[The name of the chief city of Tuscany (F. Florence, L. Flōrentia, early It. Fiorenze, now Firenze); used as the name of various things produced or originating there.]
† 1. A gold florin. [In OF. florence.] Obs.
a. 1400. Octouian, 1910.
| Four outlawes, | |
| And chepede me that chyld to sale, | |
| For syxty florencys all be tale. |
a. 1475[?]. Sqr. lowe Degre, 243.
| And offre there florences thre, | |
| In tokenyng of the trynytè. |
1563. Foxe, A. & M. (1570), 976/1. What money goeth out of Germany yearely to the Pope, mountyng to the summe of 3,000,000 Florences.
1598. Stow, Surv., vii. (1603), 52. In the yeare 1344. King Edward the third commaunded Florences of gold to be made and coyned in the Tower.
2. The name given to certain, woven fabrics: † a. of wool. Obs. exc. Hist.
1483. Act 1 Rich. III., c. 8 § 18. The making of any Clothes called Florences with Cremyll listes.
1583. Rates Customho., Cj b. Florence wullen cloth the yarde.
1658. Phillips, Florences, a kind of cloth brought over from Florence.
1721–1800. in Bailey.
1846. in Fairholt, Costume, Gloss.
b. of silk (see quot.) [So in Fr.]
1882. Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, Florence.—This dress stuff is also known as Florentine, and is a description of Corded Barége or Grenadine…. There is also a thin description of Taffeta, fabricated at Lyons, Avignon, and Zurich, which had its origin at Florence, and thence derived its name.
† 3. A kind of wine brought from Florence. Obs.
1707. Lond. Gaz., No. 4343/7. A Parcel of extraordinary good Red Florence, at 6s. a Gallon.
1757. H. Walpole, Lett. to Mann, 20 Nov. The chest of Florence which puzzled James and me so much, proves to be Lord Hertford’s drams.
4. Comb. Florence-flask, a flask of the kind used to contain Florence-oil (see FLASK sb.2 3); Florence iris, ? = Florentine iris; Florence-leaf, a fine yellow leaf-alloy; Florence-oil, a superior kind of olive oil.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 202. Florence Iris.
1762. Franklin, Wks. (1806), I. 345. Your experiment of the Florence flask, and boiling water is very curious.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Florence-leaf. Ibid. Florence-oil, olive oil sold in flasks.
