free quartern.
/ˌfriː ˈkwɔːtə/, U.S. /ˌfri ˈkwɔ(r)dər/ Now chiefly historical.
The right of troops to be billeted in free quarters (also in extended use); (also) the necessity for troops of having to find free quarters; the obligation or imposition of having to provide free board and lodging for troops. at (also upon) free-quarter (or free-quarters): without charge (to oneself or one's employer) for one's quarters.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military organization > logistics > quartering > [noun] > upon private persons
coynye1449
free quartering1644
free quarter1645
quarter1647
1645 City Alarum 17 That which is instar omnium and the Serpentive abuse that hath devoured the memory of all other, is the licence..of free quarter, in Counties well affected.
1651 S. Clarke Gen. Martyrologie 181 The Maior and chief Aldermen had twenty Musquetiers apiece put into their houses upon free quarter.
1655 King Charles II Speech 22 Jan. in W. C. Abbott Writings & Speeches O. Cromwell (1945) III. 585 These took their advantage from..stopping the pay of the army, to run us into free quarter.
1716 C. Johnson Cobler of Preston i. 2 I will live upon Free-Quarter, Cicely, I am free of all the Eale and Beef in England, you Housewife.
1789 J. Gough Hist. People called Quakers III. vi. iii. 269 They were..exposed to the depredations of soldiers, permitted to live upon free quarter.
1818 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 33 524 An army must be sent into Yorkshire; but, they must live at free-quarter then.
1824 Times 4 May 3/3 He himself [sc. King Ferdinand of Spain] may live at free quarter in convents, eating sweetmeats and singing canticles with the monks.
1851 F. Palgrave Hist. Normandy & Eng. I. 486 The roistering Danish men were living at free quarters in the monastery.
1921 Eng. Hist. Rev. 36 289 The Prussians were unpopular in Belgium because they too wished to live at free quarters.
1948 F. C. Turner James II ii. vi. 476 They either lived at home..or, more frequently, lived at free quarter on the neighbourhood and by pillaging farther afield.
1985 Jrnl. Brit. Stud. 24 302 Soldiers were no longer a feudal levy called from the land or a set of masterless mercenaries hired on short-term contracts to live at free quarter.
2002 J. S. Wheeler Irish & Brit. Wars v. 139 Fairfax was able to prevent the taking of free quarter by his soldiers.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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