Middle English Dictionary Entry
chartre n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | chartre n.(1) Also charter, -ir, -or, -ur, -ier & cartre, sharter. |
| Etymology | OF chartre & cartre (from L cartula). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) A written document, signed and sealed, issued by the Crown, Parliament, a feudal lord, or some other legal authority to the people, an individual, an institution, a city, etc., granting or confirming certain rights, privileges, authority, etc.; ~ of feffement, fraunchise; ~ streit, royal charter; (b) the grete chartre, Magna Charta [signed in 1215 by King John]; ~ of the forest, a charter remedying abuses in the forest laws [issued in 1217 by Henry III].
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1250(OE) Chart.in Birch Cart.Sax.2.453 : Ich, Aþelstan..grantye & confirmye by ðisse minre chartre for me and for þe kingges of Engelonde..xxvi hyde londes æt Muleburne.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)627 : Þe king..and þe oþere bischopus al-so On þis chartre heore seles sette..Þat þulke costomes weren i-holde þoruȝ al þe londe þere.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)2154 : Þis luþere kniȝtes wenden a-non to is tresorie..heo nomen..Chartres and oþur priue writes.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1734 : Þe emperour mid gode chartre [vr. cartre] & mid is owe ceel Him ȝef of þe se aboute þe warde eueridel.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5603 : Into þe hous of glastingbury gret þing he ȝef þo & gret franchise hom grantede..& mid god chartre..made þe conferming.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6635 : [The king] confermede, hor londes as frelich to holde ywis Bi gode chartre.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9811 : He vndude þe luþer lawes & grauntede alle þe gode Þat sein tomas esste..& þer to is chartre made iwis.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10253 : Vor wraþþe he let in al is lond, þat alle hor chartren..Of franchise & of oþer þing al clene were vndo.
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)797 : Selmin made þe charter as hengist wold & seled it al wiþ red gold; & seyd, as long as schineþ þe sonne þe londes wer his.
- (c1390) Chart.Abbey HG (LdMisc 210)338 : Ȝif he haue also goode dedis & charteres of here places, where-þorou þei mowe kepen here londis, rentys & fraunchises..þis holy abbesse & here couent han many false enemyes..þerfore y make here a book þat schal be clepid þe Chartre [vr. a Chartoure] of þe abbeye of þe holy goste.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.3357 : The king..An Erldom..Unto this knyht..Hath yove and with his chartre seled.
- (1399) RParl.3.452a : That all the Patentes and Charters that they..hath of thes Names, Castels, Maners, Lordesships, and Possessions, Fraunchies, and Libertees, be ȝolden uppe into the Chauncellerie, there to be cancelled.
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.80 : Þer is in þe Citee a-fore y-seyd a seal commune and an autentyk, myd wham men seleþ þe chartres of ffeffemens of þe town.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.29 : Athelstan..suld gyue his kirke franchise & fe To haf & to holde, als he was kyng leale; Of him haf þei chartre seled with his seale.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.83 : His oþer sonne William Inglond assigned he, & alle þat of him cam with chartre mad he fre. His sonne Henry was sire of Wales with chartre streite.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.312 : Erles & barons..pleyned of þe kyng þat þe purale did not als he suld..Ne suffre þam to hold þat þe chartre of spake.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)2.78 : Fauel..feffeth [Mede and Falsenesse] bi þis chartre [C 3.83: lettere] To be prynces in pryde.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)167/11,14 : Þe Kyng and þe Erchebisshop and oþere grete lordes of Engeland assemblede ham..in a medowe..þat is callede Rome-mede. And þe Kyng made ham þere a chartre of ffraunchisez..þat accordement laste nouȝt ful longe, for þe Kyng him-self sone after dede aȝeynes þe poyntes of þe same chartre.
- c1400 Wycl.Dominion (Dub 244)287 : No mennes lawis, ne chartirs maad of men, han strengþe but in as myche as goddis lawe confermeþ hem..& so þis grete chartre wolde moue bi goddis wytt, þat kyngis & here rewmes schulde maynteyne þe chirche by þe ordeynaunce of god.
- (1415) Rec.Norwich 197 : Seres, ȝe haue be poynt of Chartre yat ȝe shuln ȝerly chesen xxiiijti Concitezeyns for the Meires counseil.
- (1415) Rec.Norwich 198 : Ye article of ye xxiijti shal be amended by poynt of Charter after ye fourme of ye xxiiijti in ye Chartr of London.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)91 : In writ of dette, wretes of chartres holden with wrong, writtes of acountes.
- (1443) Reg.Gild Stratford (Macdonald)35 : The chaunge of the maysturs, aldirmen, and prokators ȝerelyche to be had, as hit is conteynyd in the same chartorys.
- a1450(c1400-25) Legat Serm.PD (Wor F.10)1/14 : 'Abraham,' quod he [God]..'y schal graunte by chartier to all thin eyres aftur þe þe plentwis lond of Chanaan.'
- c1460 Oseney Reg.80/6 : We [Henry III]..haue i-grauntid, and with this owr charter confermyd..to þe forsaide Abbot and Couent..þe londe of Holcumbe.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.33b : Among certeyn Liberties and Privileges by Charters of your moost noble Progenitours..graunted unto the Chaunceller and Scolers of the said Universite.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)650/3 : The sentence of thys chartur is how Stephyn kynge yeuyth & confermithe to the seyd Mynchyns..all the yftys, landis [etc.].
- a1525(?1445) Cov.Leet Bk.221 : Expenses made in sueng for a Charter of enlargeng the ffrawnches & liberte of this Cite of Couentre.
- a1525(?1451) Cov.Leet Bk.266 : To prouyde a chartur suche as shalbe most profitabull & also most nesarie to this Cite.
- a1525(?1464) Cov.Leet Bk.323 : The Charters of the fraunchice of this Cite.
- a1525(?1464) Cov.Leet Bk.325 : Which Charters aftur that the kyng herd hem, he marvelled gretely þat eny ffraunchice for þe Cite shuld be claymed in his place of Cheylesmore.
b
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)174/17 : Þe Kyng grauntede ham alle her axing, and made to ham ij Chartres: þat on is callede þe grete Chartre of Fraunchises & þat oþer is callede þe Chartre of þe Forest; and for þe grante of þise chartres, prelates, Erles and barons & alle þe communes of Engeland ȝaf to þe Kyng M marz of siluer.
- (1432) RParl.4.403a : To the..Commens of this present Parlement assembled prayen mekely all the Communes of the Shire of Cornewaill, yat there as is conteyned in ye Statut of the grete Chartre..there should no man ben amerced bote after the quantite of his trespas [etc.].
- a1450 Form Excom.(1) (Cld A.2)67 : Oþur poyntus..in þe schartur of þe foreste; In þe grete chartur also þou myȝte se many mo.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)17/11,12 : In þe grete chartre ben xxxiij articles; In þe chartre of þe forest ben xl artycles [etc.].
1b.
chartre-hold, ~ lond, land held by charter.
Associated quotations
- (1442) RParl.5.59a : To have and holde the same Londez and Tenementz, callid Chartre holde.
- (1440) Paston (EETS)3.7 (934/2) : Touchyng þe chartre lond of William Paston, justice .. whiche lond þe seid Paston hath sued to enterchaunge with copiehold lond withinne þe seid tounshipes of Paston and of Edithorp.
- (1461) RParl.5.476a : The Tenauntes within the seid Lordship been free holders and nat copie holders..all Tenures within the same Lordship been Chartre land and Free land, and nat Copie land.
2.
Any of a variety of formal documents, signed and sealed, as (a) an agreement or pledge; ~ of avouerie, ~ of warantise; ~ of obligacioun; ~ of pes, a treaty or pledge of peace; also fig.; (b) a deed conveying property; a title to property; (c) a letter of pardon; ~ of pardon; (d) a letter of manumission; ~ of fredom; (e) an indictment or judgment; a lawyer's brief; (f) an official account; (g) a letter containing a message.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Theoph.(LdMisc 108)60 : Ichulle beon siker of þe [the Devil] er ich mongy with þe: guode chartres of þis foreward þou schalt makie me, And writen hire with þine owene honde and a-selen hire al-so.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10429 : Þe king made ek is chartre to þe court of rome To bicome þe popes man & homage him do.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.185 : He reconcilede a ȝongelynge to God Almyȝty, þat hadde obleged hym self to the devel for þe love of a wenche, and gat aȝen þe chartre of his obligacioun [L chartam obligationis].
- (1395) Wycl.12 Concl.(Th 17)301 : For a busschel of qwete..he [the priests] welen selle þe blisse of heuene be chartre of clause of warantise, enselid with þe comown sel.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.139 : William with chartre bond him tille Henrie, þat he & his heires & alle þer progenie Of Scotland suld hold of Henry.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)164/16 : Þat þis chartre of obligacioun & oure warant for euermore be ferme..we [John] shul fro þis day afterward be trewe to God & to þe moder cherche of Rome, and to þe Pope Innocent þe þrid.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)271/31 : How the chartre of Ragaman was delyuerede vnto þe Scottes, wherin þe Homages and feautees of Scotland were contened, þat þe Scottes shulde do euermore to þe Kyngus of Engelande.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.340 : Thow woost ek what thi lady graunted the, And day is set, the chartres up to make.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7310 : For though ye borowes take of me, The sikerer shal ye never be For ostages, ne sikirnesse, Or chartres for to bere witnesse.
- a1425 LChart.Chr.C (Roy 17.C.17)641/127 : To mak þi charter of þi wele-fare, parchemen to fynde wyst I neuer ware þat wyld last to þe warldes end.
- c1440(a1350) Isumb.(Thrn)333 : A chartir was mad..The sowdane selide it with his hande..That scho solde qwene bee.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1542 : The cheefe chaunchelere of Rome..Will aske þe chartyre of pesse.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3058 : I gyf ȝow chartire of pes & ȝoure cheefe maydens.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)5917 : Ȝif ȝe wil..gyue chartre of a-vowerye, Þe se to loke wyþ myn nauie, I scholde ȝow warante ȝoure truage [etc.].
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)137 : Thei were thus acorded..that Kyng Stevene schuld have the regal possession whil he lyved..This was permitted be alle the lordis, and a solempne charter mad thereon.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)233 : The sentence of thys chartur is þat Mably, abbas of Godestowe..grauntyd to Raph ben..mete & drynke [etc.].
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.78ra : He, takyng the right honde of his doughter, delyueryd it to Thobye .. and toke a chartre and wrote the conscrypcion of the wedlok.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)6382 : Eue borowet synne at Sathanas and wrote a chartre to hym of wo.
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)266 : Chartur [Thrn: letters] of pes.
b
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)113a : Nawt, deore dehtren, ne wite ȝe in ower hus of oðer monne þinges, ne ahte..ne chartres.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2173 : Thre thynges certes shal ye [my wife] wynne..loue of Crist..honour, And al myn heritage..I yeue it yow; maketh chartres as yow leste.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)71b/a : He..takeþ hire to wif..and makeþ to hire chartres and dedes of graunt & of ȝiftis.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9794 : Ȝyf þou boghtest house and land with charter at þy neghburs hande.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.122 : For may no cherle chartre make, ne his catel selle, with-outen leue of his lorde.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.296 : A chartre is chalengeable byfor a chief iustice; If false latyne be in þe lettre, þe lawe it inpugneth..Þe gome þat gloseth so chartres for a goky is holden.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)39/14 : Yef it be lande, and þai wil halde it þaim-selfe, þai sal make chartir and yelde ilke ȝere þe ferme.
- (1426) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.64 : Wyllyam Clopton..yaf and graunted, and be his chartre confermed, to John Howard..his maner of Newenham..be vertu of which dede the same Wyllyam..yaf me seisyn.
- (1439) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.514 : Certeyn londes & tenementis whiche late I pourchasid of Stephen Sire bi his Chartre.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)402 : In the cartis or chartouris..is noon other forme of ȝeuyng expressid, than that this man..ȝeueth..thilk maner with hise feeldis..to thilk bischop and hise successouris.
- a1450 Form Excom.(1) (Cld A.2)66 : Alle þat makuth false scharterus..wyttyngliche..we acurson and waryon.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)73 : He sold to me þat lond, and asselid a chartre þerof afore iij witnesses with his owen hondis.
c
- (1414) RParl.4.57a : I was outlawed by heye record of trespace, wherthurgh that I ne oughte not to ben herd..in my billes writen, but ȝif it se were that I hadde brought my Chartre in myn hond.
- (1440) Wars France in RS 22.2450 : He..pourechaced hymself..a chartre of pardon.
- (1449) RParl.5.169a : That in this cas nother the Kynges proteccionne, his charter of pardon, ne esson of the Kynges servyce, stond..in any availle or effecte.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)3142 : I graunted ones a chartre to þe Of mannes deth..Hast þou now slayn an othir man also?
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)990 : Yff ye haue yowur charter of pardon by confessyon, Now haue ye for-yeffnes.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.32.26a : And so have I her of the Lord is graunt a chartre of pardon, wich I schal rede to fore yow.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)65 : The Markes of Southefolke..shewed a chartour generall for hem all; and so they were pardoned and had lyfe and godes.
d
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)676 : Louerd..Yif me gold oþer fe..And with þi chartre make fre.
e
- c1390 11 Pains(3) (Vrn)241 : His owne chatre haþ he rad, Þat his synnes were Inne I-sprad..His owne self þen Iugged he.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)46 : A chartur I-made by dyuers iuggys a-geynst þe person of wyhtham. The sentence of thys dede is [etc.].
- ?a1500 Lament.Sinner (Thrn)76 : Than may þer na lernyd men for ȝow mute, No iustys nor no man of lawe..Ðer charter wyll not preyf worthe a hawe.
f
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)117/19 : A grete chartour in whech was wretyn al his lif, his canonizacion eke, and his translacion, seled with þe seles of þe bischoppis.
g
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)11923 : Þe chartre þey schewed þer barouns & seide, 'swich ys Arthures respouns.'
3.
Phrases: chartre of aquitaunce, ~ of quit cleime, a quitclaim deed or release; blank ~, see blaunk adj.; ~ in tail, a deed of entail; ~ parted, ~ parti, an indented document; ~ simple, an unentailed deed.
Associated quotations
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3327 : Wel koude he..maken a chartre of lond or acquitaunce.
- (a1400) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.102 : Robart atte Wanstalle feffydde a ȝen Thomas Gylys with achartere simple [etc.].
- (1421) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.xvii : The same tenement scholde turne to the forseyd Rauf atte Ree..as ryght heyr, as by a chartor in tayll more playnly hit schewyth.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)125 : The chartre of quyt cleyme.
- (1443) Let.Bekynton in RS 56.2238 : He was asked..what merchaunts had lade the ship? and therto he shewed his chartre party.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)357/4 : This was the couenaunt..bitwene Moolde..of the one partie, And Iamys..of the other partie..to this partid charter they put to ther seales.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.349 : The kyng made full fell araye, In euery shire blanke charters to bee sealid, For cause his actes should not bee repeiled.
4.
Fig. The guarantee or pledge of salvation (given to mankind through Christ's death on the Cross or by baptism); ~ of feffement, fredom, lif, right.
Associated quotations
- c1390(?a1325) LChart.Chr.A (Vrn)640/42 : More siker þe to make Aȝeyn þi foos..To make a chartre of feffement; In such a maner þen moste hit be, þat I moste ȝiue my lyf for þe.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9809 : Þys bapteme ys charter of ryȝt Þat fordoþe Adams plyȝt.
- a1450(c1400-25) Legat Serm.PD (Wor F.10)2/50 : Y schal graunte bi þe chartier of þi passioun, writen wit þe rede blod of þi bodi..to alle þe eirys of mankinde..þe plentuvs lond of Chanaan.
- c1450(?a1400) LChart.Chr.B (Cmb Ii.4.9)187 : Wyth my charture..I make to mannes Soule a feffemente Þat I haue grauntyd And I-ȝeue to mankend, wyth me for to be In my kyndome of heuene.
- c1450 Myght wisdom (Add 31042)170 : O Marie, thi pappes schewe to thi childe..þe chartre of oure lyfe.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.32.27b : Of helle peyne I graunte hem ful relees..owt of this chartre I excepte To alle which, vnto hir lyves ende, Have euermore in cursed synnes slepte.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)172/16 : Wyth his owne hert-blod [Christ] wrot hym [man] a chartur of fredome and made hym fre for euer.
5.
A sheet of papyrus.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Tob.7.16 : And the chartre taken [L accepta charta], thei maden the conscripcioun of the wedloc.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)242a/a : Of russhes beþ chartres y made in þe whiche were pistiles y write.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1450 NHom.in NM 73 (Hnt HM 129)p.197 : Chartirrere
Note: New form: Also..chartirrere.
Note: New sense: McIntosh glosses 'Clerk responsible for drawing up charters?' Ashmole MS has 'clerke'.
Note: McIntosh: H 212b, 17, 19; A 250a, 1 up has 'clerke'.