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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Lely, Leil(l)y, adv. Also: lell-, leyl-, liell-, leel-, leal(l)- and -i(e, -é. [North. and midl. ME. lely, lele (Cursor M.), lelly, lel(l)ik, le(e)llich(e, f. Lele a. After the 15th c. appar. only Sc. Also Lelely.]

In various senses of the adj.: Lawfully, legally; loyally, faithfully, honestly, sincerely, truly; accurately, exactly, precisely. b. = Lel(e 8 b.(1) 14.. Acts I. 11/2.
Eschewand thaimself that thai conteyn thaim leilly [L. ut legaliter se contineant] (that is to say that thai self doo na wrang to ger our men doo thaim ony myse) 1497 Prestwick B. Rec. 7.
[He] gaf heritable stait of … j d. of siluir … lely in fe for euir(2) 1375 Barb. i. 436.
He Ay lely has serwyt to me Ib. xix. 190.
And eftir syne war trewis tane … The Scottis men kepit thame lely a1400 Leg. S. xxii. 87.
He wist thai wald lely wyrk Ib. xl. 1143. 1381 Douglas Chart. 29.
We lely heichtis and grantis … that [etc.] 1389 Montgomery Mem. II. 17. 1397 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 166.
The Kyng oblis hym lely that [etc.] 1425 Milne Home MSS. 19.
The sayd Davy sal do his besines lely but fraude to purches the balyhery ?1438 Alex. ii. 9012.
As man … That luffit richt lely paramour 1458 Peebles B. Rec. 128.
The qwhilk sowm … lely to be payd(b) 1385 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 139*.
Lelly to fulfyl and trewly to halde my determinacyoun Ib.
Lelly to halde ferme and stabyl al thyngis 1402 Reg. Panmure II. 183.
That the said Alexander … lelli oblise hym [etc.] c1420 Wynt. v. 4566.
To becummyn crystyn man, And lelly to serwe God(c) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 773.
That I sal leyly pay to thé The gud that thu sal lene to me 14.. Acts I. 7/2.
That thai sal leilly [L. fideliter] serve the Kyng in thar awin schirefdome Ib. 11/2.
That al men … in thar office leilly sal lyff and thar awyn nedisleilly sal doo 1497 Reg. Cupar A. I. 309.
The said Thomas is oblyst to wyrk leilly and profitably the masonwerk(3) 1398 Liber Melros 488.
To pay lely and trewly to thame 1425 Ib. 544.
That thai suld lely and truly … make perambulacion 1427 Melville Chart. 245.
This fredome to kepe lely and treuly aythire of the partis has gewin gude faith 1471 Banff Ann. I. 21.
The … condicionis leli and trewly to be kepit 1474 Fam. Innes 82.
We … aganis al dedly sal leli and trewly defend 1476 Peebles B. Rec. I. 178.
Als frely as ony malar browkis … vsand and josand … lely and trewly 1555 Reg. Cupar A. II. 120.
Thay … sall do thair det lelie and trewlie … to our corn miln(b) 1420 (1430) Reg. Great S. 30/1.
Thir condicionnys sal be lelly and trewly kepyt 1453 Maxwell Chart. 174.
I oblis me … lelly and treuly to conferm … the said gyft 1467 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 403.
That ale … thir accordans … be lelly and trewly keippite(c) 1472 Lennox Mun. 86.
Leilly, trewly, seikyrly and faithfully bindis … me 1519 Buccleuch Mun. 136.
Obseruinge … of thir premisis leylie and trevlye 1552 Reg. Cupar A. II. 102.
Thai sall do thair dete and dewiteis leillie and trewlie to our corne meill 1570 Edinb. Skinners in Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI. 68.
To sarf the craft leille and trevle 1597 Paisley B. Rec. 199.
Gif the guids and geir conteinit in inventour … ar leillie and trewlie gevin up(d) 1553 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 186.
Sworn to exerce the said office liellie and trewlie as ws is(e) 1582 Old Ross-shire I. 23.
Me … bindis … me … be the fayth and trewth in my bodie leallie and trewlie [etc.] 1588 Culross & Tulliallan I. 125.
They suld use the offices fayfullie and lealie till all persones 1613 Edinb. Test. XLVII. 252.
To mak and geue vp ane just inventer of testament leallie and trewlie(4) a1400 Leg. S. xii. 265.
That [Judas] mycht compense Of thre hundir the teynd leyly, That cumys be raknyne to thretty 14.. Acts I. 42/2.
The saidis lyneris sall suer that thai sall leilly [L. fideliter] lyne in lenth as braidnes c1420 Wynt. iv. 2408 (W).
Four hundreth winter and twenty, And foure to thai, to compt lely 1502 Orkney Rentals i. 11.
Summa totalis supra v li. xviij s. iiij d. j½ d. … and all thir sowmes ar leilie sowmitb. 1697 Justiciary for Securing the Peace of the Highlands.
A testificat bearing the number of the beasts, … and attesting that they are leely come