Also 5 -er-; 4–6 ite, 5 -yte, -itee, -ytee, 5–6 -itie, (6 temporallytie). [ad. late L. temporālitās (Tertullian), f. temporāl-is, TEMPORAL: see -ITY. Substituted in 14–15th c. for temperalté, TEMPORALTY, q.v.]
† 1. Temporal power, jurisdiction, affairs, property, etc.: esp. the temporal property of the clergy; = TEMPORALTY 1. Obs.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXIII. 128. Prelates thei maden, To holde with Antecrist here temporalite to saue.
1497. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 314. Resauit fra Maister Johne Fresel, elect of Ros, for the compositioun of his admissioune to the temporalitee of Ros.
1501. Reg. Privy Seal Scotl., I. 93/1. A Precept of Admission made to Jane Forman, Prioress of Eklis, to the temporalite of al landis, rentis, and possessionis of the sammyn.
1613. Sherley, Trav. Persia, 3. The lesser Princes of Italy being not likely to endure the Churches so great encrease of Temporality.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xlii[i]. That the said incumbent might lawfully enjoy the spirituality and temporality of the cure of souls at Knocktarlitie.
b. pl. Temporal or material possessions (esp. of the church or clergy).
c. 1475. Harl. Contn. Higden (Rolls), VIII. 546. The comons putte up a bylle in the parlement to the kynge as for the temporalytees beynge in the handes of the spirituelte.
a. 1552. Leland, Itin., VI. 1. The Kynge had reteynid the Temporallyties of the Byshoprike for a tyme.
1593. in Row, Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.), 150. To considder what great prejudice the Kirk sustains by the erecting of the tithes or diverss prelacies into temporalities, so that these kirks cannot be planted.
1660. R. Coke, Power & Subj., 204. The Pope … gave to the said Nicholas the said Abby, with all the said Spiritualities, and Temporalities.
1726. Ayliffe, Parergon, 129. After all which, the Bishop is introduced into the King’s Presence to do his Homage for his Temporalities or Barony.
1854. H. Miller, Sch. & Schm., xxv. (1857), 546. The Church … might, I believed, have to forfeit the temporalities, if her decision differed from that of the law courts.
2. The body or class of temporal persons; = TEMPORALTY 2.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 24. The Emperour … to be lord and juge … of the temporalitee.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, X. 1002. The byschoprykis inclynyt till his croune, Bathe temperalite and all the religioune.
1543. Hen. VIII., Sp. Parl., 24 Dec., in Coll. Poems, 165. You of the Temporality be not clean and unspotted of Malice and Envy.
1679. Burnet, Hist. Ref., I. 582. Here both the temporality and spirituality gave great subsidies to the king.
3. The quality or condition of being temporal or temporary; temporariness; relation to time.
1634. Rainbow, Labour (1635), 11. Though in the act of our labours … we place temporality, yet ought we alwayes before our intentions to set æternity.
1659. H. L’Estrange, Alliance Div. Off., v. 158. As the Western Church observed this very day [All Saints day], so did also the Eastern, or at least some other, in temporality and point of time very near it.
1678. T. Jones, Heart & its Right Sov., 587. What can any mortal excellency, that has … perishing temporality stamp’d upon it signifie to Christians, who are not of this world?
1909. Westm. Gaz., 15 May, 4/1. Gaining thereby the attributes of eternity, without losing its own qualities of temporality.
