Forms: 4 benyfice, -iss, benefise, benfice, 4–5 benefys, 5 -fyce (bonfice), 6 benyfyce (bunfyce), 7 beni-, 4– benefice. [a. OF. benefice, ad. L. beneficium, f. bene well + -ficium a doing: cf. BENEFIC.]
† 1. A good deed, kindness, favor; a grace or ‘indulgence.’ Obs.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 5582. Agayne þam sal Crist allege … And reherce his benefices, mare and les.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 200. Þanke þei God for al his mercyes and benefices.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 11. Alle þat persewen for swilke indulgens, or benfices, or oþer graces.
1549. Compl. Scot., 20. Them that ar ingrate of the benefecis of gode.
1677. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, III. 109. He can incline them … to performe his benefices or to inflict his punishments.
† 2. Favorable influence or operation; advantage, favor, protection, benefit. Obs. exc. Hist.
1424. Paston Lett., 4, I. 14. He schuld no benefice take by noon proteccion.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xlix. 174. The knyȝt seide to the iuge, ‘My lorde, I aske the benefice of [the law].’
1685. Baxter, Paraph. Peter ii. 3. Their business is to sell Souls to the Devil for their own worldly Benefice.
1875. Poste, trans. Gaius, I. Introd. 24. Justinian’s benefice of inventory,… was another fundamental change in hereditary succession.
b. Benefice of clergy: see BENEFIT 3 c.
1489. Act 4 Hen. VII., xiii. Euery persone … whiche ones hath bene admitted to the benefice of his clergie.
† 3. Beneficial property or action (as of natural agents or causes). Obs.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (1865), I. 415. Many benefices of kynde Beeþ now i-hidde fro manis mynde.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., II. 365. The bonfice of sonne and wynde wol harde Hem sure ynough.
a. 1520. Myrr. Our Ladye, 210. Theyr fruytes … shall … the more parfytly wax rype of the benefyce of the hete.
1652. Gaule, Magastrom., 77. Made to consist by the stars, and to thrive, or dwindle away, according to the benefice, or malefice, of their influences?
† 4. A gift; gratuity. Obs.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Confession, Wks. (1880), 331. Who shuld take ony benyfiss of þe puple.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., 349. Myghty men … have resceived benefice, after her wille.
5. Land granted in feudal tenure, a fief. (Only in modern legal and historical writers, as transl. L. beneficium.)
[1681. Nevile, Plato Rediv., 87. If these Beneficia had not afterwards been made Hereditary.]
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Benefice was an estate in land, at first granted for life only…. In after times, as these tenures became perpetual and hereditary, they left their name of beneficia to the livings of the clergy.
1861. Maine, Anc. Law, vii. (1876), 229. Benefices … were grants of Roman provincial land to be holden by the beneficiary on condition of military service.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), I. iii. 92. Rewarding their followers with grants of land, in short with benefices or fiefs.
1876. Digby, Real Prop., i. § 2. 38.
6. esp. An ecclesiastical living.
1340. Ayenb., 42. Þe prouendres and þe parosses oþer oþre benefices of holy cherche.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. IV. 33. And bigge ȝow benefices pluralitie to haue.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., IV. (1520), 32 b. That no bysshop sholde be receyved into his benefyce but with the popes letters.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. iv. 81. Then he dreames of another benefice.
1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon., II. /554. He had a small benifice in Norfolk conferr’d on him, but could not pass the Triers.
1756. Blackstone, Comm., I. II. xviii. 220. In case a benefice becomes void by death.
1855. Prescott, Philip II., II. iii. 229. A tract which he published against plurality of benefices.
7. Comb. and attrib., as benefice farm, -monger; also Beneficeless adj., destitute of a benefice.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 76. I aduise al benefice mongers, that haue mo charges than one, to take heede to themselues.
a. 1654. Selden, Mirr. Antichr., 190 (R.). That competency of means which our beneficeless precisians prate of.
1882. Pall Mall Gaz., 14 July, 4/2. There are the contadini who work the benefice farm.
