effœminacy

plural effœminacies

1. countableobsoleteuncountableObsolete spelling of effeminacy.

   If a man Dreams he hath Breſts as big as a woman, that denotes effœminacy and cowardize, or elſe trouble and grief occaſion’d by the ſickneſs of Children.

   1669, Marck de Vulson; Sieur de la Colombiere, translated by J. G., The Court of Curiositie. Wherein, by the Algebra and Lot, the Most Intricate Questions Are Resolved, and Nocturnal Dreams and Visions Explained, According to the Doctrine of the Antients. To Which Is Also Added, a Treatise of Physiognomy., London: […] J. C. for William Crooke, page 55 (no ligatures at EEBO)

   4 more examples

   But as we allow not altogether that ſevere education of the old Spartanes in their children, hazarding many times the healths of young and tender bodies, by ſome tedious ague; yea, alſo their liues, by the miſchance of a leape or ſtumbling of their horſe: ſo as much doe I deteſt that effœminacy of the moſt, that burne out day and night in their beds, and by the fire ſide; in trifles, gaming, or courting their yellow Miſtreſſes all the Winter in a City; appearing but as Cuckoes in the Spring, one time in the yeere to the Countrey and their tenants, leaving the care of keeping good houſes at Chriſtmas, to the honeſt Yeomen of the Countrey.

   1634, Henry Peacham, Peacham’s Compleat Gentleman, Clarendon Press, published 1906, page 220

   If a man have offended in his palate, he may chooſe to faſt onely; if he have ſinned in ſoftneſſe and in his touch, he may chooſe to lye hard, or work hard, and uſe ſharp inflictions: but although this Diſcipline be proper and particular, yet becauſe the ſorrow is of the whole man, no ſenſe muſt rejoyce, or be with any ſtudy or purpoſe feaſted and entertained ſoftly. This rule is intended to relate to the ſolemn dayes appointed for repentance publickly or privately: beſides which in the whole courſe of our life, even in the midſt of our moſt feſtival and freer joyes we may ſprinkle ſome ſingle inſtances, and acts of ſelf condemning, or puniſhing: as to refuſe a pleaſant morſel, or a delicious draught with a tcit remembrance of the ſin that now returns to diſpleaſe my ſpirit: and though theſe actions be ſingle, there is no undecency in them, becauſe a man may abate of his ordinary liberty & bold freedom wᵗʰ great prudence, ſo he does t without ſingularity in himſelf, or trouble to others: but he may not abate of his ſolemn ſorrow: that may be caution; but this would be ſoftneſſe effœminacy and undecency.

   1650, [Jeremy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. In Which Are Described the Means and Instruments of Obtaining Every Vertue, and the Remedies Against Every Vice, and Considerations Serving to the Resisting All Temptations. Together with Prayers Containing the Whole Duty of a Christian, and the Parts of Devotion Fitted to all Occasions, and Furnish’d for All Necessities., London: […] [R. Norton] for Richard Royston, page 269 (no ligatures at EEBO)

   Pleaſures bring effœminacy; and effœminacy fore-runs ruine: ſuch conqueſts, without blood or ſweat, ſufficiently do revenge themſelvs upon their intemperate Conquerours.

   1677, Fr[ancis] Quarles, Ar[thur] Warwick, chapter LVI, in Enchiridion Miscellaneum. Spare Houres Improv’d in Meditations Divine, Contemplative, Practical, Moral, Ethical, Oeconomical, Political. From the Pietie and Learning of Fʳ: Quarles & Aʳ: Warwick, Gent:^(https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A56983.0001.001/1:2.56?ALLSELECTED=1;c=eebo;c=eebo2;g=eebogroup;rgn=div2;singlegenre=All;sort=occur;subview=detail;type=simple;view=fulltext;xc=1;q1=effoeminacy (no ligatures at EEBO; 1680 edition)), Amsterdam: […] Stephen Swart

   The Parthians were not the Off-ſpring of Euphrates, nor ever charg’d with Effœminacy before; the Romans found ’em a Company of rough hardy Fellows, and not to be Conquer’d by their whole Power.

   1698, [Luke] Milbourne, Notes on Dryden’s Virgil in a Letter to a Friend. With an Essay on the Same Poet., London: […] R. Clavill, page 138