[a. AF. voucher VOUCH v.: see -ER4.]
1. Law. The summoning of a person into court to warrant the title to a property. Voucher over (cf. VOUCH v. 1 c).
1531. Dial. on Laws Eng., II. iv. G v b. If suche a recouerye be had of rente with a voucher ouer, then it shalbe taken to be of lyke effecte as recoueryes of landes be in suche maner as we haue treated of before.
1544. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 12. And he vouched the heyre of the feoffour, and duringe the voucher and not termyned, the wyfe of the feoffe bryngeth an accyon of Dower agaynst the heyre of the feoffe.
1570. Act 13 Eliz., c. 5 § 5. Any Estate … by reason whereof any Person … shall use any Voucher in any Writ of Formedon.
1621. Sanderson, Serm., I. 184. When thou … hast nayled all these with all the appurtenances, by fines, and vouchers, and entayls, as firm as law can make them, to thy child.
1625. [see VOUCHEE 1].
1766. Blackstone, Comm., II. 358. This is called the voucher … or calling of Jacob Morland to warranty. Ibid. (1768), III. 299. Voucher also is the calling in of some person to answer the action, that hath warranted the title to the tenant or defendant.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), I. 425. To the intent that a common recovery should be had and suffered against them, with voucher of the lessor.
[1865. F. M. Nichols, Britton, II. 4. In this writ neither view nor voucher lies. Ibid., 98. In such case the tenant shall fail in his voucher.]
b. Double voucher: (see quot. 1628).
1594. West, 2nd Pt. Symbol., § 136. In a recouerie with double voucher, the fine must be sued first to make him tenant at the time of the writ of Entre brought.
1602. Shaks., Ham., V. i. 114. His recognizances, his Fines, his double Vouchers.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 102. You shall finde in bookes a recouery with a single Voucher, and that is when there is but one Voucher, and with a double Voucher, and that is when the Vouchee voucheth over.
1752. McDouall, Inst. Law Scot., II. 244. The above is the procedure in a Common Recovery with a double voucher, and is the most common and safe way.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., II. 359. It is now usual always to have a recovery with double voucher at the least.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), V. 325. In a recovery with double voucher.
2. transf. A piece of evidence; a fact, circumstance or thing serving to confirm or prove something; a guarantee.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., II. ii. 39. Heere’s a Voucher, Stronger than euer Law could make.
1696. Whiston, The. Earth, II. (1722), 191. Plutarch and Pliny attest it,… the last bringing Augustus’s own Words for his Voucher.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 37. It has no Voucher but the Epistles of Phalaris, the very Book that’s under debate.
1719. R. Wodrow, Corr. (1843), II. 436. The vouchers and proofs are such as will, I hope, be found sufficient.
1744. T. Birch, Life Boyle, 112. The philosophy of Des Cartes … had not the necessary vouchers of repeated experiments, purposely tried, to make it good.
1788. Priestley, Lect. Hist., IV. xxix. 217. The collection of records … supplies good vouchers of the truth of all he advances.
1807. G. Chalmers, Caledonia, I. II. vi. 302, note. The Register of St. Andrews is the most ancient voucher for the death of Alpin.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., II. xxiv. 237. The destruction of the vouchers of the cruise … the log-books, the meteorological registers, the surveys, and the journals.
1885. Manch. Exam., 3 June, 5/2. The strength of the bias which these letters reveal … [is] a sufficient voucher for their genuineness.
b. A written document or note, or other material evidence, serving to attest the correctness of accounts or monetary transactions, to prove the delivery of goods or valuables, etc.
1696. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), IV. 28. At last it ended in appointing a committee to repair to the East India house and search their books, if they can find vouchers for the said accounts.
1731. in W. Hale, Prec. Causes of Office (1841), 68. The vouchers and an estimate of the necessary expenses … to be laid before the vestry.
1760. Cautions & Advices to Officers of Army, 35. Keep all the Serjeant’s Pay-Notes, and all Receipts, to be produced as your Vouchers when you settle Accompts with your Captain.
1780. T. Jefferson, Corr., Wks. 1859, I. 245. The arms you have to spare may be delivered to General Gates’s order, taking and furnishing us with proper vouchers.
1828. D’Israeli, Chas. I., I. xi. 309. At his death, his family discovered that he had kept no vouchers or any accounts whatever.
1857. Toulmin Smith, Parish, 183. When they have regularly to produce accounts, with vouchers, of all receipts and expenditure.
1866. Crump, Banking, &c., iv. 96. Disputing the payment of a particular cheque, and alleging that all his paid vouchers had been destroyed.
c. A written warrant or attestation.
1796. Trans. Soc. Arts, XIV. 274. I send along with this a voucher signed by the Mayor … who saw me make Net on this machine.
1862. R. H. Gronow, Remin., I. 49. No one could obtain a box or a ticket for the pit without a voucher from one of the lady patronesses.
1884. Manch. Exam., 12 Sept., 5/1. The report … appears to have been sent direct from the Mudir to Cairo, without a voucher from Major Kitchener, who is at Dongola.
3. attrib., as voucher-card, form, number, system.
1881. Miss Braddon, Asph., xvii. Where the voucher system is so thoroughly carried out.
1891. Pall Mall G., 21 Sept., 7/2. As I get into the train the guard rushes up and hands me a voucher-card.
1898. Engineering Mag., XVI. 46. The voucher form is printed on white paper for the office, and on tinted green paper for the agents. Ibid. The ‘Key’ to this voucher number.
Hence † Voucher v. trans., VOUCH v. 5. b.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., Stat. Rob. III., 59. The tenant … sall woucher, that is, affirme, that he halds that land … be the tenour of the chartour quhilk is tynt.
