Obs. Also 5 farvence, vervens.
[a. OF. fervence, as if ad. L. *ferventia, f. ferventem: see FERVENT and -ENCE.]
1. Boiling or glowing heat. Also, Violent ebullition, fermentation.
14[?]. Lydg., Temple of Glas, 356.
| For þouȝe I brenne with feruence and with hete, | |
| Wiþ-in myn hert I mot complein of cold. |
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., XI. 441.
| Of fynest must in oon me trete, | |
| Or it be atte the state of his fervence. |
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 429. An holy welle, whiche is of so grete feruence that hit castethe owte thynges caste in to hit.
a. 1634. Chapman, Revenge for Honour, Plays, 1873, III. 332.
| The Sun himself, when he darts rayes lascivious, | |
| such as ingender by too piercing fervence | |
| intemperate and infectious heats, straight wears | |
| obscuritie from the clouds his own beams raises. |
2. fig. Warmth of the emotions, intensity of feeling or desire, fervency.
c. 1430. Lydg., Blade Knt., xxx.
| And if that any now be in this place, | |
| That fele in love brenning of fervence … | |
| Let him of routh lay to audience. |
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), III. 1093. éey woll with veruens of love me seke.
a. 1529. Skelton, Pr. to H. Ghost, 1. O firy feruence, inflamed wyth all grace.
a. 1538. Hen. VIII., Lett. to A. Boleyn, in Select. Harl. Misc. (1793), 147. I think your kindness and my fervence of love causeth it; for otherwise I would not thought it possible, that for so little a while it should have grieved me.
1591. The Troublesome Raigne of King John (1611), 84.
| See what a thing is zeale, | |
| That spurs them on with feruence to this shrine. |
