Middle English Dictionary Entry
cassia n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cassia n. Also cas(s)e, cassi(e, chase, (error) casta. |
| Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Cassia, the tree or shrub; (b) cassia bark, spice made from this bark; (c) ~ lignea, cassia bark.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)218b/a : Cassia is..a certein kynde of spicery wiþ good smyl and noble..and is a ȝerde wiþ a strong rynde and reed and purpre leues..Cassia brediþ in watry place and groweþ hugeliche.
- c1475 Court Sap.(Trin-C R.3.21)1385 : Euery spyce..that euer on tree or bussh or herbe can growe, Ther was..and zephirus gan blow Oute thorough the mede, and Casia gan refleyre.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)44.10 : Cassi..growis in watter stedis in til a mykil tre and gifes odures.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.44.9 : The swote erbe casia fro thi clothis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)218b/b : Cassia haþ vertu to tempre, to dele and departe.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ex.30.23 : Tak..swete smellynge thingis..the half of the canel..and of chasee [WB(2): casia] fyue hundryd sicles.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)8.146 : Pepur an vnce, of case [L casiae] & mynte asmal.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)238/7 : Take spykenarde..gromell, and cassia.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)44.10 : Mirre and gut and cassi of thi clathyngis.
c
- [ a1400 Mirfeld Sinonoma (Pmb-O 2)14 : Cassia, quando simpliciter, lignea intellegitur. ]
- [ a1400 Mirfeld Sinonoma (Pmb-O 2)44 : Xilocassia i. cassia lignea. ]
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)218b/a : Þat oon is cleped cassia fistula, and þe oþer cassia lignea, þat is þe rynde of a litel tree þat groweþ nyȝ þe marches of babilonia.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)149a/b : R[ecipe]..cassie lignee [*Ch.(2): cassia lignea; L casie li].
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)101/34 : For crocus and cassia lignea bene þe frenez i. bridellez of opii.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)198/2 : Take pylles off þe powder off cassea lignea.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)222/701 : Take..canell, nutmuge, clowes of the tre of aloes, and casia lignea.
2.
cassia fistula: (a) pods of the tree cassia fistula; also, the pulp from these pods; (b) ?some kind of cassia bark.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)218b/b : Cassia fistula is þe fruyt of a certein tree þat bereþ long seed..and þe mary wiþinne is blak and moyste and swete and is medlid wiþ certeyn white greynes.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)339/21 : Þer ben summe medicyns þat makiþ clene a mannes blood, as cassia fistula.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)148b/b : I praise lenitif euacuacioun of þe materie goyng afore, what kynz ar cassiafistula & diacatholicon.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)160b/b : Cassiafistula symple is giffen comonly in colature.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)57/3 : Tak cassia fastula..stamp it & drynk it & scho sall sone be delyuerde, if it be hir tyme.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)186/584 : Take cassefistula and ete ix cornes.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)68/5 : For þe dropseye. Take of reubarbe..cascia fistula.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)21/16 : If ȝe wole strenkþe ȝoure medicyn, þanne putte yn oure 5 essence a litil quantite of pulpa cassie fistule.
- a1500 Travel Instruc.(CotApp 8)281 : With Gera pigra, Castafistola, brane an handfull..is the strengest of alle.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)218b/a : Plat[earus] and dyas meneþ and spekeþ of tweie maner Cassia þat oon is cleped Cassia fistula and þe oþer Cassia lignea.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.87ra (3.1) : 'Cassialignea' (cassialigne) is þe bark of þat tre and it is hote & moyst in þe 3 gre.
Note: Additional quot., sense 1.(c).