† Pruce Obs.
Forms: 4 pruys, 4–5 prus, 4–8 pruce, 5–7 pruse, (5 prewce, prews(e, 8 pruss, pruche).
[ME. αPrus, a. AF. Pruz, Prus, Pruys; βPruce, a. AF. Pruce, mod.F. Prusse, Prussia: see Prussian, and Spruce n.]
1. Geog. Prussia.
| [? a 1300 in Liber Albus (Rolls) I. 238 De c de stokfisshe venaunt del Pruz, quart.] c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 53 Abouen alle nacions in Pruce. [1390 Earl Derby's Exped. 1 En les parties de Barbarye et de Pruz. a 1440 Walsingham Hist. Angl. (Rolls) II. 197 Dominus Henricus..profectus est in le Pruys.] 1436 Libel Eng. Policy in Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 169 Of the commoditees of Pruse. 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. 254 In this yere Ser Herry, erl of Derby, sailed into Prus. 1627 Drayton Agincourt 11 Six Hulks from Hull..Which had them oft accompanied to Pruce. |
b. of Pruce: Of or from Prussia; hence, Made (
a) of Prussian or spruce fir wood, (
b) of Prussian leather.
Cf. Spruce n.| [1390 Earl Derby's Exped. 109 Presentanti dominum cum j tabula commensali de Prucia.] 1462 Maldon, Essex, Court-Rolls Bundle 37, No. 4 b, 1 mensa de prewse. 1495 Nottingham Rec. III. 38 Unam cistam de pruce. 1700 Dryden Pal. & Arc. 1307 Some for defence would leathern bucklers use..others shields of Pruce. |
2. attrib. a. Of Prussia, Prussian; comb.
Pruceland,
Pruceman.
b. Of spruce fir, as
pruce beer;
pruce chest,
pruce coffer,
pruce hutch,
pruce table (but in these
prob. orig. = Prussian, without specification of the wood).
| a. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiii. 392 If I sent ouer see my seruauntz to Bruges, Or in-to Pruslonde my prentys [v. rr. pruys londe, Pruce lond, spruce land; C. vii. 279 prus, spruce, pruys lond]. 1390 Earl Derby's Exped. 51 Per manus Nichel Pruceman [Here app. a surname]. 1402 Nottingham Rec. II. 16 Pro cariagio iiijor carect[atarum] cum prusware. c 1500 Blowbol's Test. in Halliw. Nugæ Poet. 7 An hundreth marke of pruce money fyne. |
| b. 1448 in Bury Wills (Camden) 12, j. pruce hutche. 1463 Ibid. 23 As for the prews coffre alwey I wille remayne to my hefd place. 1478 Maldon, Essex, Court-Rolls Bundle 50, No. 6 Attachiatus est per 1 pruce tabyll. 1480 Ibid. Bundle 51, No. 4 Attachiatus est per 1 pruce chest. 1576 Newton Lemnie's Complex. (1633) 204 Of colour darke yellowish, like unto pruse Byer. 1760–72 tr. Juan & Ulloa's Voy. (ed. 3) II. 379 Turned into pruche or spruss beer. |