chevisance

1. (obsolete) Provision(s), supply.Examples: "There was then neither such number of Altars, nor such chueisance of Masses, as hath beene sithence."; "The store-house of Sunnes cheuisance... Oceanus."; "A strong towne of defence, and for rich chevisance and quicke traffique a most delectable place."countableobsoleteuncountable

2. (obsolete) Booty.Examples: "When we with Magnyfycence goodys made chevysaunce."; "make what cheuysaunce they lusted."; "[…] carried their pillage […] to places of safety […] and full of gladnesse for their chevisance, did then come again to fetch more."countableobsoleteuncountable

3. (obsolete) Remedy, resource, expedient, means of helping oneself.Examples: "Hir craftie chevesaunce tooke none effect in Brytayne"; "Violated by Leger du main, or chevisance of wit."countableobsoleteuncountable

4. (obsolete, chiefly derogatory) The raising of money (by a borrower, by some expedient).Examples: "If he shame to begge […] Then turneth he to fraude and crafty cheuesaunce, Of all men borowing on suertie, othe or seale."; "Punyshment of Usurye […] shiftes and chevisances."; "[…] or any other predatory art or cheuisance."countablederogatoryobsoleteuncountable

5. (obsolete, often derogatory) The furnishing of money (by a lender) for profit.Examples: "Couenous and fraudulent Feoffements […] to the overthrow of all true and plain dealing, bargaining and chevisance between man and man."; "Pitie, that any such knack of kanuerie, or covenous chevisance [...] should [...] overthrow [... a] state."; "It is held to be simonie, and corrupt cheuisance, if any valuance consideration be giuen in such regard […]"countablederogatoryobsoleteoftenuncountable

6. (obsolete) A contract or agreement (about a matter in dispute, such as a debt); in particular, an unlawful contract intended to evade laws against usury.Examples: "[Discussing events from June 1421.] […] committed to prison till he satisfied the commonalty for £17 10s which he did not deny having obtained from the said Guy by false chevisance, together with the sum of £53 8d, being double the amount of gain he had made from the other persons."; "Since, however, the form of such a canonical sale on credit was often or even mostly employed as a cover for loans with a mark-up, all chevisance came to be seen as deceitful, thus making the adjective “false” redundant. In any case it seems that the ecclesiastical courts in England did not prosecute chevisance, but only usury on the basis of mutuum type loans, which[…]"countableobsoleteuncountable