Obs. Forms: 5 contrepane, 6 -payne, counterpayne, -pein, 6–7 -paine, -pane, 7 -pain. [app. a. Anglo-F. countrepan, in the (unrecorded) sense ‘opposite part,’ f. contre- + OF. pan piece, part, portion (see Godef.): the Anglo-French word occurs in Britton, app. in sense ‘counter-part of the contract,’ or ‘counter-obligation’: cf. COUNTER-PAWN.
1292. Britton, I. 237. Cestes condiciouns obligent les parties … en tele manere, qe si le un doigne ou face, le autre est tenuz et obligez a fere le countrepan solom le contract.]
1. Law. The counterpart of an indenture.
1509–10. Act 1 Hen. VIII., c. 8. The jurye … shall receyve the counterpayne of the office … endented and sealed by the eschetour.
1548. Hall, Chron., 12 b. This duke of Aumerle … had his counterpaine of the endenture of the confederacie … in his bosom.
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 65/1. Keeping the one counterpane with himselfe, sealed with his seale that made the seizure, and leauing the other in the hands of the said warden.
1614. B. Jonson, Barth. Fair, Induct. Read, Scribe, gi’ me the Counterpaine.
a. 1693. Urquhart, Rabelais, III. li. 414. Makers of Counterpanes, Writers.
fig. 1609. G. Benson, Serm., 89. The assurance that we haue for our saluation is in the word of God … but God keepes a counterpane thereof.
a. 1628. F. Greville, Poems, Hum. Learning, lxxvii. Wks. (1633), 37. But of her Termes one stable Counterpane.
1692. Covenant of Grace Conditional, 31. The counterpane of the Covenant or Conditions engraven on the heart.
2. gen. A copy, duplicate; = COUNTERPART 2.
c. 1475. Partenay, 6587. Or ellys man myght by computacion In ther contrepane finde others reson, In frensh or english.
1596. Nashe, Saffron Walden, V. iv. I have a letter under his owne hand … this is the counterpaine of it.
3. fig. = COUNTERPART 3. To play the counterpane: to imitate.
1549. Allen, Jude’s Par. Rev., 35. Of bothe these states … the earthly Jerusalem … is set for a figure, comparison, example and counterpane.
1560. Rolland, Crt. Venus, IV. 62. That nane sould preis to play the counterpane.
1628. Prynne, Love-lockes, 33. We are but their Echos, Shadowes, Apes, or Counterpanes.
1666–70. Brooks, Wks. (1867), VI. 107. Now is not famous London the sad counterpane of desolate Jerusalem? a sore and unquenchable fire hath turned England’s metropolis into ashes.
4. One of two parts that fit together and complement each other; = COUNTERPART 4.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus, Ded. Whose holy doctrine and life, are the counterpaine one of the other.
1614. T. Adams, Devil’s Banquet, 338. Our life should be the counterpaine of our doctrine.
1615. J. Stephens, Ess. & Char., Gd. Husband, in Halliw., Repr. Char. Bks. (1857), 139. Love and providence be the two counterpanes of a good husband.
