Derek Moran
starr (stahr), n. [fr. Latin starrum fr. Hebrew sh'tar "a writing"] Hist. A Jewish contract (esp. for release of an obligation) that Richard I declared to be invalid unless it was placed in a lawful repository, the largest being in the king's Exchequer at Westminster. Also termed starra. "It is well known that, before the banishment of the Jews under Edward I, their contracts and obligations were denominated in our ancient records starra or starrs, from a corruption of the Hebrew word, sheeay, a covenant .... These starrs, by an ordinance of Richard the first ... were commanded to be enrolled and deposited in chests under three keys in certain places; one, and the most considerable, of which was in the king's exchequer at Westminster .... [T]he room at the exchequer, where the chests containing these starrs were kept, was probably called the starr-chamber, and, when the Jews were expelled from the kingdom, was applied to the use of the king's council, when sitting in their judicial capacity." 4 William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England 263 n.a (1769)
Printed copy · Anthology Volume 2, page 495
