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.]

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  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.

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[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.]

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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.

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1736.  Carte, Ormonde, I. 141. Alnage was to remain as already settled by law.

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  2.  The fee paid for the above measurement.

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1622.  Rep. Hist. MSS. (1874), 311/2. The pettie farm (various items, viz. … Alnage, £820).

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1689.  Atkins, Parl. & Pol. Tracts (1734), 231. A Case that concerns meerly his Revenue, as this of the Aulneage was.

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