Middle English Dictionary Entry
perche n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | perche n.(2) Also perdge, preche; pl. perche(s. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. perk(e n.
1.
(a) A rod, pole, staff; a fixed horizontal rod for hanging cloth, clothing, armor, cord, etc.; a fuller's rod; a pole supporting vines; a rod supporting the body of a cart above the axletree [quot.: (1454)]; fulleres ~; (b) a place where a bird alights; a perch for a chicken, a hawk, etc.; (c) surg. a high bar used in reducing a dislocated shoulder; (d) ~ moneie, some sort of levy paid to a harbor authority (?for maintaining navigation markers).
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Chris.(LdMisc 108)78 : In his hond a long perche he bar, is staf as þei it were.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)366/53 : Mid one follares preche [Corp-C: perche] þat men tesieth opon cloth, Opon þe scolle he was i-smite þat is brain out drof.
- a1325 SLeg.Bridget(2) (Corp-C 145)171 : He ne dorste carie noȝt perche forto finde Wanne heo [alt. to: he] wolde hure cloþes honge.
- (1373) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.158 : [One] perche [of iron].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.409 : Þey smyte out his brayn wiþ a walkere his perche [Higd.(2): a fuller's perche; L pertica fullonis].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)246b/a : Of wythies is dyuerse kynde, ffor somme bereþ longe ȝerdes and hyhe and wexeþ grete, and þerof beþ perches ymade and lugges [L perticas] for vynes.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)225 : A mantyl heng hir faste by, Upon a perche..A burnet cote heng therwithall.
- (1439) LRed Bk.Bristol2.173 : The iiij Maisters of dyers..may oversee al the defautes of every such clothe havyng in perche or on logges and in other lawfull places of the wirchyng.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)393 : Perche or perke: Pertica.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)12.37 : The vynys that trauayle On perchis or forkis, and ouerlonge..are..of nought auayle.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.23.44 : Thou must have a plomet hangyng on a lyne, heygher than thin heved, on a perche.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)58 : Hy to thilke perche..Ynowh thow seest to arme thee with; Ther beth helmes and haubergouns.
- (1454) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.140 : [An old] perche [for a] chare [with an] extre.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2948 : A longe peny halter was cast about my nekk..And cast ovir a perche & hale a-long my throte.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)24 : Sette out my blody serke on a perch afore..She..hongyd it vp on a perche in hire chambir.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)4 : He..made here..tye a corde a-boute a perche, and knyt it a-boute her nekke.
- a1500 Gloss Dict.Garland (Hrl 1002)122 : Unus vicinorum nostrorum tulit hodie ad vendendum in pertica [glossed:] perche una sotulares..et crepitas.
b
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2204 : What haukes sitten on the perche [vr. perches] aboue.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4074 : Chauntecleer..Sat on his perche that was in the halle, And next hym sat this faire Pertelote.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4359 : I may nat on yow ryde, For that oure perche is maad so narwe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)143b/a : Haukes..beþ..I-bore on hondes & I-sette on perchis.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)97/12 : Men fynden a Sparehauk vpon a perche right fair & right wel made.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)159/17 : Aboue the chambre of this chariot..ben sett vpon a perche iiij or v or vj Gerfacouns.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)1551 : Vppon a perche amyd the halle A faire sperhauke þere sitte.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)282/18 : A faucon..flowe unto the elme to take hir perche.
- a1475 *Hrl.Diseases Hawk B (Hrl 2340)34b : At nyȝth go to þe mewe & take hyr [hawk]..as sche syttes on hyr perch.
- a1475 Lovely lordynges (Brog 2.1)p.5 : The perche schalbe of carbuncul stone, To rest ȝow one, my joly lemone.
c
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)324/7,9 : Ordeine a long perche, & make it fast in ij wallis of þe hous..& þe hiȝnes of þis perche schal be hiȝer þan a man is long, & þan sette vndir his feet a stool..& lete a strong man holde doun his arme and his hond, & take awei þe stool vndir his feet, & in þis maner þe boon wole come into his ioynct.
d
- (1466) Doc.in Gilbert Cal.Dublin 1323 : Hit is ordeynet..that al..pay perche mony to the water baliffes of the havvyn.
2.
(a) A measuring rod; (b) a linear measure of varying length; also, something one perch in length; (c) a square perche; ~ of lond; ~ ground; ~ of her, ?a square perche.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(Hrl 2277)576/159 : A perche he nom & met aboute as ech hous scholde beo.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)332a/a : Þe pase conteyneþ fyue feet, and þe perche elleuene passe and ten feete [L passus pedes v, partica passus xxi, pedes x]; þe perche hatte partica and haþ þat name of portando, berynge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)332a/a : Þe perche is ten foote longe, as ezechiel his cane made and mesured mistikliche þe temple.
- (?a1450) Lond.Charterhouse in Archaeol.58300 : It renyþ in a goter of ston fro þe souþ in to þe norþ ij perch & x fete, & fro þens it retornyþ and goþ West ij perch.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)560 : Among the centrions enserch The werk if it be wrought, kept the mesure, In brede & deep & high, perch aftir perch.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)319/23 : Þe..mese conteynyth in hyt self xvj perchys in lengeth & vj perchys in brede.
- (?1475) Stonor1.161 : I askyd hym [the ditcher] how he wold do a perdge of sempyll dydge.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)44 : xvj fote and a halfe makithe a perche, & fourti perchis in lengthe & foure in brede makithe a acre off londe.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)45 : The mesure off a perche is xvj fote.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)14 : v yerdes dim. make a perche in London to mete land by; and that perche ys xvj fote and dim.
- a1525(?1423) Cov.Leet Bk.57 : Thies xlviij aboue-namyd pardonyd Symon Mason of iiij perchis of the towne wall withoute the Newyate, wiche he shuld haue made.
- a1525(?1451) Cov.Leet Bk.259 : The seyde Lewes shuld clanse the diche that strechthe in lengeth from the Dog-lone vnto the Cook-strete-yate, conteyneng in lengeth x perche, he takeng for euery perche v s.
c
- (1209) Pipe R.Winch37/30 : Hugo et Ricardus..reddunt..de iij s. vj d. de vij perchis assisis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)332a/a : Oure grete..deled þe prouynce..in regiouns, in place, in teritories..and þilke in climes, and þilke actus and perches.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)12b/a : Casma: a perche of her.
- (1442) RParl.5.59a : William Paston, Robert Clere, and Esmond Clere..have and hold..ix perchys, a quarter and an half of a perche, and a pek of Londe, Pasture, Hethe, and Maresse, callid Copie holde.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)601/1 : And j perch in þe est felde.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)41 : The secunde chapitur tellithe..howe many perchis of londe makithe an acre.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)14 : viiixx perchys make an aker..and the half aker conteynyth iiiixx perchys..the dim. rode grownd conteynyth xx perchys; and the perch grownd schall conteyne the length of the perche euery way, like a cheker euyn square.
3.
In surname.
Associated quotations
- (1199) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames267 : Geoffrey del Perche.
- (1221) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames267 : Adam de Perche.
- (1327) in Kristensson ME Local Surnames15 : Joh. atte Perche.