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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sur(e)ly, Suirly, Seurly, adv. Also: sur(e)-, swrelie, suirlye, suirelie, suyrly, -lie, swirly, -lye, -lie, suerly, suuerlie, seurlie, seurely, sewerlie, sourelie, shurly, soorlie. [ME and e.m.E. seurely (Cursor M.), surliche, surely (both 14th c.), surly, suerly, seurly, suyrly (all c1400), sewrly (c1450); Sure adj. Cf. Sure adv. and Soverly adv.] Surely, securely, safely, in various senses of Sure adj. = Sikerlie adv.

1. Securely, safely, without danger of attack.(a) 1386 Rot. Sc. II 85/2.
Sua that thai may freli and surely withoutjn lettyng be the lords forseide or any of thar bondys to entre and to isse to gang and to come intil Ingland 1456 Hay I 176/34.
The baroun to send his assuraunce … to the knycht to saufly and surely cum till his speche 1456 Hay I 178/6.
How suld thai be callit sauf condytis, bot gif thai condyte thair maisteris saufly and surely c1490 Irland Asl. MS 10/3.
That euery man redand it may … pas surely without ony affray or dowt to sekere remeid … for his synnis and malady 1490 Irland Mir. I 113/4.
Nouthire angell, man nor creature mycht surlie compeire befor ȝour hie maieste and powere 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1389.
Than in ȝone carwell surelie ȝe remane, Oft stormested with this warldis brukilnes 1513 Doug. ix iv 55.
Behaldis thou not so surly, but affray, Ȝon Rutylianys thame haldis glaid and gay? [L. quae Rutulos habeat fiducia rerum] 1513 Doug. viii vi 28.
For that he surly [L. tutus] lurkyt in the same [sc. region] 1516 Reg. Privy S. I 439/1.
To pas and repas on horsback or on fute surelie without harme 1533 Bell. Livy I 238/26.
At thare bakkis was ane strait montane or cleuch in quhilkis thai war surelie garnist with al thare ordouris(b) 1562 Digest Justiciary Proc. D. 51.
& that he was neidfull to him to be suirlie convoyit a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 34/59.
God send justice this land to rewle and gyde … That all trew folk may suirlie gang and ryde(c) 1456 Hay I 164/17.
He sall seurly cum and gang unharmyt of me or ony of myn 1456 Hay I 178/21, 22.
For as it is understand to seurly cum to speche, sa is understandin to seurly byde, and seurly retourne; … ellis it suld nocht be callit sauf condyt, bot fals condyt 1456 Hay II 48/5.
And as knycht liftis his wapnis mare seurely and traistly, that his handis ar enarmyt 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 254/2.
Wit ȝe us … to have respitt and frely galyit … Gregory Garth and Joust Elare … saufly and seurly to cum within our realme … with thare merchandice and gudis

2. Firmly fastened or secured, fast. 1513 Doug. vii xii 64.
Thyr bair … macis … And, so it mycht the mair suyrly abyde, Onto thar armis is knyt with a tewch stryng 1513 Doug. xi xi 50.
Hys ȝong douchter … Amyddis of this lans full suyrly band 15.. Clar. ii 1079.
Palexis did his harneis on him brace, And him enarmit surelie close and joynt

3. Securely (built, established, etc.), strongly and firmly, soundly. Also fig. c1575 Balfour Pract. 145.
[To] leid and stak the teindis upon the ground of the landis quhair thay grew and dike and park the samin surelie a1585 Maitl. Q. lxv 204/103.
And faith thow wantis ane piller suirlie wrocht To beir thy throne triumphand euerie quhair c1590 J. Stewart 62/181.
As ane tour maist vicht and suirlie pycht 1598 Edinb. Masons 2b.
That all maisteris … of warkis … sie thair skaffellis … surelie sett & placeitfig. 1562-3 Winȝet I 135/19.
To … consider … gif ȝour doctrine in sa many nouationis be suirlie foundit and bigit on Godis word

4. Of adhering to, maintaining or supporting (a person or belief): Without wavering or faltering; steadfastly, faithfully. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5262.
He said, ‘Ȝour wit and science I commend, And als ȝour treuth surelie I will defend' 1562-3 Winȝet I 78/29.
Keipand suirlie the articulis of our beleif 1596 Dalr. I 169/5.
Firmlie the band bund with the Romanis and Britonis suirlie he keipet and trulie 1596 Dalr. II 356/2.
Heirefter mony suirlie bydeng [L. reliquis haerentibus] with thair maister, mony defectes and falis aback

b. Of attacking (an enemy): Resolutely, determinedly. ?1438 Alex. ii 6275.
And Caneus, on the vther party, Come hard, euin and surely

5. Of keeping, looking after or guarding (a person): a. In a secure manner, precluding the possibility of escape. b. So as to ensure (a person's) continuing safety and immunity from harm.a. 1567 Cal. Sc. P. II 731.
It wes resolvit … that the said George Dalgleish suld be suirlie kepit that nycht 1570 Leslie 200.
Eftir the Quene was suirlie placed in that ile 1577 Red Bk. Menteith II 411.
That … ȝe ressaue Johnne Levingstoun, ȝoungar … in ward … and thairin keip him suirlieb. 1521 Douglas Corr. 79.
It is thocht till us at oure said souerane can nocht be weil and sourelie kepit within his realme

c. Of keeping or looking after a house, park, or the like: In a manner likely to ensure its continuing invulnerability, or to protect it from intrusion or trespass. 1532 Treas. Acc. VI 108.
Lettrez to the lord of Bille chargeing him to keipe surelie his hous of Bille 1547 Reg. Privy C. I 81.
To keip the samyn [sc. fortalice] surlie fra our auld ynemeis of Ingland 1566–7 Reg. Privy S. V ii 325/1.
That the said Johnne … keip suirlie the said Park [of Haliruidhous] and nothir thoill nor permit ony maner of guidis to entir or pasture thairintill 1570 Reg. Morton I 53.
Gif that house be nocht swrelie kepit to the Kingis seruice

6. With assurance, certainty or conviction: a. Of believing, trusting, etc. b. Of declaring, informing, etc.a. 1545 Douglas Corr. 155.
This artekille being vaislie set furht, I treste surlie it sal [etc.] 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 172/12.
Beand baptizate in the name of Jesus Christ, beleifand surelie that he is all reddy cumin salueoure [etc.] 1661 Fugitive Poetry II xxxii 10/11.
And what we sureliest thought to stand & swore In such a manner never done before(b) 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 23.
I … belevis suirlie that your lordship is advertist be the Quenis grace of all sic thingis as hes occurrit 1554 Duncan Laideus Test. 160.
I gart M^cGregoure suirlie vndirstand The Clandonoquhy wer gadderit him aganis 1551 Hamilton Cat. 253.
We may cal Thé father with blythnes, and lippin suirly on Thi fatherly and mercyfull providence 1558-66 Knox I 279.
Suyrly 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 4a.
He brekis nocht his hecht swirlie trow Qui in melius mettat 1596 Dalr. II 46/6.
Quha sa suirlie beleiuet him to be king … quhen the witches said he suld be crount publiklie(c) 1533 Gau 44/13.
Neuertheles we trow sewerlie the wordis quhilk Dauid spak be the halie spreit 1570 Cal. Sc. P. III 486.
But I hoip seurlie within sax oulkis we salbe at our wittis end and sonner 1582 Oliphants 142.
Thay [sc. the Oliphants] beleifing seurly (as it is trew) that [etc.](d) 1586–7 Rait & Cameron King James's Secret 149.
Bot I dare not wryt all I mynd, … becaus we luk shurly our letters shalbe troucit by the wayb. (a) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1261.
It may be said surelye but ganesay That all thair panis makis na comparisoun … Vnto the pane of endles dampnacoun 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 117.
I am … advertist surly that the governour and his frendis purpos to ly for me in the passage 1586–7 Rait & Cameron King James's Secret 152.
Ve are surly advertisit that the berar is to be trussit be the vay for our pacquet(b) ?1438 Alex. i 2446.
Men micht say suirly [F. bien pot dire] at that tyde Thair was ane felloun fechting thair 1550–1 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 152.
That his grace is suirly informit of the evill bruitt and lichtleing of this realm … in pairts of Flanderis 1559–60 Prot. Bk. M. Carruthers 60.
We are suyrly informit sensyne that the said provest intendis … to mary ane wif a1578 Pitsc. II 147 (I).
The King of France … wovit suirlie scho sould haue ane sickar mendis of thame a1585 Polwart Flyt. 648 (T).
Ane anagrame … Suirlie sayis it is a signe of a licherous lowne 1601 Crim. Trials II 364.
And being suirlie aduertesit that the said … Sir Johne was to keip court at Lochmaben

c. ellipt. Without a doubt, assuredly, undoubtedly.(a) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 213 (Asl.).
Syleucus … Makand a law that men for adultrie Suld tyne thair eyne & sa his sone surelie Fell in that falt 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 186.
Ha, quha suld haue firme esperance in this, … Certes, nane. Sum hes! No wicht? Surelie, ȝis 1551 Hamilton Cat. 41.
Suerly 1567 G. Ball. 191.
Nane bot He, that may surelie Bring vs to heuinnis blis 1596 Dalr. I 22/15.
The principal amang the tounes is halden (surlie) Edinburgh 1596 Dalr. I 116/27.
Merchandise [is] … surlie to the Repub. verie necessare 1598 Aberd. Council Lett. I 80.
Quhairin surlie I wald maist willinglie satisfie your desyris 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 18.
Surelie [ed. surelue] you cannot learn the … excellencie of that nation better from any than from Tacitus 1631 Justiciary Cases I 180.
The loird Reay said that surelie the Hammiltones had taken some vent of the bussines(b) 1567 Sat. P. iii 174.
Jesabell, Quhome throw ane windo suirlie men did thraw a1570-86 Maitl. F. 363/131.
I … am ane woman gif ȝe will That suirlie feiris ȝow c1590 Fowler I 28/56.
How kenst thow me, when swirlye I do know thé not agane 1596 Dalr. II 442/4.
Nouther suirlie [L. certe] euir … fund onie plie or dissentioune betuene her and her nobelis 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 192/1.
I uill not thairfore agree uith the curiositie of Danæus … & maist of the Frenshe ministeris althoch otheruayes suirlie I reuerence thaime 1610 Crim. Trials III 102.
Suirlie, my lordis, I wes not at the takeing thairof

7. To good effect, effectively, efficaciously. 1562 Reg. Privy C. I 223.
The Quenis Grace … to the effect the samyn may be the mair suirlye and starklie performed, gevis … hir … commissioun … to … James Erle of Murray 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xl 287.
He can his alquhair Preserue maist surely intill vprichtnes 1626 Garden Worthies 75.
Thy Soveraigne sister, … nought in show, bot soorlie, made beseen To thé her bountie & benignities

b. With legally binding force; in a legally valid manner. 1552 Lochwinnoch Par. 49.
The said Johne is mynor and of his les aige and may nocht surlie contract nor dispone vpon alienatioun or renunciation of his landis without the … auctoritte of ane juge