Definition of "Christmasse"
Christmasse
proper noun
Obsolete spelling of Christmas
Quotations
In this Winter was great death in London, wherefore the Terme was adiorned, and the king for to eschue the plague, kept his Christmasse at Eltham with a small number, for no man might come thether, but such as were appoynted by name: this Christmas in the kings house, was called the still Christmasse.
1569, Richard Grafton, “Henry the Eyght”, in A Chronicle at Large, and Meere History of the Affayres of Englande, […], London: […] Henry Denham, […], for Richarde Tottle and Humffrey Toye; republished in Grafton’s Chronicle; or, History of England. […], volume II, London: […] [George Woodfall] for J[oseph] Johnson; […], 1809, page 386
Kinde Gentlemen, and honeſt Companions, I preſent you here with a merrie conceited Comedie, called the Shoomakers Holyday, acted by my Lorde Admiralls Players this preſent Chriſtmaſſe, before the Queenes moſt excellent Maieſtie.
1599 (first performance; published 1600), Thomas Dekker, “The Shomakers Holiday. Or The Gentle Craft. […]. To All Good Fellowes, Professors of the Gentle Craft; of what Degree Soeuer.”, in The Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker […], volume I, London: John Pearson […], published 1873, page 3
Hereupon a Peace vvas concluded, vvhich vvas publiſhed a little before Chriſtmaſſe, in the Fourteenth yeare of the Kings Raigne, to continue for both the Kings liues, and the ouer-liuer of them, and a yeare after.
1622, Francis, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban [i.e. Francis Bacon], The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh, […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Matthew Lownes, and William Barret, page 191
“Lady—Honest Crier, I know thou knewest old Father Christmas; I am sent to thee from an honest schollar of Oxford (that hath given me many a hug and kisse in Christmasse time when we have been merry) to cry Christmas, for they hear that he is gone from hence, and that we have lost the poor old man; you know what marks he hath, and how to cry him.
1645, The Arraignment, Conviction and Imprisonment of Christmas on S. Thomas Day last, […], […] Simon Minc’d Pye, […]; republished as John Ashton, “The Arraignment, etc., of Christmas”, in A righte Merrie Christmasse!!! The Story of Christ-tide, London: […] the Leadenhall Press, Ltd., […]; Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co., Ltd. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, […]