Middle English Dictionary Entry
orpiment n.
Entry Info
| Forms | orpiment n. Also orpement, -mint, orpimed, orpment, (errors) opiment, ortment, arpment. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. auripigment.
1.
(a) Arsenic trisulfide, orpiment; -- often used as a pigment; also, arsenic disulfide or monosulphide, red orpiment, realgar; (b) orpiment used in medicaments and as an agent for destroying lice; poudre of ~, powdered orpiment; red ~, realgar used medicinally; (c) alch. orpiment used in alchemy; one of the four substances called 'spirits'.
Associated quotations
a
- (1296) Newcastle Galley in Archaeol.Ael.4.2179 : In ouis ad Glayr pro orpyment distemperando, j d.
- (1296) Newcastle Galley in Archaeol.Ael.4.2185 : In vna libra de orpyment, vna Quarteria de ynde, et Albedine emptis de Magistro J. Pictore.
- (1310) Acc.Executors in Camd.n.s.108 : De xx d. de iiij libris de orpiment venditis.
- (1353) *Pipe Roll (PRO) 32 Edw.III m.36 [OD col.] : In xxx lb. de vermylone, di. lb. de orpyment.
- a1400 Mirfeld Sinonoma (Pmb-O 2)12 : Auripigmentum, orpiment, quando simpliciter de citrino intelligitur.
- (1420-21) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.514 : i boxe galbannum, iiii barellis orpement.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)193a/b : Auripigmentum, Orpement, it is a veyne of þe erþe and þer is þerof boþe red and citryne; it is hote & drye in þe secounde degre.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)618/3 : Arsenek and orpyment [*Ch.(1): auripigmentum; L auripigmentum] ben mynes and þai ben sublymede..þai ben roting and ful dedly.
b
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)166b/a : Mundificatiues..Summe ben stronger þe whiche clensen wiþ corrocioun as affodilles, vertgrece, Arnement, Orpement.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)174a/a : Þer ben eiȝte maner of pouders..pouder of..orpement.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)83/28 : Auripigment is called comonly ortment whos puluer vseþ falconerez agaynz pediclez of þaire falconez.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)391/4 : Þe place be afterwarde plastrede wiþ rede orpyment [*Ch.(1): auripigment rube; L auripigmento rubeo].
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)82/31 : Þan tak..of orpyment, of pyons..& do on þe kankir.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)217 : Tak arpment & slekyd lyme & argoyle..mak anoynement & anoynte..þe scabbes, oþer þe yeche, or þe mormal.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)77/18,22 : To slen lees..Tak..orpment and make..poudere; tak..gres..and a litill qwiksiluere..put þer-to pouder of orpment..a-noynte þe þanne with þis oynement.
- a1475 *Hrl.Diseases Hawk A (Hrl 2340)28b : Yf sche [hawk] hafe vermyn Apon hir, take orpyment and make it small powdir.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)111b/b : Or ellis þou schalt take orpiment and sulphure, quyk lyme and sope, and make of hem an oynement..þis medicyne heliþ a festre in schort tyme.
c
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.759 : What sholde I..bisye me to telle yow the names Of orpyment [vrr. orpemynt, Opyment], brent bones, iren squames?
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.774 : Oure orpiment [vr. orpimed] and sublymed Mercurie..Noght helpeth vs.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.823 : The firste spirit quyk siluer called is, The seconde orpyment, the thridde ywis Sal armonyak, and the ferthe brymstoon.
- a1500 in Singer Cat.Alchem.1.279 : Arcenyke is of a subtile matiere havyng the colour of sulphur and hit is a rede stoone and he is of the same nature that is orpyment.
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)64a : I wrought..In arsnicke, in orpiment foule mout them fall.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1525 BodEMus.52 Artist.Recipes (BodEMus 52) 191/6 : Yȝff þu wylt temper orkement, take orkement and wate yt all in gum in a schell.
- a1525 BodEMus.52 Artist.Recipes (BodEMus 52) 195/15 : Forto make herre. Take browne and grynde it with gum water and put þerto horcumente and a lytell calke &c.
- ?a1525 Dc.54 Artist.Recipes (Dc 54) 269/30 : [T]o make a gode settynge ȝolow: orepyment, and grynd yt smale and temper yt with gom watyr.
Note: Additional quotes, sense (a).
Note: New spellings (orkement & horcumente = errors).