adv. Forms: 4 lellik, -ich(e, -yche, leellich(e, leelly, lelli, leleli, lelyly, lelik, leeliche, leli, leyly, 4–5 lelly, lely, lele, 4–6 lelely, 5–6 lelile, -y, 6 leillellie, lelalie, lealie, leallelie, leily, 9 leally. [f. LEAL a. + -LY2.]
1. Loyally, faithfully, truly.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1955 (Gött.). All þat wil leleli [Cott. lely; Fairf. lele] hald þair lede. Ibid., 3818 (Cott.). Of all þe god he dos me weild Lelik [Gött. lelely] his tend i sal him yeild.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1066. & lelly louy þy lorde & his leef worþe.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 22777 (Edin.). Þai foluis lellik al his laues.
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 639. Þat leeueþ fulliche on God & lellyche þenkeþ On his lore and his lawe.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 3875. Was neuer kyng … lellier louyt ledys of his aune.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xviii. 182. Thise ar the commaundmentys ten, who so will lely layt.
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 21. [He] sould stand his freind leillellie and trewlie.
1588. in Beveridge, Culross & Tulliallan, I. iv. 125. They suld use the offices faythfullie and lealie till all persones.
1597. Skene, De Verb. Sign., s.v. Iter, The dempster … sall leallelie and trewlie, vse and exerce his office.
1773. Fergusson, Poems (1807), 304. Sae lealy I’ll propone defences, As yet ye flung for my expences.
1837. R. Nicoll, Poems (1843), 123. The men … Who by Scotland, my country, stood leally and true.
† 2. Truly, really, actually. Obs.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 95. Þere walked he a-boute þe walles to winne in siȝt; & at þe last lelly a litel hole he findes. Ibid., 117. But lelliche þat ladi in ȝouþe hadde lerned miche schame.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XII. 174. He that knoweth clergye can sonner aryse Out of synne … than any lewed lelly [C. XV. 113 sothliche].
a. 1400. Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1867), 30. For þat oure saule es lelly lyke vn-till þe lyknes of þe ffadyr, and þe Sone, and þe Haly Gaste.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 313. Tell me now lelely quhat is thy richt name.
