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Star Chamber

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A court of civil and criminal jurisdiction at Westminster, abolished in the reign of Charles I. So called because the ceiling or roof was decorated with gilt stars. Its jurisdiction was to punish such offences as the law had made no provision for.

⁂ The chamber where the “starrs” or Jewish documents were kept was a separate room. The Star Chamber was the Camĕra Stellāta, not Camĕra Starrāta.

“It is well known that, before the banishment of the Jews by Edward I., their contracts and obligations were denominated … starra, or stars… The room in the exchequer wherè the chests … were kept was … the starr-chamber.”—Blackstone: Commentaries. vol. ii. book iv. p. 266, a note.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Standards
Standards of Individuals
Standards
Stang
Stanhope (A)
Stanhope Lens
Stank Hen (A)
Stannary Courts
Star (A)
Star (in Christian art)
Star Chamber
Star-crossed
Star of Bethlehem (The)
Star of the South
Stars and Garters! (My)
Stars and Stripes (The) or the Star-spangled Banner
Starboard and Larboard
Starch
Starry Sphere
Starvation Dundas
Starved with Cold

See Also:

Star-Chamber