Now only Hist. or arch. Forms: α. 1 þeow (fem. þeowe, pl. þeowas), ðiow, 2–3 þeu, 3 þeou, (Orm.) þeoww, þeww, (9 theow(e). β. 1 þeowa (fem. þeowe, pl. þeowan), ðiowa, ðiuwa, ðiua, ðeua, ðea, 2–3 þeowe, 3 þeue, 4 þewe. [OE. ðíow, þéow, þéo, str. masc., = OHG. deo, dio, ON. (Runic) þewaR, Goth. þius:—OTeut. *þewoz; beside OE. þeow str. fem., = OS. thiu, thiwi, OHG., MHG. diu, ON. þý, Goth. þiwi:—OTeut. *þewjô. Also weak sbs. þéowa (masc.), þéowe (fem.); cf. OS. thiwa. Þéowa, -e have the weak inflexion of the adj.]

1

  A.  sb. A slave, bondman, thrall.

2

c. 893.  K. Ælfred, Oros., I. i. § 22. Þa þeowan drincað medo. Ibid. (c. 897), Gregory’s Past. C., Pref. 4. Micel meniʓu Godes ðeowa [Hatton MS. ðiowa].

3

a. 950.  Rituale Dunelm. (Surtees), 170. Besih ofer vsiʓ ðea ðino [L. famulos tuos].

4

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. viii. 9. Ic cueðo … ðeua [Rushw. ðeow] minum do ðis & does.

5

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xviii. 26. Þa se þeowa [Hatton þeowe] ut-eode he ʓemette hys efenþeowan. Ibid., xx. 27. Sy he eower þeow [Lindisf. ðea vel ðeʓn, Rushw. esne].

6

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 181. Ðus was adam þeu, þo godes muð cursede eorðe.

7

c. 1200.  Ormin, Introd. 31. Adam wass wurrþenn deofless þeoww. Ibid., 7454. An defless þeww.

8

c. 1205.  Lay., 29390. Þenne moste he libben þeou a þisse londe.

9

c. 1320.  Cast. Love, 249. Þeuwe and þral may not craue Þorw riht non heritage to haue.

10

  Hist. and arch.  1819.  Scott, Ivanhoe, xxxii. Theow and Esne art thou no longer.

11

1839.  Keightley, Hist. Eng., I. 75. Beneath these orders of freemen were the Theowes or slaves…. This word ðeuw seems to have left no trace in the modern languages.

12

1865.  Lecky, Ration., II. vi. 260. All the civil laws for the protection of the theows, or Saxon slaves, appear to have been preceded by, and based upon, the Canon law.

13

1874.  Stubbs, Const. Hist., I. v. 78. The theow or slave simple, whether wealh—that is, of British extraction … or of the common German stock.

14

  b.  A female slave, a bondwoman.

15

a. 900.  trans. Bæda’s Hist., IV. xii. [ix.] (1890), 290. Seo foresprecene Cristes þeowe.

16

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xxvi. 69. An ðiua [Rushw. menen vel þeowæ] cueð. Ibid., Luke xii. 45. ʓife … esne … onginneð … slaa ða cnæhtas & ðiuwas [Rushw. ða ðiowe, Vulg. pueros et ancillas].

17

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VI. xii. (Tollem. MS.). Sche is þewe and þralle er he be bore.

18

  † B.  adj. [OE. þéow, pl. þéowe; later pl. þewe, thue.] Servile, slavish; ‘bond.’ Obs.

19

c. 888.  K. Ælfred, Boeth., xli. § 2 ʓif him sceolden þiowe men þenian. Ibid. (c. 893), Oros., III. vi. § 3. Hit þurh ænne þeowne mon ʓeypped wearð.

20

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gram., ix. (Z.), 67. Hic manceps, þes ðeowa mann. Ibid., xv. 101. Meis mancipiis diuido denarios, minum ðeowum mannum ic dæle peneʓas.

21

a. 1023.  Wulfstan, Hom., xxxix. (Napier), 181. Þeowemen þa ðriʓ daʓas beon weorces ʓefreode.

22

c. 1205.  Lay., 334. Al heo weren þeowe [c. 1275 þeue].

23

a. 1225.  St. Marher., 4. Cuð me … ȝef þu art foster of freo monne oðer þeow wummon.

24

c. 1290.  Beket, 279, in S. Eng. Leg., I. 114. Þat word was sone wide couth a-mong þeuwe and freo.

25

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 9657. Þuman ne may nowȝt be imad aȝen is louerdes wille fre.

26

c. 1300.  Havelok, 2205. Alle samen, þeu and fre.

27

c. 1400.  St. Alexius (Laud 463), 2. Ȝong & olde, thewe & freo.

28