arch. Forms: 1 cilda-mæsse, 4 childerne masse, children masse, 4–7 childermasse, 6 -messe, 6–9 -mas. [Repr. OE. *cildramæsse (cyldamæsse is found), f. cildra of infants + mæsse, MASS.]
1. The festival of the Holy Innocents (the 28th of December), commemorating the slaughter of the children by Herod (Matt. ii. 16). Usually childermas-day, -tide.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. ii. 13, rubric, Ðys god-spel sceal on cylda-mæsse dæʓ.
c. 1300. Beket, 2009. Amorwe a childerne massedai.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 49. Þe legende þat is i-rad a children masse day.
1460. in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866), 117. On chyldermasse day yn cristemasse.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Les Innocens, as le jour des Innocens, childermas day at christmasse.
1614. B. Jonson, Barth. Fair, II. vi. (1631), 31. Hold thy hand, childe of wrath … make it not Childermasse day in thy fury.
1720. Strype, Stow’s Surv. (1754), I. I. xxv. 186/1. The children every Childermas day to go to Paul’s church.
1849–53. Rock, Ch. Fathers, III. ix. 220. At Childermas-tide.
1889. Letts’s Diary, 28 Dec., Innocents’ Day, Childermas.
2. ‘The day of the week throughout the year, answering to the day in which the feast of the holy Innocents is solemnized’ (J.).
1602. Carew, Cornwall, 32/1. That proues as ominous to the fisherman as the beginning a voyage on the day when Childermas day fell doth to the Mariner.
1745. Swift, Direct. Servants, The Cook. Friday and Childermas are two cross days in the week, and it is impossible to have good luck on either of them.
