[Cf. OHG. kirichman, kirman, Ger. kirchen-, kirchmann.]
1. A man of the church; ‘an ecclesiastic; a clergyman’ (J).
c. 1340. Cursor M., 25019 (Fairf.). Noynting … noȝt wiþ þat oyle at kirk men hase bot wiþ þe hali gastis grace.
1548. Ld. Somerset, Epist. Scots, 244. Let neither your Gouernour, nor your Kirkmen … fede you further with faire wordes.
1553. Bale, Gardiner’s Obed., D vij b. The light dissolute maners of the Holy Kirckemen.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 104. Any Bishoppes, Abbottes, Priors, or any other Church men.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., II. i. 25. What, Cardinall?… Tantæne animis Cœlestibus iræ, Church-men so hot?
1607–12. Bacon, Ess., Marr. & Single Life (Arb.), 266. A single life is proper for Church Men; For Charity will hardlie water the grounde, where it must first fill a Poole.
1611. Cotgr., Linomple:… for womens kerchers and Church-mens surplesses.
1670. Dryden, 1st Pt. Conq. Granada, IV. ii. Pray’rs are the Alms of Church-men to the Poor: They send to Heav’n’s, but drive us from their Door.
1728. Morgan, Algiers, I. v. 162. A Spanish Churchman.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 325. Churchmen transacted the most important diplomatic business.
1876. Bancroft, Hist. U. S., III. xiv. 478. When the churchmen of New York preached loyalty to the king as the Lord’s anointed, ‘The people,’ retorted William Livingston, ‘are the Lord’s anointed.’
† 2. One of the clergy or priesthood, of any religion. Obs.
1632. Lithgow, Trav. (1682), 140. Their principal Church Governour is called Mufti.… The other sort of Church-men are the Naipi … the Caddi, [etc.].
1665. G. Havers, P. della Valle’s Trav. E. India, 444. Their Priests they call Daroos.… Those Church-men by their Law are commanded … to abide much in their Eggarees, or Temples.
† 3. A churchwarden. Obs.
1523. Ch. Acc. St. Giles, Reading (ed. Nash), 19. Paid for the churchmennys labouris, xijd.
1591. Stanford Churchw. Acc., in Antiquary (May 1888), 211. Layde oute … for the twoo churchmen and one sydesmans Dinners, xxjd.
1598. Par. Reg. of Chesham Bois, James Gosham, Churchman; Robert Finche, Churche Man.
4. A supporter of the church; a member of the church established or recognized in any country, or that claims to be exclusively ‘the Church.’ spec., in England and the colonies: A member of the Anglican church; in Scotland, a member of the established (Presbyterian) church.
1677. G. Hickes, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 317, IV. 44. The Earl of Murray is a good Churchman.
[1697. C. Leslie, Snake in Grass (ed. 2), 80. Colonel Fletcher (a Church of England Man) made Governour there instead of Mr. Penn.]
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 112, ¶ 2. My Friend Sir Roger, being a good Church-man.
1715. De Foe, Fam. Instruct., I. V. (1847), I. 107. Child, your aunt is a dissenter you know. But, madam, my uncle is a Churchman.
1755. Johnson, Churchman, an adherent to the church of England.
1822. W. Irving, Braceb. Hall, 54. He is moreover … a stanch churchman. He repeats the responses very loudly in church, and is emphatical in praying for the king and royal family.
1870. Arnot, Life Jas. Hamilton, v. 233. The advisers of the Church of Scotland … have from that day till now thought [etc.]… The next generation of Churchmen will be wiser than the last.
b. See BROAD-, HIGH-, LOW-CHURCHMAN.
Hence Churchmanlike a.
1849. Newland, Lect. Tractar., 8. More Churchmanlike principles.
1881. Athenæum, 27 Aug., 268/3. Cardinal Innocenzo Cibo undertook the churchmanlike office of poisoning Salviati.
