþerhede, broiþer-, broder-, brodurhede, brethered, 4–5 bretherhede, 5 breþerheed, 4–6 brotherheed, 5 brotherheed, britherhed(e, brodirhede, broþerhed, 5–6 brotherhed, brodered, 6 (breethreed), bretherhead, brodirhed, brotherhed, -head(e, -hedde. β. 5 broder-, broþerhode, breþerode, britherhod, 5–6 brotherode, -hode, 6 brotherhoode, 6– brotherhood. [Not in OE.: the earlier ME. form broþerhede was, in form, a derivative of BROTHER and -hed, -hede; but arose probably from the accession of the earlier BROTHERRED(E (which goes back to OE.) to the -hede class, through the intermediate brothered(e, the ending of which might be either -rede or -hede. This is made still more likely by the fact that the variant brotherhode (whence the modern brotherhood) is not found before the 15th c.; whereas childhood, maidenhood, wifehood, and other genuine derivatives in -hood go back to an OE. -hád and early ME. -had, later -hōd(e, with -hed, -hede as an occasional ME. variant. See -HEAD, -HOOD, -RED. The variant bretherhede was frequent from the 14th c. till about the Reformation, evidently by association with the brether or brethren of a guild or order: ‘the bretheren and sustren of the bretherhede.’]
1. The relation of a brother, or of brothers mutually; fraternal tie. Also in spiritual sense.
α. a. 1300. Cursor M., 1159. Felauscipe ne broiþerhede Mought te drau fra felon dede.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 169 b. Remyssyon of synnes, adopcyon of grace, brotherhed to the sone of god.
1594. Carew, Tasso (1881), 81. Eustace her meetes, who claymes a brother-hed In him.
β. c. 1450. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 690. Hec fraternitas, a brotherode.
1580. Baret, Alv., B 1377. Brotherhood by the same father and mother, germanitas.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., I. ii. 9. Findes brotherhood in thee no sharper spurre?
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. 5. Nature createth Brotherhood in Families.
1860. Pusey, Min. Proph., 166. The brotherhood of blood was not to wear out.
2. Brotherliness, brotherly fellowship, companionship, friendly alliance.
α. a. 1300. Cursor M., 3750. Þis was na broder-hede [v.r. broþer dede].
c. 1386. Chaucer, Schipm. T., 42. Ilk of hem gan other to assure Or brotherhed [v.r. bretherhede, -heed, breþerode, broþerhed, -hode], whil that her lif may dure.
1535. Coverdale, Zech. xi. 14. That I might lowse the brotherheade betwixte Iuda and Israel.
β. 1388. Wyclif, 1 Macc. xii. 10. To renule britherhod [1382 bretherhed] and frenschip.
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low-C. Warrs, 121. He was sure of the Brother-hood of France.
1868. Hawthorne, Amer. Note-Bks. (1879), I. 54. We live in great harmony and brotherhood.
† 3. The personality of a brother: in your brotherhood, a dutiful mode of addressing a brother. Obs.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 39. Eft writiþ þe pope to þe bischop, We bid to þi broþerhed, þat þu steer bisili þe clerkis of þi jurisdiccoun.
1502–3. Plumpton, Corr., 172. I recomend me unto your mastership and brotherhode, and to my lady your wyfe.
1635. Pagitt, Christianogr., II. vii. 84. I have opportunity to salute your brotherhood, whose face I never saw.
† 4. The position or rank of a ‘brother’ in a corporation. Obs.
1536. Act 27 Hen. VIII., xlii. § 1, in Oxf. & Camb. Enactm., 13. Scolershippes, Dimishippees, Brotherodes.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. iii. 104. How could … Degrees in Schooles, and Brother-hoods in Cities … The primogenitiue, and due of Byrth … stand in Authentique place?
5. An association of brothers; a fraternity, guild, society, association of equals for mutual help, support, protection or action. Also, the brethren of such an order collectively.
α. c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 2516. Vche burne of þe broþerhede a bauderyk schulde haue.
1387. E. E. Wills (1882), 1. The Brethered of our lady of Abbechirch.
1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 3. Þe bretheren & sustren of þe bretherhede.
1528. Tindale, Doctr. Treat. (1848), 343. The belly-brotherhead of monks and friars.
1553. Inv., in Ann. Dioc. Lichfield (1863), 27. Brotherheddes, gildes, fraternities, & cumpenies.
β. 1547. Act 1 Edw. VI., xiv. § 1. Hospitals, Fraternities, Brotherhoods, Guilds.
1555. T. Haukes, in Foxe, A. & M. (1631), III. XI. 260/1. There is a brotherhood of you, but I will breake it.
1653. Walton, Angler, i. 5. I hate the Otter perfectly, even for their sakes that are of my Brotherhood.
1805. Southey, Madoc in W., xiii. The grey brotherhood Chaunted the solemn mass.
1882. Fairbairn, in Contemp. Rev., XLII. 867. The Arab tribes … fused into a united and enthusiastic brotherhood.
b. fig. A group or array of things figured as brothers.
1728. Pope, Dunc., I. 143. Here all his suff’ring brotherhood retire, And ’scape the martyrdom of jakes and fire.
1814. Wordsw., Excursion, I. 29. The gloom Spread by a brotherhood of lofty elms.
1843. Prescott, Mexico (1850), I. 350. This rugged brotherhood of mountains.
6. A court, convention or meeting of a fraternity or guild; spec. a convention or conference of delegates from the corporations of the Cinque-Ports.
1683. Addr. Cinque-Ports, in Lond. Gaz., No. 1857/2. The humble Address of the Mayors, Bayliffs, Jurats, and Commons of the Cinque-Ports … Assembled at a Brotherhood and Guestling holden at New Romeney.
1830. Thanet & Cinque Ports, II. 11. The annual courts anciently called Guestlings, and afterwards Brotherhoods. Ibid. The Brotherhood men, like members of Parliament, are privileged from arrest.
7. The fellowship or communion of Christians with one another and with Christ; also concr.
α. c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II. 326. Cristen men shulden be loveris of breþerheed in Crist. Ibid. (1382), 1 Thess. iv. 9. of the charite of britherhed we hadden not nede for to wryte to ȝou.
β. 1388. Wyclif, 1 Peter ii. 17. Onoure ȝe alle men, loue ȝe brithirhod [1382 britherhed].
1562. D. Cox, in Farr’s S. P. (1845), II. 503. Our Father, which in heauen art, And makst vs al one brotherhood.
1666. Baxter, Call Unconverted, 238. You shall have part in the brother-hood … of the Saints.
1865. R. W. Dale, Jewish Temp., vii. (1871), 74. There is a brotherhood between Christ and all believers.
8. Fellowship; community of feeling uniting man and man; also concr. those united in such fellowship. A modern notion frequent in brotherhood of man, universal brotherhood, etc.
1784. Cowper, Task, III. 208. The link of brotherhood, by which one common Maker bound me to the kind.
1821. Shelley, Prometh. Unb., II. ii. 95. And make the earth One brotherhood.
1841. D’Israeli, Amen. Lit. (1867), 581. The common brotherhood of man.
1882. Farrar, Early Chr., I. 107. In the Church the beautiful ideal of human brotherhood was carried into practice.
