Obs. Forms: 4–5 aunser(e, auncere, aunselle, 5–7 auncel(le, 6–7 ancel, 7 awnsel. [a. AF. aunselle, auncelle, apparently for launcelle (l- having been mistaken for the article), ad. It. lancella a little balance, dim. of lance balance:—L. lanx, lancem, a plate, a scale of a balance. So called probably in contrast to the ‘Balancia domini regis,’ or Great Beam of the king.
This important suggestion is due to Mr. G. R. Kingdon, late Master of the Grocers’ Company, which company, originally called Pepperers, were charged with the custody of the King’s Beam. In their records Balancer and Aunsell appear as surnames in 13–14th c.; Ballance is also a surname.]
A kind of balance and weight formerly used in England.
(See the accounts of 17th-c. writers below: that of Cowell, being given as hearsay, and connected with an absurd derivation from hand-sale, must be accepted with caution. Later explanations simply follow Cowell.)
1314. MS. Letter-bk., in Riley, Mem. Lond., Introd. 22. Thomas the aunseremaker.
1351–2. Act 25 Edw. III., v. § 9. Une pois qest appelle Aunselle. [transl. 1618, Pulton, Statutes, 155. Whereas great damage and deceit is done to the people … by a weight which is called Auncel: it is accorded and established that this weight called auncell … shalbe wholly put out.]
1356. in Riley, Mem. Lond., 283. One balance called an auncere … 2 balances called annceres.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 132. Þe pound þat heo peysede [by] · peisede a quartrun more Þen myn Auncel dude · whon I weyede treuþe [v.r. Aunsel, B. auncere, aunser, C. auncel].
1429. Abp. Chicheley, in Wilkins’ Concilia, III. 516. Constitutio … pro abolitione ponderis vocati le Auncell Weight … Præcipue dicto pondere le Auncell scheft seu pounder … doloso quodam stateræ genere.
1429. Act Hen. VI., v. § 1. Le pois appelez Auncell.
1502. Arnold, Chron. (1811), 191. Ther beth iij. maner weyghtis, that is to wete, troy weyght, auncell weyghtis, and lyggynge weyght … Another Weyght Ys called auncels shafte, and this weyght is forboden by statute of parlement, and also hooly chirche hath cursed alle thoo that beyen or sellen by that auncel weyght.
1607. Cowell, Interpr., Awncell weight, as I have been informed, is a kinde of weight with scoles hanging or hooks fastened at each end of a staffe, which a man lifteth up upon his forefinger or hand and so discerneth the equalitie or difference betweene the weight and the thing weied … It may probably be thought to be called awnsell weight (quasi hand sale weight) because it was and is performed by the hand, as the other is by the beame. And if I should draw it from the Greeke, ἀγκών i. cubitus, the part of the arme from the elbowe to the fingers ends, I might chalenge a good warrand.
a. 1640. Jackson, Creed, XI. xxvi. Wks. 1844, X. 502. The ancel weight or balance (which most of you have seen) wherein one pound weight put upon the one end of the balance will counterpoise a stone weight put upon the other end.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 34. Auncell weight.
1656. Du Gard, Gate Lat. Unl., § 534.
1678. Phillips, Awnsel weight.
1691. Blount, Law Dict., Auncel Weight (quasi Hand sale weight, or from Ansa, i. The handle of the Ballance).
