Middle English Dictionary Entry
encens n.
Entry Info
| Forms | encens n. Also in-, an-. |
| Etymology | OF encens; ML incensum. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. cens n.
1.
Incense; the smoke or fragrance of burning incense (also fig.).
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)178/22 : Gold and mirre and An-sens In presaunt heo him brouȝten.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1686 : [Hi]..nome Myrre and encens and monye oþer spices goede.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Ezek.28.41 : Thou puttidist my tymyame, or encense, and myn oynement vpon it.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Apoc.8.4 : The smoke of encensis of the preyers of halewis.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2429 : And moore encens into the fyr he caste.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4509 : Hire god Moloch that with encense He sacreth.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)171b/b : Þere [in Arabia] groweþ thus..a tree þat hatte so, and þe gomme þerof serueþ for encense.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)9358 : My lemmon is so gent..wel swotir hir vestiment þen encense [Vsp: recles] þat is brent.
- c1450 Lydg.SSecr.Ctn.(Sln 2464)2019 : Phesciciens..preve..How norisshyng..is the savour, To nature of good spices and encence.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)175 : Tak perrosyn, & whyte encence, & schepes talow.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)67a : Incense: jncensum, thumama.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)140.2 : My prayere be rightid as ensens in thi sight.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.PP (GoughETop 4)128/3 : Fyue pepynce of encens ben steked in þe paschall.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)83/12 : Smoke him with ensens couenable to þe tyme.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)81/30 : With sandell confyt ennoynt his body, reekyd with reek of ensens, cold and wel sauorand.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)132 : Incense and myrre.
2.
The smoke or odor of any burnt offering.
Associated quotations
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)65.14 : Y shal offren to þe merȝþ offrendes wyþ encens of shepe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.65.15 : With encens [WB(2): brennyng] of wethers.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)65.14 : I sall offre til the with encens of wethirs.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)135/1 : Galien..comaundeþ..to kytte þe temple veynes..and to schette ham with..a greyne of ensence or of coste [Ch.(1): of thuris tosted], or wiþ some corosyf.
Note: New form: Also..ensence.
Note: Needed for date in sense 1.
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. Provisional revised form section (including supplement form): Also encense, encence, ensens, ensence, incense, ansens.--notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400 Trin-C O.9.39 Recipes (Trin-C O.9.39) 20/12 : Take þe .iiij. vnces of rosyn, .iij. vnces of blak pych, .ij. vnces of rosyn in cofyns, .j. vnce of mastik and ensens, [etc.].
- a1500 Trin-C.R.14.45 Recipes (Trin-C R.14.45) 132/27 : Forto make gold colour. Take þe .j. li. of sklatte sens, and di. li. of eluueapatik, and a quarte of di. of oyle of lynesde, [etc.].
Note: ?New cpd., sclate encens = 'slate incense'. See sclate n., sense (c).
Note: New spellings (with s & aphetic sens).