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Revision as of 19:36, 26 November 2003 by Henrygb (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The Exchequer was a court in charge of taxes and other obligations to the King of England, and the collection and management of the royal revenue. Hence, it came to mean the treasury; and, colloquially, pecuniary possessions in general; as, 'the company's exchequer' is low.
It takes its name from the medevial tradition of using a chessboard or checkers board for calculations of accounts.
Some civil cases for private debt were taken to the Court of the Exchequer using a legal fiction.
See also: Chancellor of the Exchequer