Also 6, 9 quæstor. [a. med.L. questor agent-n. f. quērĕre = quærĕre to ask (cf. QUÆSTOR): hence also It. questore, F. questeur.]
1. R. C. Ch. An official appointed by the Pope or by a bishop to grant indulgences on the gift of alms to the Church; a pardoner.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), IV. 49. Now cherles and pardoneres beeþ i-cleped questores.
1415. York Myst., Introd. 26. Escriueners, Lum[i]ners, Questors [Pardoners written above], Dubbers.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), IV. xxi. 239. Yf he hath suffred wyttyngly questours to renne thrughe his dyocese in prechynge false indulgences.
1580. Fulke, Agst. Allen, 168. Men pay monie to the Pope or his pardoning quæstors, for leaden bulls.
1748. Earthquake of Peru, i. 85. The great Monastery alone has twenty-four Questors.
1823. Lingard, Hist. Eng., VI. 125. Ninety-five short theses on the nature of indulgences and the errors of the questors.
1895. Month, July, 447. The malpractices of the Questors.
2. a. In France: One of the treasurers of the National Assembly.
1848. W. H. Kelly, trans. L. Blanc’s Hist. Ten Y., I. 413. He arrived at the Palais Bourbon … went straight to the questors [etc.].
1896. Daily News, 28 March, 7/5. There seemed a danger yesterday … that the Questors would be obliged to call in the police.
b. In Italy: A commissary of police.
1865. Maffei, Brigand Life, II. 169. The indefatigable questor of Naples … says [etc.].
3. [? f. QUEST v.] One who seeks or searches.
1887. Miss Betham-Edwards, Next of Kin Wanted, II. x. 117. Unhappy questors after something to their advantage.
