bis

1) A word used of fur in the Middle Ages.

1392 unam longam togam de scarleto fodorato cum bys, York

1408 unam togam de skarleto furratam cum bys, Selby

1419 togis meis furratis cum bysshis, Thirsk

1435 blodiam togam furratam cum byse, Kneesall. It was the distinctively coloured back of a squirrel skin from the Baltic, captured in winter - ‘bis est le dos en yver desquirel’ is quoted by Veale who noted that it was sometimes the whole skin.

spellings bish
dates 1311 1392 1408 1419 1435

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