Carte Blanche, a 'blank paper' authenticated with an authoritative signature, and trusted to some one to be filled up as he may think best. Thus in 1649 Charles II. tried to save his father's life by sending from the Hague to the Parliament a signed carte blanche to be filled up with any terms which they would accept as the price of his safety. In 1832 Earl Grey was said to have been armed with a carte blanche for the creation of new peers.
Carte Blanche
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 2: Beaugency to Cataract, p. 795
Source scan(s): p. 0812