| 释义 |
† ˈcock-ˌpenny Obs.
A customary payment at Shrovetide, formerly made to the schoolmaster in certain schools in the north of England.
Originally applied to defray the expense of cock-fighting or cock-throwing. See N. Carlisle, Endowed Gram. Schools (1818); also N. & Q. Feb. 1890.
1524(Apr. 1) Indenture in N. Carlisle Endowed Gram. Schools I. 677 (Manchester Gram. Sch.) Item that every Schoolmaster..shall teach freely..without any money or other rewards taken therefore, as Cock-penny, Victor-penny, Potation-penny, or any other whatsoever it be. 1597Pilgr. Parnass. v. 594 A companie of ragged vicars and forlorne schoolemaisters..looking for cockpence in the bottome of a pue. 1691Wood Ath. Oxon. I. 562. 1721 in Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1886) II. 74 All gratuities..such as entrance money, cockpenny, fire money, and quarteridge. 1756Boucher in Lett. Radcliffe & James (Oxf. Hist. Soc.) Pref. 7 My salary [at St. Bees' School]..was {pstlg}10 a year; and entrances and cock-pennies amounted to as much more. 1818N. Carlisle Gram. Schools I. 647 (at Cartmel, Lanc.) It is customary for persons of property, who have children at the School, to make a compliment to the Master at Shrovetide of a sum, called ‘Cock pence’. This cannot be demanded of right. Ibid. I. 662 (at Hawkshead). 1870Hazlitt in Brand's Pop. Antiq. I. 42 The scholars of Clitheroe Free Grammar-School have to pay at Shrovetide what is called a cock-penny..supposed to be a substitute for bringing the animal itself to school, which formerly was very common. |