Cock-bead, Arch. A bead which projects from the surface of the timber on both sides.
Cockers, O. E. Ploughmen’s laced boots.
Cocket, O. E. A seal formerly attached to goods which had paid customs dues. Ancient cockets bear such inscriptions on them as “God willing,” “If God please,” &c.
Cockle-stairs, O. E. Winding stairs. (Cf. Cochlea.)
Coctilis, Cocta, Coctus, R. (prepared by fire). Later coctilis was a brick hardened artificially by fire, in contradistinction to one dried in the sun; murus coctilis, a wall built of hardened bricks. (See Acapna.)
Cocurra, Med. Lat. A quiver.
Cocytia (from Κωκυτὸς, the river of weeping). A festival held in honour of Proserpine, who had been carried off by Pluto. The latter, as king of the infernal regions, included in his sway the river Cocytus. The Cocytus and Acheron, two rivers of Epirus, remarkable for unwholesome and muddy water, and subterranean currents, were hence called the rivers of Hell. “Cocytia virgo” was Alecto, one of the Furies.
Cod, Scotch. A pillow (also pod).
Codex (caudex, the trunk of a tree). (1) A blank book for writing in, consisting of thin tablets of wood covered with wax; the term thus came to mean code, that is, a book containing laws, since these were inscribed in a book, the leaves of which were composed of thin leaves of wood. When parchment or paper was introduced, the term was still applied; and hence, later, became appropriate to any code of laws, e. g. the Gregorian, Theodosian, Justinian, &c. (2) An early manuscript book, such as the Codex of the Greek New Testament and of “Virgil” in the Vatican. (3) The term was also applied to the heavy logs attached to the feet of slaves; these were of various shapes, sometimes even serving the purpose of a seat.
Codicillus (dimin. of Codex, q.v.). A small book, or small leaves of wood covered with wax. The plural codicilli denoted a number of such sheets put together so as to form a sort of memorandum-book for taking rough notes. Any supplemental note made on the margin of the leaves composing a will, or added to them, was also called codicillus (codicil).