medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

From: Genevra Kornbluth <[log in to unmask]>

> On 12/9/2010 8:04 PM, Chris Laning wrote:
>> There seem to be some pomanders elsewhere of a similar shape:
> > http://images.vam.ac.uk/item/O13437/pomander/


> How interesting! This earlier pomander is indeed strikingly similar to what
the Louvre calls a reliquary:
 
> http://www.kornbluthphoto.com/images/AppleRel2.jpg
> http://www.kornbluthphoto.com/images/AppleRel1.jpg


it is interesting, indeed, and makes a pretty good de facto case for a bit of
Over-enthusiasm on the would-be Pious Louvreans.

surely these objects served the same purpose, whichever that might have been.

your amazingly clear and detailed snaps make it plain that, in each of the
four sections of the Louvre artifact there is a *sliding* panel which was
intended to hold *some*thing --either *four* separate relics [which need to be
periodically removed??] or some nice-smelling stuff, like apple bits, cloves,
lavender, or whatever.

this brilliant shot:

http://www.kornbluthphoto.com/images/AppleRel3.jpg

clearly shows the cunning way in which these sliding panels are chamfered to
fit into slanting grooves in the interior faces of each section.

and it is clear there that the articulation of the central "column" is not
decorative, but rather quite functional --each of the rings on the four
sliding panels went into the round holes at the top of the column and some
sort of small rod was passed through the hole in the top of the thing, down
through the four locking loops [note that they are all at different levels
within the interior column], thus closing them all securely.

----
never having come across "pomander" in my fast-fading and mis-spent youth, i
went to the OED --the entry is attached below.

----

> Can anyone on the list decipher the inscriptions on either the Louvre or the
V&A example?
> Genevra

i took your fine snaps, Genevra, and the relatively quite embarrassingly
crappy one on the V&A site, put them into Photoshop, cropped and rotated them,
and massaged the brightness/contrast a bit to try and make them more legible.

however, being severely both Latiniacally & Epigraphically Challenged, i can't
decipher either of them more than about 90%, most of the result being
nearly-pure Gibberish. (Repetive gibberish, at that.)

that being said, here's my Best Shot:

[..] = Illegible letter
[?] = Doubtful reading

*Louvre Pomander1-Left: VES . DES : S. MARTIRS

*Louvre Pomander1-Right: CI . SVNT . LV[?]ES . RELV[?]IQ


*Louvre Pomander2-Left: VES . DES : S. MARTIRS

*Louvre Pomander2-Center:[..]C[?]S[?] . DES : [..][..][..] [..][..][..]TRAS

Louvre Pomander2-Right: CI . SVNT . LV[?]ES . RELV[?]IQ


V & A Pomander2-Lower Left: EAV[?]SA : PATETIVSTA[..]ENS[?]

V & A Pomander1-Upper Left: . SE . DANT. REGNAREGII

V & A Pomander1-Upper Right: . DITEI[? . DECVS . ERIS .

V & A Pomander1-Lower Right: . AM[?] . PAREM . TIBI . DONO .


some of my readings are quite confidently made, but if anyone her can make
sense out of that stuff, i'd like to hear of it.

i can send my massaged .jpgs to anyone who asks.

Bon Chance.

c

------

< OED

pomander, n.
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈpɒmandə/ , /ˈpəʊmandə/ , /pəˈmandə/ , U.S.
/poʊˈmændər/

Forms:

α. lME pomendambre.

β. lME–15 pomandre, 15 pomaunder, 15 pomawnder, 15 pomemaunder, 15
pommander, 15 pommaundre, 15– pomander; also Sc. pre-17 palmander, pre-17
pommonder, pre-17 powmandre.

γ. lME–16 pomeamber, 15 pomamber.

Etymology: Either < Anglo-Norman poume de aumbre, pomme de ambre and Middle
French pomme d'ambre (a1278 as pome d'ambre in Old French; < pomepome n.1 +
dede prep. + ambreamber n.1), or < post-classical Latin pomum de ambr', pomum
de ambre (1213, 1265 respectively in British sources; < pōmum (see pomum n.)
+ dede prep. + ambre, amber: see amber n.1 and adj.). Compare Old Occitan poma
de l'ambre (a1368).

The second syllable in the α form pomendambre perhaps reflects the ending of
the Latin first element pomum, with assimilation of the final -m to the
following -d-. The omission or loss of -d- (representing French de or Latin
de) in the β and γ forms is perhaps after the post-classical Latin variant
pomum ambre (from 14th cent. in British sources), for which compare the
following:
a1500 in G. Henslow Med. Wks. 14th Cent. (1899) 122 Pomum ambre.

The d in the final syllable in the β forms perhaps shows dissimilation of the
consonant group -mb- to -nd after the preceding labials p and m (i.e. the
sequence seen in the γ forms, although these are attested slightly later).
 
Both of the stress patterns found today are apparently already attested in the
16th cent. The following quots. apparently show stress on the second
syllable:
1523 J. Skelton Goodly Garlande of Laurell 1027 Colyaunder, Swete pomaunder,
Good cassaunder.

c1540 J. Heywood Foure PP sig. Bi, Gloues, pynnes, combes, glasses unspottyd
Pomanders, hookes, and lasses knotted.
The following quots. apparently show stress on the first syllable (with
secondary stress on the final syllable):

1595 M. Drayton Endimion & Phœbe sig. C, The place wherein my bare feete
touch the mold, Made vp in balls, for Pomander is sold.

1633 G. Herbert Temple: Sacred Poems 170 Then should the Pomander, which was
before A speaking sweet, mend by reflection.

1648 R. Herrick Hesperides sig. B6, The Beads I kist, but most lov'd her
That did perfume the Pomander.


 1.
 a. A container for a pomander (sense 2a). Originally: a case in which a
pomander was carried, usually a hollow ball of gold, silver, ivory, etc.,
often in the shape of an apple or orange. Later also: a small perforated
(usually ceramic or metal) container filled with pot-pourri or some other
aromatic substance and hung in a wardrobe, placed on a dressing table, etc.

c1470 tr. R. D'Argenteuil's French Bible (Cleveland) (1977) 87 About the
bordyre of the seid couche were xij appuls callid pomendambres, wrought
withouten curiously of gold, garnysht of mugles and alle othir precious
sauours of muskis recensitiues and restoratiues.

1495 in J. G. Nichols & J. Bruce Wills Doctor's Commons (1863) 6 A pomeamber
of gold enameled.

1516 in R. K. Hannay Acts Lords of Council Public Affairs (1932) 71 Ane
pommonder with silver.

1518 Privy Purse Expenses Princess Mary (1831) p. xxii, To the frenche quenes
seruant that brought a pomander of gold.

1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World II. 605 A ball or pomander of crystall
held opposit between the member and the Sun beams.

1668 R. L'Estrange tr. F. G. de Quevedo y Villegas Visions

(1708) 108 Abundance of Hair Bracelets, Lockets, Pomanders, Knots of
Ribbands.

1758 D. Garrick Florizel & Perdita iii. i. 42 Not a counterfeit stone, nor a
ribband, glass, pomander, browch, [etc.].

1880 J. H. Shorthouse John Inglesant (1882) II. 272 He himself carried a
pomander of silver in the shape of an apple, stuffed with spices.

1973 Woman's Jrnl. Dec. 108 (advt.) Colognes, bath essences, soaps, pot-pourri
and pomanders from‥J. Floris Ltd.

2003 Vancouver Province (Brit. Columbia) (Nexis) 12 Dec. a57 Solid orange
perfume cubes‥can be placed in a silver or ceramic pomander or potpourri
container‥to disperse a warm and spicy but delicate orange scent into the
room.

b. fig. A book containing a collection of prayers, secrets, poems, etc. Now
rare.

1530 R. Whitford (title) The pomander of prayer. The greatest comfort in
al temptacyon is the remembraunce of Crystes passyon.

1564 T. Becon Pomander of Prayer (new ed.) Ded. in Wks. ii. f. ccixv, I
thought it good‥to geue vnto you this mi Pommander of praier, wher in ar
breifli contained such godli praiers as ar most mete in this our age to be
vsed of al degres & estates.
 
1895 E. Nesbit (title) A pomander of verse.
1957 (title) Pomander: poems from Norwich Park Hospital.

1530—1957(Hide quotations)
 
 2.
 a. Originally: a mixture of aromatic substances, usually made into a ball,
and carried in a small box or bag (see sense 1) in the hand or pocket, or
suspended by a chain from the neck or waist, esp. as protection against
infection or unpleasant smells (now hist.). Later also: a piece of fruit (esp.
an orange) stuck with cloves and usually tied with ribbon, which may be hung
in a wardrobe, used as a decoration, etc.

1492 in S. Bentley Excerpta Hist. (1833) 90 To one that brought the King a box
with pomandre 10s.

1509 S. Hawes Pastime of Pleasure xxvii. 125 The rofe was‥Knotted with
pomaunders right swetely, Encencing out the yll odours misty.

1562 W. Bullein Bk. Simples f. 59v, in Bulwarke of Defence, A precious
Pomamber to be worne against foule stinkyng aire.

1577 J. Frampton tr. N. Monardes Three Bookes ii. f. 84v, Makyng a Pomander
of it, mingled with Muske, Lignaloe, it doeth comfort the braines.

1628 G. Wither Britain's Remembrancer ii. 9 Or like Pomanders of a curious
Sent.

1683 London Gaz. No. 1804/4, A little Gold Box, with a sweet Pomander in
it.

1710 R. Steele Tatler No. 245. ⁋2 Bracelets of braided Hair, Pomander, and
Seed-Pearl.

1790 Golden Cabinet (ed. 3) 128 Of making pomanders for bracelets.

1852 Thackeray Henry Esmond II. xi. 204 The courtier‥bowed out of the room,
leaving an odour of pomander behind him.

1864 N. Hawthorne Dolliver Rom. (1879) 23 Pomanders, and pomades, the scented
memory of which lingered about their toilet tables.
1931 E. S. Rohde Scented Garden viii. 219 Pomanders, Etc.‥ well over a
year.

1946 J. De Both Mod. Househ. Encycl. 237/1 Pomanders may be made from
apples, oranges, or lemons.—to make, select firm fruit and stick whole
cloves into entire surface; hang in clothes closet or place in dresser
drawers.

1963 Good Housek. Home Encycl. (rev. ed.) 367/2 The pomander‥looks prettier
if tied round with ribbon or tinsel, with a loop for hanging it up.

1997 R. Porter Greatest Benefit to Mankind v. 125 They recommended sniffing
amber-scented nosegays and pomanders and administering strong-smelling herbs.

 b. fig. Something scented, or having a sweet smell. Now rare and poet.

1600 B. Jonson Every Man out of his Humor v. xi. 53 [Said to a fop] Away good
Pomander, goe.

1610 R. Hill Pathway to Prayer (ed. 4) 327 [We] Gods pomander, smel better by
rubbing.

a1625 J. Fletcher Womans Prize v. i, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies &
Trag. (1647) sig. Ppppp4v/2, Oh what a stinking thief is this?‥ Tames-street
to him Is a meere Pomander.
 
1990 E. Morgan Coll. Poems 238 A living pomander waiting for the minute of joy
when you lift me to your mouth and crush me.

Compounds
 
General attrib., as pomander-ball, pomander box, pomander bracelet, pomander
chain, etc.

1550 J. Bale Image Both Churches iii. xviii. B b ij, Their vessels of Yuory
comprehendeth all‥their combes, their muske balles, their pomander pottes
[etc.].

1600 B. Jonson Every Man out of his Humor ii. i. 98 Walkes all day hang'd in
Pomander chaines.

1621 B. Jonson Alchemist i. iv. 21 Offring Citizens Wiues Pomander Bracelets,
As his preseruatiue, made of the Elixir.

1648 R. Herrick (title of poem) The pomander bracelet.

1759 W. Robertson Hist. Scotl. vii, in Wks. (1813) I. 527 An Agnus Dei hung
by a pomander chain at her neck.

1873 E. Gosse On Viol & Flute 36 Received from her the gold-embossed
pomander-box of myrrh.

1906 Athenæum 3 Feb. 133/1 We see the clouded cane and pomander box of Sir
Plume.

1987 Harrowsmith Nov.–Dec. 118/2 An orange stuck all around with sprigs of
cloves makes a pomander ball that is a perfect aromatic for the holiday
season.

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