top of page

A-Z Tudor vocabulary 

Jane (Skipwith), Lady Throckmorton, to Lewis Bagot1_edited.jpg

Page under construction!

 

apothecary

​

apple johns ~ withered, partially desiccated fruit kept in store throughout the winter

 

artificer

​

aqua mirabilis

​

bezoar ~ stones found in the intestines or stomachs of animals which were thought to be effective antidote against poison

​

black-jacks

 

brawn

​

brimstone ~ sulphur 

​

cere-cloth ~ cloth impregnated with wax or salve which could be used as a medicinal plaster

​

chapbook ~little publications produced for sale for a few pence

​

clister ~ enema

​

codlins, codling ~ young, unripe apples with sharp taste

​

coffin ~ raised pastry cases 

​

collops ~fried rashers of bacon

​

coney ~ adult rabbit

​

cordwainer ~ worker in leather, originally imported from Cordoba

​

costermonger ~ stallholder, especially selling fruit; from costard - a type of apple

 

faggot ~a bundle of herbs e.g. parsley, thyme, rosemary

​

farthingale ~ hooped frame around the waist from which the skirt is draped

​

galley pots ~ or gallipot, a earthenware jar used by apothecaries to store ointments and medicine

​

jakes ~ toilet

​

livery

​

manchet ~ bread made from the whitest flour

​

marchpane ~ marzipan

​

mithridate ~ medicine in the form of a electuary, made of many ingredients and considered to be an antidote against poisons

​

musk - perfume extracted from a galnd in the male musk-deer which was used by apothecaries and cooks

​

oil of vitriol ~ concentrated sulphuric acid 

​

pines ~ pineapples

​

pipkin ~ a round cooking pot, usually handled 

​

pippin ~ apple grown from seed

​

plaister ~ or plaster, a sticky salve which was spread on muslin or skin

​

pomander ~ ballot containing sweet smelling herbs

​

pompion ~ pumpkin

​

posset ~ a hot and often spiced drink made of milk and wine, ale or citrus juice

​

pottage ~ a dish made of mostly herbs, thickened by dried peas and sometimes with some meat

​

pottle ~ a measure equivalent to half a gallon or two quarts

​

raisins of the sun ~ sun-dried grapes

​

rosin

​

sack ~ sherry 

​

searce ~ to sift or sieve

​

simple ~ a medicine made of one single plant or herb

​

sop ~ piece of bread

​

stillroom

​

suckets ~ fruit candied in syrup

​

verjuice ~ sour juice from unripe grapes or crab apples

 

wardens ~ hard pears which were baked in 'coffins' of pastry

​

watchman

​

​

​

bottom of page