Forms: 3 corporeals, 4 -aus, -eaus, corperaus, 4–6 -as, 5–7 corporass(e, 5–6 -ace, 5 corperax, -arax, (coperas, -arace), 6 -esse, (corprax), 5–9 corporas, 6–9 corporax. [ME. corporaus, a. OF. corporaus, (earlier corporals), nom. sing. of corporal = CORPORAL sb.1 (The same form was in OF. acc. pl., and remains in pl. as corporaux.)] = CORPORAL sb.1 2.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 163. Ðe meshakele is of medeme fustain, and te corporeals sole and unshapliche.
c. 1300. Havelok, 188. The calix, and the pateyn ok, The corporaus, the messe-gere.
c. 1315. Shoreham, 50. And eke the corporaus Onder the deakne vealdeth.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 11. Sixtus ordeyned þat þe corperas [Harl. MS. corporasse] schulde nouȝt be of silk noþer sendel.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 363/2. She made mo than fyfty corporas and sente them … in to dyuerce chirches.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, II. 551. Some gaue a coope and some a vestement Some other a chalice and some a corporace.
1543. Richmond Wills (Surtees), 47. Corporaxes, altar clothes, albys, towells.
1549. Bk. Com. Prayer, Commun. Rubric, Then shall take so much Bread and Wine as shall suffice … laying the bread upon the corporas.
1655. Fuller, Waltham Abb. (1840), 275. Three corporasses, whereof two white silk, and one blew velvet.
1884. Life J. Skinner, ix. 174. The Rubric provides for the use of … a corporas, a paten, a bell, and some other things.
b. Comb., as corporas bag, case, cloth, etc.
1478. Churchw. Acc. St. Andrew’s, East Cheap (in Brit. Mag., XXXII. 36). Item, payde for a Corporas Case … ijs. iiijd.
1522. Bury Wills (Camden), 117. iij fyne elle kerchers to be vsyd for corporas clothes.
1529. Test. Ebor. (Surtees), V. 277. To the parishe churche … my dublett of cremysyne sattyn, to make thereof corprax cases.
1566. in E. Peacock, Eng. Ch. Furniture (1866), 51. One corporax cloth, one corporax bagg.
1853. Rock, Ch. of Fathers, III. II. 189. A pair of corporals in a corporas case.
1869. Mrs. Palliser, Lace, xxii. 251. Richly-laced corporax cloths.
