[Sca-cooks] pocketbooks

[johnna holloway]

OED  under pocket-book
A small book, adapted to be conveniently carried in the pocket. In recent
U.S. use, also a cheap edition, esp. paper-bound. Also attrib.
1617 Janua Ling. Advt., To render the volume as portable..and if not as a
manuall or pocket-booke, yet a pectorall or bosome-booke, to be carried
twixt ierkin and doublet.
1648 A. Rowley (title) The Scholler's Companion, or a Little Library,
containing all the Interpretations of the Hebrew and Greek Bible,..brought
into a Pocket Book.

the purse comes later---
A book for notes, memoranda, etc., intended to be carried in the pocket; a
note-book. Also, a book-like case of leather or the like, having
compartments for papers, bank-notes, bills, etc.; a woman's hand-bag or
other container for bank-notes or coins. Also fig. Now chiefly U.S.
1685 Lond. Gaz. No. 2001/4 Lost.., a Pocket-Book, having an Old Almanack in
it of the Date of the Year 80 or 81.

Wallet however dates to Chaucer
A bag for holding provisions, clothing, books, etc., esp. on a journey
either on foot or on horseback; a pilgrim's scrip, a knapsack, a pedlar's
pack, or the like.
C. 1386 Chaucer Prol. 681 But hood, for Iolitee, wered he noon, For it was
trussed vp in his walet [rhyme Iet].

Wallet meaning a pocket-book is however 19th century.
A pocket-book for holding paper money without folding, or documents.
1845 N. P. Willis Dashes at Life II. 245 Our several borrowings were thrust
into a wallet which was sometimes in his pocket, and sometimes in mine, as
each took the turn to be paymaster.

Purse dates to 1100.

Johnnae llyn Lewis

Daniel Myers wrote:
Someone with access to the OED could probably find more on the word's

> evolution.
>
> - Doc
>
> -