Obs. Forms: 3–6 bise, 4 bies, biis, bijs, biys, bijce, 4–6 bis, bys, 4–7 byse, bisse, 5–7 bysse, 6 biss, 7 byss. [a. OF. bysse, ad. L. byssus: see BYSSUS.] = BYSSUS 1; Fine linen. The word was to English writers often a mere name to which they attached no certain meaning, except that of fineness and value; in the versions of the Bible it is variously rendered; the version of 1611 has ‘fine linen.’

1

c. 1314.  Guy Warw. (A.), 2835. Gode clothes of … purper and biis.

2

1382.  Wyclif, Luke xvi. 19. Clothid in purpur, and biys, ether whit silk [Tindale fyne bysse; Cranmer fyne whyte; Genev. fyne lynnen; Rhem. silke; 1611 fine linnen]. Ibid., Rev. xix. 8. With whijte bijce shijnynge [1388 white bissyn schynynge; Tindale, Cranmer pure and goodly raynes; Genev. pure fyne lynen cloth and shining; Rhem. silke glittering and vvhite; 1611 fine linnen, cleane and white].

3

1460.  Lybeaus Disc., 2071. A robe of purpure bys.

4

1593.  Peele, Ord. of Garter, Wks. II. 228. A canopy of crimson bysse Spangled with gold.

5

1635.  Heywood, Hierarch., V. 286. Costly robes of sundry colour’d Bisse.

6

1648.  Bp. Hall, Sel. Thoughts, § 13. The rich glutton … clothed in purple & byss.

7