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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wrangwisly, -(o)uslie, adv. Also: -wisli(e, -wisely, -uisly, -ie, -wysly, -vysly, wranweisly, vrangwisly, -visly, -ie, -vyslye, -wayslé, wrangusly(e, -é, -wsly, -ie, -uuslie, -eouslie, vrangusly, -(i)e, wrangyssly, -aslie, wrongously, -ie. [ME and e.m.E. wrangwisly (Cursor M.), wrangusly, wrongeuslye (both 15th c.), wrongously (a1615). See also Ranguislie adv.]

1. In a manner contrary to right, justice, fairness or the (moral) law. b. With reference to the action of accusing, reporting, etc.: Falsely. c. Without due claim or title, illegitimately.There is some overlap with 2 below. 1375 Barb. xii 363.
Quha-sa werrayis wrangwysly [C. vrangwisly] Thai fend God a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 368.
Brekare of law, … That wranguisly wald men sla c1420 Ratis R. 622.
Scho has dispyt at all inwy And ȝarnis na-thing vrangvisly c1420 Wynt. v 3956.
Wrangwysly 1456 Hay I 131/29.
Gif a man may … mak were … to diffend gudis wrangwisly conquest or to recover thame agayn 1461 Liber Plusc. I 336.
That be way of conquest I wald desire ony mannis herytage wrangwisly c1475 Wall. vii 1308.
Gouernour in Scotland he couth ryng Wayttand … to get his rychtwis king Fra Inglis men, that held him … wrangwysly fra his awn rychtwis croun 1513 Doug. xii iii 70.
Damysellys … That wrangwisly … drew neir The bed onprofitabill of Jupiter 1533 Boece 253a.
Wrangwslie(b) c1460 Regim. Princ. 171 (Maitl.).
Thy self levand maist wranguslie [Marchm. 220, tiranly] Doand na richt nothir to riche nor pure 1533 Gau 24/19.
Thow sal noth desir wranguslie ony thing quhilk pertenis to thy nichtbor, bot lewe honestlie 1533 Gau 91/12.
Lat vs notht speik euil or iuge ony man vranguslie 1549 Compl. 103/5.
In his oniust querrel quhen he vrangusle brocht mekil of Scotland in his subiectione 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 156/18.
Quhen ve find onie act of parliament … vranguslie maid aganis God, and gude reassone, ve vil annul the sam 1584 Acts III 312/1.
To the quhilk becaus the said Mr. Robert wald not subscriue and renunce our souerane lordis benefice bestowit vpoun him he wes at that tyme sua wranguslie entraitit [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset II 428/27.
Vexing … the realme of Scotland wranguslie(c) 1567 G. Ball. 96.
Muse thé not at thair prosperitie, That leuis all thair lyfe wrangouslie a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 45/15.
Conqueis na guidis wrangouslie 1582–3 Old Ross-shire 22.
Thomas commendator immediat superior [gap] wrangouslie reffusis [gap] to ressave said complener 1629 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 162.
He now said he had utterit the saim wrangouslie being in ane chaff and anger(d) 1535 Stewart 21324.
Wrangaslie he held fra thame, thair landis(e) a1650 Row 229.
The said ministers, who were so wrongouslie troubled without any just causeb. 1490 Irland Mir. II 54/22.
[They] accusit mony gud peple wrangwisly 1574 Misc. Maitl. C. I 102 (see Sinisterly adv. 1).
Wranguslie 1585 Misc. Bann. C. I 125.
How wrangouslie I am calumniat 1596–7 Acts IV 117/1.
All thingis … be the misreporte … thay wer wrangouslie informed of 1607 Dundonald Par. Rec. 128.
The minister was wrangouslie accuisit be the said Thomas 1626 Justiciary Cases I 50.
Persones … quha ar altogidder innocent and wranguslie sclanderit(b) 1664 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 212.
Thomas Davidsone, present maister of the said schooll, did wrongouslie alledge that the said William Forbes was not his doctor [sc. of the music school]c. 1456 Hay I 23/23.
Ane othir callit Damas was put in the sege wrangwisly c1515 Asl. MS I 260/26.
Thir twa regnit wranguisly fyve ȝeris without richt

2. specif. In a manner contrary to the law of Scotland; against justice, good order or fairness of treatment.See also Ranguislie adv. for a further example.(a) c1390 Reg. Morton I xl.
Wrangwisely c1420 Bute MS 141a.
Thu … wrangwysly & agayn the law tuke and destroyit [etc.] 14.. Acts I 338/2.
Gif thar be ony confederacioun … betwene ony of the toun thru the quhilk the nychtburhede is wrangwisly greffyt 1460 Newburgh B. Ct. 4b.
Wranweisly 1462 Peebles B. Rec. I 143.
The quhylkis … was haldyn fra her wrangvysly and agaynis the law 1456–70 Liber Aberbr. II 105.
Vrangwaysle 1474 Prestwick B. Rec. 24.
Wrangwisli 1474 Reg. Morton II 222.
I … sal move no ger lat pley be movit ony rycht clame [etc.] … rychtwysly no wrangwisly [etc.] 1481 Acts II 133/2
A court … wrangwisly haldin without powere ?c1500 Rathen Manual 27/1.
We cursis … all thai … that vrangvyslye haldis the renttis or possessionis thairof [sc. the Church] 1501 Prot. Bk. J. Young IX 259.
Wrangwislie 1501 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 118.
Vrangvislie 1522 Fife Sheriff Ct. 262.
Adame Lyndesay wranguisly … lousyt thar pleuchis … in contrare the statutis of the realme(b) 1389–90 Reg. Cambuskenneth 260.
The foresaid sall restore ten oxin … the quhilk war wrangusly tane 1457 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 183.
Thome of Cullais wrangusly intromittis with certane landis … in gret lychtleing and contempinge of justice and law a1500 Henr. Fab. 1235.
Ane borrow he fand, That wrangouslie the scheip did hald the breid 1503 Orkney Rentals i 35.
Wranguslie 1526 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 80.
Wranguslye 1527 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 90.
Vrangusly 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2419 (Ch.).
All … I wairne that be opprest Cum and complaine and thay salbe redrest … I warne al that be wrangouslie offendit Cum and complaine and thay sall be amendit 1541 Lennox Mun. 243.
In his absence, for null defence to dishereis him of his auld heritage wranguuslie 1565 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. II 20.
Quhilkis utheris lettris are wrangeouslie and sinisterlie purchaset without cognitioun in the cause 1568 Inverness Rec. I 169.
Wrangusle and aganis the law thai rasaue prenteissis … without licience 1571 Reg. Privy C. II 99.
Wranguslie and expres contrar the law and practik of this realme 1574 Inverness Rec. I 235.
That wrangusle and aganis the law he delyweris me nocht ane schrywin of myne 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 178.
Lord Symple … tuik vp wrangouslie and be force the haill dewties of the abbay of Paslay 1608 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 66.
The said William … maist wrangouslie intruseit himself in the possessioun of the said yaird 1622-6 Bisset I 314/14.
That wranguslie and aganist the lauch that he had manured … his … land(c) 1460 Lindores A. 159.
Wrangyssly(d) 1539 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II 359.
Wrongously 1670 Stitchill Baron Ct. 58.
Johne Frenche for scandalling of James Dausone wrongously in calling him theiffe … is unlawed in fyve punds Scots 1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 281.
Pyking and wrongouslie away takeing ane trie 1699 Argyll Justic. Rec. 180.
The said George Campbell having shaken off all … regaird to his Majesties lawes … did … wrongously lift the said Patrick his fishing herring netts

3. Undeservedly, without justification.(a) c1420 Ratis R. 974.
Pled nocht bot for thine awn honore And for thine awne possessione, That wrangvysly it ga nocht done c1420 Wynt. v 4701.
Thare wes a clerk … That feld hym grevyd wrangwsly [C., W. wrangwisly] Be hys byschape 1456 Hay I 280/21.
Sen ȝe … has tane thame [sc. arms] efter us … ȝe suld deferr till us … Quharfore, I say, ȝe bere thame evill and wrangwisly 1490 Irland Mir. III 110/28.
The law of natur: … A man suld sla na persoune wrangwisly c1490 Irland Asl. MS 26/4.
And thow be put to deid richtwislie or wranguislie 1513 Doug. ii ii 158.
My wrechit sawle … That gyltles sufferis sik dyseys wrangwisly 1531 Bell. Boece I 102.
His son and wif, quhilkis he afore had wrangusly exilit but ony falt 1533 Boece 620b.
Sic crymes wranguislie to him war impit 1558-66 Knox I 450.
That towne … whairin ye have most wrangouslie planted your soldiouris a1578 Pitsc. I 254/11.
I may seik my awin iust richt of my pensieoun quhilk is haldin frome me wrangouslie 1603 Reg. Privy C. VI 568.
Thaise that ar bakbyttit and wrangouslie hairmit be thair untrew reportis 1625 Justiciary Cases I 31.
We … ar charget … for the allegit useing of ane wrang elne … the justice … intendis to proceid aganis us in that matter wranguslie; Because it is of veritie that thir fals elnes … is no elne bot ane measour uset in all tymes bygane(b) 1680 Cloud of Witnesses (1714) 40.
They have … assized and sentenced me wrongously; for I did never mind to … robb any man

4. Mistakenly, erroneously; in a manner not in keeping with the processes of the law. 1474 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 422.
That the persone that passit uppone the seruing of the said brefe has nocht errit nor wrangwisly retourit 1500 Fraser P. 111.
The said maister Androw has wranguislie procedit in the serving of the said breif 1551 Prot. Bk. J. Cristisone 107 (see Court-fre adj.). 1562-3 Winȝet I 53/4.
Paull at that tyme wes … maist wranguslie persuadit, that all that he did wes … pleasand to God 1563 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 36 (see Cass adj.). 1563 Davidson Answer 212.
Tharefore mony wyll judge that (as I buire hatred to the councels and cheif pastours of the kirk) I wranguslie attribute to the instrumentis that thing quhilk appertenis to the lyvelie workare 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 227.
For allegeit noncomperance hes causit denunce him rebell and put him to the horne wranguslie 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Assisa.
The man that is clenged, albeit wrangously can not be filed againe or punist 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Bovata terræ.
Bovata terræ … quhilk in sum buikes, is wrangeouslie written, Davata terræ 1600 Edinb. B. Rec. V 272.
Quhen the deyne of gild [etc.] … produces thair decreitt … the partie … gif he findis him self hurt be the said decreit sall … schaw … that he estemis [blank] that decreitt wranguslie gevin 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 88b.
The defender may aske the sicht of the breive … in the quhilk gif he finds any fault … be nomination of the land wrangouslie [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset I 272/16.
The commisseris of Edinburght hes power … to reduce the decreittis wranguslie gevin be all inferioure commisseris 1649 Lamont Diary 4.
Things insert in the session booke wrongouslie, and afteruarde … blotted out