signatura

signatura [CL] 1 (act of) making distinguishing mark (on object or animal, w. obj. gen.), marking. 1485 pro pice et terra emptis pro ~a ovium DCCant. Cellarer/8; 1494 pro ~a manutergiorum et mappalium, xx d. Ib. Cellarer/10. 2 distinguishing mark (made on object for authentication or identifying ownership). b authenticating mark made on letter or document, signature. 1417 septuaginta et quatuor tonelli, una pipa, et capud porci sub ~a sive marqua predicta Cl 267 m. 14.  b 1469 per liberacionem factam J. domino D. de mandato domini regis literatorio sub signeto, per ~am Archibaldo Broune directam ExchScot 640; 1485 ex concessione domini per literas suas sub privato per ~am Ib. 339; 1565 per ~am manu supreme domine nostre regine subscriptam Inchaffray 163. 3 (eccl.) official papal letter or brief by which request is granted to a supplicant; b (publica ~a, app. w. ref. to public audience where such document might be sought by supplicant). 1423 quantum ad vestras supplicaciones, promittimus vobis quod ‥ graciosas ~as vobis fieri faciemus (Lit. Papae) Amund. I 157; in expensis factis ‥ ut puta pro supplicacionibus ‥ directis summo pontifici, et pro earundem consignacione ‥ advocatis ipsam ~am prosequentibus Amund. II app. 267; c1470 quod presenti supplicacioni sola ~a sufficiat Reg. Whet. II 131.  b 1520 y delyveryd your letterys to the pop ‥ he ‥ promysed to sende the supplicasion to the datary, the whych was not sende, synyd nother unsynyd. ‥ y wende ‥ to the pop ‥ att laste yn publica ~a ‥ knelynge before hys holynes to make expedycyon of your cauys Lit. Cant. III 344.