Hi all!
I went to the reference library at the University of Georgia and found this in
the OED on-line:

as it were: as if it were so, if one might so put it, in some sort: a
parenthetic phrase used to indicate that a word or statement is perhaps not
formally exact though practically right.

      C. 1386 Chaucer Nonne Pr. T. 26 She was as it were a maner deye.

      1399 Langl. P. Pl. C. ix. 22 Ich wolde a-saye som tyme for solas, as hit
were.

      1531 Elyot Gov. (1834) 211 It draweth a man as it were by violence.

      1579 E. K. in Spenser's Sheph. Cal. Mar. 11 Gloss., The messenger, and as
it were, the     forerunner of springe.

      1692 E. Walker Epictetus' Mor. (1737) xxii, You're as it were the Actor of
a Play.

      1711 Steele Spect. No. 32 1 She has thought fit, as it were, to mock
herself.

      1881 Buchanan God & Man I. 124 She took him at once, as it were, into her
confidence.

I guess that means Chaucer wins the prize.  Thanks for the help!
--Jenny Cockrill

Haussamen, Brock wrote:

> Dear Jenny,
>     Both are forms of the subjunctive, a use of the verb that often refers
> to conditions that are contrary to fact, hypothetical, conditional, etc.
> "If I were you"--that sort of thing.  You can read more about the
> subjunctive in any good grammar text, but about the origins of those
> specific phrases, I can't find anything in the Oxford English Dictionary,
> although they are probably in there somewhere.
>     Hope this helps.  Also, I hope you will join the ATEG listserve and ATEG
> (the Assembly for the TEaching of English Grammar) itself.  Let me know if I
> can help.
>
> Brock Haussamen
> ATEG president
> [log in to unmask]
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Southwell
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: 7/26/00 9:26 AM
> Subject: [Fwd: Grammar Question!]
>
> forwarded for an answer from the true experts.  Please be sure not just
> to reply but to copy the original sender.  Thanks!
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Grammar Question!
> Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2000 18:02:25 -0400
> From: Jenny Cockrill <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Hi!  I found your site through links on the Grammar Lady's site.
> I was wondering if you might help me with these questions.
> What is the origin of the phrase "as it were"
> and the phrase "would that it were true"?
> What exactly do these phrases mean and when would we use
> them?
> Thank you for your time--Jenny Cockrill