Ge-setnes

According to the Old English Dictionary:

-setenes, -setednes, -ness, -nis, -niss, -nys, -nyss, e;

ge-setnes

f. Position, foundation, tradition, an institution, constitution, composition, ordinance, decree, law; pŏsĭtio, sĭtus, fundātio, trādĭtio, instĭtūtio, constĭtūtio, compŏsĭtio, lex, pactum :-- Cúþ is gehwilcum snotterum mannum, ðæt seó ealde ǽ wæs eáðelícre ðonne Cristes gesetnys sý it is known to every intelligent man that the old law was easier than the institute of Christ is, Homl. Th. i. 358, 28, 30. Wæs se cyning becumen on swá mycle lufan ðære Rómániscan cyricean gesetnysse and ðære Apostolícan rex tĕnēbātur ămōre Rōmānæ et Ăpŏstŏlĭcæ instĭtūtiōnis, Bd. 4, 5; S. 571, 32: 5, 20; S. 642, 13. Be gesetnysse Breotene de sĭtu Brĭtanniæ, 1, 1; S. 473, 6: Nar. 1, 5. Ǽr middaneardes gesetnysse before the foundation of the world, Homl. Th. ii. 364, 27: Mk. Bos. 7, 5. Be Godes gesetnysse by God's ordinance, Bd. de nat. rerum; Wrt. popl. science 11, 22; Lchdm. iii. 258, 7: Ælfc. T. 17, 24. Ðú cwǽde ðæt ǽlc wuht his rihte gesetnesse fuleóde, bútan menn ánum thou saidst that every creature fulfilled its right institution, except man alone, Bt. 5, 3; Fox 12, 9: Homl. Th. ii. 330, 35. Rǽdaþ sume men ða leásan gesetnysse some men read the false composition, Homl. Th. ii. 332, 22: i. 358, 14. Israhél syngode and ða gesetnisse gewemde peccāvit Israel et prævārĭcātus est pactum meum, Jos. 7, 11. Sint heora gesetnessa swíðe mislíca their institutions are very various, Bt. 18, 2; Fox 64, 22. Healdende hira yldrena gesetnessa tĕnentes trādĭtiōnem sĕniōrum, Mk. Bos. 7, 3. Ða gesetnessa sigora Wealdend lǽt geond ðas mǽran gesceaft mearce healden the Lord of victories permits these constitutions to keep their limits over this great creation, Bt. Met. Fox 11, 141; Met. l1, 75. Be gesetnessum and gemétum sprǽccynna de fĭgūris mŏdisque lŏcūtiōnum, Bd. 5, 24: S. 648, 42. Be heofenes gesetenissum de statu cæli, Nar. 1, 16. ge-setnes