Middle English Dictionary Entry
cǒuntǒur n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | cǒuntǒur n.(1) Also compter, -our, contour, co(u)nter, -or, -re, -ur, cunter, -ur, konter, chountre, comitour, cowntewery. |
| Etymology | AF; CF contëor (from L computātor) & contoir, compteur, conteur (from ML computātōrium). The two words, confused in CF, completely fall together in AF and ME. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An accountant; esp., an official who oversees the collecting and auditing of taxes for a shire, a kingdom, etc.; (b) one who calculates, an arithmetician; (c) a pleader in court, a lawyer; (d) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- [ (c1290) Britton 1 (Lamb 403)p.347 : Ne ceux qi a acun des parties sount destreynables, ou seignurs, ou counseillers, ou countours. ]
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11153 : Þe constable of gloucetre..Held ofte in þe kinges name courtes ver & ner..& Adam of arderne was is chef countour.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.359 : A shirreue hadde he been, and a countour [vrr. Comitour, comptour, Acounter, accomptour, coronour].
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6812 : Bailifs, bedels, provost, countours [F maiour], These lyven wel nygh by ravyne.
- c1430 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/2)79 : Euerich Countere þat woneth in þe Cite þat haldeþ shopp opene schal to þe kynge to costome vj pens by þe ȝere.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)99 : Cowntere [Win: Countowre]: Computarius [Win: Computorius].
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1672 : I knawe be thi carpynge a cowntere þe semes, Bot be þou Auditoure or erle..I answere the sone.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)148 : His renttes and his reches rekened he full ofte..Of clerkes, of countours, his courtes to holde.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)29a : A Cownter: Compotista.
b
- c1425 Siege Jerus.(1) (Hnt HM 128)128 fn. : Ther is cownter ne clerke that can rykene hem alle.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)677 : In my purs so grete sommes be Þat þere nys countour in al cristente Which þat hem can at any noumbre sette.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)435 : Thogh Argus, the noble countour..rekened with his figures ten..Yet shoulde he fayle to rekene even.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)79 : A Cownter: calculator.
- a1500 MS Clg.A.2 in Halliwell D.274 : Ther is no countere nor clerke Con hem reken alle.
c
- [ (1275) Statutes Realm1.34 : Purvueu est ensement qe si nul serjaunt, Contour, ou autre face nul manere deceyte ou collusion en la Court le Rey..lors eyt la prison de un an e un jour. ]
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)343 : And countours in benche that stondeth at the barre, Theih wolen bigile the in thin hond, but if thu be the warre.
- a1475 Asneth (Hnt EL 26.A.13)915 : There ys countour ne clerk bounte can decyse.
d
- (1250) Bk.of Fees1169 : Mattheus Cunter.
- (1272) Pat.R.Edw.I681 : Edmund Cuntur.
- (1289) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms140 : Joh. le Cuntur.
- (1301) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms140 : Le Cunter. le Counter.
- (1302) Pat.R.Edw.I23 : William le Countour.
- (1318) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms140 : Rog. le Counteur.
- (1327) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms140 : Petr. Countour. Thom. le Konter.
- (1332) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms140 : Will. Countur.
- (1342) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms140 : Joh. le Contour.
- (1346) Inquest Lan.in LCRS 70159 : Thomas Countur.
- (1374) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms140 : Countur.
- (1378) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms140 : Countor.
- (1380) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms140 : Counter.
2.
(a) A metal disk used in arithmetical operations; (b) a token, surrogate coin; (c) a counterfeit coin.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 In a Pistel (Vrn)38 : Sit doun, and tac Countures rounde..And for vch a synne lei þou doun on.
- (1418) Grocer Lond.in Bk.Lond.E.201/215 : j Staundische with xxiiij cowntours.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)128 : Nis no clerk with countours couþe aluendel rekene.
b
- (1404) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100395 : Item, v s. de countors.
- (1448-50) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)307/7 : Item payed for..j bagge with covntoures.
- (1467) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.616 : Pro vii nests counters val. lxx s...item pro iiii nest countours val. xl s.
- (1478) Doc.Cely in ES 42 (PRO C.47/37 File 16 f.13)p.144 : Payd be the mene off a covnter -- xiij s. iiij d.
- a1500 12 PTrib.(2) (Rwl C.894)401 : A lordis auditor somtyme in the ende of acompte leyth a cownter of brasse or coper or a nother þinge of lytyll value to be worth or sygnifieth an hundriþe pound of gold or syluer.
c
- (1378) Doc.in Riley Mem.Lond.419 : [John Grey..made off with the said purse with the farthings in it and put into the chest 15] countours [in another purse..many purses and new] countours [in imitation of farthings of gold were found upon him].
3.
(a) A table used for making accounts or counting money, a counting table; a chest used for the same purposes; ?also, any table or chest; (b) a room or building in which accounts are kept, a countinghouse; (c) ~ bord, a counting table; ~ dore, the door of a countinghouse; ~ hous, a countinghouse; ~ keie, the key of a countinghouse; ~ scales, a scale used in keeping accounts.
Associated quotations
a
- (1345) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)1.477 : [All the store of his shop, to wit,] countours [and balances].
- (1415) Invent.Agincourt in Archaeol.7089 : Item, vn Chest appell vn countour, pris iij s. iiij d.
- (1418) Grocer Lond.in Bk.Lond.E.201/214 : j Cownter with a grene clote.
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.174/1064 : For an latys þat standith yn þe wendowe of þe grete chamber atte ende of þe grete countere.
- (1436-7) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)241/17 : Payd For a carpet for owr countur in þe parloure.
- (1438) Will York in Sur.Soc.4594 : De j cownter iij s.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)98 : Cowntowre: Complicatorium [?read: Computatorium].
- (1444) Will York in Sur.Soc.30102 : j standyng chountre in le waterhouse chaumbre.
- (1453) Paston2.281 : I have take the mesure in the draute chamer, ther as ye wold your cofors and cowntewery shuld be sette.
- (1460-65) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31396 : Paied for..makyng of the Covnter in the halle.
- (1461) Deed Yks.in YASRS 63154 : Item, lego dicto Briano meam mensam vocatam le counter.
- (1479) Let.Cely (PRO S.C.1 59/23)p.64 (72/13) : If I may be sped of yow, I pray yow send the kay of your conter to John Dalton or whom that it pleis yow for to delyuer me, and I shall make yow a bill as atornay of Thomas Burton.
- a1525(?1433) Cov.Leet Bk.146 : Vna pars istius carte remanet in quadam Cista vocata le wardens Countre.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1403 : Vp to hir housbonde is this wyf ygon And knokketh at his countour [vr. counter] boldely.
- (1431) Will York in Sur.Soc.3016 : Johanni Beverlay, omnia instrumenta et necessaria shopæ meæ ad le meltynghouse et ad countor meum spectantia.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)436 : Thogh Argus..Sete to rekene in hys countour..Yet shoulde he fayle.
- (1463) Dower Pekham in Archaeol.74 (Gldh Hustings Roll 196(10))157 : With a Closett called a Countir sett on the south side of the same entre.
c
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1267-75 : Vp in to his countour [vrr. counter, countre] hous goth he..ful faste his countour dore he shette.
- c1415 Chaucer CT.Sh.(Lnsd 851)B.1275 : Ful fast his counterhous dore he schette.
- c1435 Chaucer CT.Sh.(Bod 686)B.1275 : Borde [Heng: his Countour dore he shette].
- (1448-50) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)307/7 : Payed for a covnter keye.
- (1456-7) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)370/3 : j peyre counter scalis.
4.
One of the two prisons in London used especially for debtors.
Associated quotations
- (1422) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.127/174 : Item we endite þe Porter of þe Countour in Chepe for an Extorcioner.
- (1428) EEWills78/4 : I be-quethe to be distribued a-mong prisoners in the prisons of Ludgate, Marchalsie..And the Countours in London..xx s.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)97 : Alle the presoners of Ludgate, in passion weke, weren removyd from Ludgate vnto Neugate and vnto the Countres.
- (c1435) *Pet.Chanc.PRO ser.CP 1 file 12no.199 : Thomas Stone..ledde ye said Richard Hertangir..as prisoner vn to ye Counter within ye said Citee of london.
- (1439) EEWills113/18 : All-so I be-queth to euery prisoner yn the prison of Ludgate, And ech of the ij Countours of London, a loof of a pownde.
- ?c1450 Brut-1447 (Trin-C O.9.1)457/5-7 : The oon half of these xviij presoners were ledde to the oon Counter, and þat oþer half to þat other Compter..And these were ledde to the Compters, braced as though they had be felons and theves.
- (1452) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)345 : And no moo Clerkes in aither of the Counters then the Secundarye, the Clerk of the papir, and other two Clerkes to theym, and with theym syttyng in the Courte the Undreshirrefz Clerkes.
- (1452) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)346 : Of Clerkes in the Comptours, contrary to the saide ordenaunce, in aither Comptour v or vj personnes moo then have ben used of old tyme.
- (1463) Let.Bk.Lond.L (Gldh LetBk L)41 : For the ease and comfort and releef of al the powre prysoners beyng in the Gaoles and countours of the saide Citee, certeyn Articles..were made.
- (1472-5) RParl.6.160b : William Hyde..was arested..enprisoned in the Counter.