Middle English Dictionary Entry
solsecle n.
Entry Info
| Forms | solsecle n. Also solcecle, solsekil, solsicle, solsikelle, solsikil, soulsecle, selsehel & sosecle, sousekle, sausikel(e, sausikille & sorsecle, soursikele & (errors) sollecle, solicle, solucle, soksikel, sonsecle, sonsicle. |
| Etymology | OF solsecle, soucicle, suscicle, AF solsegle, vars. of OF soussie, so(u)lsie, solcie, sorcille; ult. L solsequium. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. elitrope n., mari-gold n.
1.
(a) Pot marigold Calendula officinalis; -- also used as epithet [quots.: c1325]; ?also, heliotrope Heliotropium europæum or chicory Cichorium intybus [quot.: ?a1425]; (b) cloth dyed the color of marigolds; ~ water, gold-tinted water used in dyeing.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)641 : Ausi icrest la fluir de surcye [glossed:] solicle [vrr. sollecle, soksikel].
- a1350 Ichot a burde in a (Hrl 2253)20 : He is solsecle, to sauue ys forsoht.
- a1350 Ichot a burde in boure (Hrl 2253)53 : Heo is solsecle of suetnesse ant ledy of lealte.
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)110 : Þe sauge, þe sorsecle [vrr. solcecle, sausikel, solsykelle], so semeliche to siht..Als þis schaply þing ȝede in hire ȝarde.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)61a/b : Solsequium: flos, sousekle.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)644/18 : Solsequium: sawsykylle.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)197b/b : Solsequium, Elitropia, Sponsa solis, corea, intuba, dionysia: Soulsecle.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)8/30 : Take þe woyse..of solsekill and do þe woyse in thyn eghne.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)62/4 : Tak vetoyn, ambrose, herbe John, solsikill, tansay, [etc.].
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)212/26 : Or wete a clowte in þe iuce of sonsecle [read: sousecle] and lay it on þe lyuer.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)215/14 : Or elys take þe floweris of sosecle [read: solsecle] and celydony.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)256/11 : Take sonsycle [read: sousycle], soþerendwode, and sawge..and sethe hem in wyne.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)132/353 : For a ffelon take solucle [?read: solsicle] and the ȝolke of an ey..and medle togedir, and lay on the soore.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)268/872 : Tak burnet, drauk..pympnall, selsehell and as moch of auence os of all the oþer erbis..and shall be gadered in may before seynt John day.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)55/10 : Put wort-lef þer-to, and..spigurnel, flowers of sausekele.
b
- (1345-9) Wardrobe Acc.Edw.III(1) in Archaeol.31102 : vij vlne per solsicle, iij vlne per blu.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)4/14 : To make soursikele watere: Take a tre þat is y-lyche brasel, bote hit ys more ȝelewer in colour.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1465 Eg.2852 Stain.Recipes (Eg 2852) 105/11 : To make soursikele watere. Take [fustik, þat is] a tre þat is ylyche brasel, bote hit ys more ȝelewer in colour.
- a1500 Jul.Artist.Recipes (Jul D.8) 141/8 : To make suusikell water. Tac a tre þat is lyche brasile, but hit is more ȝolewer in colour..and ley þat in þy cloth.
- a1500 Htrn.110 Artist.Recipes (Htrn 110) 326/33 : To make sursicle water tak fustel [read: fustek], þat is a tre þat is liche brasill saue it is ȝelow..and seþ it..and put it in þe cloth.
Note: Glossary: "sursicle, soursikle, soursikele, suusikell n. '(literally 'marigold'), used either as colour word ('golden-yellow') or as a name for a dye-plant, but very likely a persistent err. for 'fusticke'."
Note: Editor's note (Eg 2852, 105/11): "soursikele. Henslow suggests a list of possible plant identifications, many implausible. However, soursikele here is a colour word (for golden-yellow), while fustik (for soursikele in G) is a plant dyestuff." See also Clarke's discussion of the matter in the Introduction, p. xlviii.
Note: New spellings.