seely

Silly (as seely) meant happy, lucky, and blessed, then (as silly) helpless and piteous, then feeble or insignificant, then simple or unsophisticated, before taking on its current meaning.

Catachresis and the amusing, awful and artificial cathedral 2009

The seely Algerian, thinking he had scored a huge success, rushed back to Damascus: where Jemal nearly hanged him for his pains.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom Thomas Edward 2003

Of these also the stag is accounted for the most noble game, the fallow deer is the next, then the roe, whereof we have indifferent store, and last of all the hare, not the least in estimation, because the hunting of that seely beast is mother to all the terms, blasts, and artificial devices that hunters do use.

Chronicle and Romance (The Harvard Classics Series) Thomas Malory Jean Froissart

Wherat the Lord of Mendozza was greatly astonned: and when hee had heard the whole discourse, hee began to conceiue some euill opinion of the duchesse: thinkinge it to be incredible, that the earle of Pancalier woulde so forget himselfe, as to murder his owne proper nephewe and adopted sonne, to be reuenged of a seely woman.

The Palace of Pleasure, Volume 1 William Painter

Whylst grass doth grow, oft sterves the seely steede.

Quotations 1919

Whylst grass doth grow, oft sterves the seely steede.

Quotations 1919

Whylst grass doth grow, oft sterves the seely steede.

Quotations 1919

Of these also the stag is accounted for the most noble game, the fallow deer is the next, then the roe, whereof we have indifferent store, and last of all the hare, not the least in estimation, because the hunting of that seely beast is mother to all the terms, blasts, and artificial devices that hunters do use.

Of Savage Beasts and Vermin. Chapter XIV. [1577, Book III., Chapters 7 and 12; 1587, Book III., Chapters 4 and 6 1909

It should be noted here that in the Quarto of "Loues Labor's lost," see Plate 22, Page 105, if the heading "Loues Labor's lost" be counted as a line, we read on the 33rd line: "Ba most seely sheepe with a horne: you heare his learning."

Bacon is Shake-Speare Sir Edwin Durning-Lawrence 1875

The answer which is given is evidently an incorrect answer, it is "Ba, puericia with a horne added," and the Boy mocks him with "Ba most seely sheepe, with a horne: you heare his learning."

Bacon is Shake-Speare Sir Edwin Durning-Lawrence 1875