provisor
(prəʊˈvaɪzə(r))
[ME. provisour, a. AF. provisour (quot. 1339 in 1) = F. proviseur (14th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. prōvīsōr-em a provider, agent-n. f. prōvid-ēre to provide.]
I. 1. The holder of a provision or grant (esp. from the pope) giving him the right to be presented to a benefice on the occurrence of the next vacancy. (See provision n. 4.) Obs. exc. Hist.
Statute of Provisors, the act 25 Edw. III, 1350–1, enacted to prevent the granting of these provisions by the pope; subsequent laws to the same effect were also so called.
| [1339 Year Bk. Mich. 13 Edw. III, pl. 3 (Rolls) 5 Et il, nient aresteant la prohibicion, a la request dun provisour,..fist clore le huys del Eglise..en contempt du Roy, et encontre la prohibicion. 1350–1 Act 25 Edw. III, Stat. iv, Et en cas qe les presentes le Roi, ou les presentes dautres patrons..soient desturbez per tieles provisours..adonqes soient les ditz provisours attaches per lour corps.] |
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iii. 142 Heo is priue with þe Pope, Prouisours hit knowen. 1455 Rolls of Parlt. V. 303/1 The penaltee of the Statutes of provisours. a 1648 Ld. Herbert Hen. VIII (1683) 349 The King..granted them a Pardon for all offences against the Statutes of Provisors. 1769 Blackstone Comm. IV. viii. 111 Sharp and penal laws were enacted against provisors. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. ii. 104 Morton had gone beyond the limits of the statute of provisors in receiving powers from Pope Innocent. 1886 L. O. Pike Year Bks. 13 & 14 Edw. III, Introd. 61 The Provisor became practically the King's presentee at a time when the Abbey was not vacant. |
II. One who provides, purveys, or takes charge.
[In many specific uses in med.L.: cf. Du Cange: Provisores Ecclesiarum nuncupati Laici, qui earum bona & possessiones administrabant... Provisores Exteriorum, apud Præmonstratenses..‘ad quos pertinet exteriora providere’... Provisor Monasterii, cui thesaurus Monasterii commissus erat.]
† 2. One who is in charge; a manager, a supervisor; an agent, a deputy. Obs.
| 1390 Gower Conf. II. 224 There be nou many suche, I gesse, That lich unto the provisours Thei make here prive procurours, To telle hou ther is such a man, Which is worthi to love. c 1450 tr. De Imitatione ii. i. 40 Whan þou hast crist..he shal be þi prouisour, þy true procutour in all þinges. 1474 Caxton Chesse iv. ii. K iv, That kynge is not wel fortunat that lesith hym to whom his auctorite delegate aperteyneth who..was prouysour of al the royame. a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1535) 154 b, And reson whiche is prouisour declareth. |
† 3. One who provides or cares for another; a provider; a guardian, protector. Obs.
| 1503 Hawes Examp. Virt. vii. xliv, A kynge to be..Vnto his subiectes..a good prouysour. 1610 Healey St. Aug. Citie of God xix. xiv. (1620) 724 The prouisors are the commanders, as the husband ouer his wife; parents ouer their children and masters ouer their seruants: and they that are prouided for obey. 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. lxxvii. 312 The poor Licentiat Gaspar Jorge, who termed himself Auditor Generall of the Indiaes, great Provisor of the deceased and Orphelins, and Superintendent of the Treasure of Malaca. 1677 [see provisive]. 1730 T. Boston View Covt. Grace (1771) 162 Their Shepherd, Provisor, Protector, King, Husband, Head. |
† 4. One who has charge of getting provisions; a purveyor; the steward or treasurer of a house, a monastery, etc. Obs. exc. Hist.
| 1498 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. I. 390 Item,..giffin to the Gray Freris prouisour in Striuelin, to the bigging, lxvj lib. xiij s. iiij d. 1574 Reg. Privy Council Scot. II. 364 The saidis ministeris, redaris, and provisor of oure Soverane Lordis hous. 1578–9 Ibid. III. 93 The said Alexander being provisour of the saidis houssis..payment sould have bene maid to him. 1584 Ibid. 655 Cuikis, and utheris provisouris of victuellis. 1631 Heylin St. George 106 The Caterer forsooth, or Provisor generall of Hogs-flesh for the armie. 1683 Cave Ecclesiastici, Athanasius 142 Provisor General of Pork for the Army. 1848 Mozley Ess. (1878) I. Luther 360 John Kestner of Wittenberg, provisor of the Cordeliers. |
† 5. = proveditor 1. Obs. rare.
| 1579 Fenton Guicciard. ii. (1599) 84 The army..but little disposed (specially the prouisors of the Venetians) to put them selues any more in the arbitrement of fortune. 1596 Danett tr. Comines (1614) 280 As touching these prouisors whom they send in person with their armies vppon the land. |
6. R.C. Ch. An ecclesiastic assisting an archbishop or bishop, and acting in his stead; a vicar-general; a deputy-inquisitor.
[Cf. Du Cange: Provisor Episcopi, Qui ejus vices gerit, nostris Grand-Vicaire.]
| c 1560 Frampton Narration in Strype Ann. Ref. (1709) I. xx. 231, I was sent for, and brought before the Bishop, the two Inquisitors, and the Provizor. 1600 Hakluyt Voy. III. 453 The Bishop of Mexico, and his Prouisor. 1617 Moryson Itin. i. 252 The Lord Nicholas Donati Generall Prouisor and Inquisitor in the Kingdome of Candia. 1625 Gonsalvio's Sp. Inquis. 44 Where all the Inquisitors..sit in their seates of Maiestie, and besides them the Prouisor, as they tearme him, or deputy Ordinary of the Diocesse. 1823 Southey Hist. Penins. War I. 623 D. Francisco Castanedo, Canon of the holy Church of Jaen, Provisor and Vicar-general of that diocese. 1841 J. L. Stephens Centr. Amer. (1854) 10 A Roman Catholic priest..on his way to Guatimala by invitation of the Provisor, by the exile of the Archbishop the head of the church. |