Forms: 5 stipendy, 5–6 stipende, 6 stipound, stipent, Sc. stepende, stipand, 6–8 stypend(e, 7 stipen, stippyant, Sc. steipen, 8 stypand, 6– stipend. [a. OF. stipende, stipendie, ad. L. stīpendium, for *stippendium, f. stip-em (nom. stips only in glosses) money payment, wages, alms, f. pendĕre to weigh, hence to pay. Cf. It. stipendio, Sp., Pg. estipendio.]
1. The pay of a soldier. Now rare.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), III. 441. If the faders diede theire sonnes scholde haue theire stipendy.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 127. Many offered them selues to goo with him of theyr owne charges withowt the kynges stipende.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Luke iii. 14. And he said to them,… be content with your stipends.
1600. J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, III. 160. Neither had they any other weapons but hand-bowes … vnto which attendants the King allowed a large stipend.
1653. Jer. Taylor, Serm. Yr., Winter, iii. 35. It is the gift of God; a donative beyond the ὀψώνιον, the military stipend.
1670. Milton, Hist. Brit., III. 112. Others … were … entertain’d without suspicion on these terms, that they should bear the brunt of War against the Picts, receaving stipend and some place to inhabit.
1845. Stephen, Laws Eng., I. 176. The temporary use of land was bestowed on the one hand, as the stipend for military service to be performed on the other.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xxi. IV. 546. The citizen was heavily taxed for the purpose of paying to the soldier the largest military stipend known in Europe.
1875. Merivale, Gen. Hist. Rome, xxxi. (1877), 224. Cicero … earned under the auspices of Strabo his first and only ‘stipend.’
† b. At one’s own stipends, i.e., ‘charges’: cf. 1 Cor. ix. 7. (Vulg.), Quis militat suis stipendiis unquam?
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), III. 189. The Romanes vsede this consuetude, that men vsenge batelles scholde lyve of theire propre stipendies and goodes [L. ut bellatores militarent stipendiis propriis].
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 104. Baith the nobilitie and the haill peple fechtes vpon thair awne stipends.
† c. Military service. Obs.–1 [A Latin use.]
1604. Edmonds, Observ. Cæsar’s Comm., 2. The law required euery man to perfect the complete number of twentie yeares stipend.
2. A salary or fixed periodical payment, made (annually or at shorter intervals) to a clergyman, teacher, or public official, in requital of his services.
In Scotland practically confined to the payment received by a clergyman. In England it is the usual word for the pay of a curate or other clergyman remunerated at a fixed rate, of a superior schoolmaster, of a professor, of a judge. The official income of a minister of state, on the other hand, or that of a civil servant, is more commonly called salary.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), V. 403. The consuetudo of the churche of Rome is that iiij. porcions be made of every stipendy congruente; oon porcion to the bischoppe and to his howseholde; the seconde porcion to the clergy [etc.].
1480. in Bury Wills (Camden), 61. I wole yt the seid chauntry priest haue for his stipende yerely x. marc’ of lawfull money.
1523. Lincoln Wills (1914), I. 118. To an honest prest … to his stipound the sowme of vl.
1545. Brinklow, Compl., ix. (1874), 22. That all iudges and pleaters shuld lyue vpon a stypend, & cetera.
1553. Respublica, III. vi. 860. This bag … is bribes above my stipende in offecis.
1564. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 287. The ministeris gettis na payment of thair appointit stipends.
1575. Gascoigne, Glasse of Govt., Wks. 1910, II. 14. It shall nowe bee our partes to understand what stipend may content you [sc. tutors] for your paines.
1591–5. Spenser, Col. Clout, 746. For Cynthia doth in sciences abound, And giues to their professors stipends large.
1599. Shuttleworths’ Acc. (Chetham Soc.), 117. To Mr. Saunders, the late vicar of Bolton, being last of his half yeares stipend,… xxvs.
1643. Baker, Chron., Jas. I., 151. Edward Allin … founded a faire Hospitall at Dulwich … to have a Schoolemaster with dyet, and a convenient stipend.
1649. Lamont, Diary (Maitl. Club), 11. At his transportation, the steipen of the said parish was augmented by the Earle of Keelly.
c. 1730. Ramsay, Vision, xiv. Will preists without their stypands preich?
1782. V. Knox, Ess., liii. I. 235. The stipends of the most useful part of the clergy, those who officiate, are often not greater than the earnings of a hireling mechanic.
1786. Burns, Ordination, 39. That Stipend is a carnal weed He takes but for the fashion.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., viii. What have I been paying stipend and teind, parsonage and vicarage, for,… an I canna get a spell of a prayer for’t?
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 309. In fact, however, the stipends of the higher class of official men were as large as at present, and not seldom larger.
1861. [Trevelyan], Horace at Univ. Athens (1862), 37. I shall make bold to take the college plate, And lay a tax of ninety-nine per cent On all the fellows’ stipends and the rent.
1883. Athenæum, 30 June, 828/1. A superintendent of the workshops must be paid a stipend sufficient to secure a man combining scientific knowledge … and practical ability.
1883. Bosw. Smith, Ld. Lawrence, I. xi. 309. The stipend of the teacher was precarious enough.
† b. In generalized sense. Obs.
1529. Supplic. to King (E.E.T.S.), 29. Suche which haue receyued lyuinge and stypende to be in their churches.
1539. Act 31 Hen. VIII., c. 9. Reders of Grece, Ebrewe, and Latten to have good stipend.
1559. Bp. Cox, in Strype, Ann. Ref. (1709), I. vi. 100. We fear God will not bear it well, That the Stipend of his holy Ministry should be diminished or impaired.
1579–80. North, Plutarch, Alexander (1612), 676. Philip … sent for Aristotle … to teach his son, vnto whom he gaue honourable stipend.
† 3. gen. Payment for services, wages. Obs.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), 23. Some gladly borowe, and never paye agayne, Some kepe from servauntes the stipend of theyr payne.
1551. T. Wilson, Logic, 51. Noble menne are desirous to haue a good horskeper that can kepe their horses well, and they spare not to geue great stipendes to suche.
1586. Warner, Alb. Eng., IV. xxii. (1592), 97. Yet, wot I, neuer Traytour did his Treasons Stypend mis.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, IV. vii. § 1. 294. The Generall consecrated a Temple to them [Castor and Pollux] as a stipend for their paines.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. ii. IV. 341. Many Gentlemen … will … voluntarily vndertake that to satisfie their pleasure, which a poore man for a good stipend would scarce be hired to vndergoe.
1637. Marmion, Cupid & Psyche, II. ii. K 3 b. And a poore man, though tyde serve, and the wind, If he no stipend bring, must stay behind.
1642. Milton, Apol. Smect., Wks. 1851, III. 315. How can we believe ye would refuse to take the stipend of Rome, when ye shame not to live upon the almes-basket of her prayers?
1825. W. Irving, Wolfert’s Roost (1855), 175. The porter and his wife act as domestics … making their beds, arranging their rooms,… and doing other menial offices, for which they receive a monthly stipend.
1856. Sir B. Brodie, Psychol. Inq. (1862), II. v. 149. The boys are generally taken away from school as soon as they are able to earn some small stipend.
1860. T. L. Holt, John Horsleydown, 51. Every postman has his ‘walk,’ as you know; and certain houses in the City pay their postman a stipend for the speedier delivery of their letters every morning.
† b. In 16–17th c. often in echoes of Rom. vi. 23 (Vulg.), Stipendia enim peccati mors.
1549. Latimer, 7th Serm. bef. Edw. VI., B b v. [Christ] toke vpon hym our synnes…. I meane not so, not to do it, not to commit it, but to purge it, to cleanse it, to beare the stypende of it.
1554[?]. Coverdale, Hope of Faithful, xxv. 172. The … bible … sayeth euidently: death is ye stypende or rewarde of synne.
1575–85. Abp. Sandys, Serm., xix. 330. Seeing our sinne with the remembraunce of the stipende due for the same, wee [etc.].
1620. Quarles, Feast for Worms, Med. vi. F 3. Lo, Death is … The iust procured stipend of our sinne.
1629. R. Hill, Pathw. Piety (repr.), II. 58. For the stipend and wages of sin is death.
4. A fixed periodical payment of any kind, e.g., a pension or allowance, † a tax. Also, † to keep in stipend, to defray the maintenance of.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph., II. (Arb.), 130. The Romaynes … appoynted … the Censores to alow out of ye common hutche yearly stipendes for ye findinge of certayne Geese.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 200. A certeyne stypende in maner of almes.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 114. This annual stypende, called of the common people Peter pence.
1560. Gresham, in Burgon, Life (1839), I. 310. Most humblye desiring you to be so good Father unto hym … as to augment his stipend to one hundrethe crowns more by the yere;… wherebye a maye meynteyne hymselfe somethinge like your eldest son.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 200. There was no meane prince in all India which was not Lord of many Elephants. The king of Palibotræ kept in stipend, eight thousand euery day.
1607. B. N. C., Muniments, 23. 81 Received of the Renter-warden of the Skinner Company for a yearly Stippyant for a Scholler.
a. 1652. Brome, Queenes Exch., I. ii. (1657), B 4. Allowing you That yearly stipen formerly I gave you.
1694. E. Phillips, trans. Milton’s Lett. State, 36. It is … most unjust that they [sc. guests and strangers] should be compell’d to pay publick Stipends in a Foreign Commonwealth to him from whom they are … deliver’d at home.
1751. Eliza Heywood, Betsy Thoughtless, IV. 45. For I confess my self utterly unable to maintain a family, like our’s, on the nigard stipend you have allotted for that purpose.
1766. Blackstone, Comm., II. xxx. 454. Hiring is always for a price, a stipend, or additional recompense; borrowing is merely gratuitous.
1783. Burke, Rep. Affairs of India, Wks. 1842, II. 60. On the same complicated principles the subsequent resolution of the board professes to allow the nabob the management of his stipend and expences.
1838. Dickens, Nich. Nick., xxxiv. Mr. Mantalini waited,… to hear the amount of the proposed stipend. Ibid. (1848), Haunted Man, i. 24. His very picter … hangs in what used to be … afore our ten poor gentlemen commuted for an annual stipend in money, our great Dinner Hall.
† b. A dole or allowance in kind. Obs. rare.
1631. Weever, Anc. Funeral Mon., 331. A weekly stipend of bread to the poore.
† c. Income. Obs.
1605. Chapman, All Fooles, I. i. B 4. That knights competency you haue gotten With care and labour; he with lust and idlenesse Will bring into the stypend of a begger.
1612. W. Parkes, Curtaine-Dr. (1876), 20. Yearely, or certaine stipend hath he none.
5. attrib. as † stipend coin, wage(s.
1531. Test. Ebor. (Surtees), VI. 23. v li. for his stipent wage.
1538. Bale, Bapt. Preach., in Harl. Misc. (1744), I. 102. For your peynes ye haue appoynted by the emproure Your stypende wages.
1591. 1st Pt. Troub. Raigne K. John, D 3. And here in mariage I doo giue with her … thirtie thousande markes of stipend coyne.
