'millions of strange shadows' is the Shakespearean phrase, not the word
'millions' by itself, dear Mr Pedant. Thanks though for your investigations,
I certainly had wondered about a usage somewhere about the time of Langland,
in the linguistic and economic boom and ker-rash days of R2 the original and
the Black Death and the Peasants Revolt. Considering the Latin heritage of
the word one would assume it might have some currency, pun intended, in the
minds of the reading monks before, it's interesting to think of those Angled
Saxs, with their thirds and twelves etc having a notion of 'millions' from
their candle-lit poring on mentions of Caesarean sesterces, perhaps the
tenth century (early) me wonders?
Best
Dave
David Bircumshaw
Spectare's Web, A Chide's Alphabet
& Painting Without Numbers
http://www.chidesalphabet.org.uk
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