Also 4 qwarter-, 5 quater-, 6 quartrage, -errage, querterage, 6–8 quartridge, (6 -redge), 7–8 -eridge, (7 -eridg, 8 -erridge). [f. QUARTER sb. + -AGE; perh. a. OF. quarterage (Godef.).]
1. A contribution, subscription, tax, or other charge paid by a person every quarter; a quarterly payment made by one.
1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 3. Which wardeins schul gadere þe qwarterage of bretheren & sustren.
1452. in Gross, Gild Merch., II. 69. All maner fynnys, amercyments & quarteragys.
1529. in Vicary’s Anat. (1888), App. xiv. 251. So Alweys that the sayde quarterage be lawfullye demaunded.
1602. Dekker, Satirom., Wks. 1873, I. 262. You shall not brag that your Vizeroyes or Tributorie kings have done homage to you, or paide quarterage.
1708. Brit. Apollo, No. 42. 1. Most of our subscribers having paid their Quarterridges [etc.].
1795. Burke, Tracts Popery Laws, Wks. 1842, II. 434. They trade and work in their own native towns as aliens, paying, as such, quarterage, and other charges and impositions.
1887. Times, 20 Jan., 4/3. The plaintiff had not paid his quarterages.
2. A sum paid to, or received by, a person every quarter; a quarter’s wages, allowance, pension, etc.
1423. Leet Bk., in Sharp, Cov. Myst. (1825), 207. Thei shall have ij men of every ward, every quarter, to help them to gather þer Quarterage.
c. 1515. Cocke Lorell’s B., 4. Than came a pardoner with his boke, His quarterage of euery man he toke.
1599. Tarlton, News Purgat. (1844), 82. He, being then bare of pence, because his quarterage was not come in.
1666. Pepys, Diary, 8 Jan. My uncle Thomas with me to receive his quarterage.
1727. Swift, Richmond Lodge & Marble Hill. An idle Rogue, who spends his Quartridge In tippling at the Dog and Partridge.
1830. D’Israeli, Chas. I., III. xvii. 370. A half-starved Clerk, eked out his lean quarterage, by these merry perquisites.
1892. Baring-Gould, in Cornh. Mag., July, 27. He must wait till his new quarterage came before he could pay.
3. Quarters, place of abode; quartering of troops, or the expense of this. rare.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., Scot., I. 485. The Scots that lay in Kelso, and other places keeping their quarterrage on the bordures.
1647. in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 143. Agreed that a Ley … be imposed upon the Towne for payeing of the Quarterage of the horse. Ibid. These burdens of quarterage.
1841. Tait’s Mag., VIII. 562. Common sense is driven out of her native quarterage in the brain.
1873. O’Curry, Lect. Ancient Irish, I. xvi. 336. Any noble residence at which they [great stewards] intended to claim the free quarterage due to their official dignity.
4. attrib., as quarterage-bill, -book, -day, -fee.
1533. in Sharp, Cov. Myst. (1825), 214. Paid to the mynstrell at quarterage day … viijd.
1692. Lond. Gaz., No. 2799/4. A large Folio Book … called the Carmens Quarteridg-Book.
1771–2. Ess. fr. Batchelor (1773), II. 192. The Quarterage-bill, like all others, must pass through both houses of parliament.
1894. Times, 19 Oct., 6/2. The ‘quarterage’ fees of 4s. per annum per member.
