Under the former system of equity practice, this phrase was used to characterize the usual method of taking an account before a master. After the plaintiff had presented hls “charge," a written statement of the items of account for which he asked credit, the de-fendant filed a counter-statement, called a “discharge,” exhibiting any claims or de-mands he held against the plaintiff. These served to define the field of investigation, and constituted the basis of the report
Source: Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
