1. = EVENSONG 1 a; also gen. (perh. transf.) a song sung at eventide.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 22. Efter euesong anonriht siggeð ower Placebo.
c. 1290. Lives Saints (1887), 66. He bi-gan one saume of euesongue.
c. 1300. St. Brandan, 214. The foweles tho hit eve was, bigonne here evesong.
1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 121. Þe secunde belle of þe Euesong of seint Peter.
1455. E. Clere, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 5. He seith matyns of Our Lady and evesong.
2. Short for ‘evensong-bell.’
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. VII. 396. Bargeynes and beuereges bygunne to aryse, And setyn so til euesong rang.
3. attrib.
c. 1315. Shoreham, 87. Of the crouche he was do At evesanges oure.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 243. Þe bataille dured from underne of þe day to eue song tyme.
1460. Lybeaus Disc. (Kölb.), 1424. From þe our of prime Till hit was evesong time To fiȝte þey wer þro.
