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.
Quotation dates: 1399-1438, 1500-1627
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Farly, n. Also: farlie, fairly, -lie; pl. farlyis, -leis, -lies, fairles. [Var. of Ferly n. Cf. e.m.E. farley (1646), n. Eng. dial. farly (1790).]
1. A marvellous thing; a wonder.a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvii. 5.
Of halowis to say and syng The farleis that in thame were a1400 Ib. xxxii. 568.
Quhen he this farly has sene ?1438 Alex. ii. 4923.
I heir thé tell ane great farly c1500 Crying ane Play 10.
I am the nakit blynd Hary That lang as bene in the fary Farleis to fynd 1513 Doug. vii. i. 100.
Abuf this, eik, betyd a mar farly 1533 Boece ix. xviii. 335.
Mony grete farleis this ȝere in Albion war sene 1535 Stewart 13109.
Quhat farlie wes thocht Galdus sufferit pane a1540 Freiris Berw. 390.
Quha evir afoir hes sic a fairly [Mfarlie] sene? 1572 Satirical Poems xxxi. 106.
Bot ȝit sic farleis hes bene sene 1572 Ib. xxxv. 45.
Quhat fairlie, than, thocht we haue on[e] 1590 Burel Pilgr. i. xxx.
He that wald faine fairles sie, Sall find thame at the last a1598 Ferg. Prov. 19.
The langar we live, the mae farlies we see a1627 Craig v. 5/13.
Amidst my dreame this fray And fairlie I fand
2. Wondering, marvelling.c1420 Ratis Raving 1440.
Gret farly have I in thocht, That [etc.] 1535 Stewart 7043.
The Romanis all greit farlie had that tyde
