Obs. exc. arch. Forms: 4 sposage, 5–6 spowsage, 5– spousage (6 spousag). [ad. AF. esposage, OF. espousage (cf. ESPOUSAGE), f. espo(u)ser SPOUSE v.]
1. Wedlock; = SPOUSAL sb. 1 and 1 b.
Freq. const. with preps., as in, into, of, or out of, with reference to the legitimacy of children.
13[?]. Evang. Nicod., 730. Þat quest þat gan him deme Trew in sposage borne.
13[?]. Cursor M., 3043 (Gött.). Þou[ȝ] ismael be noght of sposage [Trin. Of Ismael out of spousage].
a. 1395. Hylton, Scala Perf., II. xliv. (W. de W., 1494). That it myghte come to theffecte of true spousage.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), viii. 28. To proue þaire childer, wheder þai be geten in leel spousage or noght.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst. xxx. 277. An vsage, swilk … makys theym … lif in syn for hir sake, And breke thare awne spowsage.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 1331. For þow was not byget in to spousag.
1508. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 155. Or how ȝe like lif to leid in to leill spousage?
c. 1550. Rolland, Crt. Venus, III. 221. Quene Iocasta … Tuik hir awin sone of spowsage in the band.
2. = SPOUSAL sb. 2.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 153. Whan þei were trouth plight, & purueied þe sposage, Helianore forth hir dight to Rouhan hir menage.
14[?]. Sir Beues (M), 277. Thou mvst kepe Vppon the ffeld all my shepe, Till the spousage be brought to end.
c. 1450. Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.), 90. Every damesel … Xulde be browght in good degre Onto her spowsage.
1501. Douglas, Pal. Hon., III. xxxv. Of duke Pirithous the spousage in that tide, Quhair the Centauris reft away the bride, Thair saw I.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 148 b. It should seme that God with this matrimony was not content. For after this spousage the Kynges frendes fell from hym.
c. 1555. Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (Camden), 248. The very true, perfect, and full marriage is the same company … and living together which is consecrate by the league or bond of spousage or promise that one doth make to the other.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Spousage,… the contract or betrothing before full marriage.
1720. Wheatly, Bk. Com Prayer (ed. 3), x. 407. In the old Manual for the use of Salisbury, before the Minister proceeds to the marriage, he is directed to ask the Woman’s Dowry, viz. the Tokens of Spousage.
transf. and fig. 1497. Bp. Alcock, Mons Perfect., D iij. The weddynge and spousage of the lambe.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, I. 1548. Kynge Vulfer, her father, at this ghostly spousage Prepared great tryumphes and solempnyte.
1550. Bale, Image Both Ch., II. G ij. Not the spousage of their soules haue they broken by no fylthye traditions of men.
1888. Ecclesiologist, 1 June, 6. Spousage of a virgin to Christ.
b. Const. of (betrothal or matrimony). rare.
a. 1591. R. Greenham, Wks. (1599), 288, note. The spousage of betrothing before ful mariage.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., II. 392. The King hes obteinet her haly spousage of matrimonie.
3. A spouse, wife. rare–1.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, XI. vi. 109. The Goddis eik sa far dyd me invy, That in my natiue land neuer sall I spy My chaist spousage.
