Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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

War(l)dling, World(l)ing, n. [e.m.E. worldeling (1549), worldling (1586), wordling (c1600), Germ. Weltling.] One who is concerned with worldly matters, esp. in contrast to religious matters. Also attrib.(a) 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xli 156.
As wickit wardlings wald obtend, Gone is ȝour God quhairin ȝe gloir 1600-1610 Melvill 271.
The godlie, for his … doctrine, lovit him; the warldlings, for his parentage and place, reverenced him(b) 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 509.
The kinless and base-born crosses of worldings for evil-doing must be heavy and grievous; but our afflictions are light and momentary a1649 Drummond I 38/11.
A quiet life … Farre from the madding worldlings hoarse discords 1653 Binning Wks. (1841) 647.
The poor worldling seeks this world as his only thing … He must have it, or else he hath nothing. The child of God should seek as a rich man that is satisfied and needs no more 1684 Law Memor. 195.
Now may not the prophane, the drunkards, swearers, and worldlings of our tyme, fly under such a patrocinie, (as too many of them do already, loytering at home on the Sabbath)attrib. 1597–8 Misc. Spald. C. I 121.
That at the day of judgement, the fyre will burne the … earth, and mak all plain, and that Christsonday wilbe cassin in the fyre becaus he dissavis wardlingis men 1609 Melvill 785.
The hellishe Jesuitis and warldling formalistis