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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.

Unlauchful(l, -lawfull, -leful(l, adj., adv. Also: un-, wn(e)-, on- and -lauchtful(l, -lawchful(l, -laughfull, -lawghfull, -lawful(l, -lauful(l, -laut(h)full, -la(i)chfull, -laull, -lefful(l), -leif(f)ul, -leyful, -leefful, -lel(e)ful. [ME and e.m.E. vn-laghful (Cursor M.), vnleveful, -lefful, -lieful (all Chaucer), vnlawefulle (Trevisa), vnlawful (c1430), vnlaufull (1475), unlefull (1491); Lauchful(l, Lawfull, Lechful(l, Leful(l, Lelful and Lev(e)ful(l adjs.]

A. adj. 1. Illicit, forbidden; morally or spiritually reprehensible. Also const. to.Some quots. may belong in 2.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xvi 134.
Hyr ene … oft vnleiful sichtis had sene a1400 Leg. S. xvii 294.
Althinge that vnleyful vas He oysyt ay a1400 Leg. S. xxxi 65.
Scho … fra wnleful luste of flesche … kepyt hyr a1400 Leg. S. xl 780.
Vnleful c1420 Wynt. vii 1821 (W).
Vnlefull c1490 Irland Asl. MS 68/4.
I haue synnit in … tuichand vnlefull partis of myn awne body 1490 Irland Mir. III 101/22.
The carnal operacioun betuix the man and the woman … vtouth mariage … is euir wnlefull foule and dedly syn 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 2046.
Nobillis … Thair verteous nobilitie settis nocht by, For dishonest vnlefull warldlie wayis 1513 Doug. ix iv 97 (Ruddim.).
Nisus ansuerit forsoith my broder … Of the … dred I neuer sic thyng For so to think in fayth vnleifful war c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Peter iv 3.
Hethinmen … quhilkis walkit in licheries and lustis … and vnleefful [W. vnleeueful, P. vnleueful] wirschiping of mawmentis 1535 Stewart 16131.
To fynd … ane rycht vnlefull way, Be wichcraft his purpois to apply 1542 Mill Mediæv. Plays 148.
Iniurious vordis unlefull to be expremytt(b) a1400 Leg. S. x 394.
Yrtacus Of lordschepe sal schorte tyme hafe Thocht he vnlelful ȝarnynge crafe a1400 Leg. S. xviii 917.
Ȝarnige, that ofte cuth me assale, Vnleleful & oneresonabile, Fillit of filthe & vnstabil(c) 1513 Doug. ii xi 67.
It war onleifful [Sm. wnlefull, Ruddim. vnlefull] … to me From sa gret slauchter … Newly departit to twich thame … Quhil I be weschyn into sum rynnand flude 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 12.
Oft to revolue ane onleful [Sm. vnlefull, Ruddim. vnleful] consait Rypys ȝour peralus frutis and oncorn 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 237.
Onlefull 1534 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 13.
Of triblans of … court in vordis & onleful langage(d) a1578 Pitsc. II 29.
The Inglischemen … waistit all the haill Merse … thir wnlauchfull and schamefull weiris was wssit be Schir Ralf Everis 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 109.
Quhilk thing the contre supposit … to be brocht aboute be the vnlauchtfull travellis [sc. witchcraft] of the said Helen(2) 1533 Boece 322b.
To entir in his quere is vnlefull to wemen

2. Not sanctioned by law; illegal; prohibited.(a) c1420 Wynt. viii 822.
This kyng than proponyd … That the superyoryte … off Scotland hys suld be … Robert byschape off Glasgw … answeryd … 'Excellend prynce … Ȝhe ask ws ane unleffull [C. wnleffull, W. vnlefull] thyng 1456 Hay I 158/17.
Sen it is unlefull to be askit finaunce [= ransom money] how may … men … tak fynaunce of thair prisonaris? 1478 Acta Aud. 61/2.
Anent the wrangwis & vnlefull using of a sele … in the making of a lettre 1533 Boece 51a.
Removing all … vnlefull avaricious marchandice and vthir evillis quhilk naturalie provokis discorde 1565 Aberd. B. Rec. MS XXVI (Jam. s.v. Biles).
Sic playis unlefull, and speciallie … goif, kylis, bylis, and sic wther playis 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 524.
That pretendit and unlefull mariage(b) 1484 Acta Conc. I *89/1.
The destruccioun of his woddis be hir gait & vther vnlauchfull bestis 1529 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 101.
Williem Wylsone allegit that the last preff that vas admitit to Jhone of Laidlaw vas unlaufull 1541 Prestwick B. Rec. 57.
Ony scabyt horse, or ony wdir wnlauchful geyr 1569 Sc. Hist. Rev. I 40, 41.
Vnlauchful … vnlawchful 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. (STS) 143/3.
Suppois sum of the … membirris of the kirk hes bene vicious, yit it folouis nocht that thair authoritie vas ather vnlauchful, or inlaikit deu execution 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 44.
The Dutche merchandis … bringis to the contrie and sellis thair wairis with unlawfull mettis, kannis [etc.] 1608 Stewart Mem. 120.
Wnelaufull 1609 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 184.
The brenches of clannes ar begun … to conuene in vnlauthfull maner 1610 Misc. Hist. Soc. II 212.
Vnlauful 1623 Melrose P. 537.
Vnlawghfull 1628 Edinb. Univ. Chart. 125.
That none frequent kaitchpulles nor use unlawfull games as cairtes or dyce at any time 1637 Alyth Kirk S. in Sc. N. & Q. XII 45.
Vnlautfull 1640 Acts V 277/2.
That … the civill places and power of kirkemen be holdine still as wnlaufull in this kirke 1643 Dumfries Treas. Acc. MS 23.
The provest bailleis [etc.] … that day they mett for consulting concerning the vnlauffull act [etc.](c) 1573–4 Cal. Sc. P. IV 667.
Unlaichfull(d) 1685 Black Bk. Kincardineshire 9.
These oaths … one … commonly called the Nationall Covenant … and the othr. intituled the Solemn League and Covenant were … unlaull oaths(e) 1559 Inverness Rec. I 32.
Geys … ar onlachfull gud to be hed in bruch 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 113.
Gevand that ony mariaige … betuix hyr and … Johan … wes onlawfull and aganis the law of God 1563 Grant Chart. 128.
Onlaufull merchandreis and stowin gwdis 1570 Cal. Sc. P. III 111.
Onlaughfull 1570 Leslie 133.
The mariage … was found null and onlauchfull

b. transf. Of a person, with reference to his or her being involved in an illegal act. 1535 Stewart 44567.
Tha war than of so tender age, And wnlauchtfull to tak in mariage

c. Illegitimate. 1456 Hay II 68/28.
A knychtis wyf that has barnis unlaufull of villaine generacioun, dois lytill honour to the order of knychthede 1596–1600 Warrender P. (SHS) II 429.
That the said Angus was a bastard unlaughfull sone 1622-6 Bisset I 293/13.
Gif he be unlauchfull as bastarde

d. Not law-abiding; disruptive, disorderly; criminal. 1524 Aberd. B. Rec. I 109.
That ilk bailȝe … cerse and seik all vnlauchtful nychtbouris and cause all sic be remowit the towne 1562 Aberd. B. Rec. I 346.
Johnn Chalmer wes accusit … for the iniuring of diuerse nychtbouris … and for mischawing of himself in sic sindry wayis sua that he is ane unlauchtfull nychtbour and aucht nocht to be sufferit to pas at liberte within this burght 1604 Urie Baron Ct. 5.
Sik personnis as beis fund onlauchfull, to wit, occupeiris in stouth, in stelyng of keyll, edlyng [etc.] 1615 Stirling B. Rec. I 137.
Sindrie unlauchfull persones, unfremen, vagabundis and idyll levaris 1639 S. Leith Rec. 30/2.
Great abuse is found in the toune by setting of houses to unlauchful persones

e. (The) unlawfull engagement, the undertaking of 1648 to send an army into England in aid of Charles I (Enga(d)gement n.). Also used subsequently of another similar undertaking. Also in more general use.(1) 1648 Alyth Par. Ch. 84.
[One who had appeared twice in the place of repentance] hes fled & takin on service vith the wnlawfull ingadgment under Duik Hamilton 1648 Cullen Kirk S. 17 Dec.
Helen Ramsaye … confessed that she was with child to Jon Laurance who went in to England upon the unlawful engagement 1648 Dumfries Kirk S. 19 Dec.
Scandalous persones, or sojers in the late vnlawfull engadgement 1650 Strathbogie Presb. 142.
Having beine ane leivtenant vpon the late vnlaufull ingadgment(2) 1651 Elgin Rec. II 364.
Its alleadged he saith … that this levey was like to proue another unlawfull ingadgment because of the … oppression in the land(3) 1658 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 172.
The samen [sc. contract to seek medical treatment only from Dr. Gordon] being this day producit in presence of the counsell, the provest, baillies, and counsell ordanit the said band as ane vnlawfull ingadgment, to be cancellit and destroyit

B. adv. = Unlauchfully adv. 1. 1496 Rec. Earld. Orkney 74.
I … hes sene and understandin … that the said mill is onlawchfull bigit