> as lemmas

a1300 Floriz & Bl. 151 Biþat hit was middai hiȝ Floriz was þe brigge niȝ.

a1300 Cursor Mundi 2839 Bi þe time þat þe sune ras, Strang cri in þa tounes was.

?a1400 Morte Arth. (1847) 99 By than that endyd was the fight, The fals were feld.

1470–85 T. Malory Morte d'Arthur i. x By than they were redy on horsbak there were vii C knyghtes.

a1500 (?a1400) Sir Torrent of Portyngale (1887) l. 19 Be tyme he wase XVIII yere old, Of deddes of armys he wase bold.

1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. xlvi. 64 By y^t it was day in the mornyng, they were before Courtray.

1585 Abp. E. Sandys Serm. xv. 266 They cannot tell what is saide; it is forgotten by that it is spoken.

1684 J. Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress 2nd Pt. ii. 82 By that these Pilgrims had been at this place a week, Mercy had a Visitor. View more context for this quotation

1701 W. Wotton Hist. Rome 356 By that time he had overtaken the poor flying Emperor, he was almost equal to him.

1854 H. D. Thoreau Walden 123 By the time the villagers had broken their fast.

1867 W. Morris Life & Death of Jason iii. 63 Now was it eve by then that Orpheus came Into the hall.

?a1400 Morte Arth. 99 By than that endyd was the fight, The fals were feld.

1470–85 T. Malory Morte d'Arthur i. x. 49 By than they were redy on horsbak, there were vij C knyghtes.

c1500 Robin Hood 1737 By than the yere was all agone, He had no man but twayne.

1637 J. Milton Comus 19 This evening late by then the chewing flocks Had ta'ne their supper on the savourie herbe..I sate me downe.

1788 T. Taylor tr. Proclus Philos. & Math. Comm. (1792) I. 12 By then he was twenty-eight years of age he composed a multitude of works.

1863 C. Reade Hard Cash I. v. 157 By then he had folded and addressed it, she returned.

1906 Graphic 29 Dec. 892/1 By then ye've been church-cried, I'll be in t' chimney corner like any proper old gaffer.