An Attempt To Date
August
G.D.O'Bradovich III
June, 2014
The following references are from the Oxford English Dictionary and references after 1800 are omitted.
August-
The eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, containing 31 days and falling between July and September. Also personified.
August-
The eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, containing 31 days and falling between July and September. Also personified.
OE tr. Alexander's Let. to Aristotle §10. 230
Ða ferde we in Agustes monþe þurh þa weallendan sond.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 1097,
He..þærinne [sc. into Wealon] wunode fram middesumeran forneah oð August.
▸a1393 Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) viii. l. 2845
Til Augst be passed and Septembre.
c1400 (1380) Pearl l. 39 In augoste in a hyȝ seysoun.
1417 in R. W. Chambers & M. Daunt Bk. London Eng. (1931) 288 (MED),
Yeuen vnder owr signet..þe xij day of Aoust.
a1500 (▸?c1450) Merlin (1899) 132
It was feire wedir..as stille as a-boute aust.
1529 Bp. S. Gardiner Let. 30 Aug. (1933) 33
At Woodstock, the penultimate of August.
a1616 Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 1 (1623) i. i. 110
The tenth of August last.
1731 P. Miller Gardeners Dict. I. at Cepa,
About the Beginning of August the Onion-Seed will be ripe, which may be known by its changing brown.
Ða ferde we in Agustes monþe þurh þa weallendan sond.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 1097,
He..þærinne [sc. into Wealon] wunode fram middesumeran forneah oð August.
▸a1393 Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) viii. l. 2845
Til Augst be passed and Septembre.
c1400 (1380) Pearl l. 39 In augoste in a hyȝ seysoun.
1417 in R. W. Chambers & M. Daunt Bk. London Eng. (1931) 288 (MED),
Yeuen vnder owr signet..þe xij day of Aoust.
a1500 (▸?c1450) Merlin (1899) 132
It was feire wedir..as stille as a-boute aust.
1529 Bp. S. Gardiner Let. 30 Aug. (1933) 33
At Woodstock, the penultimate of August.
a1616 Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 1 (1623) i. i. 110
The tenth of August last.
1731 P. Miller Gardeners Dict. I. at Cepa,
About the Beginning of August the Onion-Seed will be ripe, which may be known by its changing brown.
The 1417 reference is found in a book published in 1931; the 1500 reference, in 1899 and the 1529 reference, in 1933. Shakespeare is referenced approximately seven years after composition in 1623.
With the above references removed, the list before Shakespeare has been reduced to three references, to wit, OE, IOE and a1393. These items will be discussed in the conclusion of the paper.
Compounds
General attrib. and appositive, as August day, August month, August sun, etc.
With the above references removed, the list before Shakespeare has been reduced to three references, to wit, OE, IOE and a1393. These items will be discussed in the conclusion of the paper.
Compounds
General attrib. and appositive, as August day, August month, August sun, etc.
1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum,
August moneth.
1686 H. Grenfield God in Creature 111
Augment the Brightness of an August day.
1799 R. Warner Walk through Wales (ed. 3) 35
The exercise of walking twenty-five miles under an August sun, had rendered us exceedingly thirsty.
August moneth.
1686 H. Grenfield God in Creature 111
Augment the Brightness of an August day.
1799 R. Warner Walk through Wales (ed. 3) 35
The exercise of walking twenty-five miles under an August sun, had rendered us exceedingly thirsty.
There is nothing extraordinary about an "August" month or an "August day", except there lateness of the 16th and 17th centuries.
August-
1. Inspiring mingled reverence and admiration; impressing the emotions or imagination as magnificent; majestic, stately, sublime, solemnly grand; venerable, revered.
August-
1. Inspiring mingled reverence and admiration; impressing the emotions or imagination as magnificent; majestic, stately, sublime, solemnly grand; venerable, revered.
1664 H. More Apol. 486
The ancient Philosophers look'd upon this Universe as one August Temple of God.
1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 414. ¶4
There is generally in Nature something more Grand and August, than what we meet with in the Curiosities of Art.
1795 E. Burke Let. in Wks. (1842) II. 244
Never was so beautiful and so august a spectacle presented to the moral eye.
The ancient Philosophers look'd upon this Universe as one August Temple of God.
1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 414. ¶4
There is generally in Nature something more Grand and August, than what we meet with in the Curiosities of Art.
1795 E. Burke Let. in Wks. (1842) II. 244
Never was so beautiful and so august a spectacle presented to the moral eye.
The "August Temple"[1664] fits well within the time of August month [1552] and August day [1686].
2. Venerable from birth or position; of stately dignity; dignified, worshipful, eminent, majestic. (Sometimes complimentary or perfunctory.)
2. Venerable from birth or position; of stately dignity; dignified, worshipful, eminent, majestic. (Sometimes complimentary or perfunctory.)
1673 Dryden Marriage a-la-Mode v. i. 84
Since he is a King..he looks so grand, and so August.
a1720 J. Sheffield Wks. (1753) II. 141
And made obeisance to that august Assembly.
Since he is a King..he looks so grand, and so August.
a1720 J. Sheffield Wks. (1753) II. 141
And made obeisance to that august Assembly.
The 1673 reference falls within other uses of august [1552, 1664 and 1664].
The following references are listed in chronological order. Passages that are suspect are in red.
The following references are listed in chronological order. Passages that are suspect are in red.
lOE anno 1097, He..þærinne [sc. into Wealon] wunode fram middesumeran forneah oð August.
OEÐa ferde we in Agustes monþe þurh þa weallendan sond.1393▸a Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) viii. l. 2845 Til Augst be passed and Septembre.
1400c (1380) In augoste in a hyȝ seysoun.
1417 (1931) (MED), Yeuen vnder owr signet..þe xij day of Aoust.
1500a (▸?c1450) (1899) It was feire wedir..as stille as a-boute aust.
1529 (1933) At Woodstock, the penultimate of August.
1552 August moneth.
1616a (1623) The tenth of August last.
1664 The ancient Philosophers look'd upon this Universe as one August Temple of God.
1673 Since he is a King..he looks so grand, and so August.
1686 Augment the Brightness of an August day.
1712 There is generally in Nature something more Grand and August, than what we meet with in the Curiosities of Art.
1720a (1753) And made obeisance to that august Assembly.
1731 About the Beginning of August the Onion-Seed will be ripe, which may be known by its changing brown.
1795. (1842) Never was so beautiful and so august a spectacle presented to the moral eye.
1799 The exercise of walking twenty-five miles under an August sun, had rendered us exceedingly thirsty.
OEÐa ferde we in Agustes monþe þurh þa weallendan sond.1393▸a Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) viii. l. 2845 Til Augst be passed and Septembre.
1400c (1380) In augoste in a hyȝ seysoun.
1417 (1931) (MED), Yeuen vnder owr signet..þe xij day of Aoust.
1500a (▸?c1450) (1899) It was feire wedir..as stille as a-boute aust.
1529 (1933) At Woodstock, the penultimate of August.
1552 August moneth.
1616a (1623) The tenth of August last.
1664 The ancient Philosophers look'd upon this Universe as one August Temple of God.
1673 Since he is a King..he looks so grand, and so August.
1686 Augment the Brightness of an August day.
1712 There is generally in Nature something more Grand and August, than what we meet with in the Curiosities of Art.
1720a (1753) And made obeisance to that august Assembly.
1731 About the Beginning of August the Onion-Seed will be ripe, which may be known by its changing brown.
1795. (1842) Never was so beautiful and so august a spectacle presented to the moral eye.
1799 The exercise of walking twenty-five miles under an August sun, had rendered us exceedingly thirsty.
We question the veracity of the IOE, OE and 1400c references as they are over a century before the verifiable date of 1552.
Maximilian 1 of the Holy Roman Empire, r. 1486-1519.
The last word in the second line is "Augustus"[click on image]. Although Maximilian [and presumably other rulers] held the title of August, it is not recorded in the English language in the sense of "reverence" until 1673.
Because of the late adaption of "August" for reverence, we believe that the earlier references to the month of "August" before the year 1500 must be misdated.
The last word in the second line is "Augustus"[click on image]. Although Maximilian [and presumably other rulers] held the title of August, it is not recorded in the English language in the sense of "reverence" until 1673.
Because of the late adaption of "August" for reverence, we believe that the earlier references to the month of "August" before the year 1500 must be misdated.