Also 5 atorne, 6 atturneie, -ourney, 7 -urney. (In 7 Sc. actorney, -ay.) [a. OF. atournée, attornée, actournée, ‘action of attorning, function of the attorney,’ sb. fem. from pa. pple. = L. *attornāta (but actually latinized in med.L. as attornātio, attornātus 4th decl., whence OF. atorné in same sense.]
† 1. The action of appointing a legal representative, legal commission, procuration. (The phrase ‘by attorney’ perh. orig. belonged to this.)
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., V. iii. 83, I, by Attourney, blesse thee from thy Mother.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 168. For ilk actorney, and commission twa shillings.
1635. Quarles, Emblems, V. vi. (1718), 270. Mine eye, by Contemplations great attorney, Transcends the crystal pavement of the skie.
Now used only in,
2. Letter or Warrant of Attorney: a legal document by which a person appoints one or more persons to act for him as his attorney or attorneys, either generally or in a specific transaction. Power of A.: the authority conferred by such a document, now used also for the document itself.
[a. 1432. in Rymer Fœdera, X. 500. Habet Literas Regis de Generali Attornatu.]
1461. Paston Lett., 408, II. 37. I wold a new dede and letter of atorne were mad.
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinsh., II. 145/2. They deliuered … their letters of atturneie vnto their said agents.
1611. Cotgr., Attournée, a letter of Atturney.
1750. Carte, Hist. Eng., II. 369. Letters of protection and attorney being still granted.
1753. Hanway, Trav. (1762), II. I. vii. 35. By his order … or by virtue of his power of attorney.
1858. Ld. St. Leonards, Handy-bk. Prop. Law, XXII. 175. Payments and acts by any trustee … under a power of attorney.
