Esne

According to the Old English Dictionary:

es;

ESNE

m. A man of the servile class, a servant, retainer, man, youth; mercēnārius, servus, vir, jŭvĕnis. The esne was probably a poor freeman from whom a certain portion of labour could be demanded in consideration of his holdings, or a certain rene [gafol, q. v.] reserved out of the produce of the hives, flocks or herds committed to his care. He was a poor mercenary, serving for hire, or for his land, but was not of so low a rank as the þeów or wealh :-- Ánan esne gebýreþ to metsunge xii púnd gódes cornes, and ii scípæteras and i gód mete-cú, wudurǽden be landsíde ūni æsno, id est, inŏpi, contingent ad victum xii pondia bŏnæ annōnæ, et duo scæpeteras, id est, ŏvium corpŏra, et una bona convictuālis vacca, et sartícāre juxta sĭtum terræ, L. R. S. 8; Th. i. 436, 26-28. Gif man mid esnes cwynan geligeþ, be cwicum ceorle, ii gebéte if a man lie with an 'esne's' wife, her husband still living, let him make twofold amends, L. Ethb. 85; Th. i. 24, 9. Gif man mannes esne gebindeþ, vi scillinga gebéte if a man bind [another] man's esne, let him make amends with six shillings, 88 ; Th. i. 24, 15. Gif esne ofet dryhtnes hǽse þeów-weorc wyrce an Sunnan ǽfen, efter hire setlgange, óþ Mónan ǽfenes setlgang, lxxx scillinga se dryhtne gebéte. Gif esne déþ, his ráde, ðæs dæges, vi se wið dryhten gebéte, oððe sine hýd if an esne do servile labour, contrary to his lord's command, from sunset on Sunday-eve till sunset on Monday-eve [that is, from sunset on Saturday till sunset on Sunday], let him make amends to his lord with eighty shillings. If an esne do [servile work] of his own accord on that day [Sunday], let him make amends to his lord with six shillings, or his hide, L. Win. 9, 10; Th. i. 38, 18-22. Ic eom ðín ágen esne, Dryhten O Dŏmĭne, ĕgo sum servus tuus, Ps. Th. 115, 6: Gen. 24, 61, 66: Exon. 112a, 112b; Th. 430, 9, 17, 31; Rä. 44, 5, 9, 17. On ðínes esnes gebéd in orātiōnem servi tut, Ps. Th. 79, 5. Ic Dauide, dýrum esne, on áþsware ǽr benemde jūrāvi David servo meo, Ps. Th. 88, 3. He him Dauid geceás, deórne esne ēlēgit David servum suum, 77, 69. Wæs se ofen onhǽted, hine esnas mænige wurpon wudu on innan the oven was heated, many servants cast wood into it, Cd. 186; Th. 231, 9; Dan. 244: Ps. Th. 68, 37. Twá hund-teontig and fíftig ðara monna esna and mennena he gefullode servos et ancillas dŭcentos quinquāginta baptīzāvit, Bd. 4, 13; S. 583, 20: Ps. Th. 78, 11. Án esne of Leuies híwrǽdene vir de dŏmo ievi, Ex. 2, 1: 11, 2. Se hwata esne the brave man, Bt. 40, 3; Fox 238, 10. Penda, se fromesta esne Penda, vir strēnuissĭmus, Bd. 2, 20; S. 521, 8. Ealle we synd ánes esnes suna omnes fīlli ūnīus vĭri sŭmus, Gen. 42, 11, 13. Uton agifan ðæm esne his wíf let us give to the man his wife, Bt. 35, 6; Fox 170, 7. [O. H. Ger. asni, m. mercēnārius: Goth. asneis, m. a hireling.] DER. fyrd-esne. esne