Obs. Forms: 4 creaunsour, -sure, creansure, 4–6 creauncer, creaunser, 5 creancer, -syr, 6 -ser, -sier, 7 -sour, -sor. [ME. creaunsour, in Anglo-F. creanceour, a. OF. creanceor, f. creancer: see prec. and -OR. The form in -er may repr. F. créancier (12th c. in Littré) from creance, corresp. to late L. credentiārius.]
1. A creditor.
1382. Wyclif, 2 Kings iv. 1. A creansure cume, that he take my two sonys to seruen to hym. Ibid., Prov. xxix. 13.
c. 1460. Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon., v. 118. His creauncers shul alway grucche for lake of thair paymente.
1607. Cowel, Interpr., Creansour … signifieth him that trusteth another with any debt.
1708. Termes de la Ley, 196. Creansor or Creditor.
2. One entrusted with the charge of another; a guardian, tutor: esp. at school or college. (In med.L. creditor: cf. Du Cange.)
[Statuta Aularia (Bodley MS.), Unusquisque scolaris manens sub magistro, tutore, aut creditore.]
1478. Paston Lett., No. 824, III. 237. My creansyr Mayster Thomas [at Eton] … praythe yow to sende hym sum mony for my comons.
c. 1500. G. Vernon, in Hist. MSS. Comm., I. 16. Mr. Grove, Pryncipall of Mawdelen Hall, the which is creanser unto me and my brothir.
1525. St. Papers Hen. VIII., IV. 329. The Busshop of Rosse … is creauncer and counsaillour to the saide Erle.
1549. Coverdale, Erasm. Par. Gal. 13. The heyre … vnder creansers & gouernours.
[1853. Bloxam, Register Magd. Coll., I. 79. ‘It appears about this time’ viz. 1660 ‘there was a College order, that the Choristers, &c. should have Cransiers.’]
