COCKETT Meaning and
Definition
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Cockett is a term derived from the Old French word "coquet," meaning a small or dainty vessel. It refers to a medieval custom or authority granting a town or port the privilege to conduct and control its own foreign trade. In England during the Middle Ages, this term specifically designated a special license or certificate given to certain ports, thereby conferring upon them the legal right to levy customs duties on goods entering or leaving their jurisdiction.
The issuance of a cockett was a demonstration of commercial autonomy, as it enabled the authorized ports to maintain registers of cargoes and collect duties for the Crown. The cockett system aimed to regulate trade across the kingdom by centralizing customs collection while giving individual ports the power to manage their own affairs. This arrangement allowed the authorized ports to foster domestic commerce and maintain records of imported or exported goods, facilitating control and taxation by the authorities.
Furthermore, a cockett license often required merchant vessels to display a distinctive mark or seal denoting compliance with the regulations set by the granting authority. Failure to possess a valid cockett, or bypassing a cockett port, could result in penalties or confiscation of goods.
Overall, the granting of a cockett represented an early mechanism of economic regulation and control in medieval England, bolstering local ports' significance and their role in foreign trade while ensuring fiscal benefits for the Crown through the collection of customs duties.
Etymology of COCKETT
The word "cockett" has a relatively obscure etymology. It is derived from the Old French word "coquarde" or "cocard", which means a "cock's feather" or a "rooster's comb". This term was later borrowed into Middle English, where it evolved into "cocket" and various related forms.
The exact reason for the shift in meaning from a rooster's comb to what "cockett" came to represent is unclear. However, one theory suggests that it may have derived from the association between a proud rooster and the cocky behaviors or attitudes exhibited by some individuals. Another theory suggests that the word could be connected to the cockades (ribbons or adornments worn on hats or lapels), which were often used as symbols of honor or distinction in medieval times.
In medieval England, "cockett" came to be associated with the legal term "Cocket Roll".
Similar spelling words for COCKETT
- cockade,
- cockeyed,
- coact,
- Cossette,
- coquette,
- coquet,
- cookout,
- cost,
- cook out,
- cosset,
- couchette,
- cockatoo,
- cocotte,
- coccidae.
