Middle English Dictionary Entry
mid-sǒmer n.
Entry Info
| Forms | mid-sǒmer n. Also mide-, midsommer, -someres, (early) -su(m)mer, midde sumor & missomer, missomir, misomer, missumer, mesomur & (early) midde sumeran, middan sumeran, middes sumeres. |
| Etymology | OE mid(de-sumor |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Midsummer, a period of varying duration about the summer solstice; also, the solstice itself, June 21; (b) the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, June 24; also, June 24 as one of the four days on which quarterly payments were made; feste of ~, June 24; (c) midsummer madness.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1101 : Ða to midde sumeran ferde se cyng ut to Pefenesæ mid eall his fyrde.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1114 : And to middan sumeran he ferde mid fyrde in to Wealon.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1693 : A-ȝein Midsomer it bi-ful.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10881 : Sir Richard..wende al so At missomer to þe holi lond.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1464 : Sad seurte was sikered..þat menskful mariage to make at midesomer after.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.101 : After þat the mydsomer [L media æstate; Higd.(2): in the myddes of somer] over passed, Edmond wiþ a gretter oste in Wiltschire fauȝt..aȝenst Canute.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.137 : In þe ȝere afterward at midsomer [F a la my este], men teld, þe kyng in Oxenford his parlement held.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.160 : Ac beggeres aboute Midsomer [vr. myssomer], bredlees þei soupe.
- (1412) in Salzman Building in Engl.489 : He sall make the aloryng..newe be mysomer next folowand after the ffest of seynt John of baptist.
- ?a1425(a1400) Brut-1377 (Corp-C 174)321/24 : About Missomere, þe Duke of Lancastre & þe Erle of Herford, wiþ a grete cumpanye of kniȝtes, wenten into Fraunce.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)15665 : The sixte day for-sothe of Iune..When the day is alther lengest And the hete of the sonne is strengest, Aboute mydsomer.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)1569 : At missomer on an nyght, Þe mone schane full bright.
- a1475(?1445) ?Lydg.Cal.(Rwl B.408)176 : Iunius..Bryng us mydsomer of heuenly blys, I pray ȝow martyrs both Paule and Iohn.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)1023 : He was of all colours Þat man may se of flours Be-twene Mydsomer and May.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)802/18 : Solsticium estivale, Anglice, mydsomer.
b
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)93.50/1 : Þisse wyrte wyrtrume man seal nime onb[u]t[an] midde su[mor].
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6150 : Atte laste mid hor ost to gadereward hii drowe & mette hom after midsomer [vr. myssomer], þe feste of seint Ion.
- c1375(?c1280) SLeg.Advent,etc.(Eg 1993)85/412 : Oure ladi was þreo monþes wiþ hire cosin þere, Vrom seinte Mari day in lente for to missomer were.
- (1398) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)8.54 : Thair Raunson til have bene restorit to thaim befor the Fest Of Myssommyr last past.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)198b/b : Þanne do þat in an erþene vessel & sette it in þe sunne xxx dayes aftir mydsomer.
- (1436) Deed Norris in LCRS 9394 : [10 s. in two equal portions] at Missomer and at Yole.
- (1436-7) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)242/1 : Item, payd to Syr Steuen owr prest for iiije quarteris, þt is, Midsomer, Myelmasse, Cristmasse, and Estern.
- (1445) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 854 : Halso for strawwe of the person at myssomur xx d.
- (1446) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 856 : Halso at myssomur to ye same lyght ij li., xiiii d.
- (1448) Doc.in Sundby Dial.Wor.(Eg Charter 608)255 : The seid Thomas shall pay..vnto the seid John x li. yerly..at the Festus of Candelmas and Midsomer.
- (1450) Doc.in Kingsford EHist.Lit.(CotR 2.23)360 : At Tonebrigge fast by Sevenoke þer was Stafford slayn þe þursday next before myssomer.
- (1452) Doc.in Gilbert Cal.Dublin 1276 : The iiii Friday nexte after Mydsomer.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.193/8 : Paying..ij marke of siluer at iiij termys of the yere..at cristmasse, dj. a marke; at Estur, dj. marke; At mydsomer, dj. marke; and at myȝghelmasse, dj. marke.
- (1464) Paston (Gairdner)4.108 : They seide that I myght not distreyne hem, for I come before the daye, for her day is at Midsomer.
- (1465) Acc.Howard in RC 57589 : They to come to my said master wyth inne forthenythe afftere Middsomere, and thei shalle have fore ther wages be yere, xxxvj s. viij d.
- (a1483) Tailors' Gild Exeter313 : Euery yowte Brodere that ys nott preuelage of the forsayde ffraternyte..schalle pay euery yere vj d. at Myssomere.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)119/9 : Two grete fyghtis Ihon ther abode..that oone aftyr candylmasse..that othyr aftyr mydsomer [Dub: mydsomyre].
c
- ?a1500(a1471) Brut-1461(2) (Lyell 34)92 : Tho bestys that thys wroughte to mydsomer haue but a myle.
2.
In cpds. & combs.: (a) mid-somer(es-dai, a day in midsummer; ~ eve(n, ?an evening in midsummer; ~ month, June; mid-somer(es-night, the night closest to the summer solstice, ?night of June 20; ~ rose, a rose in midsummer; mid-somer(es-tide, midsummer; ?also, June 24; (b) midsomer(es-dai, middes someres messe-dai, Nativ. John Bapt., June 24; also as one of four quarter days; midsomeres candles, ~ light, candles burned on St. John's Eve; ~ eve(n, evening of June 23, St. John's Eve; ~ quarter (terme), June 24 as a day for quarterly payments; (c) in place name [see Smith PNElem. 2.40].
Associated quotations
a
- c1375(?c1280) SLeg.Nativ.(Eg 1993)93/641 : Vor þe schorteste niȝt þat was þo was missomerniȝt.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.207 : Þan it is wynter wiþ ham, þat is, in Iuyn, þat is, mydsomer monþe.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.224 : Fro Midsomeretide [F De la feste saint Jon en la my estez] to þe Apostle S. Thomas.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.309 : He aiorned þam to relie in þe North..After Midesomers tide [F Apres la my este].
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)146/5 : Þe briȝtnesse of þe sonnebeme in þe clerest tyme of missomer [vr. missomers] day.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)7709 : I fele so swete odour As þou it it were mydsomyr eue.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.MRose (Hrl 2255)8 : Al stant on chaung, lyke a mydsomyr roose.
- a1450 SLeg.Nativ.(Bod 779)93/639 : [Hit] fylle in..amydsomer is nyȝt al so.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3699 : Þai made as mery melody..As in þe moneths of Mai or midsomere euyn.
- c1450 Brut-1431(1) (Eg 650)450/13 : At Mydsomertyde, Henry Beauford..went ouer þe see.
- c1450 Ladd Y the daunce (Cai 383/603)p.307 : Ladd Y the daunce a Myssomur Day.
b
- a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1131 : Swa he ferde ham to his agen mynstre & þær wunode eall to midsumer dæi.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)134.135/4 : Wið liuer-sar, nim on middes sumeres mæssedæȝ þa wyrt.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)210/1 : For þi ne schule ȝe beon..ihuslet inwið tweolf moneð [bute] fiftene siðen: Midwinter dei..Witsunne dei, Midsumerdei, [etc.].
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (Hrl 2277:Horst.)111 : As þe wynd hem drof est forþ, wel euene þe schip him drouȝ Euene aȝe þat þe sonne ariseþ a-midsomeres day.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10266 : He het ek alle þe bissopes..Þat ar missomer day in to þis londe come.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.27 : Alle þe bretherin and sisterin schullen offeryn þis candel and þe to torches eueri ȝer a misomere day.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.78 : Ye sunday after missum[e]rday.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.97 : On mesomur day.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)51/41 : Þe sonday next after missomer day & þe sonday next after Micheles day.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)199/6 : Hij ne schullen ben yhouseled bot fiftene siþes in þe ȝere: at mid wynterday..midsomerday, seint marie day þe maudeleyn, [etc.].
- a1400 Recipe MS Hal.in Rel.Ant.1 (Hal 335)53 : Tak the rede netylles on Myssomer even, and dry tham.
- a1400 Recipe MS Hal.in Rel.Ant.1 (Hal 335)55 : Tak leves of henbane on Mydesomer evene.
- (1415) Doc.Conspir.Hen.V in D.K.R.43582 : Sefen neghte be for Missomer day.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.364 : Þe Gospel on Mydsomer Dai. Elizabeth impletum est tempus pariendi.
- (1426-7) Rec.St.Mary at Hill66 : Also, on mydsomer eve, a dawber and his man, xiiij d.
- (1428) EEWills81/12 : Also y woll that myne Executours hold & parfourme forth my deuouaciouns..on mydsomer eve to-fore seint Iohn Baptiste in my parisshe chirche.
- (?1430) Calendar 1430 Pref.(Hrl 937)92 : It techyȝt also..how mony wekes and days fro qwytesonday to mydsommerday.
- (1430-1) RParl.4.370b : On Goodfriday, xiii s. iiii d.; on Midsomer even, x s.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)25/19 : Þis was on a Fryday on Mydsomyr Euyn.
- (1438) Acc.Bk.Carpenter Co.1 : For Midsomer terme next that, viij s. ix d.
- (1442) Acc.Bk.Carpenter Co.6 : Fyrst, Resywide at myelmas quat., xij s. x d. Itm. crystinmas quat., xj s. x d. Itm. Estyr quat., x s. ix d. Itm. myssomer quat., xij s.
- (1443) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.125181 : The pageant maisters of both the said craftes shal make thair rakenyng and gife accompt evere yere fro nowe furth upon Sononday next before Missomerday.
- (1448) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 1214 : An Amyte of the same to serve for mydsomer day and other dayes of apostles.
- (1448) Shillingford65 : There shold meny a priest of the close of Exceter loste his hede onys of myssomer yeven.
- (1450-2) Doc.in HMC Rep.5 App.520b : For 2 Mydsomerys candles for the Common House, to stand there on the night of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, 1 d.
- c1450(c1353) Winner & W.(Add 31042)166 : One Missomer Euen.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)66/7 : Þeys musthe be gaderyd on þe myssomerday afore þe sonne.
- (1463-4) Compota Dom.(1836) [OD Col.]50 : In ij duodenis candelarum Parisius vocatarum Midsomerlight emptis..iiij s.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)229 : This infortune fel onto him on Missomer Even, whech is the feest of Seynt Andre, as summe suppose.
- (1464) Doc.in Rec.B.Nottingham 2379 : Item, for ij galons of reede wyne giffen to the said Lorde Chaumberleyn on Missomer Evyn.
- (a1483) Tailors' Gild Exeter313 : Every person that ys of the feleshippe..schalle pay..for hys cloþynge as hyt comyth to wtyn monyth a-poun Myssomere day.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)80 : Also this yere was a grete drouthe, the whiche duryd from myddes of Marche till the morne after Mydsomer day.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)8075 : On þe morne aftur mydsomyr day..Was the batell.
- a1500 Herkyn to my tale (Adv 19.3.1)p.81 : For this offerand was made, tho sothe yf I schall sey, When Mydsomer evyn fell on Palmes sounndey.
c
- (1248) in Ekwall Dict.EPN328 : Midsomeres Norton.
- (1269) in Ekwall Dict.EPN328 : Midsummernorton.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (a1444) Paston2.14 : I haue also certyne londe…qweche þe Priowre of Castelacre hathe in ferme tyl messombyr.
Note: New spelling