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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

(Safely,) Saifly, -ie, Sauf(f)ly, adv. Also: saiflé, saiffly, -ie, savely; sauflie, sawf(f)ly, -é, salfly, -ie, saulflie, sauvely; safly(e, saffly. [ME and e.m.E. sauflyche (1297), sauueli, safly (both Cursor M.), sauelike (Manning), saufly (c1350), savely (c1400); Safe adj.]

1. In safety. a. Without sustaining or threatening harm or injury; without molestation or interference. b. In a manner free from danger, without risk, securely.Also quasi predic. adj. = safe.(1) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1962.
Plane land … Quhare thai mycht hald thare cours saifly 1460 Hay Alex. 2945.
Thai maid … ane mott Vpoun the quhilkis thair men mycht saiflie stand a1500 Henr. Fab. 2803.
I sall find the way … To bring ȝow ouer saiflie, … And not wetand the campis off ȝour beird Ib. 944. a1500 Bk. Chess 1696.
This mediciner … With chastite he suld be aye so clene That to all women mycht he saifly go In secret wys 1535 Stewart 423.
Tha socht … Quhair tha mycht find ane strenth to big ane toun Thairin to rest and saifle do thair cuir, Fra feid of fais c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3046.
Bryggis … Quhareon hir gret oiste saifly raid 1572 Sat. P. xxxvi 52.
Greit lordis [etc.] … Exylit from thair countreis … In Scotland saiflie lang tyme did remaine a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 218.
Saiflie 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. Pray. 3.
Preserue me … that … I may saiflie attene the end of my creation 1615 Misc. Maitl. C. II 178.
The passingeris alwayis at thair landing placeing the boit saiflie 1623 Laing MSS I 159.
Saiffly c1650 Spalding II 233.
Scho gettis saiflie out of the houss. Albeit the stanes war flisting about hir heid, yit [etc.] 1667 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 237.
The said leivtennent … binds and obleidges him saiflie to export and returne all letters and papers committed to his trust(b) 1375 Barb. x 489.
Tharfor he tretit … And ȝauld the tour on sic maner That he … Suld saufly pas in Ingland Ib. xiv 34 (C).
In Vaveryng arivit thai Saufly [E. sauffly], but bargane Ib. iii 359.
Sawffly a1400 Leg. S. vii 721.
Ettis thare-of now sawfly! 1533 Boece 118.
Vespasiane … sufferit the nobillis … departe salflie to thare castellis 1549 Lamb Resonyng 29/13.
And conducit him sauflie to the riale possessioun of Scotland 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 256. 1609 Act of Privy Council in Hist. Kennedy 151.
That he mycht the more sauflie eschew, the said William M^cphedrice horsit him on his awin horse, and pat him away 1614 Bk. Islay 181.
Use all possible cair and dexteritie to reteir saulflie out of thair handis the laird … and the bischop(c) a1400 Leg. S. xxii 712.
Sa I thé pray That I ma safly pas this way 1572 Cal. Sc. P. IV
Gif your majesty receave this safly, and find the moyen sure writ back 1651 Hossack Kirkwall 253.
376. And to quhat place they may be safliest transportit(2) 1513 Doug. x xiv 16.
Prayand full oft he mycht hym salfly se

c. With assurance of safety.As part of the wording of a safe-conduct.(a) a1578 Pitsc. I 92/33.
The king … desyred him … to come to the counsall makand him suire with all promeissis that he sould be saiflie pardonit a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 222.
With promeis of the king saiflie to pas and repas unhurt or molestit in thair body or guddis(b) 1405 Cal. Doc. IV 404.
In the first a sauve condyt for Archebalde of Douglas [etc.] … for to cum in England and sauvely to duel and pas againe foroutin destroublance question or demande 1456 Hay I 176/34.
To send his assuraunce, durand for certane dayes, to the knycht to saufly and surely cum till his speche Ib. 178/6. 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 254/2. 1510 Ib. 312/2.
A respit maid to Lauchlane M^cGillane [etc.] … saufly to cum to the kingis presence … and surely to returne agane 1512–13 Ib. 380/2, etc. 1527 Douglas Corr. 121.
To grant licence to the said Alexander Kay … sauflie and surelie to fure the samyne in this realme without serch or arreist 1542 St. P. Henry VIII V 229.
Uthiris tuelf personis oure liegis or under, saulflie and surelie to cum within ȝoure realme of Ingland to ȝoure presence 1557 Reg. Privy S. V i 27/1.
We … gevis licence to Robert Traveis [etc.] … Inglismen marchandis … sauflie and surelie to hant and bring in this realme wynis [etc.] 1557 Breadalbane Doc. No. 104.
The said Johne Maccoull may sawfle cum & gang pas & repas to ws & fra ws 1565 Facs. Nat. MSS III xlvii.
That thay may sauflie cum and repair towart hir maiestie(c) 1509 Reg. Privy S. I 283/2.
A salf conduct to Johne Small Inglisman … saffly and surely to cum within the realm

d. In respect of persons: In secure confinement, securely. 14.. Acts I 73/2.
And gif be that inquest lely made ony man be fundin endytit … thai sal be saufly attachit 1610 Crim. Trials III 109.
In the mean quhyle, the personis of those men whose lyves ar spaired salbe saiflie keept and maid furthcomeand

e. Without incurring financial or legal risk. 1659 Douglas Corr. 267.
Nether could your lordship and my other friends subscrive such a paper affter I were maried, which you may savely doe now 1678 Edinb. B. Rec. X 359.
They … being but temporarie trusties [etc.] … they cannot saiflie transact upon ane act of parliament [etc.]

f. In respect of places: (Kept) free from encroachment, usurpation, etc. 1533 Boece 61.
It [sc. the realm] suld be kepit salflie to the sonnys of Fergus 1536 Crim. Trials I i 177.
That thai sall saufly and surely keip … thare spey toure … fra all infestacioune … of hostile assalȝearis c1590 Fowler II 154/24.
He lossed the lordship of some cyties … yet his kingdome was saflye preserved

g. In respect of things: In safe keeping or custody. c1575 Balfour Pract. 643.
The saidis gudis … to be saiflie keipt to thame be the space of ane yeir 1579 Acts III 158/2.
The royell movablis of our crowne wer … saulflie … preseruit

2. With certainty, assuredly. a1578 Pitsc. I 387/9.
We sall tak wpoun us and our conscience that we may saifflie haue thair landis [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I 99/11.
Thair followers thay saiflie deceiue throuch certane difficile myres