Middle English Dictionary Entry
Tars(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | Tars(e n. Also tarsse, taris, tharse & (errors) tras, tarde, carse. |
| Etymology | OF Tarse, Tharse. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Tharsia, a kingdom said to border China on the west; ?Turkestan; cloth of ~ [quots. with this phrase could also be construed as (b)]; (b) a costly fabric, perhaps a kind of silk, made (or originally made) in Tharsia.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)709 : Of cloth of Tars & riche cendel Was he[r] dobbeing.
- (1354) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)1.681 : Cum panno de Tars.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4463 : We han her..cloþes of tarse, & of sulk ful schene.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)5077 : Duk naymys þys relyques..& sche hem gan vp volde On a cloþ of tarse, ryche & fyn.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2160 : His cote armure was of clooth of Tars [vrr. taris, tras].
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)169/4,6 : The kyngdom of Cathay marcheth toward the west vnto the kyngdom of Tharse [F Tharse]..In Tharse [Man.(2): þe land of Tarse; F Tarse].
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)20/21 : He..sall be cledd in clathe of gold or tars or in chamelet.
- c1450 *Bk.Marchalsi (Hrl 6398)11b : Of þe mountanys of Tarse ben good coursourys.
b
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.163 : Charite..is as gladde of a goune of a graye russet As of a tunicle of tarse [vrr. Carse; say].
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)77 : A selure hir ouer, Of tryed Tolouse, of Tars tapites in-noghe.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)571 : Þe..mon steppez þeron..Dubbed in a dublet of a dere tars.
- (1432) Rec.St.Mary at Hill27 : Also a olde vestement with serkelys..lyned with blu tarde [read: tarse].
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3188 : Ostage are comyn..In toges of tarsse full richelye attyryde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1515 : He..arais all þe cite..With tars & with tafeta þar he trede sulde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4673 : With soft serkis of silke ȝoure sidis vm-loke, Doubeletis of damaske & sum of dere tars.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)115 : Sche was clodeþ in tars [Lamb: tarse].