decretal, a., n.
(dɪˈkriːtəl)
Also 4–7 -ale, -all(e, (7 decreetall).
[a. F. décrétal, -ale (13th c.), ad. L. dēcrētālis of or containing a decree, whence med.L. dēcrētāles (sc. epistolæ) papal letters containing decrees, dēcrētāle a decree, statute, constitution.]
A. adj.
1. Pertaining to, of the nature of, or containing, a decree or decrees. a. Pertaining to the papal decrees: see B. 1. † decretal right: canon law.
| 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. iii. v. 175 After the decretall and cyuyll ryght. 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. iv. vii. 43 The decretall epistles heaped together by Gregorie the .ix. 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1596) 5/1 Decided by certeine new decretal or rather extradecretal and extravagant constitutions. a 1631 Donne in Select. (1840) 18 The word inspired by the Holy Ghost; not apocryphal, not decretal, not traditional. 1682 Burnet Rights Princes v. 165 That impudent Forgery of the Decretal Epistles. 1765 Blackstone Comm. I. 59 The canon laws, or decretal epistles of the popes, are..rescripts in the strictest sense. 1823 Lingard Hist. Eng. VI. 193 Campeggio had read the decretal bull to him and his minister. |
b. Pertaining to, or of the nature of, a decree of Chancery or other civil court.
| 1689 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. I. 253 Persuant to a Decretall order of y⊇ Provinll. Judges. 1714 Lond. Gaz. No. 5253/4 A Decretal Order made in the High Court of Chancery. 1819 Swanston Reports (Chancery) III. 238 The bill could not be dismissed by motion of course. That order was decretal, and necessarily retained the cause. 1884 Weekly Notes 20 Dec. 242/2 Such an order is decretal only and not a final foreclosure judgment. |
† 2. Having the force of a decree or absolute command, imperative. b. transf. of the person who commands. Obs.
| a 1610 Healey Epictetus' Man. lxxiv. (1636) 95 To observe all these as decretall lawes, never to bee violated. 1610 ― St. Aug. Citie of God xxi. viii. (1620) 793 What more decretall law hath God laid vpon nature. 1679 J. Goodman Penit. Pardoned ii. ii. (1713) 192 When he [the Almighty]..seems to have been most peremptory and decretal in his threatenings. |
† 3. Decisive, definitive. Obs. rare.
| 1608 Chapman Byron's Trag. Plays 1873 II. 319 So heer's a most decreetall end of me. 1697 Evelyn Numism. vii. 252 The decretal Battel at Pharsalia. |
B. n.
1. Eccl. A papal decree or decretal epistle; a document issued by a Pope, containing a decree or authoritative decision on some point of doctrine or ecclesiastical law. b. pl. The collection of such decrees, forming part of the canon law.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 337, & if þe decretal ne were ordeynd for þis, Þe clerkes ouer alle ne rouht to do amys. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 428 Ac in canoun ne in þe decretales I can nouȝte rede a lyne. 1481 Caxton Myrr. i. v. 26 They..goo lerne anon the lawes or decretals. c 1555 Harpsfield Divorce Hen. VIII (1878) 191 That..the Pope would sign a Decretall drawn out for his purpose. 1645 Milton Colast. Wks. (1851) 358 To uphold his opinion, by Canons, and Gregorian decretals. 1725 tr. Dupin's Eccl. Hist. 17th C. I. v. 69 The Name of Decretals is particularly given to Letters of the Popes which contain Constitutions and Regulations. 1818 Hallam Mid. Ages (1841) I. vii. 524 Upon these spurious decretals was built the great fabric of papal supremacy over the different national churches. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. II. ix. 312 The first decretal, which was withheld by Campeggio, in which he had pronounced the marriage with Catherine invalid. 1860 Lit. Churchman VI. 304/2 The false decretals of Isidore. |
¶ The sing. was occasionally used instead of the pl. in sense b above. Obs.
| 1531 Dial. Laws Eng. ii. xxvi. (1638) 110 They that be learned in the law..hold the decretall bindeth not in this Realme. 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1684) III. 307 They brought forth a Decretal, a Book of the Bishop of Romes Law, to bind me to answer. |
2. transf. A decree, ordinance.
| 1588 Greene Perimedes 3 To phlebotomie, to fomentacions, and such medicinall decretals. a 1652 J. Smith Sel. Disc. v. 171 Which are not the eternal dictates and decretals of the devine nature. 1858 J. Martineau Stud. Chr. 86 A repeal of the decretals of Eternity. |