BICE, or BISE, among painters, a blue colour prepared from the lapis Armenus. Bice bears the best body of all bright blues used in common work, but it is the palest in colour. It works indifferently well, but inclines a little to sandy, and therefore requires good grinding.
BICESTER or BISSETER, a market-town in the hundred of Ploughley, in the county of Oxford, fifty-nine miles from London, and twelve from Oxford. A small stream here runs into the Charwell at Islip. The market is held on Friday. It has no other trade than the supply of the agricultural district which surrounds it. The inhabitants amounted in 1801 to 1945, in 1811 to 1921, and in 1821 to 2544.