Law. Obs. exc. Hist. Also 6 -at. [subst. use of med.L. līberāte ‘deliver ye’ (imperative pl. of līberāre to deliver), the word with which the writ commenced.]
1. a. A writ issued out of Chancery for the payment of a pension or other royal allowance. b. A writ to the sheriff of a county for the delivery of land and goods taken upon the forfeiture of a recognizance. c. A writ issued out of Chancery to a jailer for the delivery of a prisoner who has put in bail for his appearance.
[1535. Fitzherb., Nat. Brev. (1567), 132. Vn briefe al vicount hors de chancery a deliuer a luy ceux terres et biens al value de dette &c. le quel briefe est appell’vn liberate.]
1581. Lambarde, Eiren., III. ii. (1588), 349. I will shew you one forme of a Baile, and another of the Liberate.
1590. Acts Privy Council (1899), XIX. 297. A writ of extent with a liberat therin unto the Shreef of the said towne hath bene sued out of that Court of the Common Pleas.
a. 1625. Sir H. Finch, Law (1636), 181. If a Liberate be deliuered to the Clarke of the Hamper, who hath assets in his hands.
1674. T. Turnor, Case Bankers & Creditors, ii. 7. The King hath charged himself to the Subject by Talley and liberate to pay a summe of money out of his Customes.
2. transf.
1639. Fuller, Holy War, IV. v. (1640), 174. Denying the Infallibility of the Church … the overplus of Merits, Service understood, Indulgences, Liberaties out of Purgatorie, and the like.
3. attrib.: liberate day, a day on which liberates were issued; liberate roll, the account formerly kept of pensions and other allowances made under the great seal.
1642. C. Vernon, Consid. Exchequer, 18. The said Treasurers Remembrancer is … at the next Liberate or Sealing day, to make forth the strongest proces to the Sheriffes.
1874. Stubbs, Const. Hist., I. xiii. 597–8. The Pipe Rolls of Henry II are supplemented under John by Oblate, Liberate, and Mise Rolls.
