Middle English Dictionary Entry
sāble n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sāble n. Also sabel, sabil(le, sabul & (late) sablis, sabils. |
| Etymology | OF sable the sable & ML sabelum, AL sabelus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The European sable (Martes zibellina); (b) the fur or pelt of the sable; (c) the color black; blak ~; blak as (blakker than) ~; (d) a black garment, black clothing, mourning clothes; (e) her. black as one of the heraldic colors; ~ blak; feld of sable(s.
Associated quotations
a
- (1463-4) RParl.5.504b : It may please youre Highnes..to ordeyn..that noo Knyght..nor noo Wyf of eny such Knyght..were eny manere Cloth of Gold..or eny Furre of Sables.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.157 : The martrik, sable, the foynyee, and mony mo.
b
- (1437) Invent.Q.Katherine in Sus.AC 37 (Add 32645)173 : Delivred to Guillemette de Rewe, the fourrure of sables that was withynne the said gowne of damaske.
- a1450 St.Etheldr.(Fst B.3)746 : A mantyll of sable þat lady werede vpone.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)5.385 : Your quene..Of no devyse enbroyded hath her wede, Ne furrede withe Ermyne ne with..martren ne sable.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)82/2 : The kyng of Irlond had ther..grete peyns of armyn and of sables.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)17 : Pelter ware, as sablys, ermynes, letes, martrons..and many odyr be sold by the tymber, and xl fells make a Tymber.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.2904 : A Peire of Bedes blak as Sable Sche tok and heng my necke aboute.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.197 : Nor of peyntyng I haue noon excellence With sondry hewes..So riche colours biggen I ne may; I mote procede with sable and with blake.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)440 : Sable, coloure: Sabellinum.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)771 : Hym dremyd of a dragon dredfull to beholde..Bothe his hede and hys hals ware..Oundyde of azure..Hys feete ware floreschede all in fyne sabyll.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)337 : I have no Colour but Oonly Chalk and sable, To peynte or portreye lyst that I shulde Erre Your hih Renoun.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1126 : Þere entirs him þat Emperoure & in þat erd findis Of Anec his awen sire ane ymage of sable, A berne was of blake stane all þe body hewen.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3946 : Þan come a fliȝtir in of fowls..Þaire boukis & þar bathire fete was of blak sable.
- c1460 My fayr lady (Hrl 2255)p.204 : Hire cote armure is duskyd reed With a boordure as blak as sabyl.
- c1500 Looke well (Trin-C R.3.19)39 : Thowgh..the gret see that callyd ys the occianne Were tornyd into ynke, blakkyr than sabyll.
d
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)5222 : And swypir feendly hand with strook vengeable, Haþ many a woman maad hem cloþ in sable.
- c1450(c1385) Chaucer Mars (Benson-Robinson)284 : Now have ye cause to clothe yow in sable, Sith that youre emperise..Is desolat.
e
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)306 : Arthure..Salle be wondede..Supprysede with a sugette þat beris of sabille A sawtire engrelede of siluer fulle schene.
- (1441) Arms Codrington in BGAS 21306 : [This said gentleman..bearing in his Arms] of Silver a veece of Sable Batale counter batale Frett with Gowles, betweene three Lyons passants of the same.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)3000 : Þer among was Saladyn And hys nevewe Myrayn-Momelyn, Here baner whyt..Wiþ þre Sarezynes-hedes off sable [vr. sabell].
- c1450(c1353) Winner & W.(Add 31042)157 : The thirde banere one bent es of blee whitte, With sexe galeys [read: galegs]..of sable with-inn.
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.3 (Hrl 2169)193 : The feld of sabyll [with a golden chalice].
- (1467) in Albertson Lond.Merch.71 : A felde of sylver and sable party in pale, A cheveron greylled enterchanged.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)219/15 : He..sette up a dragon with eglys, many one enewed with sabyl.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)827/8 : Than sir Launcelot lete make hym a shylde all of sable, and a quene crowned in the myddis of sylver.
- (1472) Grant Arms in Antiq.49289 : I the saide Kyng of Armes..have devysed for them..thise Armes folowing, that is to sey, A feld of Sablys, A Cheveron silver grailed, [etc.].
- c1475 Sln.4 Recipes in Rel.Ant.1 (Sln 4)324 : There he [read: be] but ij metallys and v colours yn all blasyng of armes, that ys to say: sylver and gold metalles; sabylls, aser, gowles, synaper, and vertecolers.
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)her.leaf a iv/a : Ther be ix dyuerse coloris for the felde of Cotearmuris, v worthy & iiii Royall..the iiii Royall be theis: Gowlis, Asure, Sable, & Siluer.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)374 : A schylde..was so wel y-wrouȝt that none myȝt bettyr be thouȝt, with thre sarisins heuedys of sabyl.
- a1500(?c1400) Gowther (Adv 19.3.1)577 : Þo sawdyn bare in sabull blacke iij lyons rampand, withowt lacke, All of silver schene.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1475 Yale-BA.Artist.Recipes (Yale-BA R486.M43 1450) 89/3 : For an incarnacion, take sable and safferone and rede lede and medyl hit togeyder.
Note: Need date, sense (c).