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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Gud(e)nes, Guidnes, n. Also: gwidnes, goodnace. [ME. good-, god(e)nesse, north. gudnes, OE. gódnes.]

1. Personal, especially moral, excellence.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxii. 298.
I ame cumyne here, Of thi gudnes for I here … be spokine ay ?1438 Alex. i. 1515.
He was lyke him in all gudnes [F. proesce] Ib. 1932.
Qvhan duke Betys saw the stoutnes Of thame of Grece and the gudnes c1460 Thewis Wysmen 277.
Thai pris mar wysdome & gudnes Na al the gold that is 1490 Irland Mir. I. 26/4.
Thou knawis that he is … well and fontane of all gudnes c1515 Asl. MS. I. 264/4.
In his tyme all gudnes regnit with him 1513 Doug. x. Prol. 17.
To that fyne thou maid all thyng of nocht Of thy gudnes to be participant 1560 Rolland Seven S. 69.
Ane knaif chyld … Quha daylie grew in vertew and gudnes a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxviii. 2.
Wickitnes hait, alway gudnes imbracepl. 1578 Conv. Burghs I. 61.
He sall present vnto thair wisdomes and gudnessis our maist effectuall commendationis(b) 1456 Hay I. 27/5.
He was lufit … throuout the warld for his gudenes Ib. 261/19.
Sum othir … that knewe the gudenes and the worthynes of the woman 1555 Corr. M. Lorraine 402.
Forder referis to your grace wesdom and gwidnes 1588 King Cat. 33.
The quhilk sancts … to quhome is gevine to abund in maist excellent and ewerlasting guidnes in heawin(c) 1461 Liber Plusc. 388.
Think how scho throu vertu and goodnace [: grace] Baith luffit and louit with God and man has beyn

2. Benevolence, beneficence (of God).(a) c1450 Cr. Deyng 242.
The synis done agane the lufe, gudnes, and mycht of god c1515 Asl. MS. I. 299/5.
Allmichti god of his infinit gudnes … decretit [etc.] a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 71.
God of his grace and gudnes infinit San obill maid the man, his creatour 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9988.
Sen God of his gudnes Hes schawin remeid for ȝour seiknes 1596 Dalr. II. 2/35.
Gif God of his gudnes had nocht vthirwys preueinet his counsel(b) 1533 Gau 4/31.
Our lord Jhesus Christ … wil marcifullie forgif ws thaime of his awne gracious guidnes 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 107.
The gret gudenes of our Hevinlie Father towart his beluiffit creaturis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 82/14.
We grant also that the guidnes of God astrictis nocht wthirways a1578 Pitsc. II. 138/8.
Ȝit God of his gret guidnes steired vp the hairtis of the haill towne 1582 Edinb. Test. X. 272.
I commit my saule unto the handis of the lord … quhensoeuir it sall pleis his gudenes to call for it out of this body

3. Good quality or excellence in material things; whatever is good. 1456 Hay I. 112/13.
The quhilkis twa thingis makis all the gudenes of the felde in bataill a1500 Bernardus 320.
It cordis il in ȝouth hede … Diuersiteis of wynis for to knaw And thar gudnes 1493 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 446.
That the said cornez and oxin were deliuerit again to the said Arthure and that he wes emplesit of the avale and gudnes of thaim for the tyme c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvi. 62.
He … that put in hir sic grace, … And every gudnes 1513 Doug. x. Prol. 97.
God … Gevis all gudnes, and is of nocht denudyt 1523 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 215.
Anent the flour baiks and fadges … that they may be examit upone the guidnes of the stuffe a1568 Bann. MS. 228 b/34.
Hir goun suid be of all guidnes Begareit with fresche bewtie 1596 Dalr. I. 47/20.
The fynes of the wol and gudnes of it 1611-57 Mure Ps. cxliv. 2.
My gudenes, fort and towre hee is 1619 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 200.
Thai sall mak thair haill stuffis sufficient in breid, lenth, and gudenes as thai ar maid in Leydin