A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1499-1563, 1638
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Unfaithful(l)nes, n. Also: unfaithfulnesse, wnfaythfulnes, onfaith-, onfaythtfulnes. [ME and e.m.E. vnfeithfulnesse (Wyclif), vnfaythfulnes (1526), onfaythfulnes (1532), vnfaithfulnesse (1561); Unfaithful(l adj.]
1. Irreligiousness, impiety.(a) c1520-c1535 Nisbet 2 Tim. ii 16.
Eschew thou vnhali and vane spechis, for quhy tha proffitis mekile to vnfaithfulnesse [P. vnfeithfulnesse; L. impietatem] 1562-3 Winȝet II 21/13.
Quha euir become the trew luuear and worschipar of Christe, præferring the auld fayth to the new wnfaythfulnes(b) 1533 Gau 3/6.
Skaithful bukis and fals doctrine vith the quhilk the pepil hes ben … euil and ongodlie techit of the quhilk greit onfaithfulnes and heresie come amangis the pepil 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 32/7.
Mony of us beleuis … ther is na thyng perdurabil bot the varld alanerly. Sic abusione procedis of onfaythtfulnes ande of oure blynd affectione
2. Faithlessness, inconstancy.a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 570.
Becaus I knaw the greit vnstabilnes Brukkill as glas, into my self, I say, Traisting in vther als greit vnfaithfulnes 1638 Rothes Affairs Kirk 30.
He had bein taxed … for keiping correspondance with some of the nobilitie … his adversaries interpret the same as unfaithfullnes, and said he had the Masone word among the nobilitie
