Middle English Dictionary Entry
marchaunt n.
Entry Info
| Forms | marchaunt n. Also marcha(u)nd, mercha(u)nt, mercha(u)nd, (?error) machaunt & (in surnames only) marka(u)nt, -a(u)nd, marshaunt, -and, mercand; pl. marchauntes, etc. & marcha(u)ns, marchons, merchauns. |
| Etymology | OF marchëant, -ëand, markëant, merchëant & AF marchaunt, merchaunt. Pl. marchans, etc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A wholesale businessman; a factor, broker; a peddler, retailer; a shopkeeper; also fig.; coll. merchants; marchauntes of the staple, the influential businessmen engaged in English export of important commodities; (b) fig. ?a buyer, customer; (c) ~ alien (straunge, straunger), a foreign merchant trading in England; ~ denisein (English), a merchant of English citizenship; (d) ~ of alemaine (hanse), a merchant from one of the towns of the Hanseatic League; ~ of the hanse of alemaine, ?a merchant belonging to the association of German merchants who settled and traded in English ports; (e) marchauntes gilde, gilde of marchauntes, the guild merchant [see gilde]; statut of marchauntes, Law Merchant; (f) ~ biere (seller), a merchant who buys (sells) certain commodities.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Wor.Bod.Gloss.(Jun 121)25 : Mangere: marchaunt.
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)2 : Marchaunt he was in his ȝonghede.
- c1300 SLeg.Greg.(LdMisc 108)20 : He founde Marchauns at rome..to sullen huy ladden on heore hond swete children þreo.
- ?c1335 Heil seint Michel (Hrl 913)p.156 : Hail be ȝe marchans wiþ ȝur gret packes Of draperie, auoir-depeise, and ȝur wol sackes.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)2804 : Sir Gij..gret þe marchandes euerichon.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)36/26 : Þe zixte manere [of usurers] is of þan þet takeþ hire pans to marchons be zuo þet hi by uelaȝe to þe wynnynge.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.147 : Þe marchandes [vrr. marchaundis, marchauntis; L mercatores] of þe erþe ben made riche of his delices.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4456 : We buþ Marchaund; Of drapreye we ledeþ gret fuysoun.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Prov.31.14 : She is maad as a ship of a marchaund [WB(2): marchaunt; L institoris] fro a-fer bringynge hir bred.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.779 : Ther moote ben marchantz [vrr. Marchauntz, marchauntes, Merchauntz] to bryngen fro that o contree to that oother hire marchandise.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.947 : A marchant..may nat ay endure..in his prosperitee; Som tyme his good is drowned in the see.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)147 : Þer ben chapmen ryche ywys, Marchaundes of Babyloyn ful ryche.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)2.174 : Marchauntis [vrr. marchaundis, marchande; C: marchauns]..Besshette hym in here shoppis to shewen here ware.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.41 : Tho were merchauns murye.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)81/19 : Thider comen the marchauntes with marchandise be see from ynde, persee.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.38/10 : Certeyn marchawntis, hauyng ther Shippis stuffid with nessessaries to howseholde with hope of lucur commyttid themself to the meveable wyndis.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Priesthood (Corp-C 296)172 : Prestis also ben machauntis [vr. marchauntis]..þei ben corseris & makers of malt & bien schep & neet & sellen hem for wynnynge.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)325 : Marchaunte: Mercator, negociator, institor.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)14868 : Marchauntz come ay to & fro & boughte þe childre of þys lond.
- a1450(a1400) Medit.Pass.(2) (Add 11307)393 : Now was Iudas marchaunt vnwys To selle þat lord for so lytel pris.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2375 : Now if it happe..A kyng in nede borwe of his marchantis, [etc.].
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)604 : A feyth of Marchantes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1557 : All þe cite..felowis him eftir..Maistirs, marchands [Dub: Marchaundez], & Maire, mynistris & othire.
- ?c1450 Brut-1447 (Trin-C O.9.1)461/20 : The Kyng came to Caleys. And the Marchauntes of the Staple..welcomed hym.
- (1460) Doc.in Gilbert Cal.Dublin 1306 : Merchaunds and liggeris of London, Covintre..hath purchasyt to them the kyng oure soverayn lordes chartre..to have and to hold a yeld..within the sayd citte.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.71.49b : Þi coueitise..þou hast chaunged..fro grete þinges in to smale..Þis is a simple chaunge: þou art no good marchaunt.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)79b : A marchande: Auccionarius, Auccionator, institor, mercator, negociator, particus.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)7570 : Marchaunts..aboute fare, Fro faire to faire, fro lond to londe, To bringe marchaundise to oure honde.
- a1500 When nettuls (BodPoet e.1)p.269 : Whan..marchans by with horne insted of grotes and pens..Than put women in trust and confydens.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)289 : He [a friar] hadde more money hid þan marchantes of wolle!
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28031 : Yee leuedis..Quen yee sa bede your war to sell, Þe fole marchandis eth to duell.
c
- (1422) RParl.4.173b : The..Commens..graunton to..the Kyng..a subsidie..of all Marchants Aliens..of liii s. iiii d. of every sak weight of Wolle.
- (1425) RParl.4.276a : Al the Merchantz straungers shalle be under hoost withynne xv dayes after thair commyng..every Merchant Englissh shall paie the said Subsidee for his Merchandise, to the Collectours..in every Port.
- (1444) RParl.5.113b : At that tyme were moo Merchauntz Englyssh many folde, and richer, in this Reaume.
- (1446-7) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)293 : Summe men Haue ewsed..to bye ware or waris of the marchaunt straungeris.
- (1449) RParl.5.142b : We..graunte..a Subsidie to be payed..of all manere of Merchandise of every Merchant Deniszein and Alyen, aswell of Merchauntz of the Hansze of Almaigne.
- (1449) RParl.5.155b : Divers Merchauntes aliens, estraunges, and deynseins..brynghth Whete, Corn, and other Marchaundise.
- (1472-5) RParl.6.154b : The..Commens..graunted to the 'Kyng..an other Subsidie called Poundage..of all maner of Marchandises of every Marchaunt Deynzein and Alien..of the value of every xx s., xii d.
- (1477) Let.Cely (PRO S.C.1 53/7)p.11 (12/5) : I fere me euery man wyll fende the mene for the sale and delyuer ys woll..into svre men ys handy be the mene of sale to marchauntys strangers the weche haue repayryd to Caleys afor thys tyme.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)58 : Dyvers bylles were cast in London and in the subbarbys..a yenst merchantes strawngers.
d
- (1449) RParl.5.142b : We..graunte to yowe..a Subsidie to be paied..of every Tonne of swete Wyne, comyng by wey of Merchandise into the same Roialme..by eny Merchaunt Alyen, aswell by Merchauntz of the Hansze of Almayne.
- (1472-5) RParl.6.154b : The..Commens..graunted to the Kyng..an other Subsidie called Poundage..of..Marchaundises of every Marchaunt Deynzein and Alien, aswell of the Marchauntes of Hanze and of Almayn.
e
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)31/28 : Whan a man silleþ derrer his chaffare þan it is worþ..and þat is aȝens þe statute of marchaundes.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.69/20 : We, Citesyns of oxonforde, of þe commune of þe Cite and þe yelde of marchauntes..yefe and graunte..to þe church..our Ile..i-callid Midley.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.70/20 : We, Citisens of Oxonford, of þe commune of þe Cite and of þe Marchaundis yelde..graunte..to þe Church..þe yifte..of þe Ile of Midley.
f
- (1429) RParl.4.359b : Item, That..ye Marchauntz sellers, make acquietancez to the Marchauntz byers.
- (1439) RParl.5.30b : Yf the Marchant seller, mesure untrewly..thanne he to forfaite for every Clothe vi s. viii d..yf any Marchant byer wol refuse this Ordenaunce, thanne he to forfait an c s.
2.
Phrases: (a) ~ fare, a business journey; ~ last, a measure of weight used in Baltic trade; ~ lettre [see lettre 2. (c)]; ~ ship, a ship that transports merchandise for trade; (b) caucioun ~ [see caucioun]; laue ~ [see laue 6a. (c)]; poudre ~, statut ~, q.v.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7207 : Þei ar wont..to stuf and charge Marchaunt schippes of straunge fer contre, Þat þider saile..To fecche vitaille.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3625 : Wee out of Rome In marchantfare went.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)18 : xij schippe li. make a merchaunte last, to bey or sell by.
3.
A hireling, hired hand.
Associated quotations
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))John 10.12 : A marchaunt, or hyred hyne [L Mercennarius]..that is not schepherde..seeth a wolf comynge, and he leeueth..the scheep.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)54/24 : Þe Marchante ne ȝiueþ no keep to þe scheep.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)8/27 : Ther sues a gude exhortacion that spekez..of merchandes [SC(1): mercenariis] of curates, [etc.].
4.
As surname [several may be OF].
Associated quotations
- (1198) CRR(1) 1149 : Simon Mercand.
- (1220) Close R.Tower 1419b : Alanus le Marchant.
- (c1225) Doc.Ireland in RS 53112 : Ricardus Markant.
- (1255) in Fransson Surn.51 : Thom. le Markaunt.
- (1268) in Fransson Surn.51 : Ric.le Marschaunt.
- (1275) in Fransson Surn.51 : Joh. le Marschand.
- (1297) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 16153 : Rob. Markaund.
- (1327) in Fransson Surn.51 : Will. Markand.
- (1332) in Fransson Surn.51 : Joh. le Marchant..Rob. Merchaunt.