Definition of "penurie"
penurie
noun
usually uncountable, plural penuries
Quotations
The Kyng vnderſtanding of theyr dealings, and beeing not only armed thoroughly with temporall force, but alſo endued with the ſpiritual power of his Archbiſhop Lanfranke, who aided him in all that hee might, for the ſuppreſſing of thoſe Rebels, waſted the countreys exceedingly, where hee vnderſtoode that they had gotten any releefe, minding vtterly to vanquiſh them with ſword, fire, and hunger, or by extreame penurie to bring them to ſome order.
1577, Raphaell Holinshed, “The politique Conqueste of VVilliam the first”, in The Laste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume II, London: […] for Iohn Hunne, page 306, column 1
To redreſſe which default (the poore in all places beeing in penurie) I haue vndertaken to be their Solicitour, vnto all manner of perſons, which ought in equitie either to ſupply them, or to prouide that ſuch as make default (being well able) may bee compelled thereunto by further authoritie front the Almightie, if this gentle motion in the words precedent will not preuaile, which heere I will repeate and explane vnto them, (by Gods aſſiſtance)
1597, Hen[ry] Arth[ington], Prouision for the Poore, Now in Penurie. Out of the Store-House of Gods Plentie: […], London: […] Thomas Creede
All which may be ſeen more largely proved in Lydiats Prælectio Astronomica: where having diſcourſed of the matter of the heavens and ſtarres, as alſo of the portions and tranſmutation of the elements, he proveth that there is ſuch a penurie of water here below, that it cannot be ſupplied (ad mundi, non dicit æternitatẽ, ſed diuturnitatẽ, propter inæquales elementorum tranſmutationes) not ſupplied without the conſumption of of the aire, were not the waters divided.
1643, John Swan, Speculum Mundi. Or A Glasse Representing the Face of the World; […], 2nd edition, […] Roger Daniel […], page 312