jan 1, 1537 - gripe egg

Description:

The egg of a griffin, the fabulous creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. It was a word for an oval-shaped cup, possibly made from a large egg, such as that of an ostrich. 1349 <i>unam copam de uno gripe</i>, Spofforth (SS4/57); 1419 <i>et alius ciphus vocatus a gryp ey, ligatus cum argento et deaurato</i>, Harewood (SS4/393); 1431 <i>unum chales copp argenti et deaurati ad modum unius gripe egg cum scriptura in cooperculo,</i> Ripon (SS30/15). Such items were much prized by the gentry and were passed from father to son, as in the case of the Stapletons of Wighill: 1455 <i>et unam peciam vocatam Grypeg deauratam</i> (SS30/182); 1537 <i>a noder cuppe of the facyone of an nutte called grypeege ... to remayne frome heire to heire</i> (SS106/67). Note: <i>c</i>.1537 <i>j grype schell with a coverynge giltyd</i>, Fountains Abbey (SS42/290).

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