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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.

Gudely, Gudly, a. Also: gudelye, -li(e, gudlye, -li(e, -lé, guid-, gwydlie. [ME. good(e)ly, godely, early godlich, OE. gódlic.] Goodly, in various senses.

1. Of persons: Of good disposition, attainments, or bearing; distinguished.(a) c1460 Thewis Gud Women 113.
To sek sum cumpany, At war nocht lyk to be gudly a1500 Bk. Chess 847.
So suld his saull … be enarmed richt, And than he bene a verraye gudlye knycht 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 472.
Ane multitude thay war inummerabill Of gudlie folke in euerie kinde and age c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxiii. 8.
Men of armes and vailȝeand knychtis, And mony vther gudlie wichtis 15.. Ib. App. vii. 14.
I can prise na mar Of hyr, that was wont to be gudeliest c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1930 (B).
Quhair haife we gottin this gudly companȝioun a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxvi. 6.
He that lovis all his best Sall chaunce vpon the gudliest(b) 1456 Hay I. 15/16.
Mony notable and gudely clerkis of hye science Ib. 71/1.
Bischoppis or archebischopis, or other gudely haly men a1500 Quare Jel. 2.
Avise, ȝe gudely folk and see 1533 Boece i. iii. 37.
With ane power of gudelie men he send in Ireland his thre sonnys

b. Absol. as sing. or pl. noun. c1450-2 Howlat 947.
All thir gudly ar gane, And thar levit allane The howlat and I c1475 Wall. v. 671.
Than kissit he this gudle with plesance Ib. vi. 26.
He likit weyll with that gudlye to be c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlii. 5.
I govit on that gudliest a1568 Bann. MS. 224 a/24.
Bot gif that gudly schap hir to redres My wofull hairt

2. Of handsome appearance; good-looking. Chiefly of things.(a) c1450-2 Howlat 398.
The said pursevantis gyde … Was brusit with ane grene tre, gudly and gay c1475 Wall. i. 214.
In till a gyde of gudly ganand greyne Ib. viii. 1200.
Wallace can him aray In his armour, quhilk gudly was and gay c1500 Fyve Bestis 160.
This bird wox a cok, The gudliest & farest of the floke 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 296.
Paris. That gaue the apill … Till Venus, as goddis maist gudlie Ib. 784.
Vnto that gudlie garth thus we proceid c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 365.
He grathit me in … gudly arrayis 1513 Doug. i. ix. 16.
Hys favour gudly, full of fresch bewte 1535 Stewart 12814.
Four Romanis … Rycht clynlie cled … , With semelie schap most gudlie to behold a1540 Freiris Berw. 20.
The castell is … Moist fair, most gudly, most plesand to be sene 15.. Clar. iv. 516.
Two gudlie collors of the finest gold a1585 Maitl. Q. xl. 80.
Ȝour gudlie face, ȝour colour clein, Ȝour cumlie countenance(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 18.
Al grathit in to garlandis of fresche gudelie flouris Id. lxxxvii. 37.
O precious mergreit, … Moir gudely eik na is the emerant greyne 1570 Leslie 152.
Ane young ladie of pleasand bewtie, guidlie favour, … and cumly manners

3. Of a good kind or high standard; noble, excellent; full, ample.(a) c1450-2 Howlat 198.
Gret ganeris on ground in gudly awys c1420 Ratis R. 935.
[To] thaim … That settis maist part thar lewyng In rychtwysnes and gudly thinge a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1291.
Heir I mak yow ane grant, with gudly entent a1500 Bk. Chess 1766.
To be content of gudlie sustinens, And nocht exceid thair lyffis sufficians 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 376.
In modulatioun hard I play and sing, … On croud, lute, harp, with mony gudlie spring 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. vii.
Thair gudlie havingis maid me nocht affeird 1535 Stewart 120.
Thair is nothing moir gudlie to avance Na auld storeis put in rememberance 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1440 (B).
We sail … serve gudly recompence 1560 Rolland Seven S. 332.
Tell me the truth for thy gudlie rewaird 1573 Sat. P. xxxix. 130.
Schir Francis Russall [came] with ane gudlie grace 1594 St. A. Kirk S. 771.
To report ansuer thairof … with sic expedition and diligens as is gudle(b) 1456 Hay I. 15/1.
Our lord … reconfort him of his gudely grace Ib. 34/2.
I think to schawe sum part in the maist gudely wys I can 1533 Bell. Livy I. 79/27.
Throw his gudelie behavingis and fame of his riches Ib. 215/11.
The cousull … vesyit all his surname and lynnage, arrayit in gudelie maner afore him c1590 J. Stewart 205 § 22.
Ane mychtie spreit, Vith monie guidlie qualiteis repleit

4. a. Qualifying haste, usually in the phrase with or in all gudely haste, with as much haste as is possible or convenient. So also with diligence or expedition.(a) 1405 James of Douglas Letter to Henry IV in Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
Qwhat yhe wochesaff … to do … certify me be your letter wyth al gudly hast 1445 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 311.
To warn thaim in al gudly haast fra tyme that he may get wit that sic thingis be ymaginit … to be doue againnis thaim 1525 Douglas Corr. 99.
Ȝoure lordschip schewe me at thaire sould be deligence doune to Rome in all gudlie haist 1555 Wemyss Chart. 183.
The said Dauyd … sall marye hir in all gudlye hast, in the faice of haille kirk 1567 G. Ball. 126.
The sinfull than to thé reuart Sall in to gudlie haist(b) 1397 Douglas Chart. 37.
To talie and mak sikir, witht al gudely hast, al landis [etc.] 1400 Facs. Nat. MSS. II. 44.
With swilk gudely haste as yhow likis 1426 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 202.
With al gudely haast effter that I haf infefft the said Dauy … of the said … laud 1426 Cal. Chart., Suppl. (Reg. H.) 16 Jan.
I oblise me … for til vpgif & resigne in al gudely haste al richtis & clamys of the said landis 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 252/i.
That ȝe, … efter his informatioun, outputt, enter and input tenentis in the samyn landis in al gudely haist 1545 Prot. Bk. W. Corbet 6.
[George Haig shall contract marriage] … in all gwydlie haist 1563 Fam. Rose 242.
[To] compleit with hir the band of matrimonie … in all guidle expedition 1622-6 Bisset I. 84/9.
In all guidlie diligence to … extend thair cuir to the emendatioun & publicatioun of the precedand … lawes

b. Qualifying power, esp. in the phrase at his (our, etc.) gudely power, as far as possible.(a) 1427 Melville Chart. 21.
[She] sal … mak hym als sekir tharof as is in hir gudly power 1429 Cal. Chart., Suppl. (Reg. H.) 7 Feb.
That the said Jonate sall help … at hir gudly power the said Patrik … to wyn his landis 1435 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 189.
To furthir … til al thair rychtis … and bring tham thar to in als fer as his gudli power may streke 1452 Maxwell Mem. 171.
[He] sal supple thame … at al his gudly power aganis al erdly men 1545 Montgomery Mem. 138.
I or thai sall warn him … tharof, and lat it at all our gudlye power(b) 1442 Foulis Chart. (Reg. H.) 18 Jan.
I sall mak to my saide lorde lele and trew service at all my gudely powar 1455 Edinb. Chart. 81.
Sir James sal nouthyr lat pakkyn na pelyn be vsit in Leith, … bot he sal lat it at al his gudely power 1480 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II. 335.
He sal … mak sic serwice in the kirk as he can or may do at his gudely power