▪ I. † ˈpersue Venery. Obs.
Also 6 parcy, parsee, parsie, 7 pursue.
[app. orig. *parcee, *percee, a. F. percée act of piercing (or percé, -ée pa. pple. pierced, struck by an arrow, etc.). After a series of corruptions, finally confused with pursue.]
The track of blood left by a stricken deer or other wounded beast of the chase. to draw parcy, by parsie, etc., to follow the track of blood.
| 1530 Palsgr. 739/1, I stryke a dere or any other wylde beest as a huntar dothe whan he draweth parcy, je enferre. I have strykyn him, let go your blodhounde, je lay enferré,..laissez aller vostre limier. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. v. 28 By tract of blood, which she had freshly seene To have besprinckled all the grassy greene: By the great persue which she there perceav'd Well hoped shee the beast engor'd had beene. 1592 Warner Alb. Eng. vii. xxxvi. (1612) 175 A fell fleet Dog, that hunts my Heart by parsee each-wheare found. Ibid. Prose Add. 345 Ascanius and his Companie drawing by Parsie after the Stagge. a 1619 Fletcher Bonduca v. ii, Now h' as drawn pursue on me he hunts me like a devil. 1661 Feltham Disc. Eccles. ii. 11 Resolves, etc. (1677) 351 As pursue in a strucken Deer, they fall from us like bloud, and make us to be hunted to death. |
▪ II. persue, persuit
obs. ff. pursue, pursuit.