contrarotulator

Forms

contrārotulātor m (genitive contrārotulātōris); third declension^[1][2] Also spelled ⟨contrōrotulātor⟩ and ⟨comptrārotulātor⟩.^[1][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin contrārotulus (“counter-roll”) + -tor, the keeper of a counter-roll.^[3][2] Köbler and Etymonline derive it from a verb ⟨contrārotulāre⟩, which Etymonline gives as a reconstructed form.^[1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The DMLBS has it first in the Gascon Rolls of 1274, for a payment made in the king's wardrobe at Bayonne to the controller of that wardrobe.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It named the official who kept a second roll of accounts as a check on another official.^[3][2] The legal treatise Fleta says that the treasurer of the wardrobe must meet the steward of the household, the chamberlain, the controller and his clerk every night,^[3][1] and later English, Scottish and French records name controllers of the royal chamber, of the customs, of the household and of the Pipe roll.^[3][5] In France the statutes of the Lombard college in 1392 required a controller to write down the expenses and receipts every week.^[5] Calvin, following Budé, equates it with the Greek title of the antigrapharii,^[2] and Francis Bacon calls Richard Edgcumbe controller of the king's household.^[2]

English controller, first an official in charge of the accounts of a king's household, came from it in the late 14th century through Anglo-French; the spelling comptroller, from about 1500, comes from confusion with French compte, “account”.^[4]

Timeline

• 1274 – The Gascon Rolls name the controller of the king's wardrobe.^[3]
• c. 1290 – Fleta describes his nightly meeting with the treasurer of the wardrobe.^[3][1]
• 1315 – A controller of the royal chamber of Scotland is appointed.^[3]
• 1374 – A Paris record appoints a controller of the receipts of Beaucaire.^[5]
• late 14th century – English controller is recorded, through Anglo-French.^[4]
• 1515 – The acts of parliament summon the controller of the royal works.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin) The keeper of a counter-roll; a controller or comptroller of accounts, especially of a royal household or wardrobe.^[3][6][1][2]
2. (Medieval Latin) An official who records receipts and expenses.^[5]

Related words

• contrārotulus
• rotulus
• English controller
• English comptroller

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
2. ^ a b c d e f g Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
6. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill