[ad. med.L. custumārius, -ārium, representing OF. coustumier, L. consuētūdinārius, -ārium, subst. uses of the adj.: see prec.]
1. Law. A written collection of customs (see CUSTOM sb. 2); a book or document setting forth the customs of a manor, city, province, etc.
1604. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 432. The Costomary of the mannor of Tettenhall regis.
a. 1618. Raleigh, in Gutch, Coll. Cur., I. 64. By the customary of Bretaigne the Lords have aids towards the marrying of their daughters.
1818. Hallam, Mid. Ages (1841), I. i. 133. The earliest written customary in France is that of Bearn.
1885. Law Times’ Rep., LIII. 503/1. Although such custom was not contained in any of the customaries of the manor.
b. transf. The customs of a country, etc., collectively, even though not reduced to writing.
1795. Burke, Regic. Peace, i. Wks. VIII. 182. The whole of the polity and œconomy of every country in Europe has been derived from the same sources. It was drawn from the old Germanick or Gothick custumary.
1859. Dasent, Pop. Tales fr. Norse, Introd. xi. The codes of the Lombards, Franks, and Goths were not mere savage, brutal customaries.
2. Eccl. A treatise containing the ritual and ceremonial usages of a religious house, order, college; = CONSUETUDINARY sb.
1882. J. W. Legg, Notes Hist. Liturg. Colours, 43. Richard de Ware was Abbot of Westminster from 1258 to 1283, and caused a custumary to be written.
