Middle English Dictionary Entry
chap-man n.
Entry Info
| Forms | chap-man n. Also chappe-, cap-, chep-, chip-, ship-, chup-. |
| Etymology | OE cēap-man & cȳp- (influ. by the verb cīepan, cȳpan). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) A merchant, trader, dealer; also, a peddler, hawker; (b) fig. a bargainer; (c) in names.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)16078 : Forrþi warrp Crist i þe flor Þe sillferr & te bordess Off þa chappmenn.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13313 : Her beoð chæpmen [Otho: chepmen] icumen of oðere londen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30690 : Alle luuede þene chapmon.
- a1250 Orison Lord (Nero A.14)200 : Me nis he fol chepmon [vr. chapmon] ðret buð deore awoc þing and forsakeð a deorwurðe þing ðet me beot him for nowt?
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1575 : Monichapmon & monicniht Luueþ & [hald] his wif a riht.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)112 : Þenne seien hi bisides twei riche chapmen come..Mid here assen isemed of fer & of gris..to sullen hit to sale.
- ?a1300 Sayings St.Bede (Dgb 86)127 : Þis chapmen..beþ swikele ounimete; Hy ne reccheþ þan hy swerien For to abben here biȝete.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)51 : Þanne micthe chapmen fare Þuruth englond wit here ware, And baldelike beye and sellen.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11171 : Chapmen as hii were.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1981 : A chapman þat bar his pac.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)77/26 : Þe wyse chapman..knauþ huet ech þing is worþ.
- ?c1350 Ballad Sc.Wars (Jul A.5)248 : Marchant have þe werld to weld, and capman wyt þair packes ga.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.81 : Anon he bouȝte of chapmen [vr. chepmen; L negotiatoribus] an hondred children i-lettred and an hondred maydens.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.285 : Schipmen [vr. chepmen; Higd.(2): marchauntes; L mercenarii] wolde have ibouȝt his bisshopriche.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)5.174 : Þer weore chapman I-chose, þe chaffare to preise.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.135 : In Surrye whilom dwelte a compaignye Of chapmen riche..That wyde where senten hir spicerye [etc.].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3059 : The Chapmen of such mercerie, With fraude and with Supplantarie, So manye scholden beie and selle.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)165b/b : Ofte chapmen [L negotiatores] comen to mounteyns of galaath to bygge swete spices.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4186 : Sel we him to yon chapmen [Göt: chepmen].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5278 : Til þat chapmen [Göt: marchandes] me com to bi.
- a1400 Floris (Eg 2862)73/146 : Chapmen ryche..Marchaundes of babyloyne.
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.72 : Whanne me porveyde gylde chaffare, me shal..aspyȝe folke þat be couenable and of good loos, and gadere þat ryȝte of chepmen.
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.78 : Þat tweyȝe godmen..be ychose..to assaye þe chaffare of straunge chapmen þat comeþ in-to þe towne to selle.
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)72/1 : [Friars] beþ made more wondrefull þan eny chapmen oþer craftes men, for to gete profit & wynnyng wiþ her professioun.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5591 : Though he be chapman or marchaunt, And have of gold many besaunt.
- (1433) Will York in Sur.Soc.3032 : Ego Johannes Shakespere de Doncastre, chapman.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)390 : Pedlare, shapmann [Win: chepman]: Particus.
- a1450 Form Excom.(1) (Cld A.2)65 : Of wolle-men, off schapmen.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)252/625 : In old termys I haue herd seyde þat mony makyth schapman. Here is thretty platys of sylver bryth [etc.].
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.379 : Metyng ne handsell causeth noo welfare..Ne crieng among chepmen 'away the mare!'
b
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)786 : Luþer chapman he [Judas] was and al-so him is byfalle.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)76 : Vor þis wordle is ase a fayre huer byeþ manye fole chapmen.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)prol.64 : Sith charite haþ be chapman and chief to shryue lordes, Many ferlis han fallen in a fewe ȝeris.
- c1450 Gifte hys (Dc 95)p.clxxxvii : Ȝyfte is domesman and gyle is chapman [L mercator].
- ?1536(1402) Jack Upland (Gough)195/147 : If thou sellest goddes body..than it is very symony; and art become a chapman worse than Judas.
c
- (1197) Feet Fines Rich.I in Pipe R.Soc.2423 : Walterus Chapman.
- (c1200) Doc.Ireland in RS 5335 : Radulfus Chepman.
- (1327) in Fransson Surn.51 : Henr. le Chupman.
- (1327) in Fransson Surn.52 : Agnes Chappeman.
- (1344) in Fransson Surn.51 : Joh. Kyng chipman.
1b.
Combs. chapman(nes gilde, merchant guild; ~ halle, the building of a merchant guild; ~ sela, ~ shoppe, a merchant's stall or shop; ~ ware, merchandise.
Associated quotations
- (1130) Pipe R.Hen.I40 : De firma de Chepmanesela.
- (1156) Pipe R.Hen.II52 : Chepmanneshal.
- (1163-4) in Pipe R.Soc.726 : De firma de Chepmannessela.
- (?c1230) Doc.Cobham in Archaeol.Cant.2228 : Totam terram..extra murum civitatis que vocatur terra de Chapmanegilde.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)46 : Boþe, chapmannys schoppe: Pella, selda.
- (1445-6) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1393 : Chapman ware.
- c1450 Dice(1) (Frf 16)130 : Be god ther is no falser chapmanes ware Then ben your wordes, whan ye seyn in care Ye lede youre lyf.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)23a : Chapman waire: vendibilis.
2.
(a) A merchant's agent or factor; (b) a buyer or customer; ~ of helle, the Devil as bargaining for souls.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1426) Contract in OSSLH 4178 : William Sakes, servant et Chapman a John Trewe de Colchestre, marchant.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)92 : Thes too marchauntis..been oon, as by affeccioun..By lond or se the good her chapmen carye Was entircomownyd by her bothys assent.
b
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)113a : Ancre þet is chepilt..chepeð hire sawle þe chapmon [Nero: chepmon; L commercatori] of helle.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.89 : I [Richard I] wolde selle Londoun, and I myȝte fynde a chapman [vr. chepman; Higd.(2): byer; L emptorem] þat myȝte wel paye.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)60/31 : Summe ben redi wiþ her money, as chapmen in a feire, to bie of þise marchauntis marchaundise.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)61/4 : Summe maken lettris for sotiler ypocrisie, to selle alle her suffragis where euere þei fynden þe chapman þat wole paie largeli þerfore. Þanne is þe bargayn made.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)56 : Wedris..ewen..let þem be sold, & rather þen ye shuld fayle off chepmen, sell þem to feste so þat ye may be sure off your money.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1475 Names Hound (Chr)358/109 : Chepman.
Note: Add to sense 1a.(c): also as name of a hound.