Also 7 -poyne, 8 -pain. [An alteration of the earlier COUNTERPOINT2, the second element being made identical with the word PANE (F. pan, L. pannus cloth), used in 15th c. (cf. quots. 1459, 1464) in the sense ‘coverlet, bed-cover,’ or with the same element in COVER-PANE covering cloth, q.v.]
The outer covering of a bed, generally more or less ornamental, being woven in a raised pattern, quilted, made of patch-work, etc.; a coverlet, a quilt.
[1459. Inv., in Paston Lett., No. 336, I. 484. [Bedchamber] j fedder bed … Item, ij blankettys, j payre of schettys. Item rede pane furryd with connyngs. [Also on p. 483 bis.]
1464. Will, in Draper’s Dict., s.v., Six pair of blankets, and a pane of minever.]
1603. Drayton, Bar. Wars, VI. xli. On which, a Tissue counterpoyne was cast.
1626. Sir R. Boyle, Diary (1886), II. 193. For [the] … outside of a skarlett gown to mak a Counterpane sutable to my Skarlett Bedd.
1679. Lond. Gaz., No. 1434/4. An Indian Counter-pane or Coverlid with silk and silver.
1745. P. Thomas, Jrnl. Anson’s Voy., 200. The Counterpain is in a manner the same. They do not use Feather Beds.
1851. H. Melville, Moby-Dick, iv. 28. The counterpane was of patchwork.
1885. Tennyson, In Children’s Hospital, viii. Her dear, long, lean, little arms lying out on the counterpane.
