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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Trewly, -ie, Truly, -ie, adv. Also: trewlye, trewely, -ilie, -illé, treuly(e, -li(e, -lé, treuylly, threuly, truli, trwly, -li, thrwly, truely(e, -lie, trulay, trowly, -lie, -lé, treuthly, trewthelie. [ME and e.m.E. truly, treuli, trewely (all Cursor M.), trewly (c1400), truely (1531); Trew(e adj.]There is some ambiguity and overlap between senses.

1. Faithfully, loyally; with unwavering allegiance. Freq. lelely and trewly (for many further examples, see Lelely adv. (2)). a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 896.
That he Wald lewe his sorcery, & be Gud Cristine man & Cristine fay Fra thine furth treuli kep alvay 1397–8 Liber Melros II 488.
To pay lely and trewly to thame or thaire assignez … twenty pvnd [etc.] 1399 Melville Chart. 15.
I oblyce me … but fraude and gile, lely and trewly in gude fayth c1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
I haff trewly kepit myn athe 1424 Lanark & R. 282.
The qwhilks xii … sal determyt al playnts [etc.] … lelily and treuly, as in thair wyttis and powers extends 1439 Acts II 55/1.
Truli 1448 Buccleuch Mun. II 41.
Threuly 1450 Douglas Chart. 380.
The quhilk condiciounis … before wirtin lelely and treuli to kepe 1451 11th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. vi 26.
Trowly 1455 Lennox Mun. 71.
Trewely 1459 Rep. Hist. MSS, Var. Coll. V 82.
Jhon the lelman sal tak Ectour of Meldrum kawyl as he is … sworn to do lelyly and trwly 1488 Reg. Paisley 406.
Thrwly 1490 Bk. Carlaverock II 448.
Treuthly 1492 Highland P. II 191.
Treulie 1493 Acta Conc. I 313/1.
Trewthelie 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 73.
Madem I hef mi frendes maynd qwa wel seryf yowr grays trowle 1562-3 Winȝet I 121/26.
The haill Kirk of God, professing trewlie Christ Jesus 1572–3 Reg. Privy C. II 185.
I sall trewlie keip the said castell, with his hienes munitioun being thairin, and all presonaris

b. With assurance, confidently. a1400 Leg. S. i 485.
Trewis trewly That ȝe se is all fantassy a1400 Leg. S. vi 214.
Trevly trew, That thi trawel sal be thé quet Ful wele

2. Honestly, without deceit. 1387 Edinb. Chart. 35.
The forsayde masounys doand thair craft tyl that werk trewly withoutyn fraude as trew men aw to do 1407 Douglas Chart. 47.
Trwli c1450 Cr. Deyng 92.
He may nocht deny mercy treuly askyt 1456 Hay I 190/8.
To the quhilk I ansuere ȝow treuly that he aw to defend hir be armes but ony leve of court 1531 Reg. Soltre 100.
Giwe the said Robert labouris nocht trewlie … it salbe leiffull … to tak samekle off his wagis 1557 Facs. Nat. MSS III xl.
To haif faithfull ministeres purelie and trewlie to minister Christes evangell and sacramentes to his peopill 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 138.
Treule 1566 Anderson Collect. Mary I 53.
Suppois thai war not giltie of the fact, till the matter was trewlie tryit 1589 Edinb. Test. XXI 91.
He deponis treulie that he had the rycht of ane aiker of land lyand in the Mers

3. In accordance with the facts; accurately, correctly. c1450-2 Howlat 501 (A).
Thus frayis he the fals folk, trewly to tell it a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 213.
It war full teir for to tell treuly in taill The seir courssis 1490 Irland Mir. II 107/26.
The … scripture maid … be thame that tellis weralye and trewlie the thing that was lang tyme eftir to cum 1533 Boece 169.
Plinius the secund, quhilk wrate the naturale historyis na les trewlie than cunnynglie c1590 Fowler II 26/31.
This I am able to proue, how boldly I can not tel, how truelie I knaw 1622-6 Bisset II 178/19.
I have maist exquiseitlie remarked and trewilie reported the … wordis thairof 1664 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 22 June.
Swa far … as the samyn inventory is justly and trulay given dounesuperl. 1615 Highland P. III 284.
Be the copies of the letters writtin to me be the Laird of Auchinbrek and Hector Makneill sent … to your maiestie the estate of the hielands will be trewliest known

4. In the proper manner; properly, justly, fittingly. 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 416.
Trewly vse the sacramentis Efter Christis institutionis a1568 Bann. MS 38a/14.
Misknaw thow him thow sall pay trewly ford 1596 Dalr. I 230/20.
He institute, that al thing sulde be done conforme to the rule of justice, dulie and trulie

5. Genuinely, really, actually. c1450-2 Howlat 779 (B).
He gart the emperoure trow and trewlye behald That [etc.] a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 126/5.
Ve haue schawin gud vill to mak the reader truelye to onderstand quhow [etc.] 1563 Davidson Answer 202.
To testifie unto the warld that God is treulie with thaim 1564 Perth B. Ct. 130 (2 Aug.).
Johnne Broun … trewlie hurt Johnne Powry burgis of our burght of Perth 1567 G. Ball. 87.
Quha trewlie traistis in thy godlie name, Sall never die eternallie 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xvii title.
Epitaph of the … trulie honoured lady, the Lady Arnestoun 1623 Aberd. Council Lett. I 204.
To his trewlie worthie and verie respected brother 1631 Laing MSS 189.
Whereas some of my ancient colleagues professe trulie wounted kindnesse yet [etc.] 1649 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 146.
[He] showed himself trulie penitent 1659 Ure Rutherglen 54.
Trowlie 1678 Fountainhall Decis. I 14.
The Devil's deception in representing such persons as present at their field-meetings who truly were not there 1699 Lennoxlove MS (The Duke of Hamilton) C1/4393.
I truely think Mr. Paterson will be found to have been true in all his informations [about Darien]compar. 1596 Dalr. II 44/18.
Of kingis nocht ane with vs we reid, quha … trulier manteinet the peace tane with strangers

b. Indeed, in truth, to be sure. 1375 Barb. xiv 485.
And trewly thai sall be so fele That ȝe sall na wis with thaim dele ?1438 Alex. i 415.
I wald nocht to haue Paradise In thank to change, to be trewlie Fra ȝow a1450 Fifteen Ois 353.
In the deipnes of thi marcy That is vntellabill trewly 1456 Hay I 132/12.
Trewly I, knawand his rycht, aw nocht to mak defens a1500 Seven S. 1996.
Gar grath my bed to by To rest for trewly tyrit am I 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 238.
Trewille 1553–4 Corr. M. Lorraine 381.
Treuylly 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2761.
Wist he trewlie of my great displesour, I wait he wald incres sa in rankour, That [etc.] a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 122/1.
Treulye, the flesche and bloude sal possesse the kyngdome of heawine 1596 Dalr. I 63/9.
Trulie a1603 Anc. Prophecies 5.
The Mers shal murne … And al the abbais truely that stands on Tweede