Also 4–8 curat, 4–5 curet(t, 6 currat, curatte. [ad. med.L. cūrātus, in It. curato, F. curé (13th c. in Littré). The med.L. and It. are originally adjs. ‘of, belonging to, or having a cure or charge,’ whence as sb. ‘one who has a cure or ecclesiastical charge.’]
1. One entrusted with the cure of souls; a spiritual pastor. † a. gen. Any ecclesiastic (including a bishop, etc.) who has the spiritual charge of a body of laymen. † b. A clergyman who has the spiritual charge of a parish (or parochial district); the parson of a parish.
(Now only as an archaism or etymological use.)
c. 1340. Hampole, Prose Tr. (1866), 24. The thride liffe … longith to men of holi-chirch, as to prelates and to oþer Curatis, the which han cure and souerante ouer othir men forto teche and reule hem.
c. 1350. in Horstmann, Altengl. Leg. (1881), 51. Saint Peter … was chosen pape of Rome And chief curate of Cristendome.
c. 1382. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 518. Not oonly simple prestis and curatis but also sovereyne curatis as bisshopis.
a. 1483. Liber Niger, in Househ. Ord. (1790), 49. Also this Deane is curate and confessour of all this houshold.
1493. in Wadley, Bristol Wills (1886), 171. (Will of layman), To my Curate, vicar of the saide Church, iiij mesures of wode.
1531. Dial. on Laws Eng., II. lv. (1638), 175. Variance began to rise betweene Curats and their Parishioners.
1545. Primer Hen. VIII., Litany, Send down upon our bishops and curates … the healthful spirit of thy grace.
1634. Canne, Necess. Separ. (1849), 32. Whosoever taketh upon him … to be a curate of souls, parson, bishop, or what other spiritual pastor soever.
1727. Swift, Modest Proposal. To … pay tithes against their conscience to an episcopal curate.
1886. Guardian, 3 March, 321/3. As a preacher, or parochial organizer, or a curate of souls.
1886. Church Q. Rev., XXII. 298. In immediate subordination … to the chief curate of the parish, or to the bishop only.
c. Sc. Hist. Applied to the episcopal incumbents of the Scottish parishes from 1662 to 1688.
1706. A. Shields, Enq. Church Commun., Pref. 3. Others could not join in hearing the Curates.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 251. About two hundred curates—so the episcopal priests were called—were expelled.
d. Applied to parish-priests abroad; a French curé, Italian curato, Spanish cura, etc.
c. 1650. Brathwait, Barnabees Jrnl., III. (1818), 141. Thence to Gastile … I drunk stingo With a butcher and Domingo Th’ Curat.
1724. De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 6. In our journey to Paris [we met] an old priest … near a little village whereof he was curate.
1801. Med. Jrnl., V. 351. In the neighbourhood of Vienna … in the village Brunnam Gebizg: the respectable curate of that parish [etc.].
2. A clergyman engaged for a stipend or salary, and licensed by the bishop of the diocese to perform ministerial duties in the parish as a deputy or assistant of the incumbent; an assistant to a parish priest.
This use of the word is peculiar to the Church of England and to the R. C. Church in Ireland, where assistants to the parish priests are also so called. It appears to have originated in the application of the name curate to the clergyman in actual charge of a parish of which the benefice was held by a non-resident clergyman, the head of a college, etc., and to have been thence extended to the deputy of an aged and infirm incumbent, and so gradually to any deputy or assistant of the beneficed clergyman, more fully described as a stipendiary or assistant curate. This is now the ordinary popular application of curate. A clergyman appointed by the bishop to take charge of a parish or chapelry during the incapacity or suspension of the incumbent is called a Curate-in-charge. The incumbent of the chapel or church of an ecclesiastical district, forming part of an ancient parish, appointed by the patron and licensed by the bishop is a Perpetual curate; these now rank as vicars.
1557. Indenture of Advowson of Garsington, And that also the said president [of Trinity Coll., Oxf.] being parson of the said Rectorie [of Garsington] shall likewise for euer at his own proper charge fynde one sufficient Catholike and hable Curat to serve in the said Rectorye and parishe churche.
1587. Petit., in Fuller, Ch. Hist., IX. vii. § 1. No Non-resident having already a license or Faculty may enjoy it, unless he depute an able Curate, that may weekly preach and catechize.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxxx. § 2. When a Minister doth serue as a stipendarie Curate.
1614. T. Adams, Devil’s Banquet, 322. Let vs not take and keepe liuings of an hundred, or two hundred pound a yeare, and allow a poore Curate (to supply the voluntary negligence of our non-residence) eight, or ten pounds yeerely.
1709. Steele & Swift, Tatler, No. 71, ¶ 5. Our Vicar … when his Curate … preaches in the Afternoon … sleeps sotting in the Desk on a Hissock.
1796. Hull Advertiser, 24 Sept., 3/2. A clergyman has for several years officiated as assistant curate at a chapel of ease.
1844. J. T. Hewlett, Parsons & W., xi. The poor perpetual-curate, or sub-vicar.
1883. G. Lloyd, Ebb & Flow, I. 24. Some overworked curate or sister of mercy who wanted a rest.
1892. J. C. Blomfield, Hist. Heyford, 51. These three acolytes in succession were curates-in-charge of the parish.
† 3. One who has a charge; a curator, overseer. Obs.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 271/3. What reward yelded the tyrauntes to their curate.
1621. Molle, Camerar. Liv. Libr., III. 197. He caused them [soldiers] all to be hang’d on a tree hard by the castle, and their curat higher than all the rest.
1658. Hexham, Heym-raeds, the Curates or Overseers of Bancks and Dikes that the Sea or Water-flouds breakes not in.
4. attrib. (in quot. fig.)
1651. Cleveland, Poems, 10. But left the Sun her curate light.
Hence (chiefly nonce-wds.) Curatess, the wife of a curate. Curatial a., having the position of a curate. Curatic, -ical a., of or pertaining to a curate. Curatize v., to act as a curate. Curatocult, Curatolatry, worship of a curate or curates.
1861. Trollope, Barchester T., xxi. (D.). A very lowly curate I might perhaps essay to rule; but a curatess would be sure to get the better of me.
1889. G. M. Fenn, Cure of Souls, 48. What a charming little curatess she would make!
1886. Church Rev., 9 April, 180. I now offer to … your curatial readers … Dr. Hayman’s table.
1882. Graphic, 4 Feb., 98. If the curatic period were merely a brief apprenticeship.
1877. Lady Wood, Sheen’s Foreman, I. 239. ‘The tithe pig’s tail’ had never tickled his curatical nose.
1801. C. K. Sharpe, Lett. (1888), I. 103. Her spouse is in the church, and at present curatizing.
1865. Miss Yonge, Clever Wom. of Fam., I. xii. 278–9. The higher style of clergyman does not govern by curatocult.
1871. Temple Bar Mag., Nov., 541. Curatolatry is a light sporadic disorder which spreads a little at certain seasons.
