Ireland. Also 6 cosshirh, cossherie, cashery, 7 coshary. [f. Irish coisir feast, feasting.
The ending appears to be assimilated to Eng. sbs. in -ery; the direct repr. of the Irish word would be cosher: cf. Houlston Tracts, II. xxxviii. 10. A portion of the dough … is cleverly hid [by the servants], for what the Irish call a cosher, after the family are in bed.]
1. gen. Feasting rare.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 40. On palet of scarlet they were for cossherye setled.
2. spec. Entertainment for themselves and their followers exacted by Irish chiefs from their dependants.
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 23/2. No lords … shall extort or take anie coine and liverie, cosheries, nor cuddies, nor anie other like custome … in or upon anie of the church lands and territories.
1596. Spenser, State Irel., Wks. (Globe), 623/2. But now by this Statute the sayd Irish Lord is wronged, for that he is cutt of from his customarye services, as Cuddeehih, Cosshirh [v.r. Cossherie], Bonaught, Shragh, Sorchim, and such like.
1600. Dymmok, Ireland (1843), 9. Cashery is certeine feastes which the lorde vseth to take of his tenants after Easter, Christmas, Whitsontyde, Michaelmas and all other tymes at his pleasure.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., II. 141. This chiefe Lord had his Cosharies upon his tenants, that is he & his would lie upon them untill they had eate up all their prouisions.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), III. xviii. 348. Coshery … is somewhat analogous to the royal prerogative of purveyance.
1870. Athenæum, 22 Oct., 523. Among these exactions ‘coshery’ figures as the most oppressive and most hateful.
