Law. Now only Hist. Also statute of the staple. [An elliptical use of statute of the staple as the name of the ordinance of 1353 (see STAPLE sb.2 1); cf. STATUTE MERCHANT. (The shortened form statute staple is on the analogy of statute merchant.)] A bond of record, acknowledged before the mayor of the staple, conveying powers similar to those given by the statute merchant.
1444. Rolls of Parlt., V. 106/2. A reconisaunce to him made of the seid somme…, in a Statute of the Staple. Ibid. (1472–3), VI. 6/2. By force of eny execution, by Statuit of Staple, Estatuit Marchaunt, or any Jugement yeven in any of the Kynges Courtes.
1576. Gascoigne, Steele Gl. (Arb.), 71. To stay their steps by statute Staples staffe.
1581. Lambarde, Eiren., II. ii. (1588), 111. Such bonds shall be of the nature of a Statute Staple.
1586. [see STAPLE a. 3].
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1956/2. The cooke of the Temple was arrested in London, and in execution vpon a statute of the staple.
1592. Greene, Def. Conny Catching, Wks. (Grosart), XI. 55. The gentleman … promised to acknowledge a statute staple to him, with letters of defeysance.
1607. Middleton, Fam. Love, I. iii. 86. There is not one gentleman amongst twenty but his land be engaged in twenty statutes staple.
1613. Sir R. Boyle, in Lismore Papers (1886), I. 21. Cormech Mcdermott of Blarney forfeited to me his statue staple of 2000.li
1726. Ayliffe, Parergon, 188. Nor can his Body be taken in Execution on a Recognizance upon a Statute-Staple.
1766. Blackstone, Comm., II. x. 160. The recognizance in the nature of a statute staple.
