Middle English Dictionary Entry
purpur(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | purpur(e n. Also purper, -pir(e, -pour, -pre & porpure, -por, -pre, pourpure, -pour, -pre & (errors) puper, pupree; pl. purpres, (early) purpras. |
| Etymology | OE purpure (from L) & AF purpre & OF porpre, pourpre. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. purpel n.
1.
(a) A cloth, often of silk, dyed with Tyrian purple or a similar dye; purple fabric, esp. associated with royalty; (b) a garment made from purple cloth; raiment of royal purple; also fig.; usen ~, to assume royal or imperial dignity; (c) the purple cloak or mantel with which the Roman soldiers mockingly vested Christ as King of the Jews; (d) ~ and bis, bis and ~ [see bis n.(1)]; ~ and pal, pal and ~, purpres and palles, palles and purpres, etc., rich fabrics or raiment.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)6968 : King Vriens and his kniȝtes..Token al þis riche praie: Pelles, purper, gold, and monaye.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)258/12 : Oure lhord ne speke naȝt zuo stefliche..ase of to zofte bougeren and of to moche of pris pourpre.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.25.4 : Thes ben þe þingis þat ȝe schullen take: gold & syluer..& purpur, þat is, lyke blode [vr. that is, sangwyn silk].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.127 : Antiochus..sente hym vessel, purpure, and laaces of silk.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)161b/a : Some shellefysshe..ȝif þey ben y-kutte..of hem droppen teren and [read: of] rede colour, and wiþ þilke teres purpur is y-dyed.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1568 : He schal be gered ful gaye in gounes of porpre.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)203 : With a mantil scho me cled; It was of purpure faire and fine.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ecclus.45.12 : God ȝaf to hym an hooli stoole, a wouun werk, with gold and iacynct and purpur [WB(1): sanguyn silc; L purpura].
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.m.5.16 : The blood of a maner schellefyssch that men fynden in Tirie, with which blood men deyen purpre.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)121/4 : Thai vse wyde garments..withouten pelure, and þai er of purpure or of tartarene or chamelet.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1588 : Þe bald bischop..Was graþid in a garment of gold & of pupree [read: purpree; Dub: siluer].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1924 : Laches me þis losengere..Þat I may him skelp with a skorge, & þen of skire porpure A side slauyn him sewe & send him to his modire.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)62/16 : At þe northe was hur bed, onowrnyd with..gay clothis of purpur & sylk.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)1268 : We beȝt marchauntes of aragoun to passe thy passage, with sykelatoun and sendal and purpur of prys.
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Bod 34)76/531 : O schene nebschaft..þet schulde beo se prudeliche ischrud ant iprud ba wið pel ant wið purpre.
- (a1333) Herebert Þe kynges baneres (Add 46919)14 : Þat art so vayr y-kud And wyth kynges pourpre yshrud.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)229/5 : Hi ham cloþeþ..mid pourpre [Vices & V.(2): in purpre] and mid uayre robes and costuolle.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.137 : Þe womman was cloþed in purpre & bordured wiþ gold.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Esd.3.2 : King darie made a gret sooper..to alle þat werden purpre [vr. wereden purper].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.77 : Þis was þe firste kyng of Romayns þat vsede purpur, a maner reed cloþinge of kynges and branderers and reueres.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.299 : In þis Zeno þe emperour his tyme, Aurelius Ambrosius usede þe purpure [L purpuram induit] in Bretayne.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1743 : Sone watz Danyel dubbed in ful dere porpor, And a coler of cler golde kest umbe his swyre.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1403 : Þe lady went withowten towne And with hir many bald barowne Cled in purpure and ermyne.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.4.3 : Nero..apparayled hym with faire purpres of Tyrie and with white peerles.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.2097 : Theodose..nat froward amendis for to make, His sceptre, his suerd, his purpre, his diadeeme Soget to Ambrose.
- c1440(?a1400) ?Nassyngton Trin.& U.(Thrn)147 : Thow wald nowthir in purpure ne byse Be lappede, ne in nan oþer clothes of pryce.
- a1450 *St.Marg.(2) (Bod 779)119* : Ciclatun & purpure for chal ben þin wede.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)356/25 : Lete sere pryncis in purpure In savynge of oure lawys now telle on.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)44.11 : This quene is atirid with..purpire of thaim that lifis in chastite and in penaunce.
- a1500 Doct.Galen (Hrl 78)39 : Affter þy degree and power, so cloþe hir in pourpure or palle.
c
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 15.17 : Knyȝtis..clothiden him with purpur.
- c1400(a1349) Rolle MPass.(1) (Cmb Ll.1.8:Horst.)84 : Lord Ihesu Cryst, I thanke þe of þe peynes and schamys þat þou..soffred for vs whan þou were clad in purpre for to schame þe.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)204 : They..nakynd hym of his purpure, & he stode nakede amonge theme.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)333/391 : Þis purpure and palle And þis worthy wede sall he were for scorne.
- ?a1450(?1350-75) Pass.Christi in Norris Anc.Corn.Drama (Bod 791)2122 : Me a ordyn y wyske yn purpyr..kepar del goth the vyghtern.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.76 : Thai toke hym Septre and pourpre als signes of Regalye.
d
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1185 : He..dude þer-inne muchel col & claðes inowe, pælles & purpras [Otho: purpres].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2957 : Heo unbunde þa locun, drowen ut þa baiȝes, þa palles & þa purpres, þe iworht weore in Puille.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)7/67 : Al þe cure [Roy: cur wes] ouertild..wið purpres & pelles [Roy: wið purpre wið pal].
- a1350 Maximian (Hrl 2253)11 : Ys wille he heuede ynoh, purpre & pal he droh, & oþer murþes mo.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)2836 : Fowe & griis anouȝ lade we..& puper [read: purper] & biis.
- (a1382) WBible(1) Prol.Kings (Bod 959)85 : Eche man offriþ þat he may: ooþere men gold & siluer..ooþere men bise and purpre.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 16.19 : Sum man was rich and was clothid in purpur and biys.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.990 : Ther was a riche man..everyday Of pourpre and bisse he made him gay.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)118/17 : Þe riche man..werede bice and purpur.
- ?a1425 Whi is þis world (Trin-C B.15.39)18 : Where is bicome cesar, þat lord was of al, or þe riche man cloiþd in purpur and in pal?
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)443 : Pighte was it [a pavilion] prowdely withe purpure [Dc: purpour] and paulle.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1288 : Thise hende..Behelde þe howsynge full hye of hathen kynges..Palaisez proudliche pyghte, þat palyd ware ryche Of pall and of purpure wyth precyous stones.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4744 : Knyghtes, squiers made bourdys, & hem desgysede in pourpre & bys.
- 1451-1500 Tundale (Wagner)1877 : Tondale loked and se a plase Fulle of bryght pavelownes..Thay wer kevered with purpur [vr. purpull] and byse.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)38 : He come y-clothid alle in purpre & bisse.
2.
(a) The color purple in one of its various hues, ranging from violet to crimson; (b) her. the heraldic tincture purple, often indistinguishable from gules; (c) purple dye; (d) a mollusk of the genus Murex from which Tyrian purple is made.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.15 : Muskles..haueþ wiþ ynne hem margery perles of alle manere colour and hewe, of rody and rede, of purpur [Higd.(2): a purpulle coloure] and of blew.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)306a/a : Aristotil..seiþ þat Citryne passeþ by purpure in to blak, and þerfore purpure moot be bitwene reed and blak.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)309a/b : Purpure is nerre þan rede to þe blak.
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)180/6,10 : Amatiste þat is a purpre & haþ þe colour medle of violet & of Rose..bitokneþ hem þat..desiren þe felawschippes of aungels & Martirs & confessours, & þere of hij han þe colour medle as purpre, violet, & Rose.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)4714 : Thei rered..Baneres brode of..Grene and white, of purpur pure.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4986 : Þar bade a brid on a boghe..All hire hames be-hind was hewid as purpure.
- a1500 Bod.EMisc.Lapid.(BodEMisc e.558)34/308 : The Colonytes is a stone þat is..like to purpur of blake colour.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.76 : Pourpre to Regalye pertenyng was to forne, Wharefore thay mantlid hym in swylk coloure for scorne.
b
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1375 : Þane presez a preker in, full proudely arayede, That beres all of pourpour, palyde with syluer.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)4184 : He..laughte vpe thre lyons all of whitte siluyre Passande in purpre.
c
- [ (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)311a/a : Purpura haþ þat name of purenesse of light..þis coloure is y-maystred and amended wiþ blood þat droppeþ of certeyn schelle fische whanne þey ben y-kutte. ]
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)171b/b : Oute of þat cuntre [Assyria] come firste þe vse of purpur.
- c1500 Recipe MSS Hast.in HMC (Hnt HU 1051)1.424 : To mak purpure: Tak blew and wyrk it and glace abovyne with rosett.
d
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.8.16 : Men..knowen which watir haboundeth moost of reed purpre [L purpurae], that is to seyn, of a maner schellefyssch with which men deien purpre.