A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quintessence, -ens(e, -ance, n. Also: quynt-, quent- and -iscence, -a(s)cence, -assence, -assens. [Late ME and e.m.E. quyntencense (Lydgate), 5–essencie (1460–70), quintessence (1561), quintaessence (1582), F. quintessence (c1270 in Larousse), med. L. quinta essentia Quinta Essencia n.]
1. The quintessence.The ‘fifth essence’, the supposed etherial substance which some ancient philosophers added to the four elements of Empedocles, the extraction of which by distillation or otherwise was a main object of alchemy.c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 162/58 (Asl.).
Me thocht seir fassonnis he assalȝeit To mak the quintessence [Bann. quintessance] & falȝeit 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 283.
Quinta Essencia (heading) … To … Maister Alexander, for drogry and werkmennis wagis to the quintessence 1513 Ib. 527.
To Robert McCllane, the man that makis the watter in Striveling to the quintessence 1513 Doug. viii Prol. 95.
Sum gowkis quhill the glas pyg grow full of gold ȝit Throu cury of the quynt essens [E. quent assens, 1553, Ruddim. quentassence] thocht clay muggis crakkis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 887 (B).
And I haif grit intelligence In quelling of the quyntacence Bot to preve my experience Schir len me fourty crownis To mak mvltiplicatioun
b. transf. The science or pursuit of alchemy.c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 130/55.
In quintiscence, eik, ingynouris joly, That far can multiplie in folie 1570 Leslie 76.
That he … wold make fine gold of uther metall, quhilk science he callit the quintassence
2. fig. The most essential feature of a quality; the most perfect manifestation or embodiment of a class of persons or things.a1605 Montg. Sonn. xiii 13.
So, quintessense [pr. quintessenst] of kings vhen thou compyle Thou [etc.] 1611 Mure Early Misc. P. v 4.
The forme of hir angelick face Deckt with the quintascence of natour a1624 Edinb. Univ. MS 319, ii.
Sume dram bot of thy quintiscence Altho I skerslie cane come be … My lowe sall newer chaingit be
