sb. Forms: α. 6–7 cartell, 7 -all, 7– -el. β. 6 chartale, -ell, 6–7 -el. [a. F. cartel, ad. It. cartello (= Sp. cartel, med.L. cartellus), dim. of carta paper, letter, bill. (The fem. dim. cartella has a different sense.)]
1. A written challenge, a letter of defiance.
1560. Sir T. Chaloner, Lett., 15 Jan., in Froude, Hist. Eng., VI. 313. Our professed enemies … instead of cartels of defiance, will send us solemn letters of congratulation.
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., I. v. 89. I should send him a chartel presently.
1650. Jer. Taylor, Holy Dying, iii. § 8. Xerxes … sent a chartel of Defiance against the Mount Athos.
1769. Robertson, Chas. V. (1813), V. 431. He … sent back the herald with a cartel of defiance.
1841. D’Israeli, Amen. Lit. (1867), 454. To the unknown libeller … Sir Philip Sidney … designed to send a cartel of defiance.
1880. S. Cox, Comm. Job, 213. Job breaks out into this brief cartel of defiance.
† 2. A slanderous writing, a libel. Obs.
1590. Davidson, Reply Bancroft, in Wodr. Soc. Misc., 516. That calumnious chartale, fraughted with as many lies almost as it hath lines.
1600. O. E., Reply Libel, Ep. Ded. 5. One of our friends doth only term it a chartell or libell.
3. A written agreement relating to the exchange or ransom of prisoners, etc.; such exchange itself.
1692. Bentley, Boyle Lect., ix. 335. The agreements of the Cartel do expire of their own accord when the Peace is concluded.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time, an. 1659 (R.). By a cartel that had been settled between the two armies, all prisoners were to be redeemed at a set price.
1774. Westm. Mag., II. 483. A cartel being soon after established for the exchange of prisoners.
1809. Wellington, Lett., in Gurw., Disp., V. 69. I shall endeavor to establish a cartel of exchange as soon as possible.
1832. W. Irving, Alhambra, II. 150. He then sent down a flag of truce in military style, proposing a cartel or exchange of prisoners.
b. = cartel-ship: see quot. 1769.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), Cartel, a ship commissioned in time of war to exchange the prisoners of any two hostile powers; also to carry any particular proposal from one to another.
1795. in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson (1845), II. 38. Three Cartels are expected from Toulon with sick prisoners.
1813. Examiner, 9 May, 304/2. He … was coming home in the cartel, when he was taken ill with a violent fever, which terminated in his death.
4. gen. A paper or card, bearing writing or printing; a tablet.
1693. Urquhart, Rabelais, III. viii. 68. Covering them with Husks … Films, Cartels, Shells … Rinds.
1762–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), I. 210. He ordered a cartel with some Greek verses … to be affixed to the frame [of a portrait].
1850. Mrs. Browning, Poems, II. 324. Wipe such visionings From the Fancy’s cartel.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., I. xiii. 584. To send in a cartel or report of the number of knights’ fees.
5. attrib., as in cartel ship, a ship employed in exchanging prisoners; see 3, 3 b.
1757. Wesley, Wks. (1872), II. 425. Some hundred English, who had been prisoners in France, were landed at Penzance, by a cartel ship.
1826. Kent, Comm., 69. The same interdiction of trade applies to ships of truce, or cartel ships.
Hence † Cartel v. trans., to serve with a challenge; † Carteller, † Cartelist, one who challenges; Cartelling vbl. sb., making of cartels, exchanging of prisoners.
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., I. iv. Come hither, you shall chartel him.
1611. Florio, Cartellante, a challenger, a carteller.
a. 1679. Earl Orrery, Guzman, III. The Mode of fighting Duels with single Rapier, which … has been call’d, by the Cartelists, à la Bouteville.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., V. xix. ix. 628. No more exchanging or cartelling.
