An Attempt To Date
Satan
Apprentice Tyler
July 29, 2014
Part the First
The Oxford English Dictionary has been consulted for the following words: Satan, Lucifer and Devil. Secondary sources are in red.
OE Beowulf 1680 Hit on æht gehwearf aefter deofla hryre Denigea frean.
OE Beowulf 756 Wolde on heolster fleon, secan deofla gedræg.
OE Christ & Satan 366 Wæs þæt encgelcyn ær genemned, Lucifer haten, leohtberende.
OE Crist III 1521 Farað nu, awyrgde, willum biscyrede engla dreames, on ece fir þæt wæs Satane ond his gesiþum mid, deofle gegearwad.
OE Crist III 1531 Swapeð sigemece mid þære swiðron hond þæt on þæt deope dæl deofol gefeallað in sweartne leg.
OE Cynewulf Juliana 460 Hyre þæt deofol oncwæð.
OE Genesis 347 Satan maðelode, sorgiende spræc.800a Corpus Gloss. (O.E.T.) 1457 Orcus, hel diobul.
825c Vesp. Hymns xiii. 4 Ðone dioful biswac.
825c Vesp. Psalter xcv[i]. 5 Forðon alle godas ðioda ðioful, dryhten soðlice heofenas dyde.
950c Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. ix. 34 In aldormenn diowbla [he] fordrifes diowlas.
960c Lindisf. Gosp. John vi. 70 Ic iuih tuelfo geceas & of iuh an diul [Rushw. diowul] is.
975c Rushw. G. Matt. ix. 34 In aldre deofla he ut-weorpeð deoful.
1000a Solomon & Saturn 122 Him bið þæt deofol laþ.
1000c West Saxon Gospels: John (Corpus Cambr.) viii. 44 Ge synd deofles bearn.
1000c West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) ix. 34 On deofla ealdre he drifð ut deoflu.
1050 Byrhtferth's Handboc in Anglia (1885) VIII. 320 Þær æfter on þam circule lucifer up arist.
1154a Anglo-Saxon Chron. anno 1137, Þa fylden hi mid deoules & yuele men.
1160c Hatton Gosp. Matt. iv. 5 Ða ȝebrohte se deofel hine on þa halȝan ceastre.
1175a Cott. Hom. 227 An meȝie cynn þe nefer ne abeah to nane deofel ȝyld.
1175a Cott. Hom. 237 Al folc ȝede in to þes diefles muðe.
1175c Lamb. Hom. 87 Ure ifan þet beoð þa deofles beoð bisencte in to helle.
1200?c Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 10565 Deofle flocc.
1200?c Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 1403 Alle þa þatt fellenn swa Þeȝȝ sinndenn laþe deofless.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 173 Hie iseð bineðen hem deflen þe hem gredeliche kepeð.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 35 To luste þe defles lore.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 35 Þa wurhliche weden þe þe dieuel binom ure forme fader adam.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 39 Ure drihten drof fele deules togedere ut of a man..and þe swin urnen alse deulen hem driuen.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 69 Witeð ȝe..in þat eche fur þat is ȝarked to deuules and here fereden.
1250c Moral Ode 98 in Early Eng. Poems & Lives Saints (1862) 28 Dieð com in þis middenerd þurh þe ealde deofles onde.
1275c (▸?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 8817 He..wende anan rihte in-to Winchæstre. swulc hit weore an hali mon þe hæðene deouel [c1300 Otho deauel].
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 245/165 In fourme of a fair womman þe deuel cam heom to.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 37/104 Þere nis no deuel þat dorre nouþe neiȝ þe come, for drede.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 372/174 And þe Aungel heom scheuwede al a-brod þene deuel ase huy stude, Þe fourme of a grislich man þat al for-broide were And swarttore þane eueri ani blouȝman..Fuyrie speldene al stinkende out of is mouth he blaste And fuyr of brumston at his nose.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 62/294 Þat was þe Deuel of helle.
1300?a XI Pains of Hell 17 in Old Eng. Misc. 147 Wiltu ihere me sathan.
1300a Cursor Mundi 442 And for þat he was fair and bright, lucifer to nam he hight.
1325c in G. L. Brook Harley Lyrics (1968) 70 Ichot þe cherl is def, þe Del hym to-drawe!
1374c Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Cambr.) iii. metr. i. 50 After þat lucifere the day sterre hath chasyd awey the dirke nyht.
1377 Langland Piers Plowman B. ix. 61 For þei seruen sathan her soule shal he haue.
1380c Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 442 Þen God and þe devell were weddid togedre.
1380c Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 450 A veyn blast of a fool, and, in cas, of a devyl.
1380c Wyclif Wks. (1880) 30 Þese nouelries maad of ydiotis & synful wrecchis of lucifers pride.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) 1 Tim. iv. 1 Ȝyuynge tent to spiritis of errour, and to techingis of deuels.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) John x. 20 He hath a deuel, and maddith, or wexith wood.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Matt. ix. 34 In the prince of deuelis he castith out deuilis.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Rev. xvi. 14 Thre vncleene spirites..sotheli thei ben spirites of deuelis, makinge signes.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Rev. xviii. 2 Greet Babilon fel doun fel doun, and is maad the habitacioun of deuelis [1611 deuils]. (Cf. Isa. xiii. 2.)
1382 Wyclif Acts. xvii. 18 A tellere of newe deuelis [1388 of newe fendis; 1526 Tindale, a tyddynges brynger off new devyls; 1557 Geneva of newe Gods; 1611 of strange gods; 1881 (R.V.) strange gods (Gr. demons)].
1382 Wyclif Matt. xxv. 41 Euer~lastynge fijr, the which is maad redy to the deuyl and his angelis.
1382 Wyclif Psalms cvi. 37 Thei offriden ther sones and ther doȝtris to deuelis. [1611 deuils, 1885 (R.V.) demons. So Deut.xxxii. 17].
1382 Wyclif Psalms cviii. [cix.] 6 Sett vp on hym a synere; and the deuell stonde at his riȝt side [1535 Coverdale, Let Satan stonde at his right hande; 1611 Satan, margin. or, an aduersary; 1885 (R.V.) adversary, margin. Or Satan, or an accuser].
1382 Wyclif Rev. ix. 20 Thei worschipeden not deuels, and simulacres golden, treenen, the whiche nether mowen see, nether heere, nether wandre.
1382 Wyclif Rev. xii. 9 And the ilke dragoun is cast doun, the greet olde serpent, that is clepid the Deuel.
1382▸a Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Isa. xxxiv. 14 And aȝen come shul deueles [a1425 fendis], the beste party an asse, and a party a man.
1393 Langland Piers Plowman C. xxii. 21 For alle deorke deoueles dreden hit to huyre.
1400a (▸a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) l. 11759 Alle þo deueles [Vesp. idels, Fairf. mawmettes] in a stounde Grouelynge fel to þe grounde.
1400a (1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 12023 Þou wreche sede o felunny! Werck o dred, sun o sathan [Fairf. saton, Gött.sathane, Trin. Cambr. sathone].
1400a (1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 19884 For-sakes þou sathan [Gött. sathane, Trin. Cambr. satone].
1400c Rom. Rose 4288 An olde vecke..The which devel, in hir enfaunce Hadde lerned of Loves arte.
1425a (▸c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Job xxxviii. 32 Whether thou bryngist forth Lucifer, that is dai sterre, in his tyme.
1425c Cast. Persev. 552 in Macro Plays 93 Be Satan, þou art a nobyl knawe to techyn men fyrst fro goode!
1430c Hymns Virg. (1867) 121 Develyn schall com oute off helle.
1450?c Life St. Cuthbert (1891) l. 7170 Oft to gydir þai did euill, And gaf occasion to þe deuill.
1450c J. Myrc Instr. to Par. Priests 364 Hyt ys a sleghþe of the del.
1450c Mirour Saluacioun 4377 With feendes and lucifere..in helle.
1488 (1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) iv. l. 407 At thus with wrang thir dewillis suld bruk our land.
1500c Melusine (1895) xxxvi. 256 Ayeynst this strong dyuell I ne may withstand.
1509 S. Hawes Pastime of Pleasure (1845) xxix. 136 Some develles wyll theyr husbandes bete.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 214/2 Divell she, diablesse.
1535a Bp. J. Fisher Wks. (1876) 402 To forsake the diuel and all his works.
1535a Bp. J. Fisher Wks. (1876) 428 Thou shalt pay thine owne debtes amongest the diuils in hell.
1540c (▸?a1400) Destr. Troy 4392 Þe folke..vnder daunger of þe dule droupet full longe.
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. John 73 b, He hathe the Deuell (say they) and is madde.
1549 J. Cheke Hurt of Sedicion sig. B3v, That presumption of challengynge Goddes seate, doth shewe you to haue bene Lucifers, and..god wyll punyshe you like Lucifers.
1550 J. Coke Deb. Heraldes Eng. & Fraunce sig. Givv, Dyuers Bysshoppes of Rome beynge Annabaptystes, heretyques, scismatiques, & chyldren of Sathan.
1553 T. Becon Relikes of Rome (1563) 1 His..Lucifer~like pride.
1555 W. Waterman tr. J. Boemus Fardle of Facions ii. x. 210 He..abolished all worshippe of deuilles.
1563 N. Winȝet Certain Tractates (1888) I. 118 Ane terribill cumpany of dewlis hastalie apperand to him.
1563 W. Fulke Goodle Gallerye Causes Meteors ii. f. 10v, There was newes come to London, that the Deuill..was seene flyinge ouer the Temmes.
1567 Compend. Bk. Godly Songs (1897) 10 To saue vs... Fra Sathanis subteltie and slycht.
1567 Compend. Bk. Godly Songs (1897) 175 Proude Lucifer, the greit maister of hell.
1571c E. Campion 2 Bks. Hist. Ireland (1963) i. iv. 18 Soe wee saie..dile for divill.
1576 A. Fleming tr. Hippocrates in Panoplie Epist. 277 As mad as the divel of hell.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 46v, Where a man must deale with the Deuil.
1579 W. Fulke Heskins Parl. Repealed in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 305 What Lucifer is that, that wil oppose him selfe against the flatt commaundement of the holie ghost.
1581 J. Bell tr. W. Haddon & J. Foxe Against Jerome Osorius 219 With such an incredible inordinate desire of luciferlike superioritie.
1585 T. Cartwright in R. Browne Answere to Cartwright 87 Vntill such time as the day starre spring & Lucifer do rise in our hearts.
1596 W. Warner Albions Eng. (rev. ed.) ix. l. 231 Yea, too blasphemous, they incroch vpon the Deitie, Though of these Lucifers haue been that perish through a Flie.
1598 Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 ii. v. 468 That villanous abhominable misleader of youth, Falstalffe, that olde white bearded Sathan.
1599 Master Broughtons Lett. viii. 26 You Cynosura and Lucifer of nations, the stupor and admiration of the world.
1600 Shakespeare Merchant of Venice i. iii. 97 The deuill can cite Scripture for his purpose.
1602 W. Watson Decacordon Ten Quodlibeticall Questions 9 How many Sathans and begotten of the diuell did he tearme them?
1602? Narcissus (Rawl. Poet. 212) (1893) 330 The haire of the faire queene of devills.
1604 Canons Ecclesiastical lxxii, Neither shal any Minister not licensed..attempt..to cast out any deuill or deuils.
1604 King James VI & I Counter-blaste to Tobacco sig. B2, Why do we not denie God and adore the Deuill, as they doe?
1605 Bp. J. Hall Medit. & Vowes I. § 6 That olde slaunder of early holines; A young Saint, an olde Deuill: sometimes young Deuils haue prooued olde Saints; neuer the contrary.
1605 Z. Jones tr. P. le Loyer Treat. Specters (title-page), The Nature of Spirites, Angels, and Divels.
1607 E. Topsell Hist. Fovre-footed Beastes 12 The Satyres a most rare and seldome seene Beast, hath occasioned other to thinke it was a Deuill... And it may be that Deuils haue at some time appeared to men in this likenes.]
1609 Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida ii. iii. 20, I haue said my prayers and diuell Enuie say Amen.
1609 Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida v. ii. 55 How the diuell Luxury..tickles together.
1611 Bible (A.V.) John vi. 70 Haue not I chosen you twelue, and one of you is a deuill?
1611 Bible (A.V.) John x. 20 He hath a deuill and is mad.
1616a Shakespeare Comedy of Errors (1623) iv. iv. 55, I charge thee Sathan, hous'd within this man, To yeeld possession to my holie praiers.
1616a Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) ii. iv. 16 Let's write good Angell on the Deuills horne 'Tis not the Deuills Crest.
1616a Shakespeare Othello (1622) ii. iii. 289 It hath pleasde the Diuell drunkennesse, to giue place to the Diuell wrath.
1616a Shakespeare Othello (1622) v. ii. 142 Thou doest bely her, and thou art a diuell.
1616a Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) ii. v. 199 Thou most excellent diuell of wit.
1618a W. Raleigh in J. Gutch Collectanea Curiosa (1781) I. 89 Although they be perpetual Lucifers, they must always be Angels, and live in plenty.
1622 T. Gataker Spirituall Watch (ed. 2) 54 No marvaile if Sin and Sathan finde free entrance at will.
1623 Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Henry VIII iii. ii. 372 And when he falles, he falles like Lucifer, Neuer to hope againe.
1625 S. Purchas Pilgrimes I. iv. 571 His Pride is such, as may teach Lucifer.
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. ix. 404 The Italians swore, I was a Divell and not a man.
1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 302 The Samoreen..black as the devill, and as treacherous.
1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 335 70 Temples, wherein they number 3333..little guilded Devils.
1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 335 This Devill (or Molech) is of concave copper..double guilded.
1642 T. Fuller Holy State v. xvii. 426 Devils in flesh antedate hell in inventing torments.
1645 Milton On Christ's Nativity: Hymn vi, in Poems 4 The Stars..will not take their flight, For all the morning light, Or Lucifer that often warn'd them thence.
1646a J. Gregory Posthuma (1649) 96 This Lilith was..a kinde of shee-Divel which killed Children.
1651 J. Saint-Amard tr. F. Micanzio Life Father Paul p. xxix, in P. Sarpi Hist. Council of Trent (1676) , An Angel in his behaviour, and a Devil..in the Mathematicks.
1652a R. Brome Queenes Exchange ii. iii, in Wks. (1873) III. 490 He looks So damnably as if the Divel were at my elbow.
1656a Bp. J. Hall Shaking of Olive-tree (1660) i. 18 The ejection of Divells by fasting and prayer.
1667 Milton Paradise Lost i. 373 Devils to adore for Deities.
1667 Milton Paradise Lost vii. 131 Lucifer..So call him, brighter once amidst the Host Of Angels, then that Starr the Starrs among.
1668a W. Davenant Man's the Master (1669) v. 67 A thousand Sathans take all good luck.
1680a J. Glanvill Saducismus Triumphatus (1681) ii. 136 The Devil..appeared to her in the shape of a handsome Man, and after of a black Dog.
1680a J. Glanvill Saducismus Triumphatus (1681) ii. 292 Declares that the Devil in the shape of a black man lay with her in the Bed..that his Feet were cloven.
1683 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises II. Dict. 383 The Press-man sometimes has a Week-Boy to Take Sheets, as they are Printed off the Tympan: These Boys do in a Printing-House, commonly black and Dawb themselves: whence the Workmen do Jocosely call them Devils; and sometimes Spirits, and sometimes Flies.
1685 R. Baxter Paraphr. N.T., Matt. xvi. 23 To hinder us in God's work and mens Salvation, is to be Satans to us. O how many Satans then are called reverend Fathers, who silence and persecute men for God's work.
1688a J. Bunyan Jerusalem-sinner Saved (1886) 103 We in all likelihood are to possess the very places from which the Satans by transgression fell.
1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia iv. v. 180 The visible appearance of a Devil or Dæmon which they say is common among them.
1698 tr. F. Froger Relation Voy. Coasts Afr. 160 The poor Devil was condemned to have his head chopped off.
1701 D. Defoe True-born Englishman i. 10 Ingratitude, a Devil of Black Renown.
1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 31. ⁋13 Mr. Bickerstaff's Messenger, or (as the Printers call him) Devil, going to the Press.
1726 W. R. Chetwood Voy. Capt. Boyle 82 Thou Devil! said he to Susan, and hast thou betray'd me..?
1738 Swift Compl. Coll. Genteel Conversat. 97 That would have been a Match of the Devil's making.
1744 M. Akenside Pleasures Imagination i. 148 Lucifer displays His beaming forehead thro' the gates of morn.
1753 S. Richardson Hist. Sir Charles Grandison III. i. 9, I called her a little Satan.
1764a R. Lloyd Dialogue in Poet. Wks. (1774) II. 4 And in the morning when I stir, Pop comes a Devil ‘Copy Sir’.
1768 L. Sterne Sentimental Journey I. 95, I am apt to be taken..when a poor devil comes to offer his service to so poor a devil as myself.
1772 J. W. Fletcher Third Check Antinom. 94 A fall into pride may drive me nearer Lucifer.
1774 O. Goldsmith Retaliation 57 So provoking a Devil was Dick.
1775 R. B. Sheridan Rivals iii. iv, An ill-tempered little devil! She'll be in a passion all her life.
1791 J. Boswell Life Johnson anno 1781 II. 387 He had married a printer's devil... J. Reynolds: ‘I thought a printer's devil was a creature with a black face and in rags.’ Johnson: ‘Yes, Sir. But I suppose, he had her face washed, and put clean clothes on her.’
The following is the about list with the secondary sources removed. As the Wycliffe Bible was not published unitl the early 19th century, we consider it a secondary source.
OE Beowulf 1680 Hit on æht gehwearf aefter deofla hryre Denigea frean.
OE Beowulf 756 Wolde on heolster fleon, secan deofla gedræg.
OE Christ & Satan 366 Wæs þæt encgelcyn ær genemned, Lucifer haten, leohtberende.
OE Crist III 1521 Farað nu, awyrgde, willum biscyrede engla dreames, on ece fir þæt wæs Satane ond his gesiþum mid, deofle gegearwad.
OE Crist III 1531 Swapeð sigemece mid þære swiðron hond þæt on þæt deope dæl deofol gefeallað in sweartne leg.
OE Cynewulf Juliana 460 Hyre þæt deofol oncwæð.
OE Genesis 347 Satan maðelode, sorgiende spræc.800a Corpus Gloss. (O.E.T.) 1457 Orcus, hel diobul.
825c Vesp. Hymns xiii. 4 Ðone dioful biswac.
825c Vesp. Psalter xcv[i]. 5 Forðon alle godas ðioda ðioful, dryhten soðlice heofenas dyde.
950c Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. ix. 34 In aldormenn diowbla [he] fordrifes diowlas.
960c Lindisf. Gosp. John vi. 70 Ic iuih tuelfo geceas & of iuh an diul [Rushw. diowul] is.
975c Rushw. G. Matt. ix. 34 In aldre deofla he ut-weorpeð deoful.
1000a Solomon & Saturn 122 Him bið þæt deofol laþ.
1000c West Saxon Gospels: John (Corpus Cambr.) viii. 44 Ge synd deofles bearn.
1000c West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) ix. 34 On deofla ealdre he drifð ut deoflu.
1154a Anglo-Saxon Chron. anno 1137, Þa fylden hi mid deoules & yuele men.
1160c Hatton Gosp. Matt. iv. 5 Ða ȝebrohte se deofel hine on þa halȝan ceastre.
1175a Cott. Hom. 227 An meȝie cynn þe nefer ne abeah to nane deofel ȝyld.
1175a Cott. Hom. 237 Al folc ȝede in to þes diefles muðe.
1175c Lamb. Hom. 87 Ure ifan þet beoð þa deofles beoð bisencte in to helle.
1200?c Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 10565 Deofle flocc.
1200?c Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 1403 Alle þa þatt fellenn swa Þeȝȝ sinndenn laþe deofless.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 173 Hie iseð bineðen hem deflen þe hem gredeliche kepeð.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 35 To luste þe defles lore.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 35 Þa wurhliche weden þe þe dieuel binom ure forme fader adam.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 39 Ure drihten drof fele deules togedere ut of a man..and þe swin urnen alse deulen hem driuen.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 69 Witeð ȝe..in þat eche fur þat is ȝarked to deuules and here fereden.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 245/165 In fourme of a fair womman þe deuel cam heom to.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 37/104 Þere nis no deuel þat dorre nouþe neiȝ þe come, for drede.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 372/174 And þe Aungel heom scheuwede al a-brod þene deuel ase huy stude, Þe fourme of a grislich man þat al for-broide were And swarttore þane eueri ani blouȝman..Fuyrie speldene al stinkende out of is mouth he blaste And fuyr of brumston at his nose.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 62/294 Þat was þe Deuel of helle.
1300?a XI Pains of Hell 17 in Old Eng. Misc. 147 Wiltu ihere me sathan.
1300a Cursor Mundi 442 And for þat he was fair and bright, lucifer to nam he hight.
Number of primary references before the year 1300: 33
1374c Chaucer After þat lucifere the day sterre hath chasyd awey the dirke nyht.
1377 Langland Piers Plowman B. ix. 61 For þei seruen sathan her soule shal he haue.
1393 Langland Piers Plowman C. xxii. 21 For alle deorke deoueles dreden hit to huyre.
1400c Rom. Rose 4288 An olde vecke..The which devel, in hir enfaunce Hadde lerned of Loves arte.
Number of primary references between the years 1301 and 1400: 4
1425c Cast. Persev. 552 in Macro Plays 93 Be Satan, þou art a nobyl knawe to techyn men fyrst fro goode!
1450c J. Myrc Instr. to Par. Priests 364 Hyt ys a sleghþe of the del.
1450c Mirour Saluacioun 4377 With feendes and lucifere..in helle.
Number of primary references between the years 1401 and 1500: 3
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 214/2 Divell she, diablesse.
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. John 73 b, He hathe the Deuell (say they) and is madde.
1549 ...challengynge Goddes seate, doth shewe you to haue bene Lucifers, and..god wyll... like Lucifers.
1550 Givv, Dyuers Bysshoppes of Rome beynge Annabaptystes, heretyques, scismatiques, & chyldren of Sathan.
1555 W. Waterman tr. J. Boemus Fardle of Facions ii. x. 210 He..abolished all worshippe of deuilles.
1563 There was newes come to London, that the Deuill..was seene flyinge ouer the Temmes.
1576 A. Fleming tr. Hippocrates in Panoplie Epist. 277 As mad as the divel of hell.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 46v, Where a man must deale with the Deuil.
1579 What Lucifer is that, that wil oppose him selfe against the flatt commaundement of the holie ghost.
1581 With such an incredible inordinate desire of luciferlike superioritie.
1585 Vntill such time as the day starre spring & Lucifer do rise in our hearts.
1596 ...Though of these Lucifers haue been that perish through a Flie.
1598 That villanous abhominable misleader of youth, Falstalffe, that olde white bearded Sathan.
1599 You Cynosura and Lucifer of nations, the stupor and admiration of the world.
1600 Shakespeare Merchant of Venice i. iii. 97 The deuill can cite Scripture for his purpose.
Number of primary references between the years 1501 and 1600: 15
1602 How many Sathans and begotten of the diuell did he tearme them?
1604 Canons Ecclesiastical lxxii, Neither shal any Minister not licensed..attempt..to cast out any deuill or deuils.
1604 Why do we not denie God and adore the Deuill, as they doe?
1605 That olde slaunder of early holines; A young Saint, an olde Deuill: sometimes young Deuils haue...
1605 Z. Jones tr. P. le Loyer Treat. Specters (title-page), The Nature of Spirites, Angels, and Divels.
1607 ...to thinke it was a Deuill... And it may be that Deuils haue at some time appeared to men in this likenes.]
1609 Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida ii. iii. 20, I haue said my prayers and diuell Enuie say Amen.
1609 Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida v. ii. 55 How the diuell Luxury..tickles together.
1611 Bible (A.V.) John vi. 70 Haue not I chosen you twelue, and one of you is a deuill?
1611 Bible (A.V.) John x. 20 He hath a deuill and is mad.
1622 T. Gataker Spirituall Watch (ed. 2) 54 No marvaile if Sin and Sathan finde free entrance at will.
1623 And when he falles, he falles like Lucifer, Neuer to hope againe.
1625 S. Purchas Pilgrimes I. iv. 571 His Pride is such, as may teach Lucifer.
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. ix. 404 The Italians swore, I was a Divell and not a man.
1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 302 The Samoreen..black as the devill, and as treacherous.
1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 335 70 Temples, wherein they number 3333..little guilded Devils.
1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 335 This Devill (or Molech) is of concave copper..double guilded.
1642 T. Fuller Holy State v. xvii. 426 Devils in flesh antedate hell in inventing torments.
1645 The Stars..will not take their flight, For all the morning light, Or Lucifer that often warn'd them thence.
1667 Milton Paradise Lost i. 373 Devils to adore for Deities.
1667 Lucifer..So call him, brighter once amidst the Host Of Angels, then that Starr the Starrs among.
1685 To hinder us in God's work and mens Salvation, is to be Satans to us. O how many Satans...
1698 The visible appearance of a Devil or Dæmon which they say is common among them.
1698 tr. F. Froger Relation Voy. Coasts Afr. 160 The poor Devil was condemned to have his head chopped off.
Number of primary references between the years 1601 and 1700: 24
1701 D. Defoe True-born Englishman i. 10 Ingratitude, a Devil of Black Renown.
1726 W. R. Chetwood Voy. Capt. Boyle 82 Thou Devil! said he to Susan, and hast thou betray'd me..?
1738 Swift Compl. Coll. Genteel Conversat. 97 That would have been a Match of the Devil's making.
1744 M. Akenside Pleasures Imagination i. 148 Lucifer displays His beaming forehead thro' the gates of morn.
1753 S. Richardson Hist. Sir Charles Grandison III. i. 9, I called her a little Satan.
1768 I am apt to be taken..when a poor devil comes to offer his service to so poor a devil as myself.
1772 J. W. Fletcher Third Check Antinom. 94 A fall into pride may drive me nearer Lucifer.
1774 O. Goldsmith Retaliation 57 So provoking a Devil was Dick.
1775 R. B. Sheridan Rivals iii. iv, An ill-tempered little devil! She'll be in a passion all her life.
Number of primary references between the years 1701 and 1800: 9
Conclusion to Part the First
With 33 primary references before the year 1300, we are tempted to state that Satan was well established in England. Unfortunately, the concerns with the correct dates of these manuscripts are similar to the concerns with Wycliffe, that is, historians state that Wycliffe lived in the 14th century, but the first printing of his Bible is not until the 19th century, so Wycliffe can be placed anywhere before that time, therefore, the dating of Wycliffe is problematic. (vide Christian Heresies at the bottom of the page under Wycliffe).
Part the Second
With only seven primary references fro the years 1301-1500, Satan seems to have fallen out of favor with the English people. In the 15th century, Satan's popularity rises to 15 references and in the 16th century Satan culminates with 24 primary references.
Because of the limitations mentioned above, we will end our research on the adjective for the Devil, devilish. We expect the adjective to appear relatively close to the appearance of the noun. If we are disapointed by that "devilish" only appears in 1496, then we are surely disappointed that "devilish" and "diabolical" appear, for all purposes, at the same time (1496, 1504).
1496c Serm. Episc. Puer. (W. de W.) B iij, Euyll fasshened garmentes, & deuyllysshe shoon & slyppers of frensmen.
1504? S. Hawes Example of Vertu sig. bb.ivv, Be neuer taken in dyabolycall engyne.
1513a R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. lxv. f. xxiiiv, ...of disclaunderous & deuyllysshe persones.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) 1 Tim. iv. 1 Geue hede vnto spretes of erroure and dyuelysshe doctrine.
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. aiiii, Whiche is most deuyllysshe synne.
1546 T. Langley tr. P. Vergil Abridgem. Notable Worke vii. vii. 141 b, ...there is not one so diabolical as the ...
1547c H. Latimer Let. in J. Foxe Actes & Monuments (1563) 1351/2 As your naturals, and diabolicals ...
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VI f. cxiiijv, ... a..sorceresse, and a diabolical blasphemeresse of God.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VI f. cxxxvv, Therto by deuilishe instigacion incensed and procured.
1553 R. Eden tr. S. Münster Treat. Newe India sig. Cviijv, They make certayne deuylishe gestures lyke vnto madde men.
1555 H. Latimer Serm. (1845) 301 What marvel is it, if they call you devilish persons and heretics?
1562 W. Bullein Bk. Use Sicke Men f. lxxvv, in Bulwarke of Defence, Ingratitude [is] sprong of a deuelishe petigree.
1587 G. Turberville Tragicall Tales f. 76v, The diuelish Queenes deuise.
1603 Contin. Adv. Don Sebastian in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) II. 400 ... to be diabolical or merely fantastical.
1612 S. Rowlands Knaue of Harts 14 Because we finde..Mony makes fooles most diuellish proud in mind.
1616a Shakespeare Othello (1623) ii. i. 245 A diuelish knaue!
1631 W. Gouge Gods Three Arrowes iii. §94. 360 The matchlesse, merciless, devilish, and damnable...
1634 T. Herbert Relation Some Yeares Trauaile 8 A Monster not a little..esteemed of amongst these Deuillish Sauages.
1639 J. Woodall Surgeons Mate (rev. ed.) 241 It is a divellish, deadly, coarse medicine.
1640a P. Massinger Beleeue as you List (1976) iv. iii. 46 The cur is Divelishe hungrie.
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan iv. xlvi. 370 Hee was commonly thought a Magician, and his Art Diabolicall.
1651 T. Hobbes Philos. Rudim. xii. §10. 175 The most ancient of all diabolicall tentations...
1653 H. Cogan tr. F. M. Pinto Voy. & Adventures xxviii. 113 Who..censed those two divelish Monsters.
1663 Youths Behaviour (ed. 8) 87 'Tis of humane frailty to erre, but 'tis devillish to persevere in it.
1664 H. More Modest Enq. Myst. Iniquity iv. 10 This Mystery..that is so horrid, and Diabolical, and so ...
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory ii. 198/2 [Lice] are devilish Biters, especially the little ones.
1692 R. L'Estrange Fables cccxxxi. 289 The Devillish People would keep such a Snearing, and Pointing at me.
1706? E. Hickeringill Priest-craft: 2nd Pt. iii. 29 Such a Devilish-like Black-guard.
1709 Steele & Swift Tatler No. 68. ⁋1 This Malevolence does not proceed from a real Dislike of Virtue, but a diabolical Prejudice against it.
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 350 Taking Devilish long Strides.
1738 Swift Compl. Coll. Genteel Conversat. 187 Mr. Neverout got the devilishest Fall in the Park Today.
1752 S. Foote Taste i. 5 Daubing diabolical Angels for Alehouses.
1777a S. Foote Devil upon Two Sticks (1778) i. 15 ...devilish rich, devilish poor, devilish ugly, devilish handsome.
1789 G. Morris in J. Sparks Life G. Morris (1832) I. 321 ..to write the annals of that diabolical castle.
1790 R. Burns Tam o' Shanter 127 in Poems & Songs (1968) II. 561 By some devilish cantraip slight.
1796 H. Hunter tr. J. H. B. de Saint-Pierre Stud. Nature (1799) I. 409 If a God..governs Nature, diabolical spirits ...
1800 E. Hervey Mourtray Family II. 101 Hold your devilish tongue.
Conclusion to Part the Second
We are confident that "devilish" and "diabolical" can be dated to the 16th century. The Gentle Reader may question how the English language possessed the named for the "Devil", but did not create an adjective describing him, however, we will refrain from speculating.
Part the Third
The following list consists only of the dates and the words "devilish" and "diabolical".
The Oxford English Dictionary has been consulted for the following words: Satan, Lucifer and Devil. Secondary sources are in red.
OE Beowulf 1680 Hit on æht gehwearf aefter deofla hryre Denigea frean.
OE Beowulf 756 Wolde on heolster fleon, secan deofla gedræg.
OE Christ & Satan 366 Wæs þæt encgelcyn ær genemned, Lucifer haten, leohtberende.
OE Crist III 1521 Farað nu, awyrgde, willum biscyrede engla dreames, on ece fir þæt wæs Satane ond his gesiþum mid, deofle gegearwad.
OE Crist III 1531 Swapeð sigemece mid þære swiðron hond þæt on þæt deope dæl deofol gefeallað in sweartne leg.
OE Cynewulf Juliana 460 Hyre þæt deofol oncwæð.
OE Genesis 347 Satan maðelode, sorgiende spræc.800a Corpus Gloss. (O.E.T.) 1457 Orcus, hel diobul.
825c Vesp. Hymns xiii. 4 Ðone dioful biswac.
825c Vesp. Psalter xcv[i]. 5 Forðon alle godas ðioda ðioful, dryhten soðlice heofenas dyde.
950c Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. ix. 34 In aldormenn diowbla [he] fordrifes diowlas.
960c Lindisf. Gosp. John vi. 70 Ic iuih tuelfo geceas & of iuh an diul [Rushw. diowul] is.
975c Rushw. G. Matt. ix. 34 In aldre deofla he ut-weorpeð deoful.
1000a Solomon & Saturn 122 Him bið þæt deofol laþ.
1000c West Saxon Gospels: John (Corpus Cambr.) viii. 44 Ge synd deofles bearn.
1000c West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) ix. 34 On deofla ealdre he drifð ut deoflu.
1050 Byrhtferth's Handboc in Anglia (1885) VIII. 320 Þær æfter on þam circule lucifer up arist.
1154a Anglo-Saxon Chron. anno 1137, Þa fylden hi mid deoules & yuele men.
1160c Hatton Gosp. Matt. iv. 5 Ða ȝebrohte se deofel hine on þa halȝan ceastre.
1175a Cott. Hom. 227 An meȝie cynn þe nefer ne abeah to nane deofel ȝyld.
1175a Cott. Hom. 237 Al folc ȝede in to þes diefles muðe.
1175c Lamb. Hom. 87 Ure ifan þet beoð þa deofles beoð bisencte in to helle.
1200?c Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 10565 Deofle flocc.
1200?c Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 1403 Alle þa þatt fellenn swa Þeȝȝ sinndenn laþe deofless.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 173 Hie iseð bineðen hem deflen þe hem gredeliche kepeð.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 35 To luste þe defles lore.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 35 Þa wurhliche weden þe þe dieuel binom ure forme fader adam.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 39 Ure drihten drof fele deules togedere ut of a man..and þe swin urnen alse deulen hem driuen.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 69 Witeð ȝe..in þat eche fur þat is ȝarked to deuules and here fereden.
1250c Moral Ode 98 in Early Eng. Poems & Lives Saints (1862) 28 Dieð com in þis middenerd þurh þe ealde deofles onde.
1275c (▸?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 8817 He..wende anan rihte in-to Winchæstre. swulc hit weore an hali mon þe hæðene deouel [c1300 Otho deauel].
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 245/165 In fourme of a fair womman þe deuel cam heom to.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 37/104 Þere nis no deuel þat dorre nouþe neiȝ þe come, for drede.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 372/174 And þe Aungel heom scheuwede al a-brod þene deuel ase huy stude, Þe fourme of a grislich man þat al for-broide were And swarttore þane eueri ani blouȝman..Fuyrie speldene al stinkende out of is mouth he blaste And fuyr of brumston at his nose.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 62/294 Þat was þe Deuel of helle.
1300?a XI Pains of Hell 17 in Old Eng. Misc. 147 Wiltu ihere me sathan.
1300a Cursor Mundi 442 And for þat he was fair and bright, lucifer to nam he hight.
1325c in G. L. Brook Harley Lyrics (1968) 70 Ichot þe cherl is def, þe Del hym to-drawe!
1374c Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Cambr.) iii. metr. i. 50 After þat lucifere the day sterre hath chasyd awey the dirke nyht.
1377 Langland Piers Plowman B. ix. 61 For þei seruen sathan her soule shal he haue.
1380c Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 442 Þen God and þe devell were weddid togedre.
1380c Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 450 A veyn blast of a fool, and, in cas, of a devyl.
1380c Wyclif Wks. (1880) 30 Þese nouelries maad of ydiotis & synful wrecchis of lucifers pride.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) 1 Tim. iv. 1 Ȝyuynge tent to spiritis of errour, and to techingis of deuels.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) John x. 20 He hath a deuel, and maddith, or wexith wood.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Matt. ix. 34 In the prince of deuelis he castith out deuilis.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Rev. xvi. 14 Thre vncleene spirites..sotheli thei ben spirites of deuelis, makinge signes.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Rev. xviii. 2 Greet Babilon fel doun fel doun, and is maad the habitacioun of deuelis [1611 deuils]. (Cf. Isa. xiii. 2.)
1382 Wyclif Acts. xvii. 18 A tellere of newe deuelis [1388 of newe fendis; 1526 Tindale, a tyddynges brynger off new devyls; 1557 Geneva of newe Gods; 1611 of strange gods; 1881 (R.V.) strange gods (Gr. demons)].
1382 Wyclif Matt. xxv. 41 Euer~lastynge fijr, the which is maad redy to the deuyl and his angelis.
1382 Wyclif Psalms cvi. 37 Thei offriden ther sones and ther doȝtris to deuelis. [1611 deuils, 1885 (R.V.) demons. So Deut.xxxii. 17].
1382 Wyclif Psalms cviii. [cix.] 6 Sett vp on hym a synere; and the deuell stonde at his riȝt side [1535 Coverdale, Let Satan stonde at his right hande; 1611 Satan, margin. or, an aduersary; 1885 (R.V.) adversary, margin. Or Satan, or an accuser].
1382 Wyclif Rev. ix. 20 Thei worschipeden not deuels, and simulacres golden, treenen, the whiche nether mowen see, nether heere, nether wandre.
1382 Wyclif Rev. xii. 9 And the ilke dragoun is cast doun, the greet olde serpent, that is clepid the Deuel.
1382▸a Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Isa. xxxiv. 14 And aȝen come shul deueles [a1425 fendis], the beste party an asse, and a party a man.
1393 Langland Piers Plowman C. xxii. 21 For alle deorke deoueles dreden hit to huyre.
1400a (▸a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) l. 11759 Alle þo deueles [Vesp. idels, Fairf. mawmettes] in a stounde Grouelynge fel to þe grounde.
1400a (1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 12023 Þou wreche sede o felunny! Werck o dred, sun o sathan [Fairf. saton, Gött.sathane, Trin. Cambr. sathone].
1400a (1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 19884 For-sakes þou sathan [Gött. sathane, Trin. Cambr. satone].
1400c Rom. Rose 4288 An olde vecke..The which devel, in hir enfaunce Hadde lerned of Loves arte.
1425a (▸c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Job xxxviii. 32 Whether thou bryngist forth Lucifer, that is dai sterre, in his tyme.
1425c Cast. Persev. 552 in Macro Plays 93 Be Satan, þou art a nobyl knawe to techyn men fyrst fro goode!
1430c Hymns Virg. (1867) 121 Develyn schall com oute off helle.
1450?c Life St. Cuthbert (1891) l. 7170 Oft to gydir þai did euill, And gaf occasion to þe deuill.
1450c J. Myrc Instr. to Par. Priests 364 Hyt ys a sleghþe of the del.
1450c Mirour Saluacioun 4377 With feendes and lucifere..in helle.
1488 (1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) iv. l. 407 At thus with wrang thir dewillis suld bruk our land.
1500c Melusine (1895) xxxvi. 256 Ayeynst this strong dyuell I ne may withstand.
1509 S. Hawes Pastime of Pleasure (1845) xxix. 136 Some develles wyll theyr husbandes bete.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 214/2 Divell she, diablesse.
1535a Bp. J. Fisher Wks. (1876) 402 To forsake the diuel and all his works.
1535a Bp. J. Fisher Wks. (1876) 428 Thou shalt pay thine owne debtes amongest the diuils in hell.
1540c (▸?a1400) Destr. Troy 4392 Þe folke..vnder daunger of þe dule droupet full longe.
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. John 73 b, He hathe the Deuell (say they) and is madde.
1549 J. Cheke Hurt of Sedicion sig. B3v, That presumption of challengynge Goddes seate, doth shewe you to haue bene Lucifers, and..god wyll punyshe you like Lucifers.
1550 J. Coke Deb. Heraldes Eng. & Fraunce sig. Givv, Dyuers Bysshoppes of Rome beynge Annabaptystes, heretyques, scismatiques, & chyldren of Sathan.
1553 T. Becon Relikes of Rome (1563) 1 His..Lucifer~like pride.
1555 W. Waterman tr. J. Boemus Fardle of Facions ii. x. 210 He..abolished all worshippe of deuilles.
1563 N. Winȝet Certain Tractates (1888) I. 118 Ane terribill cumpany of dewlis hastalie apperand to him.
1563 W. Fulke Goodle Gallerye Causes Meteors ii. f. 10v, There was newes come to London, that the Deuill..was seene flyinge ouer the Temmes.
1567 Compend. Bk. Godly Songs (1897) 10 To saue vs... Fra Sathanis subteltie and slycht.
1567 Compend. Bk. Godly Songs (1897) 175 Proude Lucifer, the greit maister of hell.
1571c E. Campion 2 Bks. Hist. Ireland (1963) i. iv. 18 Soe wee saie..dile for divill.
1576 A. Fleming tr. Hippocrates in Panoplie Epist. 277 As mad as the divel of hell.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 46v, Where a man must deale with the Deuil.
1579 W. Fulke Heskins Parl. Repealed in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 305 What Lucifer is that, that wil oppose him selfe against the flatt commaundement of the holie ghost.
1581 J. Bell tr. W. Haddon & J. Foxe Against Jerome Osorius 219 With such an incredible inordinate desire of luciferlike superioritie.
1585 T. Cartwright in R. Browne Answere to Cartwright 87 Vntill such time as the day starre spring & Lucifer do rise in our hearts.
1596 W. Warner Albions Eng. (rev. ed.) ix. l. 231 Yea, too blasphemous, they incroch vpon the Deitie, Though of these Lucifers haue been that perish through a Flie.
1598 Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 ii. v. 468 That villanous abhominable misleader of youth, Falstalffe, that olde white bearded Sathan.
1599 Master Broughtons Lett. viii. 26 You Cynosura and Lucifer of nations, the stupor and admiration of the world.
1600 Shakespeare Merchant of Venice i. iii. 97 The deuill can cite Scripture for his purpose.
1602 W. Watson Decacordon Ten Quodlibeticall Questions 9 How many Sathans and begotten of the diuell did he tearme them?
1602? Narcissus (Rawl. Poet. 212) (1893) 330 The haire of the faire queene of devills.
1604 Canons Ecclesiastical lxxii, Neither shal any Minister not licensed..attempt..to cast out any deuill or deuils.
1604 King James VI & I Counter-blaste to Tobacco sig. B2, Why do we not denie God and adore the Deuill, as they doe?
1605 Bp. J. Hall Medit. & Vowes I. § 6 That olde slaunder of early holines; A young Saint, an olde Deuill: sometimes young Deuils haue prooued olde Saints; neuer the contrary.
1605 Z. Jones tr. P. le Loyer Treat. Specters (title-page), The Nature of Spirites, Angels, and Divels.
1607 E. Topsell Hist. Fovre-footed Beastes 12 The Satyres a most rare and seldome seene Beast, hath occasioned other to thinke it was a Deuill... And it may be that Deuils haue at some time appeared to men in this likenes.]
1609 Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida ii. iii. 20, I haue said my prayers and diuell Enuie say Amen.
1609 Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida v. ii. 55 How the diuell Luxury..tickles together.
1611 Bible (A.V.) John vi. 70 Haue not I chosen you twelue, and one of you is a deuill?
1611 Bible (A.V.) John x. 20 He hath a deuill and is mad.
1616a Shakespeare Comedy of Errors (1623) iv. iv. 55, I charge thee Sathan, hous'd within this man, To yeeld possession to my holie praiers.
1616a Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) ii. iv. 16 Let's write good Angell on the Deuills horne 'Tis not the Deuills Crest.
1616a Shakespeare Othello (1622) ii. iii. 289 It hath pleasde the Diuell drunkennesse, to giue place to the Diuell wrath.
1616a Shakespeare Othello (1622) v. ii. 142 Thou doest bely her, and thou art a diuell.
1616a Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) ii. v. 199 Thou most excellent diuell of wit.
1618a W. Raleigh in J. Gutch Collectanea Curiosa (1781) I. 89 Although they be perpetual Lucifers, they must always be Angels, and live in plenty.
1622 T. Gataker Spirituall Watch (ed. 2) 54 No marvaile if Sin and Sathan finde free entrance at will.
1623 Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Henry VIII iii. ii. 372 And when he falles, he falles like Lucifer, Neuer to hope againe.
1625 S. Purchas Pilgrimes I. iv. 571 His Pride is such, as may teach Lucifer.
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. ix. 404 The Italians swore, I was a Divell and not a man.
1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 302 The Samoreen..black as the devill, and as treacherous.
1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 335 70 Temples, wherein they number 3333..little guilded Devils.
1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 335 This Devill (or Molech) is of concave copper..double guilded.
1642 T. Fuller Holy State v. xvii. 426 Devils in flesh antedate hell in inventing torments.
1645 Milton On Christ's Nativity: Hymn vi, in Poems 4 The Stars..will not take their flight, For all the morning light, Or Lucifer that often warn'd them thence.
1646a J. Gregory Posthuma (1649) 96 This Lilith was..a kinde of shee-Divel which killed Children.
1651 J. Saint-Amard tr. F. Micanzio Life Father Paul p. xxix, in P. Sarpi Hist. Council of Trent (1676) , An Angel in his behaviour, and a Devil..in the Mathematicks.
1652a R. Brome Queenes Exchange ii. iii, in Wks. (1873) III. 490 He looks So damnably as if the Divel were at my elbow.
1656a Bp. J. Hall Shaking of Olive-tree (1660) i. 18 The ejection of Divells by fasting and prayer.
1667 Milton Paradise Lost i. 373 Devils to adore for Deities.
1667 Milton Paradise Lost vii. 131 Lucifer..So call him, brighter once amidst the Host Of Angels, then that Starr the Starrs among.
1668a W. Davenant Man's the Master (1669) v. 67 A thousand Sathans take all good luck.
1680a J. Glanvill Saducismus Triumphatus (1681) ii. 136 The Devil..appeared to her in the shape of a handsome Man, and after of a black Dog.
1680a J. Glanvill Saducismus Triumphatus (1681) ii. 292 Declares that the Devil in the shape of a black man lay with her in the Bed..that his Feet were cloven.
1683 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises II. Dict. 383 The Press-man sometimes has a Week-Boy to Take Sheets, as they are Printed off the Tympan: These Boys do in a Printing-House, commonly black and Dawb themselves: whence the Workmen do Jocosely call them Devils; and sometimes Spirits, and sometimes Flies.
1685 R. Baxter Paraphr. N.T., Matt. xvi. 23 To hinder us in God's work and mens Salvation, is to be Satans to us. O how many Satans then are called reverend Fathers, who silence and persecute men for God's work.
1688a J. Bunyan Jerusalem-sinner Saved (1886) 103 We in all likelihood are to possess the very places from which the Satans by transgression fell.
1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia iv. v. 180 The visible appearance of a Devil or Dæmon which they say is common among them.
1698 tr. F. Froger Relation Voy. Coasts Afr. 160 The poor Devil was condemned to have his head chopped off.
1701 D. Defoe True-born Englishman i. 10 Ingratitude, a Devil of Black Renown.
1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 31. ⁋13 Mr. Bickerstaff's Messenger, or (as the Printers call him) Devil, going to the Press.
1726 W. R. Chetwood Voy. Capt. Boyle 82 Thou Devil! said he to Susan, and hast thou betray'd me..?
1738 Swift Compl. Coll. Genteel Conversat. 97 That would have been a Match of the Devil's making.
1744 M. Akenside Pleasures Imagination i. 148 Lucifer displays His beaming forehead thro' the gates of morn.
1753 S. Richardson Hist. Sir Charles Grandison III. i. 9, I called her a little Satan.
1764a R. Lloyd Dialogue in Poet. Wks. (1774) II. 4 And in the morning when I stir, Pop comes a Devil ‘Copy Sir’.
1768 L. Sterne Sentimental Journey I. 95, I am apt to be taken..when a poor devil comes to offer his service to so poor a devil as myself.
1772 J. W. Fletcher Third Check Antinom. 94 A fall into pride may drive me nearer Lucifer.
1774 O. Goldsmith Retaliation 57 So provoking a Devil was Dick.
1775 R. B. Sheridan Rivals iii. iv, An ill-tempered little devil! She'll be in a passion all her life.
1791 J. Boswell Life Johnson anno 1781 II. 387 He had married a printer's devil... J. Reynolds: ‘I thought a printer's devil was a creature with a black face and in rags.’ Johnson: ‘Yes, Sir. But I suppose, he had her face washed, and put clean clothes on her.’
The following is the about list with the secondary sources removed. As the Wycliffe Bible was not published unitl the early 19th century, we consider it a secondary source.
OE Beowulf 1680 Hit on æht gehwearf aefter deofla hryre Denigea frean.
OE Beowulf 756 Wolde on heolster fleon, secan deofla gedræg.
OE Christ & Satan 366 Wæs þæt encgelcyn ær genemned, Lucifer haten, leohtberende.
OE Crist III 1521 Farað nu, awyrgde, willum biscyrede engla dreames, on ece fir þæt wæs Satane ond his gesiþum mid, deofle gegearwad.
OE Crist III 1531 Swapeð sigemece mid þære swiðron hond þæt on þæt deope dæl deofol gefeallað in sweartne leg.
OE Cynewulf Juliana 460 Hyre þæt deofol oncwæð.
OE Genesis 347 Satan maðelode, sorgiende spræc.800a Corpus Gloss. (O.E.T.) 1457 Orcus, hel diobul.
825c Vesp. Hymns xiii. 4 Ðone dioful biswac.
825c Vesp. Psalter xcv[i]. 5 Forðon alle godas ðioda ðioful, dryhten soðlice heofenas dyde.
950c Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. ix. 34 In aldormenn diowbla [he] fordrifes diowlas.
960c Lindisf. Gosp. John vi. 70 Ic iuih tuelfo geceas & of iuh an diul [Rushw. diowul] is.
975c Rushw. G. Matt. ix. 34 In aldre deofla he ut-weorpeð deoful.
1000a Solomon & Saturn 122 Him bið þæt deofol laþ.
1000c West Saxon Gospels: John (Corpus Cambr.) viii. 44 Ge synd deofles bearn.
1000c West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) ix. 34 On deofla ealdre he drifð ut deoflu.
1154a Anglo-Saxon Chron. anno 1137, Þa fylden hi mid deoules & yuele men.
1160c Hatton Gosp. Matt. iv. 5 Ða ȝebrohte se deofel hine on þa halȝan ceastre.
1175a Cott. Hom. 227 An meȝie cynn þe nefer ne abeah to nane deofel ȝyld.
1175a Cott. Hom. 237 Al folc ȝede in to þes diefles muðe.
1175c Lamb. Hom. 87 Ure ifan þet beoð þa deofles beoð bisencte in to helle.
1200?c Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 10565 Deofle flocc.
1200?c Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 1403 Alle þa þatt fellenn swa Þeȝȝ sinndenn laþe deofless.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 173 Hie iseð bineðen hem deflen þe hem gredeliche kepeð.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 35 To luste þe defles lore.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 35 Þa wurhliche weden þe þe dieuel binom ure forme fader adam.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 39 Ure drihten drof fele deules togedere ut of a man..and þe swin urnen alse deulen hem driuen.
1200c Trin. Coll. Hom. 69 Witeð ȝe..in þat eche fur þat is ȝarked to deuules and here fereden.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 245/165 In fourme of a fair womman þe deuel cam heom to.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 37/104 Þere nis no deuel þat dorre nouþe neiȝ þe come, for drede.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 372/174 And þe Aungel heom scheuwede al a-brod þene deuel ase huy stude, Þe fourme of a grislich man þat al for-broide were And swarttore þane eueri ani blouȝman..Fuyrie speldene al stinkende out of is mouth he blaste And fuyr of brumston at his nose.
1290c S. Eng. Leg. I. 62/294 Þat was þe Deuel of helle.
1300?a XI Pains of Hell 17 in Old Eng. Misc. 147 Wiltu ihere me sathan.
1300a Cursor Mundi 442 And for þat he was fair and bright, lucifer to nam he hight.
Number of primary references before the year 1300: 33
1374c Chaucer After þat lucifere the day sterre hath chasyd awey the dirke nyht.
1377 Langland Piers Plowman B. ix. 61 For þei seruen sathan her soule shal he haue.
1393 Langland Piers Plowman C. xxii. 21 For alle deorke deoueles dreden hit to huyre.
1400c Rom. Rose 4288 An olde vecke..The which devel, in hir enfaunce Hadde lerned of Loves arte.
Number of primary references between the years 1301 and 1400: 4
1425c Cast. Persev. 552 in Macro Plays 93 Be Satan, þou art a nobyl knawe to techyn men fyrst fro goode!
1450c J. Myrc Instr. to Par. Priests 364 Hyt ys a sleghþe of the del.
1450c Mirour Saluacioun 4377 With feendes and lucifere..in helle.
Number of primary references between the years 1401 and 1500: 3
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 214/2 Divell she, diablesse.
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. John 73 b, He hathe the Deuell (say they) and is madde.
1549 ...challengynge Goddes seate, doth shewe you to haue bene Lucifers, and..god wyll... like Lucifers.
1550 Givv, Dyuers Bysshoppes of Rome beynge Annabaptystes, heretyques, scismatiques, & chyldren of Sathan.
1555 W. Waterman tr. J. Boemus Fardle of Facions ii. x. 210 He..abolished all worshippe of deuilles.
1563 There was newes come to London, that the Deuill..was seene flyinge ouer the Temmes.
1576 A. Fleming tr. Hippocrates in Panoplie Epist. 277 As mad as the divel of hell.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 46v, Where a man must deale with the Deuil.
1579 What Lucifer is that, that wil oppose him selfe against the flatt commaundement of the holie ghost.
1581 With such an incredible inordinate desire of luciferlike superioritie.
1585 Vntill such time as the day starre spring & Lucifer do rise in our hearts.
1596 ...Though of these Lucifers haue been that perish through a Flie.
1598 That villanous abhominable misleader of youth, Falstalffe, that olde white bearded Sathan.
1599 You Cynosura and Lucifer of nations, the stupor and admiration of the world.
1600 Shakespeare Merchant of Venice i. iii. 97 The deuill can cite Scripture for his purpose.
Number of primary references between the years 1501 and 1600: 15
1602 How many Sathans and begotten of the diuell did he tearme them?
1604 Canons Ecclesiastical lxxii, Neither shal any Minister not licensed..attempt..to cast out any deuill or deuils.
1604 Why do we not denie God and adore the Deuill, as they doe?
1605 That olde slaunder of early holines; A young Saint, an olde Deuill: sometimes young Deuils haue...
1605 Z. Jones tr. P. le Loyer Treat. Specters (title-page), The Nature of Spirites, Angels, and Divels.
1607 ...to thinke it was a Deuill... And it may be that Deuils haue at some time appeared to men in this likenes.]
1609 Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida ii. iii. 20, I haue said my prayers and diuell Enuie say Amen.
1609 Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida v. ii. 55 How the diuell Luxury..tickles together.
1611 Bible (A.V.) John vi. 70 Haue not I chosen you twelue, and one of you is a deuill?
1611 Bible (A.V.) John x. 20 He hath a deuill and is mad.
1622 T. Gataker Spirituall Watch (ed. 2) 54 No marvaile if Sin and Sathan finde free entrance at will.
1623 And when he falles, he falles like Lucifer, Neuer to hope againe.
1625 S. Purchas Pilgrimes I. iv. 571 His Pride is such, as may teach Lucifer.
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. ix. 404 The Italians swore, I was a Divell and not a man.
1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 302 The Samoreen..black as the devill, and as treacherous.
1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 335 70 Temples, wherein they number 3333..little guilded Devils.
1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 335 This Devill (or Molech) is of concave copper..double guilded.
1642 T. Fuller Holy State v. xvii. 426 Devils in flesh antedate hell in inventing torments.
1645 The Stars..will not take their flight, For all the morning light, Or Lucifer that often warn'd them thence.
1667 Milton Paradise Lost i. 373 Devils to adore for Deities.
1667 Lucifer..So call him, brighter once amidst the Host Of Angels, then that Starr the Starrs among.
1685 To hinder us in God's work and mens Salvation, is to be Satans to us. O how many Satans...
1698 The visible appearance of a Devil or Dæmon which they say is common among them.
1698 tr. F. Froger Relation Voy. Coasts Afr. 160 The poor Devil was condemned to have his head chopped off.
Number of primary references between the years 1601 and 1700: 24
1701 D. Defoe True-born Englishman i. 10 Ingratitude, a Devil of Black Renown.
1726 W. R. Chetwood Voy. Capt. Boyle 82 Thou Devil! said he to Susan, and hast thou betray'd me..?
1738 Swift Compl. Coll. Genteel Conversat. 97 That would have been a Match of the Devil's making.
1744 M. Akenside Pleasures Imagination i. 148 Lucifer displays His beaming forehead thro' the gates of morn.
1753 S. Richardson Hist. Sir Charles Grandison III. i. 9, I called her a little Satan.
1768 I am apt to be taken..when a poor devil comes to offer his service to so poor a devil as myself.
1772 J. W. Fletcher Third Check Antinom. 94 A fall into pride may drive me nearer Lucifer.
1774 O. Goldsmith Retaliation 57 So provoking a Devil was Dick.
1775 R. B. Sheridan Rivals iii. iv, An ill-tempered little devil! She'll be in a passion all her life.
Number of primary references between the years 1701 and 1800: 9
Conclusion to Part the First
With 33 primary references before the year 1300, we are tempted to state that Satan was well established in England. Unfortunately, the concerns with the correct dates of these manuscripts are similar to the concerns with Wycliffe, that is, historians state that Wycliffe lived in the 14th century, but the first printing of his Bible is not until the 19th century, so Wycliffe can be placed anywhere before that time, therefore, the dating of Wycliffe is problematic. (vide Christian Heresies at the bottom of the page under Wycliffe).
Part the Second
With only seven primary references fro the years 1301-1500, Satan seems to have fallen out of favor with the English people. In the 15th century, Satan's popularity rises to 15 references and in the 16th century Satan culminates with 24 primary references.
Because of the limitations mentioned above, we will end our research on the adjective for the Devil, devilish. We expect the adjective to appear relatively close to the appearance of the noun. If we are disapointed by that "devilish" only appears in 1496, then we are surely disappointed that "devilish" and "diabolical" appear, for all purposes, at the same time (1496, 1504).
1496c Serm. Episc. Puer. (W. de W.) B iij, Euyll fasshened garmentes, & deuyllysshe shoon & slyppers of frensmen.
1504? S. Hawes Example of Vertu sig. bb.ivv, Be neuer taken in dyabolycall engyne.
1513a R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. lxv. f. xxiiiv, ...of disclaunderous & deuyllysshe persones.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) 1 Tim. iv. 1 Geue hede vnto spretes of erroure and dyuelysshe doctrine.
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. aiiii, Whiche is most deuyllysshe synne.
1546 T. Langley tr. P. Vergil Abridgem. Notable Worke vii. vii. 141 b, ...there is not one so diabolical as the ...
1547c H. Latimer Let. in J. Foxe Actes & Monuments (1563) 1351/2 As your naturals, and diabolicals ...
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VI f. cxiiijv, ... a..sorceresse, and a diabolical blasphemeresse of God.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VI f. cxxxvv, Therto by deuilishe instigacion incensed and procured.
1553 R. Eden tr. S. Münster Treat. Newe India sig. Cviijv, They make certayne deuylishe gestures lyke vnto madde men.
1555 H. Latimer Serm. (1845) 301 What marvel is it, if they call you devilish persons and heretics?
1562 W. Bullein Bk. Use Sicke Men f. lxxvv, in Bulwarke of Defence, Ingratitude [is] sprong of a deuelishe petigree.
1587 G. Turberville Tragicall Tales f. 76v, The diuelish Queenes deuise.
1603 Contin. Adv. Don Sebastian in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) II. 400 ... to be diabolical or merely fantastical.
1612 S. Rowlands Knaue of Harts 14 Because we finde..Mony makes fooles most diuellish proud in mind.
1616a Shakespeare Othello (1623) ii. i. 245 A diuelish knaue!
1631 W. Gouge Gods Three Arrowes iii. §94. 360 The matchlesse, merciless, devilish, and damnable...
1634 T. Herbert Relation Some Yeares Trauaile 8 A Monster not a little..esteemed of amongst these Deuillish Sauages.
1639 J. Woodall Surgeons Mate (rev. ed.) 241 It is a divellish, deadly, coarse medicine.
1640a P. Massinger Beleeue as you List (1976) iv. iii. 46 The cur is Divelishe hungrie.
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan iv. xlvi. 370 Hee was commonly thought a Magician, and his Art Diabolicall.
1651 T. Hobbes Philos. Rudim. xii. §10. 175 The most ancient of all diabolicall tentations...
1653 H. Cogan tr. F. M. Pinto Voy. & Adventures xxviii. 113 Who..censed those two divelish Monsters.
1663 Youths Behaviour (ed. 8) 87 'Tis of humane frailty to erre, but 'tis devillish to persevere in it.
1664 H. More Modest Enq. Myst. Iniquity iv. 10 This Mystery..that is so horrid, and Diabolical, and so ...
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory ii. 198/2 [Lice] are devilish Biters, especially the little ones.
1692 R. L'Estrange Fables cccxxxi. 289 The Devillish People would keep such a Snearing, and Pointing at me.
1706? E. Hickeringill Priest-craft: 2nd Pt. iii. 29 Such a Devilish-like Black-guard.
1709 Steele & Swift Tatler No. 68. ⁋1 This Malevolence does not proceed from a real Dislike of Virtue, but a diabolical Prejudice against it.
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 350 Taking Devilish long Strides.
1738 Swift Compl. Coll. Genteel Conversat. 187 Mr. Neverout got the devilishest Fall in the Park Today.
1752 S. Foote Taste i. 5 Daubing diabolical Angels for Alehouses.
1777a S. Foote Devil upon Two Sticks (1778) i. 15 ...devilish rich, devilish poor, devilish ugly, devilish handsome.
1789 G. Morris in J. Sparks Life G. Morris (1832) I. 321 ..to write the annals of that diabolical castle.
1790 R. Burns Tam o' Shanter 127 in Poems & Songs (1968) II. 561 By some devilish cantraip slight.
1796 H. Hunter tr. J. H. B. de Saint-Pierre Stud. Nature (1799) I. 409 If a God..governs Nature, diabolical spirits ...
1800 E. Hervey Mourtray Family II. 101 Hold your devilish tongue.
Conclusion to Part the Second
We are confident that "devilish" and "diabolical" can be dated to the 16th century. The Gentle Reader may question how the English language possessed the named for the "Devil", but did not create an adjective describing him, however, we will refrain from speculating.
Part the Third
The following list consists only of the dates and the words "devilish" and "diabolical".
1496c 1504?1513a
1526 1526 1546 1547c 1548 1548 1553 1555 1562 1587 1603 1612 1616a 1631 1634 |
deuyllysshe.
dyabolycall. deuyllysshe dyuelysshe. deuyllysshe. diabolical diabolicals diabolical. deuilishe . deuylishe. devilish deuelishe diuelish . diabolical . diuellish. diuelish devilish,. Deuillish . |
1639
1640 1651 1651 1653 1663 1664 1688 1692 1706? 1709 1719 1738 1752 1777a 1789 1790 1796 1800 |
divellish,
Divelishe Diabolicall. diabolicall divelish devillish Diabolical, devilish Devillish Devilish diabolical Devilish devilishest . diabolical devilish diabolical devilish diabolical devilish |
Conclusion to Part the Third
The list immediately shows two results: the variant spellings of "devilish" are consistent with our experience researching 16th century English (doubled consonants) and the almost consistent spelling of "diabolical". We find it strange that the English can not spell a native word, but are almost in agreement of the French loanword. The two examples from 1651 show Hobbes did not know the spelling of "diabolical", other abilities not withstanding.
Final Conclusion on our Attempt To Date Satan
As previously mentioned, the manuscripts purported to be of high antiquity can not be reliably dated, therefore the best that we can do is assign them to a time before the year 1500. We find it that the "devilish" does not have a longer pedigree than the loanword "diabolical". Because the introduction of "devilish" and "diabolical" are contemporary, we must come to reasonable, and unenviable, conclusion that the French introduced Satan into England in the late 16th century.
The list immediately shows two results: the variant spellings of "devilish" are consistent with our experience researching 16th century English (doubled consonants) and the almost consistent spelling of "diabolical". We find it strange that the English can not spell a native word, but are almost in agreement of the French loanword. The two examples from 1651 show Hobbes did not know the spelling of "diabolical", other abilities not withstanding.
Final Conclusion on our Attempt To Date Satan
As previously mentioned, the manuscripts purported to be of high antiquity can not be reliably dated, therefore the best that we can do is assign them to a time before the year 1500. We find it that the "devilish" does not have a longer pedigree than the loanword "diabolical". Because the introduction of "devilish" and "diabolical" are contemporary, we must come to reasonable, and unenviable, conclusion that the French introduced Satan into England in the late 16th century.