A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Suthly, Suithly, Soothly, adv. Also: suthlye, -lie, suthely, -le, sutly, suithlie, suythly, -lie, swithly, swyithlie, swythlie, seutely, soithly, -lie, sothly. [ME and e.m.E. soðliche (c1175), soþlike (Orm), sothli (Cursor M.), soth(e)ly (Wyclif, Chaucer), soothly (Spenser); Suth(e adj.] Truly; as a matter of fact; certainly, really, indeed.Chiefly as an intensifier.(a) 1375 Barb. vi 32.
Quhen the Gallowais vist suthly, That he wes with a few menȝhe 1375 Barb. x 753.
It fell eftirward suthly [E. sothly] Richt as scho said a1400 Leg. S. vi 417.
The fyfte stage is: suthly, To keep men fra gluttony ?1438 Alex. i 1209.
The wound was litill, suthlie, And he had bundin it straitlie c1450-2 Howlat 980 (A).
Quhen ilk thing has thé awne, suthly we se, Thy nakit cors bot of clay 1456 Hay I 266/3.
Gif a man proponis [etc.] … he suld suere … that it is sa suthely, be alde doctouris c1475 Wall. v 501.
Suthlye a1500 Colk. Sow Prol. 17.
So semis it weill that suthly so war ay a1500 Seven S. 417.
Suthly as the story says He had no peir in till his dayis a1500 Bk. Chess 2040.
Suthlye a1568 Bann. MS 77a/40.
Suthle c1550-c1580 Art of Music 34b.
Suthlye(b) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2119.
Now suithlie, schir, micht we that hering fang It wald be fische to vs thir fourtie dayis 1513 Doug. i Prol. 203.
Suythly 1513 Doug. i viii 113.
Suythly [Ruddim. soithly] 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 715.
I maruell, suithlie, ȝe be nocht eschamit For ȝour defaltis 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 49.
In my sleip me thocht I saw swythlie Lady Venus cumming 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3292.
Swyithlie c1550-c1580 Art of Music 23b.
Pwnctis of division in ligatouris swithly is sawit(c) a1500 Lanc. 962.
Sutly(d) 1460 Hay Alex. 7409.
Sa purposit scho to send thare seutely Ane payntoure quhilk of craft was maid slichty To paynt … his phisonomy(e) 1375 Barb. vii 260.
Ik am he, I say thé soithly 1513 Doug. viii iii 101 (Ruddim.).
Soithlie 1533 Bell. Livy I 272/11.
Soithlie the public weill was evil gouernit that day that I was create consul(f) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 128.
Soothly
b. With verbs of saying, telling, etc.Freq. in parenthetic use.a1400 Leg. S. xi 41.
& it is tald suthly to me, That the Jowis wald sla thé a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 622.
For-thi, suthly, ser, we say, That [etc.] ?1438 Alex. i 1072.
Leuand is in warld this day Is nane thy peir, suithly to say ?1438 Alex. ii 2934.
Suthly I hecht c1400 Troy-bk. ii 484.
[Of] the tothir myracle also Affermed soothly Cassandro a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 4.
To seik our the sey … The syre that sendis all seill, suthly to sane a1500 Henr. Fab. 2151.
Bot ane thing dar I suithlie to ȝow sweir a1500 Henr. Deth & Man 18.
My name, at me forsuth sen that thow speirs Tha call me Deid, suthly I thé declair 1535 Stewart 12359.
