Middle English Dictionary Entry
blacche n.
Entry Info
| Forms | blacche n. Also blache, blecche, blech(e. |
| Etymology | OE; cp. WS blæcce, Merc. *blecce. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A black pigment or dye; esp., black ink; (b) black color; (c) a black person; (d) ~ of souteres, a company of cobblers; (e) ~ man, ?a maker or seller of black ink or dye; ~ pot, an inkpot.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1325 Liber Cust.Lond.in RS 12.259 : De Lana Anglica non tingenda in Blecche.
- ?a1325 Liber Cust.Lond.in RS 12.2125 : Qe nule leyne dEngleterre ne soit teynte en blecche, fors taunsoulement leyne dEspayne.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)8a/a : Attramentum: blecche or arnement.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)362 : Her [þe Jewes] visages blecken with bleche; & al þe body after.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)566/27 : Atramentum: Bleche.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)41 : Bleke, or blech: Attramentum.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)6156 : Blake as any bleche hys face.
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Gloss.(Hrl 1002)628 : Attromenta: blacche.
b
- ?a1325 Liber Cust.Lond.in RS 12.2129 : Qe nul teynturer qe teynt burnetz blus, et autre manere de colours, ne teygne blecche ne taune.
c
- ?c1190 Vita SGodrici in Sur.Soc.20 (LdMisc 413)417 : Erat quædam mulier pedissequa..cognomento Blache, id est Nigri, mercenaria.
d
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)604 : A bleche of soutres.
e
- (1166) in Pipe R.Soc.925 : Ædwardus filius Blacheman.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)8a/a : Attramentarium: an enklorn [read: enkhorn] or a bleche potte.
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Gloss.(Hrl 1002)628 : Attramentorium: blacchepot.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Ashm.1393 Artist.Recipes (Ashm 1393) 158/23 : Forto make blak water..Tak li. .ij. of alren ryndis..and poune well..and do hem in .iij. potelle of blache of sou [read: souteres] and seþe hem with febull fyre.
- a1500 Hnt.HM.64 Artist.Recipes (Hnt HM 64) 280/5 : Forto make blacke water..put therto a quarte of blacche and set hit ouer the fyer.
- a1500 Adv.23.7.11 Artist.Recipes (Adv 23.7.11) 297/26 : Forto dye russet silke..take þe quantyte of a erwte sho-makeris blakke þat is called 'blacche', and a handefulle of barke of hoke, [etc.].
Note: Glossary: "blac(c)he n. 'green vitriol (iron sulphate)'...'the same material also termed souters ~, ~ of souteres, sowters ~, sho-makeris ~, "shoemaker's black"'."
Note: First quot. offers new sense for (d) ~ of souteres = 'preparation used by shoemakers for blacking leather; blacking'.
Note: Second and third quots. = supplementary material, sense (a).
Note: See also MED blek n. & blak n.
Note: OED separates the forms in -e- and the forms in -a- into separate words, bleach n.2 and blatch n. respectively.