[See DELIVERY.]
1. The clearing a jail of prisoners by bringing them to trial, esp. at the assizes; hence, the judicial process by which every prisoner awaiting trial in a jail is either condemned or acquitted at the assizes. See DELIVER v.1 2 c.
1464. Nottingham Rec., II. 377. Paied to the Justices of Deliuerance for the Gaole Delyuere.
1487. Act 3 Hen. VII., c. 4 § 2. The next generall gaille delyvere of the same gailles in every Shire.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 243 b. [He] came before the Justices of Gaole delivery at Newegate.
1618. L. Parsons, in Lismore Papers (1887), Ser. II. II. 154. My lord deputy intends … to make a priuate jaole deliuery at Corck of all the pirats lately taken.
1769. Blackstone, Comm., IV. 267. They have … a commission of general gaol delivery; which empowers them to try and deliver every prisoner, who shall be in the gaol when the judges arrive at the circuit town, whenever indicted, or for whatever crime committed.
1858. Beveridge, Hist. India, II. V. v. 380. A court of oyer and terminer and jail-delivery was undoubtedly competent to try crimes.
fig. 1579–80. North, Plutarch, Coriolanus (ed. Nutt), II. 184. But my only demaunde consisteth, to make a gayle deliverie of all evills.
1860. Emerson, Cond. Life, Considerations, Wks. (Bohn), II. 417. It was … a general jail-delivery of all the rowdies of the rivers.
b. ellipt. for Sessions, Court, or Commission of jail-delivery.
1612. Davies, Why Ireland, etc. (1747), 109. At a goal deliuery at Waterford before Iohn Wogan.
1670–1. Marvell, Corr., Wks. 1872–5, II. 371. He had given orders to the Judges to adjourn the Goale Delivery at the Old Bailey till the 10th of March.
2. Deliverance from jail or imprisonment.
1592. Davies, Immort. Soul (1599), 100. Were it knowne to all, What life our Soules do by this death receaue, Men would it birth, or Gaole deliuery call.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, I. (1662), 37. To … imploy the charity of well affected people for a General Goale Delivery, of all English Captives, in Tunis, Tripoli, [etc.].
1780. Burke, Sp. Bristol previous to Election, Wks. III. 378. The legislature has been obliged to make a general arbitrary jail-delivery.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., li. note. Ratcliffe … was released by the Porteous Mob when under sentence of death;… the Highlanders made a similar jail-delivery in 1745. Ibid. (1826), Woodst., xxxvii. The inferior personages of the grand jail-delivery at Woodstock Lodge.
