evensong
(ˈiːv(ə)nsɒŋ)
[f. even n. + song.]
1. Eccl. The English name of the service (also called vespers) usually celebrated shortly before sunset, being the sixth of the seven ‘canonical hours’ of the Western Church. After the Reformation applied to the ‘Evening Prayer’ of the Church of England, which is ‘an abridgement of the offices of Evensong and Compline as used before the Reformation’ (Hook Ch. Dict.).
the Doleful Evensong: the ‘Fatal Vespers’ of 26 Oct. 1623, at which the greater part of a R.C. congregation lost their lives through the falling-in of a floor.
| c 1000 Canons of ælfric xix, Þa seofon tid-sangas..uht-sang ant þrim-sang..non-sang ant æfen-sang. c 1040 Rule St. Benet (Logeman) 50 æfensanc dæghwamlice mid feower sealmorum. c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. A. 528 At þe day of date of euen-songe, On oure byfore þe sonne go doun. 1389 in Eng. Gilds 17 Euery brother and sister..shullen..heren y⊇ seruice of bothe y⊇ euensonge & messe. 1462 in Ellacombe Bells of Ch. ix. (1872) 277 He schall helpe to ryng all in to Matens and Masse and evynsong with his felow. 1549 Bk. Com. Prayer, Table for the Ordre of the Psalmes, to be sayed at Matins and Euensong. c 1550 Becon Treat. Fasting in Catechism (1844) 533 Such should not be counted to fast that did eat before evensong was done. a 1613 Overbury A Wife (1638) 217 The country Lasses dance in the Church-yard after Even-song. 1691 Wood Ath. Oxon. I. 427 He [John Gee] had been at the doleful Evensong in the Black-Friers in London, 26 Oct. 1623. 1735 Pope Donne Sat. ii. 106 Doom'd to say his beads and Evensong. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xvii, ‘I might hae gaen to evensong, and heard Daddy Docharty mumbling his mass’. 1882 Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. cxix. 97 His matin prayer..his evensong were all out of Holy Writ. |
| attrib. 1641 Milton Animadv. ii. Wks. (1847) 61/1 To diet their ignorance..with the limited draught of a matin, and evensong drench. |
b. The time of evensong; the hour of sunset.
arch. Also more fully
† evensong time.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 25594 (Cott.) Suete iesu..þou gaf sight o þi blod and flexs at euen-sanges time [c 1340 (Fairf.) euensange time]. c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 4800 Fram afternone to auensong. 1375 Barbour Bruce xvii. 450 Quhen that evynsang-tym ves neir. 1465 Paston Lett. No. 504 II. 191 On the same day at evyn-song time. 1486 Bk. St. Albans C v a, Let hir fast till euensong. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccclxix. (R.), The yonge kyng entred into Reynes, the Saturday at euensongtyme. 1560–78 Bk. Discipl. Ch. Scot., The Saterday, and other vigils to be holy daies from Evensong to Evensong. 1650 Jer. Taylor Holy Living (J.), If a man were but of a day's life, it is well if he lasts 'till evensong. a 1700 Dryden Poems (J.), He tun'd his notes both evensong and morn. 1755 in Johnson. 1775 in Ash. 1865 Swinburne Poems & Ballads, Before Dawn 9 From evensong to day time. |
† c. Sicilian evensong:
= ‘Sicilian vespers’: see vespers.
Obs.| 1586 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. i. (1589) 718 All the Frenchmen that were in the Ile of Sicilia..upon Easter day, at the first peale to Evensong..were al put to death..whereupon this proverbe doth yet remaine amongst us, The Sicilian Evensong. a 1649 Drummond of Hawthornden Irene Wks. 168 Towns will close their gates upon you; and ye may some day expect a Sicilian even-song. |
2. gen. (partly
transf. from 1). A song sung in the evening.
| c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 830 If euen song and morwe song accorde Lat se now who shal telle the firste tale. 1632 Milton Penseroso 64 Thee, chauntress, oft the woods among I woo, to hear thy even-song. 1647 Crashaw Poems 176 Sit thee down, and sing thy evensong in the sad tree's shade. 1876 Ouida Winter City xii. 373 Flocks of birds..were singing their sweet shrill evensong. |