alnage
(ˈɔːlnɪdʒ)
Forms: 5–7 aulnage, 7 aulneage, 7– alnage.
[a. OFr. aulnage (mod. aunage), f. aulner, auner to measure by the ell; f. alne, aulne, aune ell (cogn. w. Pr. alna, auna, It. auna):—late L. alena, a. OTeut. *alina (Goth. aleina, ON. alin, OHG. elina, OE. eln, Eng. ell) cogn. w. L. ulna, Gr. ὠλένη the fore-arm.]
1. Measurement by the ell. spec. Official inspection and measurement of woollen cloth, and attestation of its value by the affixing of a leaden seal.
| [1477 Act 17 Ed. IV, v. in Pulton Coll. (1632) 379 To let to ferme the subsidie and aulnage of Clothes which ought to be sealed.] 1668 Child Disc. Trade (1694) 3 The business of the Aulnage, which doubtless our predecessors intended for a scrutiny into the goodness of the commodity. 1736 Carte Ormonde I. 141 Alnage was to remain as already settled by law. |
2. The fee paid for the above measurement.
| 1622 Rep. Hist. MSS. (1874) 311/2 The pettie farm (various items, viz... Alnage, {pstlg}820). 1689 Atkins Parl. & Pol. Tracts (1734) 231 A Case that concerns meerly his Revenue, as this of the Aulneage was. |