Forms: 5–7 aulnage, 7 aulneage, 7– alnage. [a. OFr. aulnage (mod. aunage), f. aulner, auner to measure by the ell; f. alne, aulne, aune ell (cogn. w. Pr. alna, auna, It. auna):—late L. alena, a. OTeut. *alina (Goth. aleina, ON. alin, OHG. elina, OE. eln, Eng. ell) cogn. w. L. ulna, Gr. ὠλένη the fore-arm.]
1. Measurement by the ell. spec. Official inspection and measurement of woollen cloth, and attestation of its value by the affixing of a leaden seal.
[1477. Act 17 Ed. IV., v. in Pulton, Coll. (1632), 379. To let to ferme the subsidie and aulnage of Clothes which ought to be sealed.]
1668. Child, Disc. Trade (1694), 3. The business of the Aulnage, which doubtless our predecessors intended for a scrutiny into the goodness of the commodity.
1736. Carte, Ormonde, I. 141. Alnage was to remain as already settled by law.
2. The fee paid for the above measurement.
1622. Rep. Hist. MSS. (1874), 311/2. The pettie farm (various items, viz. … Alnage, £820).
1689. Atkins, Parl. & Pol. Tracts (1734), 231. A Case that concerns meerly his Revenue, as this of the Aulneage was.
