A-Z Tudor vocabulary

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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