"fairy," OED 4a

[Charles Doyle]

Not to belabor this matter, but here's the entry in the ME Dictionary (cut-and-pasted; I don't know how the runes will look on screen!):


faire (n.) Also faierie, feiri(e, farie.

[OF faerie.]

1.

(a) The country or home of supernatural or legendary creatures; also, a land of such creatures; (b) coll. such creatures; (c) such a creature.

(a)  c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)   p.659:  Hit is a kni3tes of fayri, And al þis forest her-by.  c1330 Orfeo (Auch)   562:  Out of þe lond of fairy.  (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)   5.7073:  An hauk..as he were of faierie, He scheweth him tofore here yhe.  (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)   E.2227:  Pluto that is kyng of fairye.  ?1435(1432) Lydg. Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)   366:  Twoo olde men..dydde appere lyke ffolkes off ffeyrye.  a1500(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)   280:  Here fadyr was kyng of fayrye Of Occient.  a1500(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)   1035:  Þus Launfal..Was take yn to fayrye: Seþþe saw hym yn þis lond no man.

(b)  a1375 WPal.(KC 13)   230:  Þemperour wend witerly for wonder of þat child, þat fei3þely it were of feyrye.  (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)   2.964:  Thi wif, which is of faierie.  (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)   E.2039:  Proserpina and al hir fairye.  a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)   638:  I trowe verily that it be som fende, or of feire, that thus hath hir disceived.  a1500 Orfeo (Hrl 3810)   10:  Sum [lays] þer ben of the feyre.

(c)  (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)   D.872:  This maketh that ther been no fairyes.  c1425(a1420) Lydg. TB (Aug A.4)   4.5586:  Þer cam doun from þe hi3e heuene..Like a fairy a merueillous ymage.  c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)   66:  Galatee, the which was a fayrye.  ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)   802:  Hic antepos, hec lamea: ffayery.

--Charlie
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