Mercenius
Mercenius arabice est maiorana.
Apparatus:
Mercenius (-nius e) AC e | Merzenius or – zemus f | Merzemus B {'ni' misread as 'm'}.
arabice A e | ara. C | ař. B | autem f
Translation:
Mercenius is Arabic for Latin maiorana {"marjoram"}.
Commentary:
The nearest transcription to an Arabic/Persian form would be merzenius, with the letter 'i' standing for the Arabic affricate sound as initially and finally in English "judge", i.e. Simon attempts to portray IPA /mærzænʤu:s/.
Wehr (1976): ﻣﺮﺯﺟﻮﺱ /marzağūs/ ,ﻣﺮﺯﻧﺠﻮﺱ /marzanğūs/ = ﻣﺮﺩﻗﻮﺵ /mardaqūš/ "marjoram". Siggel (1950: 67): ﻣﺮﺯﻧﺠﻮﺱ /marzanğūs/ Origanum majorana (Lab.), Mairan {i.e. "marjoram"}. Also further forms mentioned by Siggel (1950: 67): ﺯﺮﺩﻗﻮﺵ /murdaqūš/, ﺯﺮﺩﻛﻮﺵ /mardkūš/.
The word is of Persian origin, cf. Steingass (1892: 1214) ﻣﺮﺩﻗﻮﺵ /mardaqoš/ ,ﻣﺮﺯﻧگﻮﺵ /marzangoš/ "mouse ear". Cf. also MacKenzie (1971: 54).
WilfGunther 03/08/13
See also: Maiorana