sb. Forms: 1 Hláf-, Hlámmæsse, -messe, 2–7 Lammasse, 3 Lanmasse, 3–4 Lamasse, 3–5 Lam(m)es(s)e, 6–7 Lambmes(se, Lammes, 7 Lamas, 8 Lambmass, 5– Lammas. [OE. hláfmæsse, f. hláf bread, LOAF + mæsse MASS; afterwards popularly apprehended as if f. LAMB + MASS.]
1. The 1st of August (Festum Sancti Petri ad Vincula in the Roman calendar; see also GULE), in the early English church observed as a harvest festival, at which loaves of bread were consecrated, made from the first ripe corn. (In Scotland, one of the usual quarter-days.) Also, the part of the year marked by this festival.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., V. xiii. § 2. Þæt (wæs) on þære tide calendas Agustus, & on þæm dæʓe þe we hatað ‘hlafmæsse.’
1154. O. E. Chron., an. 1135 (Laud MS.). On þis ȝære for se king … ouer sæ æt te Lammasse.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 37/124. Bi-fore lamasse seueniȝht.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 421. I salle at Lammese take leue.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 286/1. Lammesse, festum agnorum, vel Festum ad Vincula Sancti Petri.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxliv. (1482), 296. To mete at southampton by lammasse next sewyng without ony delay.
1570. Reg. Ministers, in Lauder’s Tractate (1864), Pref. 10. William Lauder, Minister of Forgondynye (in 1567), [his stipend] iiijxxli. [£80], and xxli. mair sen Lambmes, 1569.
a. 1651. Calderwood, Hist. Kirk (1843), II. 393. Adam, called Bishop of Orkney, was delated for not visiting the kirks of his countrie, from Lambmesse to Allhallowmesse.
1716. Addison, Drummer, V. i. Six years old last Lammas.
1833. Tennyson, in Mem. (1897), I. 112. A voice ran round the hills When corny Lammas bound the sheaves.
† 2. Short for Lammas-wheat. Obs.
1677. Plot, Oxfordsh., 151. The white Lammas has both ears and grain white, and the red Lammas both red.
3. Latter Lammas († day), a day that will never come. At latter Lammas: humorously for ‘Never.’
1567. Gascoigne, Instruct. Making Verse, Posies (1575), U ij. Many writers … draw their sentences in length, & make an ende at latter Lammas. Ibid. (1576), Steele Gl. (Arb.), 55. This is the cause (beleue me now my Lorde) … That courtiers thriue, at latter Lammas day.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., IV. xv. 316. This your will At latter lammas wee’l fulfill.
a. 1734. North, Lives (1826), I. 4. The very expectation of them puts me in mind of latter Lammas.
1805. W. Taylor, in Ann. Rev., III. 244. This convocation was somewhat unbecomingly postponed to latter Lammas.
1857. Kingsley, Two Y. Ago, vii. A treatise … which will be published probably … in the season of Latter Lammas, and the Greek Kalends.
4. attrib. and Comb.: chiefly with the sense of ‘occurring’ or (of fruits) ‘ripening at Lammas,’ as Lammas-apple, -assize, -eve, -feast, -month, -night, -tide, -time; Lammas-day, August 1; Lammas-land (see quot. 1870); similarly Lammas-field, -mead, -meadow-ground, -rights; Lammas-tower (see quot. 1792); Lammas-wheat = winter wheat.
1886. Elworthy, W. Somerset Word-bk., *Lammas-apple.
c. 1605. Acc. Bk. W. Wray, in Antiquary, XXXII. 213. This yeare (1604), was *lammasse sysies holden at Rippo’.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., III. 290. Nim of ðam ʓehalʓedan hlafe þe man haliʓe on *hlafmæsse dæʓ.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 8669. In a þoresdai it was & þe morwe al so After lammasse day þat þis dede was ydo.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 239. Of hem is þe feste [of] Lammesse day, þey Peter were brouȝt out of prisoun aboute Ester tyme.
a. 1557. Diurn. Occurr. (Bannatyne Club), 9. Wpoun the Lambes day, the king desyrit fra all his officiaris renunciatioun of thair offices.
1677. W. Hughes, Man of Sin, II. viii. 122. On the first of August (Lammas Day; that the Reader may not forget it).
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. iii. 17. Of all daies in the yeare come *Lammas Eue at night shall she be fourteene.
1820. Combe, Consol., I. 132. I’m sure he’ll grieve From Midsummer to Lammas Eve.
1721. Ramsay, Richy & Sandy, 40. We’ll meikle miss his blyth and witty jest, At spaining time, or at our *Lambmass feast.
1872. E. W. Robertson, Hist. Ess., 246. The Roman tribesman … would probably have followed the early custom retained in the regulations of the *‘Lammas fields’ in England, his arable resuming the character of common pasturage as soon as the crops were off the ground.
1787. Mrs. Trimmer, Œcon. Charity, 113. The privilege of the people to turn in on the *Lammas lands is insensibly sliding away.
1870. Lubbock, Orig. Civiliz., X. (1875), 445. Thus our ‘Lammas Lands’ were so called, because they were private property until Lammas Day (Aug. 1) after which period they were subject to common rights of pasturage till the spring.
1826. Sunday Times, 27 Aug., 3/3. To enquire to whom the right of hiring, mowing or feeding-off the crops on King’s or *Lammas Meads vested.
1694. Lond. Gaz., No. 2989/4. [It] has the benefit of a good Common, and several Acres of *Lammas Meadow-Ground.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), IV. 369. Claudius bygan to regne in *Lammesse monþe [L. mense Augusto].
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 11650. In a *lammasse niȝt … Out of Wurcetre he wende.
1892. Law Rep., Weekly Notes 165/1. Lands which were subject to *lammas rights had been acquired by the Ealing Local Board.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 221. Þe fift day it was after *Lammesse tide, & writen is in þat pas, at Euesham gan þei ride.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. iii. 15. How long is it now to Lammas tide?
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. IX. 314. Bi this lyflode we mot lyue till *Lammasse tyme.
1792. Archæol. Scot., I. [194. Each of these communities agreed to build a tower in some conspicuous place … which was to serve as the place of their rendezvous on Lammas day. Ibid.] 198. The name of *Lammas towers will remain … after the celebration of the festival has ceased.
1594. Carew, Huarte’s Exam. Wits (1616), 6. Some bring a plentifull encrease of good *Lammas Wheat.
1832. Veg. Subst. Food, 31. Winter, or Lammas Wheat—Triticum hybernum.
