Commendation

Forms: 3 commendaciun, 4–5 com(m)endacioun, 4–6 -cion, -cyo(u)n, 6 -tioun, 6– commendation. [a. OF. commendation, -cion, ad. L. commendātiōn-em, n. of action f. commendāre: see COMMEND. The order in which the senses appear in Eng. is not that of the actual development in Lat. and Fr.]

  I.  General sense: The action of commending.

  † 1.  Giving in charge, entrusting, committal.

  In gen. sense rare, but sense 6 (specialized from this) represents the earliest use of the word.

1583.  Plat, Divers New Exper. (1594), 69. Verie carefull in the commendation of any secrete to his friend.

  2.  The expression of approval, recommendation.

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 145. A tale … Of trouthe in commendacion.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 4890. He preyseth Eelde … And more of commendacioun Than youthe in his discripcioun.

1509.  Fisher, Fun. Serm. C’tess Richmond, Wks. 289. In the fyrst shall stonde her prayse and commendacyon.

1600.  Shaks., A. Y. L., I. ii. 275. You haue deseru’d High commendation, true applause, and loue.

1681.  Dryden, Abs. & Achit., To Rdr. The commendation of adversaries is the greatest triumph.

1757.  Johnson, Lett. Burney, 24 Dec., in Boswell. I remember with great pleasure your commendation of my Dictionary.

1876.  J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk., I. III. ii. 313. Mentioned … in terms of high commendation.

  b.  with a and pl.

1535.  Coverdale, Ecclus. xxvi. Contents. A commendacion and prayse of a good honest woman.

1553.  Eden, Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.), 5. If honest commendacions be a iust reward dew to noble enterprises.

1780.  Johnson, L. P., Congreve. Neither soliciting flattery by publick commendations, nor provoking enmity by malignant criticism.

1851.  Longf., Gold. Leg., IV. Cloisters. Their commendations lag behind the truth.

  † c.  pl. = Renown, credit, repute. Obs.

1631.  Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 433. With singular commendations hee had serued … in the French warres.

1662.  J. Bargrave, Pope Alex. VII. (1867), 84. Intrusted … with … considerable offices, which he discharged to his commendations.

1703.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 59. Another sort of Steel, of higher commendations than any of the forgoing sorts.

  d.  (See quot.)

1823.  trans. Sismondi’s Lit. Eur. (1846), II. xxx. 311. To these different kinds of dramatic performances was added a kind of prologue, called a commendation.

  3.  Recommendation of a person to the favorable notice or attention of another. Also in Letter of commendation.

1555.  Eden, Decades W. Ind. (Arb.), 204. This letter of owre commendation.

1591.  Shaks., Two Gent., II. iv. 79. Come … With Commendation from great Potentates. Ibid. (1601), All’s Well, IV. iii. 92. The Duke hath offered him Letters of commendations to the King.

1829.  Southey, O. Newman, v. The Governor said … His commendation, sir, shall have its weight.

1871.  Alabaster, Wheel of Law, 277. The courtesy our letter of commendation demands from him.

  4.  (gen. in pl.) Remembrances sent to those at a distance; respects, compliments, greetings. arch.

1529.  Wolsey, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 10. Aftyr my moste herty commendacions.

1586.  A. Day, Eng. Secretary, I. (1625), 12. The manner of commendations (which with us is retained for an order of Salutation or greeting) … customably is delivered in this forme: After our hearty commendations unto your L.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., II. ii. 98. Woman, commend me to her, I will not faile her.

1688.  Penn. Archives, I. 106. After Our very hearty Commendations, It having pleased Almighty God, about Ten of the Clock this morning, to bless his ma^ty and His Royal Consort the Queene, with the Birth of a hopefull Son.

1823.  Scott, Peveril, viii. Her uneasiness … was removed, by the arrival of Whitaker, with her husband’s commendations.

  † 5.  A thing that recommends, a recommendation.

1538.  Bale, God’s Promises, III., in Hazl., Dodsley, I. 302. Let me show forth thy commendations free.

1579.  Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 136. It was thought a great commendation for a young scholler to make an Oration extempore.

1693.  Dryden, Juvenal, Ded. iii. Where good Nature, the most God-like Commendation of a Man, in only attributed to your Person, and deny’d to your Writings.

1697.  Collier, Ess. Mor. Subj., I. (1709), 96. The Want of Tools and Materials, if the Model is answered, is a Commendation to the Workman.

  II.  Special senses.

  6.  Liturg. (gen. in pl.; also Commendation of Souls) An office originally ending with the prayer Tibi, Domine, commendamus, in which the souls of the dead were commended to God; said both before their burial, and in anniversary or commemorative services. In colleges: see quot. 1709.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 22. A morwen, oþer a niht efter þe suffragiis of Uhtsong, siggeð Commendacium.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 191. Placebo & dirige & comendacion & matynes of oure lady ordeyned of synful men.

1481.  Caxton, Reynard, vi. (Arb.), 11. Whan this vigilye was don and the commendacion she was leyde in the pytte.

1545.  Primer Hen. VIII., Contents, The Litany. The Dirige. The Commendations. The Psalms of the Passion.

1546.  Mem. Ripon (Surtees), III. 31. To say Masse Dirige and Comendacions in the saide Chapell for the sowle of the saide Founder and all Christien sowlez.

1709.  Strype, Ann. Ref., I. xviii. 224. There was also in Popish times an office used in the colleges at certain times of the year, for the commendations of their benefactors…. Now [1560] … was added a reformed Latin commendation of them … a prayer Domine Deus, etc… instead of this prayer in the popish office of commendations, viz. Tibi Domine commendamus.

1849–53.  Rock, Ch. of Fathers, II. 476–7. Before offering up the holy Sacrifice, and whilst the choir was chanting a service called the Commendation of Souls, the priest, vested in his alb and stole, went into the church-yard, where he first made the sign of the cross over, then sprinkled with holy water, that particular spot wherein the dead person was to be buried.

  b.  = Commendatory prayer.

1885.  T. Arnold, Cath. Dict., 198/2. Commendation of the soul (Ordo commendationis animæ), a form of prayer for the dying contained in the Roman Ritual.

  7.  Feudal Law. The cession by a freeman of himself and his lands to the personal protection of a feudal lord.

1818.  Hallam, Mid. Ages (1872), I. 164. Besides the relation … by beneficiary grants, there was another species more personal … called commendation.

1867.  Freeman, Norm. Conq. (ed. 3), I. ii. 59. This commendation of Scotland to the West-Saxon King.

1875.  Stubbs, Const. Hist., I. v. 79, note. The practice of commendation in England was generally the result of the police organisation.

  8.  Eccl. The giving of benefices in commendam; also, the condition of a commendam.

1883.  Pall Mall G., 16 Feb., 4/1. The Pope … punished them by putting the monastery into commendation.

1885.  T. Arnold, Cath. Dict., 198/2. s.v. Commenda, Since the destruction of Church property which recent times have witnessed, the practice of commendation has greatly dwindled, if not wholly ceased, throughout Europe.

  III.  attrib. † commendation ninepence, a bent nine-penny piece used as a love-token.

1663.  Butler, Hud., I. i. 487. Like Commendation Ninepence, crookt With to and from my Love, it lookt.

[Cf. 1714.  Gay, Sheph. Week, V. 129.