1. Not guilty; guiltless; innocent: a. Of persons.
c. 893. [see below].
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 1018. Is þis an honour to þi deite That folk vngiltyf [v.r. ongilti] suffren here Iniure?
1388. Wyclif, Num. xiv. 18. Doynge awei wickidnesse and trespassis, and leeuynge no man vngilti.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 22. Fleeth hem, ȝif ȝe be vngylty, & leuyth hem, ȝif ȝe be gilty.
1558. Phaër, Æneid, II. C iv b. Whom by a treason false the Greekes … Ungiltie did condempne.
1599. Breton, Miseries Manillia, Wks. (Grosart), II. 46/1. The Lord of lordes dooth knowe this tale to bee untrue, And her unguiltie.
a. 1634. Chapman, Alphonsus, V. i. 220. I kill’d thy father, therefore let me die, But save the life of this unguilty Empress.
1736. Thomson, Liberty, IV. 330. Rare to be seen, unguilty cities rise, Cities of brothers form’d.
1816. Monthly Mag., XLII. 430. Thou sea,… Receive for ever in thy dark abyss The unguilty Melicertes.
1860. Trench, Serm. Westm. Abb., v. 53. The clothing … could only have been obtained at the cost of … the life of one unguilty.
absol. c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., IV. vii. 184. Ac hit God wræc on him … þæt hie mid hiera cucum onguldon þæt hie ungyltiʓe cwealdon.
13[?]. Prose Psalter ix. 30 (Dubl. MS.). He sitteþ in waytynges wyþ ryche men in preuytes þat he slee þe vngylty.
1553. Latimer, Serm. Lord’s Prayer, vi. (1562), 46. And so we acknowledge our selues to be offenders. For the vngilty nedeth no pardon.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 146. The guilty and unguilty are censured both alike by the common sort.
1703. Secr. Policy of Jansenists, 24. That I may not asperse the unguilty.
b. Of the hands, mind, blood, etc.
13[?]. Prose Psalter cv. 35. And hij … shadde blode nouȝt filed [v.r. vngilty blode].
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xxxvii. 22. Kepe ȝe ȝoure hondes vngilti.
1595. Daniel, Civ. Wars, I. xc. Stay here thy foote, thy yet vnguilty foote. Ibid. (1605), Pilotas, III. i. With th’ assured Chear Of my unguilty Conscience.
1633. Ford, Broken H., II. iii. Time can never On the white table of unguilty faith Write counterfeit dishonour.
1740. Richardson, Pamela, I. 230. Surrendering up my Life, spotless and unguilty, to that merciful Being who gave it.
c. Of an animal. rare–1.
1600. Maides Metam., I., in Bullen, O. Pl. (1882), I. 109. And, hauing slaine it, rip his panting breast, And take the heart of the vnguiltie beast.
2. Guiltless or innocent of something.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 89. He of Baldac cryed, ‘late be! late be! he is vngylti of þat mannys deth!’
1535. Coverdale, Matt. xxvii. 24. I am vngiltie of ye bloude of this righteous man.
1577. Grange, Golden Aphrod., E iij b. Sith I vnguiltie am thereof, I wil not seeke the same T’excuse.
1606. Chapman, M. D’Olive, Plays, 1873, I. 224. Keepe your cullour stiffe, vnguiltie of passion or disgrace.
1820. Hogg, Tales & Sk. (1837), III. 96. He is as unguilty of the whole affair, as the child that is not after being born.
† b. Undeserving of. Obs.–1
1595. W. Smith, Chloris (1877), 21. With patience bearing loues captiuitie, Themselues vnguiltie of his wrath alleaging.
† 3. Not involving guilt. Obs.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. x. This outward glosse, intitled Beautie, which it pleaseth you to lay to my (as I thinke) vnguiltie charge.
1662. J. Chandler, Van Helmont’s Oriat., 213. That now and then, the digestion beares the unguilty fault of the expulsive faculty.
