Also 6 Sc. tracteit, 6–7 tractat. [ad. L. tractātus (u-stem) a handling, treatment, discussion, treatise, f. tractāre: see TRACT v.1 Cf. Prov. tractat, Sp. tratado, It. trattato, Fr. traité; also Ger. tractat.]
1. A book or literary work treating of a particular subject; a treatise.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, 1. This first chappitre of the first tractate sheweth [etc.].
1549. Compl. Scot., Epist. 6. To present to ȝour nobil grace ane tracteit of the fyrst laubir of my pen.
1641. Milton, Prel. Episc., 3. Needlesse tractats stuff’t with specious names.
1692. Ray, Disc., III. ii. (1732), 411. A notable Passage taken out of Plutarch’s Tractate.
1877. Morley, Crit. Misc., Ser. II. 270. It was his own sense of the value of Liberty which led to the production of the little tractate.
1883. Edersheim, Life Jesus (ed. 6), I. 401. In the Rabbinic tractate on the Samaritans.
† b. The subject treated of. Obs. rare–1.
1589. Nashe, Anat. Absurd., 6. When as lust is the tractate of so many leaues, and loue passions the lauish dispence of so much paper.
† c. Literary treatment, discussion (of a subject).
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, Ep. Ded. A matter of it selfe so honorable, namely the tractate and handling of the nobilities and armes of generositie.
† 2. Negotiation, dealing, transaction. Obs.
1618. Barnevelt’s Apol., F j. By reason of these fiue Regall Embassages, and tractates, it happened, that [etc.].
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 89. In Paris they dare talke of the Kings mistresses, intermeddle with all tractates of Parliaments and State.
