Obs. [? f. CAP sb.1 or CAPE sb.1]
1. A travelling-case, bag or wallet. (Representing the modern portmanteau or carpet-bag.)
1577. Harrison, England, II. xvi. (1877). I. 283. Feeling whether their capcases or budgets be of anie weight or not, by taking them downe from their sadles.
1632. T. Deloney, T. of Reading. [He] turned backe and called for a capcase which lay in the Warehouse.
1641. Hinde, J. Bruen, 122. Thus many gamblers bring a Castle into a cap-case.
2. A receptacle of any kind; a box, chest, casket, case (L. capsa). Also fig.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., 164. Your two last barres you haue robde out of the capcase of some olde Organist.
1608. Dekker, Belman Lond., Wks. 1884–5, III. 109. These Bawdy baskets … walke with baskets or capcases on their armes, wherein they haue laces, pinnes, needles.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., III. iv. I. ii. (1651), 645. S. Philanus arm … shut up in a silver capcase.
a. 1625. Boys, Wks. (1629), 259. Happily the wormes shall haue their carcase, and vnthrifty heires their cap-case.
a. 1627. Middleton, Changeling, III. iv. ’Twill hardly buy a capcase for one’s conscience though.
