litarge

Middle English

Noun

litarge (plural litarges)

1. litharge
   • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, General Prologue, The Canterbury Tales, line 629-630:

     Ther nas quik-silver, litarge, ne brimstoon,
     Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon, [...]

     There was no mercury, lead monoxide, nor sulphur,
     Borax, white lead, nor any oil of tarter, [...]

   • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canon's Yeoman's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 774-777:

     Our orpiment and sublymed Mercurie,
     Our grounden litarge eek on the porphurie,
     Of ech of thise of ounces a certeyn
     Nought helpeth us, our labour is in veyn.

     Our orpiment, and purified mercury,
     Our litharge ground also on the porphyry mortar,
     A certain number of ounces of each of these
     Nothing helps us, our labor is in vain.