Obs. Forms: 6–7 (9) cargason, 7 cargazon, cargosoon, car(r)agasoune, (cargaison). [a. Sp. cargazon ‘load of a ship, cargo,’ double augm. (-azo, -on) of carga, cargo load: cf. F. cargaison.]
1. The cargo or freight of a ship.
1583. J. Newbery, Lett., in Arb., Garner, III. 172. There should come in euery ship the fourth part of her cargason in money.
1626. Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Sea-men, 2. The Cape merchant and Purser hath the charge of all the Caragasoune or Merchandize.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., III. vi. Her cargazon of broad cloth.
1657. R. Ligon, Barbadoes (1673), 8. Carry a shore that part of the Cargosoon that was consign’d for that place.
1722. De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 395. We will not fail to … bring money enough for any cargaison.
1882. Myers, Renew. Youth, 65. They lade thy bark for nought, they pile thereon With vain largess the golden cargason.
b. fig.
1625. Donne, Serm., Wks. 1839, VI. 67. Discretion is the ballast of our ship … but zeal is the very freight, the cargason, the merchandise itself.
1642. Howell, For. Trav. (Arb.), 67. A cargazon of Complements and Cringes. Ibid. (c. 1645), Lett., I. xi. My body is but a Cargazon of corrupt humours.
2. An inventory of goods shipped, a bill of lading. (So F. cargaison.]
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. I. 217. These Marchants as soone as they are come on land, do give the cargason of all their goods to that Broker that they will haue to do their businesse for them, with the marks of all the fardles and packs.
