portcolyse
Middle English
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman porte coliz and Old French porte couleice.
Noun
portcolyse
- portcullis
- c. 1360s, Geffray Chaucer [i.e., Geoffrey Chaucer], “The Romaunt of the Rose”, in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London: […] Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], published 1542, OCLC 932884868, folio cxlviii, verso, column 1:
- Nowe it is tyme ſhortly that I / Tell you ſomthynge of Ielouſy / That was in great ſuſpection / Aboute hym ſelfe he no maſon / That ſtone coulde laye,ne querrour / He hyred hem to make a tour / And fyrſt the roſes for to kepe / Aboute hem made he a dyche depe / Ryght wonder large,and alſo brode / Vpon the whych alſo ſtode / Of ſquared ſtone,a ſturdy wall / Whych on a cragge was founded all / And ryght great thyckneſſe eke it bare / Aboute it was founded ſquare / An hundred fadome on euery ſyde / It was all lych longe and wyde / Leſt any tyme it were aſſayled / Full well about it was batayled / And rounde enuyron eke were ſette / Full many a ryche and fayre tourette / At euery corner of thys wall / Was ſet a toure full principall / And eueryche had wythout fable / A portcolyſe defenſable / To kepe of enemyes,and to greue / That there her force wolde preue
- (please add an English translation of this quote)
Descendants
- English: portcullis