Middle English Dictionary Entry
Criste-mas(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | Criste-mas(se n. Also Crist-, Cristen-, Cristin-, Cristes-, Kirsten-, Xp̄es-; -mes(se; (early) Cristes-mæssa(n, -mæsse; (late) Crismas, Crissemasse. |
| Etymology | OE Crīstes mæsse; also cp. Cristē̆n adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Christmas Day, Dec. 25; (b) the season of Christmas; (c) Christmas festivities.
Associated quotations
a
- (1100) Chart.St.Paul in RHS ser.3.5821 : Herto is gewitnesse Robert bisceop of Lincolne, & þat wæs gehaton Westminynstre on Cristesmessa.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1100 : Willelm heold his hired to Xp̄es mæssa.
- 1122 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1122 : On þis geare wæs se king Heanri on Cristes mæssan on Norht wic.
- a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1127 : Ðis gear heald se kyng Heanri his hird æt Cristes mæsse..þus earmlice wæs þone abbot rice gifen betwix Cristesmesse & Candelmesse.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)481 : Hit is godemonne iwone..þat ech god man his frond icnowe..& hure & hure to Cristes masse.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)799 : Hit was at Cristesmasse [Ld: cristemesse].
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1896 : A luyte bi-fore cristemasse [Hrl: Cristes masse] to þe kinge heo come.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)213/17 : Ine zuyche festes ase at cristesmesse..hou he wes ybore of þe mayde.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1730 : I wol do my diligence To konne it al er Cristemasse [vrr. Cristemas, cristmas, cristenmes] be went.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)471 : Wel by-commes such craft vpon cristmasse.
- (1429) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7822 : Item, at Cristmasse, iiii s.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.ALM (Hnt HM 744)18 : Conforteth me ageyn this Cristemesse.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)91/34 : Sche was in Rome a lityl befor Cristemes.
- (1440) Visit.Alnwick196 : The said pore bedefolk sewed and neuer myght be payede ther of..vnto the Cristenmasse last passede.
- (1442) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 850 : The kosts of the rode lytte at Kyrstemas..5 s.
- (1444) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 851 : Atte Kyrstemaste.
- (1445) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 853 : At Kyrstemasse.
- (1453) LRed Bk.Bristol2.202 : The saide preest..shall haue and be paide for his salarie..vj li. vj s. viij d. at iiij termes of the yere, that is to sai at the festis of saint Michell, Cristmasse, Annunciacion of oure ladi and Natiuite of saint John Baptiste.
- (1473) Stonor1.134 : Y ow you no money afore Cristismasse.
- a1500 By thys fyre (Dgb 88)12 : At Cristesmasse I drynke redde wyne.
b
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.119 : Ye yrede schalben on sen Jonis day in cristemesse.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)502 : After crysten-masse com þe crabbed lentoun.
- (1446) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 484 : Payd for waxe agen crisemasse, xx s.
- a1450 Þe ferste day (Sln 2593)99 : The forty day cam Mary myld..And herewith endis Crystemesse [vr. Crystmes].
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1098/18 : Sir Lavayne justed there all the Crystemasse passyngly well.
- a1500 Swet Ihesus is cum (BodPoet e.1)p.58 : Swet Jhesus Is cum to vs This good tym of Crystmas.
c
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.126 : At Cristemasse [vrr. Cristes mas, Cristes masse] wel murie may ye daunce!
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)907 : Hit watz Wawen hym-self..Comen to þat krystmasse.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)64 : Thane aftyre at Carlelele a Cristynmesse he haldes.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)544 : I countede at this Crystynmesse of kyngez..ten at his table.
- (c1448) Rec.Norwich 1345 : John Gladman of Norwich..made a disporte with his neighburghs, having his hors trapped with tyneseyle and..crowned as King of Kristmesse in token that all merthe shuld end with ye twelve monthes of ye yer.
2.
(a) In cpds. and combs.: ~ dai, Dec. 25; ~ daies, ~ while, the Christmas season; ~ even, ~ night, Christmas Eve; ~ gamen, sport or prank of the Christmas season; ~ livere, costume appropriate to the Christmas merrymaking; ~ song, a carol; ~ term, Christmas as one of the three (or four) days of the year when certain manorial rents were due; (b) as a surname.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Ase y me rod (Hrl 2253)32 : Þat oþer ioie of þat may wes o Cristesmasse day, when God wes bore.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2783 : On Cristenmesse euen þe bischop Brice Kid þat he nas nouȝt nice.
- (1381) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.4 : Þe son-day to-fore cristesmasse-day, þe Vte ȝier of þe Regne Kinges Richard þe secunde.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9015 : Hyt was vpp-on a crystemesse nyȝt [F la nuyt de noel].
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)283 : I craue in þis court a crystemas gomen.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)734 : Bi contray caryez þis knyȝt tyl kryst-masse euen.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)985 : Þe lorde..wayned hom to wynne..þat most myrþe myȝt meue þat crystenmas whyle.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.311 : Þis is þe Gospel þat is rad on Cristemasse Evyn.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.390 : Þe Gospel..on Cristemasse Nyȝt.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.236 : Pistle on Cristemasse day.
- (1429) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7822 : For talw candel aȝeyns Alhalwynday & Crysmasday, ii lib.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)16/17 : On a Fryday beforn Crystmes Day..owyr mercyful Lord..rauysched hir spyryt.
- (1438) Acc.Bk.Carpenter Co.1 : Also that we haue ress For Crystemas terme next suying, ix s. ix d.
- (1449) Rec.Norwich 2288 : All and singuler craftis shall be redy..uppon these iij festiuall dayes, that is to wite Halowemesseday, Cristemesseday, and Tweltheday.
- (c1460) Paston (Gairdner)4.28 : Perys of Legh come to Lynne opon Cristynmesse Even.
- (1463) Acc.Howard in RC 57159 : Item, my mastyr delyveryd to Cley on Crystemasse day ffor to fynd in the howsold, vj s.
- a1475(?1445) ?Lydg.Cal.(Rwl B.408)323 : I wold be cloþed in Cristemasse lyueray.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)5.409 : Austyn, in Cristemasse day [Trev.: mydwynter day; L die Natalis Domini]..ordeynede Laurencius.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)325 : We wyll cum gyf yow a Crystemes songe.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)62/31 : Þes Cristynmasse-dayes..wern ordeynet in holy chyrche for gret solempnyte.
- a1500 Lyth and lysten both (BodPoet e.1)p.132 : The secund branch..sprong vpon Cristmes nyght.
- a1500 Now is þe twelþe day (StJ-C S.54)p.84 : A mayd hym bare of Cristynmes nyghht.
b
- (1185) R.de Dominabus in Pipe R.Soc.3568 : Radulfus Cristemesse.
- (1190) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.197 : Rogerus Cristemasse.
- (1274) Hundred R.Tower 1150 : Galfrid. Cristesmasse.
- (1296-7) Acc.Cornw.in RHS ser.3.66118 : Roberto Cristemesse.
- (1327) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10197 : Joh. Cristemasse.