Glossary of Middle English Cooking Terms
Here is a collection of commonly-used Middle English words & phrases found in surviving medieval cooking manuscripts, with brief modern English translations. The sources used in creating this glossary include:

A Fifteenth Century Cookery Boke. John L. Anderson, 1962.

An Ordinance of Pottage. An Edition of the Fifteenth Century Culinary Recipes in Yale University's MS Beinecke 163. Constance B. Hieatt, 1988.

Curye on Inglish: English Culinary Manuscripts of the Fourteenth-Century (Including the Forme of Cury). Constance B. Hieatt and Sharon Butler, 1985.

Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books. Harleian MS. 279 & Harl. MS. 4016, with extracts from Ashmole MS. 1429, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS 55. Thomas Austin, 1888.

Please note that the Middle English letter egh (called "egh" and pronounced as "y," "gh," "g," or "s") has been alphabetically placed after G and before H, and that the Middle English letter Þ (called "thorn" and usually pronounced as "th") is found listed after T and before U.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anderson, John L. and Adrienne Adams. A Fifteenth Century Cookry Boke. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1962.

Austin, Thomas. Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books. Harleian MS. 279 & Harl. MS. 4016, with extracts from Ashmole MS. 1429, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS 55. London: for The Early English Text Society by N. Trübner & Co., 1888.

Hieatt, Constance B. An Ordinance of Pottage. An Edition of the Fifteenth Century Culinary Recipes in Yale University's MS Beinecke 163. London: Prospect Books Ltd, 1988.

Hieatt, Constance B. and Sharon Butler. Curye on Inglish: English Culinary Manuscripts of the Fourteenth-Century (Including the Forme of Cury). New York: for The Early English Text Society by the Oxford University Press, 1985.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 24, 2011 at 12:05pm
L

* Lat; Late; Lete - let.

* Laumbere - amber.

* Leche - (noun & verb); slice. Plural of noun: leches, lechys. In recipe titles, "leche" means "for slicing," "to be served in slices."

* Lechyd - sliced.

* Led(e) - lid; top crust of pie or tart. Plural: ledys.

* Lemys - limbs.

* Lenge - ling (fish).

* Lenton; Lentyn - Lent.

* Lenyn - linin.

* Lere - empty.

* Lese - pick.

* Lessh - slice.

* Let; Lethe - corruption of French lait: milk.

* Leuys; Levis - leaves.

* Ley(e) - lees of wine.

* Lyt - light, small.

* Licour(e) - liquor, in this case the liquid resulting from boiling something.

* Lippe - lip; lower half of the beak.

* Lire - sauce.

* Loches - loaches, a freshwater fish similar to a catfish.

* Lopstere - lobster.

* Lordys - lord's. "Gode lordys mete" means "food fit for a lord."

* Lory - a corruption of a word that is now "larded" and meant "with other things added."

* Losinges - long thin strips.

* Luce - a full-grown pike (fish).

* Lumbarde - of Lombardy.

* Lust - wish.

* Ly; Lye - allay; see A-lay.

* Lycoure; Lycowr; Lykoure - liquor.

* Lydde - lid, top crust.

* Lyid - allayed; seasoned.

* Lykey - like.

* Lyte - little.

* Lyuer - liver. Plural: lyuers, lyuerys.
Permalink Reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 24, 2011 at 12:06pm
M

* Malmens - minced; teased small.

* Malves; Malwys - mallows.

* Marbyl(le) - marbled; varigated in color.

* Marew; Marow; Marw; Marwe; Mary - marrow.

* Maumenye - minced.

* Mawe - stomach. Plural: mawys.

* Medel; Medle; Melle - mix.

* Mene - this translates as "mean," but the meaning is actually "half-way between."

* Menge - mix.

* Merow; Merw - marrow.

* Mery-bonys - marrow bones.

* Messe - serve.

* Messe it forth - serve it.

* Mete - meat, but not necessarily flesh (nut meat, for example); also means meal or dinner.

* Mille - mix.

* Milwel - mulvel (fish).

* Morwe - morrow, the next day.

* Mossellys - morsels.

* Most - must.

* Motoun; Motton - mutton.

* Mowþe - mouth.

* Moyle - soft.

* Muse - mousse.

* Myce(d) - minced.

* Myt(e) - might; mayest.

* Mythty - strong, mighty.

* Mylke of Almaudys - almond milk.

* Myntes - mint leaves.

* Mythyt - strong, mighty.
Permalink Reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 25, 2011 at 3:14pm
L
  • Lat; Late; Lete - let.
  • Laumbere - amber.
  • Leche - (noun & verb); slice. Plural of noun: leches, lechys. In recipe titles, "leche" means "for slicing," "to be served in slices."
  • Lechyd - sliced.
  • Led(e) - lid; top crust of pie or tart. Plural: ledys.
  • Lemys - limbs.
  • Lenge - ling (fish).
  • Lenton; Lentyn - Lent.
  • Lenyn - linin.
  • Lere - empty.
  • Lese - pick.
  • Lessh - slice.
  • Let; Lethe - corruption of French lait: milk.
  • Leuys; Levis - leaves.
  • Ley(e) - lees of wine.
  • Lyt - light, small.
  • Licour(e) - liquor, in this case the liquid resulting from boiling something.
  • Lippe - lip; lower half of the beak.
  • Lire - sauce.
  • Loches - loaches, a freshwater fish similar to a catfish.
  • Lopstere - lobster.
  • Lordys - lord's. "Gode lordys mete" means "food fit for a lord."
  • Lory - a corruption of a word that is now "larded" and meant "with other things added."
  • Losinges - long thin strips.
  • Luce - a full-grown pike (fish).
  • Lumbarde - of Lombardy.
  • Lust - wish.
  • Ly; Lye - allay; see A-lay.
  • Lycoure; Lycowr; Lykoure - liquor.
  • Lydde - lid, top crust.
  • Lyid - allayed; seasoned.
  • Lykey - like.
  • Lyte - little.
  • Lyuer - liver. Plural: lyuers, lyuerys.
Permalink Reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 25, 2011 at 3:15pm
M

* Malmens - minced; teased small.

* Malves; Malwys - mallows.

* Marbyl(le) - marbled; varigated in color.

* Marew; Marow; Marw; Marwe; Mary - marrow.

* Maumenye - minced.

* Mawe - stomach. Plural: mawys.

* Medel; Medle; Melle - mix.

* Mene - this translates as "mean," but the meaning is actually "half-way between."

* Menge - mix.

* Merow; Merw - marrow.

* Mery-bonys - marrow bones.

* Messe - serve.

* Messe it forth - serve it.

* Mete - meat, but not necessarily flesh (nut meat, for example); also means meal or dinner.

* Mille - mix.

* Milwel - mulvel (fish).

* Morwe - morrow, the next day.

* Mossellys - morsels.

* Most - must.

* Motoun; Motton - mutton.

* Mowþe - mouth.

* Moyle - soft.

* Muse - mousse.

* Myce(d) - minced.

* Myt(e) - might; mayest.

* Mythty - strong, mighty.

* Mylke of Almaudys - almond milk.

* Myntes - mint leaves.

* Mythyt - strong, mighty.
Permalink Reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 25, 2011 at 3:16pm
N

* Namely - especially.

* Nauell - navel.

* Nesh; Nessh; Nesshe; Neysshe - soft.

* Neþer - nether, lower.

* Noght; Not - not.

* Notemygge - nutmegs.

* Noteye - nutty.

* Noþer - nor.

* Notys - nuts.

* Nygh - near; nigh.

* Nyt - night(s).

* Nym(e) - take.
Permalink Reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 25, 2011 at 3:16pm
O

* O - out of.

* Obleies; Oblye - obleys, sacramental wafers.

* Of - of; off.

* Offall - parts of the meat carcass generally discarded. Most often this referred specifically to the organ meats, but very rarely could also mean flesh meat as well. The offal also included the head, feet, & giblets.

* Oftor - more often.

* Oille de oliue - olive oil.

* Olde - old.

* On - in; on; one.

* Ondo - undo.

* One - once.

* Oneliche - into single or small pieces.

* Onoward - above, on top of a prepared dish.

* Onys - once.

* Ooþerdele - the rest.

* Ope - cut open.

* Or - ere, till, before.

* Orage - orach, a leafy plant. Gerard reported it was generally eaten boiled.

* Oþe - in the.

* Oþer; Oþur - other, or else, or.

* Otemele; Ote-mele - oatmeal.

* Otyn - oaten.

* Ouer-cast; Ouer-caste - turn over.

* Ouer eve - over night.

* Ouere-couer - cover over.

* Oueretwarde - crossways, across.

* Ouernyth - over night.

* Ouer-renne - overrun, run over.

* Ouerstepid - well cooked, or overcooked.

* Ouerþwart - across.

* Ouer-wewyd - too wet, washed.

* Ouer-wose - washed over.

* Ouwher - anywhere.

* Ovenne - oven.

* Ovyn; Ovynne - oven

* Owrys - hours.

* Oygnons; Oyngnons - onions.

* Oynons; Oynonys; Oynouns; Oyenons - onions

* Oyle - oil.

* Oystres; Oystrys - oysters.
Permalink Reply by Kim Jurey on February 26, 2011 at 12:05pm
GREAT list    THANKS!!!
Permalink Reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 26, 2011 at 12:08pm
P
  • Paast(e) - pastry.
  • Pare - parings.
  • Pare - Paris.
  • Parise - see Granys of Parise.
  • Party(e) - part; portion.
  • Parys - the herb Paris, also called "true-love."
  • Paynemayn; Paynmain - corruption of Old French pain demaine: bread of the manor, lordly bread, the finest white bread.
  • Peiouns - pigeons.
  • Pele - a baker's peel, the long pole with a shovel-like end used for putting bread loaves into and out of ovens. For an illustration of a pele at work, see: Bakers at work
  • Peletre - pellitory (thyme).
  • Pelettys - pellets.
  • Pelys - of the peel: see Pele.
  • Peny - penny; a "peny brede" (a penny's breadth), the thickness of a penny, was a form of measurement.
  • Pepyn - the sprouting part of a pea.
  • Peraise - Paris.
  • Perbuille - parboil.
  • Perchys - perch (fish).
  • Pere - pear; Pere Wardonys - Warden pears.
  • Pernollys - loaves.
  • Perpir - pepper.
  • Pery - pears.
  • Perys - pears.
  • Pesyn - peas (dried).
  • Peuerade - pepper sauce.
  • Pike - (verb) pick; (noun) pike (fish).
  • Piper - pepper.
  • Plante - stick; pit.
  • Plays - plaice (fish).
  • Plom - plump.
  • Plouer; Plouere - pulver.
  • Poche - poach.
  • Polettys - pullets.
  • Pome-garnad - pomegranate.
  • Pommys; Pompys - meatballs.
  • Potage; Pottage - a soup or a thick blended dish.
  • Pott; Potte - pot.
  • Pottel - pottle (two quarts).
  • Pouder; Poudere; Poudre; Powper - powder; often used as a term for spice.
  • Poumes; Pumpes - meatballs.
  • Pounde - pound; pounded.
  • Pour - for.
  • Powajes - porridge.
  • Poynant; Poynaunt - piquant with vinegar or other sour flavoring.
  • Poynte - (verb) sharpen (the taste); (noun) point: "in all poyntes" means "in every respect."
  • Prik; Prycke - skewer.
  • Prune - prunes.
  • Pryk(ke) - prick.
  • Pul; Pull; Pulle - pluck.
  • Pumpes - meatballs.
  • Pur - for.
  • Purpays; Purpaysse - porpoise.
  • Pye - pies.
  • Pyke - pick.
  • Pylle - peel.
  • Pyn - peg.
  • Pyne; Pynes; Pynys - pinenuts; sometimes pepper pines (whole peppercorns).
Permalink Reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 26, 2011 at 12:08pm
Q
  • Quantite - quantity.
  • Quart; Quarte - quart.
  • Quarter; Quarteren - quart.
  • Quarter - cut in quarters.
  • Quarter - the fore quarter of an animal.
  • Quarterys - fore quarters.
  • Quartes - quarters.
  • Quartroun - quarter.
  • Quayle - curdle.
  • Quayle - shake.
  • Quest - crush.
  • Quibbes; Quibibes; Quybibe; Quybibes; Quybibys; Quybybis - cubebs, a spice related to pepper.
  • Quyk - quick, alive.
  • Quynces; Quyncis; Quyncys; Quynes - quinces.
  • Quyschons - cushions, buttocks.
  • Qwen - when.
  • Qwhey - whey.
  • Qwyt; Qwyte - white. Same as the word wyt.
Permalink Reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 26, 2011 at 12:08pm
R
  • Rede - red.
  • Reke - reek (heat over coals).
  • Ren(ne) - run.
  • Rennyn(g) - running, runny.
  • Resons; Reysons; Reysyns - raisins.
  • Rew - row.
  • Rezge - ray (fish).
  • Rit so - right so, i.e. another way of doing it.
  • Rissheshewes; Risshews; Risshshewes - rissoles.
  • Roddys ende - the end of a stick or rod.
  • Rosty - roast.
  • Rosys - roses.
  • Rous - ruddy.
  • Rove - roof.
  • Roysonys - raisins.
  • Ryal; Ryalle - royal, as in fit for a king.
  • Ryt - right.
  • Ryse - raise.
  • Ryth - right.
Permalink Reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 26, 2011 at 12:09pm
S

* Saake - sauce.

* Saue - save; except.

* Sauerey - savory.

* Saunderys; Saundres; Sawnderys; Sawndres - sandalwood spice.

* Schale; Schulle - shell.

* Schap - shape.

* Schoppe - chop.

* Schouyl - shovel.

* Schullys - shells or pieces of shells.

* Screde - fragment; to fragment, i.e. to cut, divide, separate, make into pieces, etc.

* Sefe - sieve.

* Selue - self.

* Sene; Seyn - visible, seen.

* Serge - sift.

* Serue - serve.

* Seruyst(e) - servest.

* Seth; Sethe; Seþe - seethe, boil, cook.

* Seþin - boiled; boiling.

* Sew(e) - sew, a Middle English word referring to a broth or liquid ranging from juice through gravy to stew.

* Shere - cut.

* Sith - seethe, boil, cook.

* Skluce; Schlus - resulting mixture; end product.

* Skore - scour.

* Slake - lukewarm.

* Sle(e) - slay.

* Slepyr - slippery.

* Smyte - chop.

* Snyte - snipe.

* Sode - boiled; soaked (the salt out).

* Soperys - suppers.

* Soppes; Soppis; Soppys - sops, pieces of bread "sopped" in roast drippings, broth, wine, & juices of any kind.

* Sothe; Soþe; Soþin; Sothyn - boiled, cokked.

* Soundys - sounds, the swimming bladders of codfish or plaice.

* Span - the width of a spread hand.

* Spyneye - thorny, spiney.

* Spyte - spit, for roasting.

* Stampe - grind.

* Steke - stick.

* Stere - stir.

* Stokefysshe; Stokfysshe - stockfish, usually salted and dried codfish.

* Stone wil by clowes, and by sugre - has enough cloves and sugar.

* Stoding; Stondyng; Stondynge - standing; stiff enough to stand up in the pot or plate.

* Stoppe - stuff; seal.

* Straw; Strawe - strew; sprinkle; scatter.

* Stryke - scrape.

* Stuf - previously mentioned ingredients.

* Stuffe of þe Porke - the pork part of the recipe.

* Stuffur - ingredients used for stuffing.

* Sture; Styre; Styrre - stir.

* Sumdele; Sum-what; Sumwhat - somewhat.

* Svette; Swette - suet.

* Swenge - stir or beat.

* Swete - sweet; also means suet.

* Swynys - swine's.

* Syth - great deal.

* Sylt - salt.

* Syluer - silver.
Permalink Reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 26, 2011 at 12:09pm
T

* Tage - take.

* Tayle - vent.

* Taylid - cut up.

* Tele - teal.

* Temper; Tempere - mix; season.

* Tenchys - tench (fish).

* Tese - shred small (tease).

* Tesyd - shredded small.

* Thorgh - through.

* Throte boll - gullet; Adam's apple.

* Thyn; Thyne - thine; as an adjective, it means "thin."

* Tobrest - burst.

* To-broke - broken.

* To-choppe - chop together.

* To-choppyd - chopped together.

* To-falle - disintegrate; fall together.

* Tolle; Toyle - rub.

* Toenst - against.

* Trappe - a type of pan.

* Trayne; Treyne - train, a series of connected things.

* Tre(en) - wood(en).

* Trounde - trundle; a round shape.

* Try(id) - separated; sifted.

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Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries had its humble beginnings as an idea of a few artisans and craftsmen who enjoy performing with live steel fighting. As well as a patchwork quilt tent canvas. Most had prior military experience hence the name.

 

Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries.

 

Vendertainers that brought many things to a show and are know for helping out where ever they can.

As well as being a place where the older hand made items could be found made by them and enjoyed by all.

We expanded over the years to become well known at what we do. Now we represent over 100 artisans and craftsman that are well known in their venues and some just starting out. Some of their works have been premiered in TV, stage and movies on a regular basis.

Specializing in Medieval, Goth , Stage Film, BDFSM and Practitioner.

Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries a Dept of, Ask For IT was started by artists and former military veterans, and sword fighters, representing over 100 artisans, one who made his living traveling from fair to festival vending medieval wares. The majority of his customers are re-enactors, SCAdians and the like, looking to build their kit with period clothing, feast gear, adornments, etc.

Likewise, it is typical for these history-lovers to peruse the tent (aka mobile store front) and, upon finding something that pleases the eye, ask "Is this period?"

A deceitful query!! This is not a yes or no question. One must have a damn good understanding of European history (at least) from the fall of Rome to the mid-1600's to properly answer. Taking into account, also, the culture in which the querent is dressed is vitally important. You see, though it may be well within medieval period, it would be strange to see a Viking wearing a Caftan...or is it?

After a festival's time of answering weighty questions such as these, I'd sleep like a log! Only a mad man could possibly remember the place and time for each piece of kitchen ware, weaponry, cloth, and chain within a span of 1,000 years!! Surely there must be an easier way, a place where he could post all this knowledge...

Traveling Within The World is meant to be such a place. A place for all of these artists to keep in touch and directly interact with their fellow geeks and re-enactment hobbyists, their clientele.

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