Spicery

Forms: 3–7 spicerie (4 -eri, 5 -ere, 6 -eree), 3– spicery (4–5 -erye); 4–6 spycerie (5 -irie, 6 -arie), spy(e)cery(e; 4 spisorie, 5 spysory(e, spiserie. [ad. OF. espicerie (mod.F. épicerie), f. espice SPICE sb. Cf. OF. especerie (= Sp. especeria, It. spezeria) SPECERY, which is also the source of MDu. spec-, speserie (Du. specerij), MLG. specerie (spisserie), MHG. specierie, spezerie (G. spezerei).]

  1.  collect. or in pl. Spices.

  sing.  1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 3162. He … Nom wiþ him spicerie þat to fysike drou.

13[?].  Sir Beues, 3188. Wiþ pyment and wiþ spisorie.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., I. 89. For Goddis lawe savouriþ wele whan it is defoulid, as spicerye ȝyveþ smell whan it is powned.

c. 1420.  Liber Cocorum (1862), 42. Fore pore menne þys crafte is tolde Þat mowon not have spysory, as þay wolde.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, XI. ii. 573. There with alle there was suche a sauour as alle the spyecery of the world had ben there.

1567.  Drant, Horace, Ep., II. i. H j. Wher francke incence is soulde And what soeuer spycerie in waste paper is roulde.

1593.  Roydon, in Spenser’s Astrophel, S.’s Wks. 1910, I. 358. The Phœnix … Built vp her tombe of spicerie.

1652.  Earl Monm., trans. Bentivoglio’s Hist. Relat., 14. Having brought by many Voyages an inestimable Treasure of Spicery into Holland.

1689.  Burnet, Tracts, I. 96. It tasted high of Spicery, though she assured me there was not one grain of Spice in it.

1776.  Mickle, trans. Camoens’ Lusiad, 464. The richest gust of spicery’s fragrant fire.

1819.  Crabbe, T. of Hall, xxi. 169. And the good ladies whom at church he saw,… Could,… whispering, deal for spicery and lace.

1847.  H. Miller, First Impr. Eng., v. (1857), 69. Several glasses of Sampson, a palatable Dudley beverage, compounded of eggs, milk and spicery.

1877.  Morris, Jason, XI. 361. While on the veined pavement lie The honied things and spicery.

  pl.  c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), vii. 26. Sum distilles gariofles, spikenarde, and oþer spiceries.

1527.  R. Thorne, in Hakluyt (1589), 254. Many Islandes which be Islandes of the Spiceries of the Emperor.

1591.  Savile, Tacitus, Annot. 2. Windowes & doores … wherein the herse was placed, and all kinde of spiceries and odours … heaped therein.

1610.  Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 71. There is a mighty heape of the said spiceries gotten together.

1630.  R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 552. All sorts of Trees, wilde Beasts, and Spiceries.

1777.  Robertson, Hist. Amer., I. (1778), I. 34. He traded in many of the islands from which Europe had long received spiceries and other commodities.

1834.  H. Miller, Scenes & Leg., xvii. (1857), 258. He supplied the proprietors with teas, wines, and spiceries.

1893.  A. H. Sayce, Higher Crit. (1894), 133. Dedan was the leading tribe … which carried the spiceries of the southern coast to the populations of Palestine.

  b.  fig. in various applications.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. IX. 100 (Trin. Coll. Cambr. MS.). And siththe to spille speche That spicerie [v.r. spyre] is of grace.

1576.  Gascoigne, Steel Glas, Ep. Ded. Wks. 1910, II. 135. Were not the cordial of these two pretious Spiceries, the corrosyve of care woulde quickely confounde me.

1594.  Nashe, Unfort. Trav., Wks. (Grosart), V. 62. Arabian spiceries of sweete passions and praises.

1652.  Benlowes, Theoph., IV. xcvii. All virtues fir’d in her pure breast their spicery.

1679.  J. Goodman, Penit. Pardoned, I. iv. (1713), 123. The name of the wicked shall rot, in despite of all the spicery of flatterers and parasites.

1828.  Landor, Imag. Conv., Wks. 1853, I, 340/2. After his hot and stimulating spicery, we now are running to … sager poets.

a. 1881.  Ripley, in Frothingham, Rec. & Impr., 266. The affluence of his [Emerson’s] illustrations diffuses a flavor of oriental spicery over his pages.

  2.  † a. A spice-shop or spice-store, or a set of these; a source or supply of spices. Obs.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 11224. Þe bowiares ssoppe hii breke,… & suþþe þe spicerie Hii breke fram ende to oþer, & dude al to robberie.

1527.  R. Thorne, in Hakluyt (1589), 254. A head land called Malaca, where is the principall Spicerie.

  b.  The department of the royal household connected with the keeping of spices; esp. in Clerk of the Spicery. Now only Hist.

1418–9.  in Cal. Proc. Chanc. Q. Eliz. (1827), I. Introd. 16. Roger Wodehill,… som tyme clerc of ȝoure faders Spicerie.

1513.  Bk. Keruynge, in Babees Bk. (1868), 272. Speke with the panter and offycers of y^e spycery for fruytes that shall be eten fastynge.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 58. The kyng sent William Blacknall esquyer, Clerck of hys Spycery, with silver vessell, plate and other thynges.

1601.  F. Tate, Househ. Ord. Edw. II., § 11 (1876), 11. Al thinges touching th’ office of the spicerie. Ibid., § 17. 14. Two towels of the clarke of the spicery.

1654.  H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 63. They … divested him of his place in the spicery.

1707.  J. Chamberlayne, Pres. St. Gt. Brit. (1710), 535. Her Majesty’s Houshold Officers and Servants…. Spicery. Richard D’Avenant, Esq; Clerk.

1780.  Burke, Corr. (1844), II. 327. I propose … to abolish … all the offices of the kitchen, cellar, spicery, &c.

  c.  A room or part of a house set apart for the keeping of spices. Now only Hist.

1536.  MS. Rawl D. 780, fol. 57 b. A new key for the stew howse Dore in the spycery.

1605.  Armin, Foole upon F. (1880), 10. The Pie was drawne,… but wanting Suger, stept aside to the spicerie to fetch it.

1705.  Addison, Italy, Pesaro, 148. The Spicery, the Cellar and its Furniture,… are too well known to need a Description.

1883.  Eng. Illustr. Mag., Nov., 81/2. Kitchens, cellars, pastries, spiceries,… and the like.

  fig.  1638.  Brathwait (title), A Spiritval Spicerie: Containing Sundrie sweet Tractates of Devotion and Piety.