English

Adjective

pœnitential ‎(comparative more pœnitential, superlative most pœnitential)

1. Archaic spelling of penitential.
   • 1707, George Hickes, Two Treatiſes, One of the Chriſtian Prieſthood, The Other of the Dignity of the Epiſcopal Order, preface, pages ccxl–ccxli:

     We ſhould ſtudy to be skilful Confeſſaries, as well as good Preachers, to know when and how to uſe the Power of remitting and retaining Sins, of bleſſing the People, and of adminiſtring the Chriſtian Sacrifices aright. Theſe things God expects indiſpenſably from us, as well as Preaching, and of which let me ſay to thoſe, who as it were devote themſelves to the one, and neglect the other, theſe things ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone, That of the two, requires our Care at leaſt as much as this, tho’ it is now ſo much diſſuſed, chiefly I fear by the want of Pœnitential Canons, which every Biſhop of any Country may ſupply in his own Dioceſs, till the whole College can make pœnitential Canons for the Dioceſſes of the National Church.

   • 1912, The English Reports (W. Green), volume 4 or 124, page 380:

     Afterwards there were divers articles exhibited to them against the Lady Purbeck for adultery, and Mrs. Peele, and others; that she in annis Domini 1621, 1622, 1623, or 1624, in some one or all of these was an abettor of this adultery. For which she was sentenced to pay 200l. &c. and that she made a pœnitential acknowledgement of her offence, and farther that she shall be imprisoned untill she found security for the performance of that order.