† ˈtortis Obs.
Forms: 4 ? pl. tortyse, 4–5 sing. and pl. torteys, 5 sing. and pl. tortes, sing. tortays, pl. tortayes, torteies, 5–6 sing. and pl. tortys, 6 pl. tortaysez, 7 sing. and pl. tortis, pl. tortiz.
[a. OF. tortis, -iz masc. (a 1200), also perh. tortise, -isse (a 1377), -ice, -iche fem., twisted thing, torch, in med.L. tortīcius (? 11th c. in Du Cange), -īsius, -ītius masc., also tortīcia fem. (a 1400) a torch, f. L. tort-us twisted, or med.L. tortia torch + -īcius, -īcia: see -itious. The forms in -eys, -ays are from OF. torteis, alteration of tortis after such words as semeis, for semeïs:—*seminātīcius.]
1. A kind of very large wax candle. (Usually distinguished from a torch: cf. quot. 1611.)
A note to Way's ed. of Promp. Parv. s.v. Percher, mentions torticios, 2 ells long and weighing 5 lb. each.
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints x. (Mathou) 250 Vith incense & lampis lycht And tortyse al brynnand brycht. 1404–5 Abingdon Rolls (Camden) 68 In j torteys empto xxij d. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) ii. lx. (1859) 58 This wycked sauour, and smoke of the torteys when the fyre is oute. 1421–2 Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 141 In candelis cerijs et albis..cum ij torchis, ij tortys, iiij prikettys & factura eorundem. c 1450 Bk. Curtasye 492 in Babees Bk. 315 Fyrst to þe chaundeler he schalle go, To take a tortes lyȝt hym fro. a 1483 Liber Niger in Househ. Ord. (1790) 22 iii torches, one tortays, and iii prickettes. Ibid. 41 And he [a Grome of Chambyr] setteth nyghtly, after the seasons of the yere, torchys, tortays, candylles of wax, morters. 1506–7 Burgh Rec. Edinb. (1869) I. 111 That they have ilk ane ane new tortys reddy. 1533–4 Durham Househ. Bk. (Surtees) 249 Pro factura 4 le torchez et 4 tortaysez 16 d. 1601 F. Tate Househ. Ord. Edw. II (1876) 6 This stewarde..shall take everi night for his chamber, one sextier of wine, xij candels, two tortis, one tortis for wine, and one torche. [1611 Cotgr., Tortis de cire, a wreathed Linke or great candle of wax; most in vse about Candlemas.] |
2. A twisted chain; a wreath. [mod.F. tortis.]
| 1688 R. Holme Armoury iv. ix. (Roxb.) 390/2 A tortis or double chaine of gold. |