Middle English Dictionary Entry
charnel n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | charnel n.(1) Also chernel, chanel. |
| Etymology | OF; cp. ML carnāle adj. as n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A mortuary chapel, charnel house; ~ hous; ~ dore; (b) a mass grave.
Associated quotations
a
- (1393) Will York in Sur.Soc.4185 : I commend..my body to my [!] graven in the mynster Garth befor the butres at the charnell.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)6.50 : For in charnel [vr. a chanel] atte chirche cherles ben yuel to knowe, Or a kniȝte fram a knaue þere.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)46/27 : Vnder the cloystre of the chirche..is the charnell of the Innocentes, where here bones lyȝn.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)62/10 : Toward the est an c pas is the charnell of the hospitall of seynt Iohn, where men weren wont to putte the bones of dede men.
- (1426) EEWills75/16 : I woll þat sir Iohn, preest of þe charnell, haue ij marc..to pray for me.
- (1426) EEWills96/4 : My body to be beryed anenest the charnell of Poules, in Poules chircheyerd.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)70 : Charnel or chernel [Win: chanel]: Carnarium.
- (1451) Acc.St.Margaret Southwark in BMag.32490 : Peid for makyng clene of the Charnel, and carying of the erthe to Bermondsey, xij s.
- (1457-8) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7851 : For mendyng of the charnell doyr.
- (1458-60) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31248 : Paiede to Barnard..for a lok & a key for the charnel hovse.
- (1470) Will York in Sur.Soc.45179 : I have a prest syngyng for me a twelmonthe in the Charnell att Beverlay.
b
- a1425(a1400) Titus & V.(Pep 2014)2476 : Jacob let make Tweyne charnels..Forto hyde..Al þe folke þat þere were dede, That þe quycke dyed noȝt for stynke of hem.