Searchable Lemmata: bursa (L), burse (AF), burse (ME), burse (OScots), burse (MdE).
Alternate Forms: bursum, burs, borce, borse, bource, bours, bourse, bouse, bourse, bursus, byrsa, birsa.
1a(n.)
Accessory;
bag, purse or pouch; pocket; pack; money-bag; largely supplanted by p- (purse) forms in Middle English. There is no apparent use of this form of the term in its ecclesiastical sense (as a receptacle for the corporal or host) in English until the mid-nineteenth century [1844 in the OED, 2nd ed., 1989].
Also used in anatomical descriptions. By the early Modern English period the word was extended to describe a meeting place for merchants, etc., and the name 'The Burse' was given to the Royal Exchange in London, built by Sir Thomas Gresham in 1566. The title Britain's Burse was given to the New Exchange in the Strand, built by the Earl of Salisbury in 1609.(1286 still in current use)
2. [57] ... stragulum: chalun rayé ... [58] ... scirmata: anglice ragys .s. plicas vel tenies gallice, vel burs, lé frengis
Gloss.
[AND TLL (i 57-58) ante 1300]
5. [92] ... j Surcote de Scarleta pro parliamento furrato cum byce. ... [93] ... Vnum integrum vestimentum de blodio damask, orphreyed de motteley veluet ... cum frontell et contrafrontell et parura operata ad modum vnius Burse ... Vnum vestimentum de bustian albo ... j frontell et contrafrontell panni linei styneth [?read: steynet] ... .iij amittas cum parura de albo Tartaryn steyneth [?read: steynet] cum trefoill ... [98] ... j frounte & ij curtyns ... pro j altare ... j frontell cum j frount et j reredos ... j Celur cum j reredos ... j reredos cum j frount et ij curtyns de Tartarin viridi radiato ... v capis de panno adaurato de Lukes albo; j panno adaurato de Lukes veteri ... ij vlnis di. panni adaurati de Lukes blodio ... j panno adaurato de Lukes partito rubeo et viridi ... ij dalmatikes de panno ad aurum de Lukes albo ... ij lynynges de Tartarin ... j de colore viridi et alter de colore nigro ... [99] ... Item vn daggeswayn, pris ij s.
Accounts.
[MED Invent.Agincourt in Archaeol.70 (92-99) 1415]
Sex: Male, Female Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
1b(n.)
Accessory;
burse; a receptacle for the host (cf. note on this usage in English under sense 1a above).(1220 - ante 1900 still in current use)
1. [B88] ... une burse et corporaulx tout couverte de perlez ... [B89] ... une touaille de velvau vermeil a demys ymaigez eslevés, et sont les dyadesmes pourfilez de perlez ... [B91] ... vij pieces de drap de touaille de Flemmesche et ung remenant dudit touaille
[AND Bedford Inventories (B88-91) circa 1389/1435]
3. sit corpus dominicum repositum in bursa mundissima et ipsa includatur sub cerura in pixide munda
Ecclesiastic/Regula, Historic.
[DMLBS Conc. Syn. (991) 1287]
Sex: N/A Use: Ecclesiastical Ceremonial: Yes
Body Parts: N/A.
1c(n.)
Other;
also appears in various compounds: commune burse (the 'common purse'; public funds); burse real (the Royal purse or Crown funds); burse a pastur (botanical - shepherd's purse plant); cillour de burses / fendour de burse (cut-purse); etc.(1300 still in current use)
Sex: Male, Female Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
1d(n.)
Law/Custom;
burse; stock of money available funds; treasury.(1400 still in current use)
Sex: N/A Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
2(n.)
Raw Material;
hide or skin (in earliest Latin uses, from Greek).(ante 709 - ante 1100)
Sex: N/A Use: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
Definite, From Late Latin bursa (hide, skin), from Greek. The p- forms (cf. purse) apparently arose through an association with Germanic synonyms (cf. OE pusa, posa; OI posi; OHG pfoso; 'bag'. Later medieval spellings with -ou- are undoubtedly influenced by Old and Middle French bourse, Anglo-Norman and Middle French bource (different types of bag, purse, etc.). Also cf. Occitan borsa, bolsa, Catalan bossa, *borsa, Spanish bolsa, Italian borsa.
WF:
Etym Cog: purs (OE), purse (ME), purse (MdE).
References:
