▪ I. chrisom
(ˈkrɪzəm)
Forms: 4–5 crisum, 4–7 crisom(e, 5 crysume, krysome, (crysun), 5–7 crysom(e, 6 cresom, crisyme, (christome, crison), 7 crizum, chrissome, 6–7 chrisome, 6–9 chrysom(e, 6– chrisom. See also chrism.
[A variant of chrism representing a popular dissyllabic pronunciation, such as may still be heard in pris-um, spas-um, and the like: cf. the earliest quot. from Cursor Mundi. Eventually this form was somewhat differentiated from chrism in the primary sense.]
1. A dissyllabic pronunciation of chrism, in senses 1 and 2.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 142 Coround in kyth wyth crysume enoyntede. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 17 Crisyme quhilk is the sensibil signe or mater of Confirmatioun. 1611 Cotgr., Cresme, the Crisome, or Oyle wherewith a Baptized Child is annointed. 1725 tr. Dupin's Eccl. Hist. I. v. 59 Confirmation has different Names..it is called Unction, Chrisom, the Sacrament of Chrisom. Ibid. 60 That the Oil, after Consecration, was..the Chrisom of Jesus Christ. |
2. (In full,
chrisom-cloth,
chrisom-robe, etc.): A white robe, put on a child at baptism as a token of innocence: originally,
perh. merely a head-cloth, with which the chrism was covered up to prevent its being rubbed off. In the event of the child's death within a month from baptism, it was used as a shroud: otherwise it, or its estimated value, was given as an offering at the mother's purification.
| a. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 95 Þe crisme cloð þe þe prest biwindeð þat child mide. a 1300 Cursor M. 25725 Þof vr life last bot a quile, vr crisum [Gött. crisme, Fairf. crisome] clath ful son we file. 1530 Tindale Answ. More Wks. III. 20 The oil, salt, spittle, taper and chrisom-cloth. 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 731/2 In case he died as many children doe in y⊇ chrisome cloth or in the cradle. 1846 Keble Lyra Innoc. White Apparel xi, What if chrisom robes be sin-defiled. 1852 C. M. Yonge Cameos (1877) III. xii. 95 The babe in a chrysom robe costing 554{pstlg} was baptized by Bishop Waynflete. |
| b. [Cf. c 890 in chrism 3]. 1426 Audelay Poems 11 At the fonsston Ther we were croysid in a crysun with a carful krye. 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) i. iii. 22 The whyte robe the whiche is called the crysome. 1549 Prayer Bk., Baptism, The minister shall put vpon him his white vesture, commonly called the Crisome..Then the prieste shall annoynt the infant vpon the head. Ibid., Purification, The woman that is purifyed, must offer her Crysome and other accustomed offeringes. 1558 Bp. Watson Sev. Sacram. iv. 23 After he bee anoynted with the holye chrisme, he hathe a white vesture or Chrisome put uppon him. 1562 Lanc. Wills (1857) I. 176 Twentie handcarchaftes w{supc}{suph} seemed to have byn crysoms vjs. viijd. 1639 Mayne City Match iv. iii, The preacher Is sent for to a churching..he shall lose, he says, His Chrysome else. 1668 Lond. Gaz. No. 247/3 The Dutchesse d'Enguyen distributing the following Honours..the Towel..the Bason and Ewer..the Salt and Chrysome to the Prince de Conti. 1825 Fosbroke Encycl. Antiq. (1843) I. 131 The Chrysome, or face cloth which covered the child at its baptism. |
3. The alb or surplice of a priest.
| 1570 B. Googe Pop. Kingd. i. (1880) 14 b, Thereupon he puttes a lynnen Crysome white, A vesture such as children weare, when first they come to light. 1574 J. Studley tr. Bale's Pag. Popes Ep. Reader, Albes, vestments..surplices, tippets, coyfes, chrismes, mantel and the ringe. 1580 Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Vne Aube, a crison [1593 crisom], the albe or surplesse of a priest. |
4. (In full,
chrisom-child,
chrisom-babe, etc.):
orig. A child in its chrisom-cloth; a child in its first month; an innocent babe.
| a. c 1275 Serving Christ 11, in O.E. Misc. 90 Þer þe crysme child for sunnes sore schal dred. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, ii. iii. 12 A made a finer end, and went away and it had beene any Christome Child. 1651 Jer. Taylor Holy Dying i. §2 Undiscerned, as are the Phantasms that make a Chrisome-child to smile. 1654 Vilvain Epit. Ess. vii. 69 A Mother and Chrism Child..Cam by small Pox..t'untimely fate. 1680 Bunyan Life Badman 566 Mr. Badman died like a lamb; or as they call it, like a chrisom-child, quietly and without fear. 1829 Southey O. Newman vi, Like baptism to a chrysome babe, Something that means he knows and recks not what. |
| b. a 1667 Jer. Taylor Serm. xxvi. (1678) 396 The lot of dying Chrysoms, whose portion must be among those who never glorified God with a free obedience. 1755 in Johnson. |
b. In obituaries and the like, applied to a child that died during the first month or shortly after baptism, and was shrouded in its chrisom-cloth.
Some think that it was applied to children that died unbaptized; but indisputable evidence of this has not been found, although modern editors have so understood
quot. 1601, and the like; and
cf. chrisomer.
| 1542 Par. Reg. St. Mich. Bristol, A crisom of a strange minister..bur. 29 Dec. 1593 Par. Reg. Twickenham, The Cobler's crisom child, bur. 12 Mar. 1601 Par. Reg. in Masson Milton i, The 12{supt}{suph} of May anno 1601 was buried a Chrysome Child of M{supr} John Mylton's of this Parish. 1619 Par. Reg. in Christy Trade Signs Essex, etc. (1887) 32 A chrisome son of Robt. Ogden..was buried the xxx day of December. 1670 Blount Glossogr., Chrisomes, in the Bills of Mortality are such children as die within the month of birth, because during that time they use to wear the Chrisom cloth. 1687 in J. S. Burn Par. Reg. (1862) 127 The Princess Anns Child, a Chrissome bu. in y⊇ Vault, Oct. 22. 1687. 1704 Cocker Dict., Chrism..also a Child dying before Baptism, or within a month of wearing the Chrisme Cloath. 1854 Hook Ch. Dict., By an abuse of words, the term is now used..to denote children who die before they are baptized. 1862 Sir H. Taylor St. Clement's Eve i. ii, Strangling Chrisom babies e'er the Priest Sweating with haste could haste to christen them. |
c. gen. Infant, babe, innocent.
| 1596 Nashe Saffron Walden 127 This turn-broach comparison of a chicken and a chrisome, with one of the most tryed Souldiours of Christendome. 1636 Davenant Witts v. i, Thou..wouldst not join thy halfpenny To send for milk for the poor chrisom. 1638 Ford Fancies iv. i. (1811) 187 The boy, surely..was to any man's thinking, a very chrisome in the thing you wot. c 1640 Shirley Capt. Underwit iii. ii. in Bullen Old Pl. II. 364 How do you like the novice..Is he not a pretty Chrisome? |
d. dial. Silly person, idiot. (See
quot.)
| 1883 Almondsbury & Huddersf. Gloss. (E.D.S.), Chrisom, still used in the local dialect, and probably signifies a pitiable object, such as a man reduced to a skeleton. Sheffield dial. (S. O. Addy) Does ta think I'd marry an old chrisom like thee. |
5. ?
= chrismatory.
| 1563 Foxe A. & M. (1596) 962/1 The Ladie Marie of Norfolke, bearing the Chrysome which was very rich of Pearle and Stone. |
6. attrib. and in
Comb., as
chrisom-lace,
chrisom-pie;
chrisom-calf, (see
quot.);
chrisom-child (see 4);
chrisom-cloth,
-robe (see 2 a);
chrisom-loosing [
OE. crism-liesing]: ? leaving off of the baptismal cloth or robe.
| 1661 Blount Glossogr. s.v., Chrisom, In some parts of England a calf kill'd before it is a month old, is called a *chrisom-calf. |
| 1530 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) V. 297 Item to hys wyff my *crysom laces. |
| a 887 O.E. Chron. an. 878 His [Godrum's] *crism lising wæs æt Weþmor. 1869 Hook Lives Abps. I. vi. 310 Twelve days..the warriors dwelt in the Saxon camp: on the eighth the chrisom-loosing began. |
| 1683 Shipman Carolina 113 Must..provide a *Crisome Py. |
▪ II. † ˈchrisom, v. Obs. [f. prec. n.] = chrism v.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 29313 Wit husel or wit crisumyng. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 3186 And crowne hym kyndly with krysomede hondes. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. xviii, Cristunt and crisumte, with condul and with code. |