a. Obs. Forms: 5–6 solacius, 5–7 solacious; 5 solacyose, 5–6 -ous, 6 -ouse, Sc. -us; 6–7 solatious. [a. OF. solacieus (soulaceus, etc.), f. solas SOLACE sb.1 So Sp. solazoso.] Affording or giving solace, in various senses of the sb. (Common c. 1500–1650.)
1375. Barbour, Bruce, X. 290. In cumpany solacius He wes, and thar-with amorus.
c. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, III. xxiii. 92. Þou allone art hiest,… þou allone most swete & most solacious.
1451. Capgrave, Life St. Gilbert, 70. He talked mor þan ete, and with solacious countenauns wold he glade his gestis.
a. 1470. H. Parker, Dives & Pauper (W. de W., 1496), III. xvii. 153/1. The holy daye hath ben solacyous … both for soule and bodye.
1503. Hawes, Examp. Virt., II. xxvii. For they be so fayre and wounderous That theym to se it is solacyous.
1546. Bale, English Votaries, I. 18 b. Women greuouse and solacyouse.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 1164. Delicious it is in aduersitie, & solatious in all weaknes.
1611. J. Davies (Heref.), Sco. Folly, xliv. C 2. Fountaine of Conceits acute and solacious.
1641. J. Symonds, Serm. bef. Ho. Comm., Ep. Ded. ¶ 3. What can be more solatious to a Christian Spirit, then to see the dying Saints reviving, and insolent oppressors dying?
1675. Cocker, Morals, 41. Old Friends to trust, old Gold to keep, old Wine To drink; are a solacious good old Trine.
[1826. Galt, Last of Lairds, xiii. 118. Such solacious participation in the influences of the season, as he called it.]
Hence † Solaciously adv. Obs.
1526. Skelton, Magnyf., 2395. Prosperyte to hym is gyuen solacyusly to man.
