Forms: ? 1 kæcepol, cæccepol, 2–4 cachepol, 4 cacchepol, 4–5 kachepol(l, 4–6 catchepoll, 5 cachepoll, cahchpolle, 6 catchepolle, -pole, catchipolle, catchpoule, catchpolle, 6–7 catchpol, 4– catchpoll, 6– catchpole. [a. med.L. cacepollus, ONF. *cachepol = central OF. chacepol, chacipol, chassipol, in med.L. also cachepolus, chacepollus, charipollus, chassipullus (Du Cange), lit. ‘chase-fowl,’ one who hunts or chases fowls. The form of the word appears to indicate that it arose in Provençal, where it would be cassapol, or It., where it would be cacciapollo. The OF. was apparently adapted from Pr. or med.L.
A charter of 1107 (St. Hugues, Grenoble) has the word as a surname, ‘ego Franco cassat pullum,’ ‘ego Franco de Biveu quem vocant cassa pullum,’ where the first element is the Provençal (and thence med.L.) verb cassare (:—L. captiāre) in 3rd pers. sing. Of similar names, Geraldus Cazaporcs ‘swine driver’ witnesses a charter of 1097 (St. Victor of Marseilles); Petrus Chaceporc, clericus regis Henrici III, witnesses a charter of 1246 (Bordeaux); Cacheleu appears as the older form of Chasseloup ‘wolf-hunter’; Cachepouil, in 15th c. Cachapeolls, f. pediculus louse, is the name of a mill near Perigueux. (P. Meyer.)]
† 1. A tax-gatherer, an exactor of taxes or imposts; a (Roman) publican. Obs.
a. 1050. Ælfric, Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 111. Exactor, kæcepol [printed hæce wol].
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 97. Matheus þet wes cachepol þene he iwende to god-spellere.
c. 1500. Cocke Lorelles B. (1843), 4. Crystofer catchepoll a crystes course gaderer.
a. 1563. Becon, Fasting, in Catechism, &c. (1844), 536. What usurer leaveth his usury?… what catchpole his extortion?
1612–5. [see CATCHPOLESHIP].
1652. C. Stapylton, Herodian, xx. 167. Then all the Catchpole Officers were slain.
2. A petty officer of justice; a sheriff’s officer or sergeant, esp. a warrant officer who arrests for debt, a bum-bailiff. (Used in early times to render L. lictor; since 16th c., at least, a word of contempt.)
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVIII. 46. Crucifige, quod a cacchepolle I warante hym a wicche.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Sam. xix. 20. Saul sente catchpollis [Vulg. lictores] for to take David.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXI. 76. Quikliche cam a cacchepol and craked a-two here legges.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 58. Cahchpolle or pety-seriawnte, angarius, exceptor.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., 21 (Harl. MS.). The Cachepollys And the mynistris of the Emperour mette with hem.
1596. Nashe, Saffron Walden, 9. As ready as any catchpoule … to torment him.
1607–72. Cowell, Interpr., Catchpole, though now it be used as a word of contempt, yet, in ancient times, it seems to have been used without reproach.
1668. R. L’Estrange, Vis. Quev. (1708), 3. Your Algouazils (or Catchpoles) and your Devils are both of an Order.
1760. Goldsm., Cit. W., xcviii. The catchpole watches the man in debt.
1809. W. Irving, Knickerb. (1861), 81. I have a mortal antipathy to catchpolls, bumbailiffs, and little great men.
1841. Macaulay, Ess., Hastings (1854), II. 623. Miserable catchpoles … with Impey’s writs in their hands.
b. attrib. and in comb.
a. 1643. Boys, in Spurgeon, Treas. Dav., Ps. xlv. 2. The very catch-poll officers … gave this testimony.
1601. Downf. Earl Huntington, I. iii. in Hazl., Dodsley, VIII. 118. Follow him, ye catchpole-bribed grooms.
1784. Cowper, Task, II. 684. As fast as catchpole claws Can seize the slipp’ry prey.
Hence Catchpolery, catchpollery [OF. chassipollerie, med.L. chacipollaria]; Catchpoleship; Catchpoll v., a. intr. to exercise the function of a catchpole; b. trans. only in passive, to be seized or arrested by a catchpole; Catchpolling vbl. sb.
1576. Newton, trans. Lemnie’s Complex. (1633), 93. The fourth part of the goods, for their catchpolling, falleth to them, for their lot and share.
1604. Dekker, Honest Wh., xii. Wks. 1873, II. 66. A rescue (prentises) my masters catchpol’d.
1612–5. Bp. Hall, Contempl. N. T., IV. iii. (1833), 175. This catchpole-ship of Zaccheus carried extortion in the face.
1668. R. L’Estrange, Vis. Quev. (1708), 2. A Devil catchpol’d, and not a Catchpole bedevil’d.
1835. Fraser’s Mag., XII. 170–1. All the duns, bums … and the other accursed components of that diabolical system called ‘Catchpollery.’
† Catchpole, -ule, var. CACHESPELL, tennis.
1663. Blair, Autobiog., i. (1848), 8. The exercise of my body by archery and the catchpole.
