v. [UN-2 6 b, 4. Cf. Du. ontpriesteren.]
1. trans. To deprive (a person) of the character or office of priest.
1550. Bale, Eng. Votaries, II. 63 b. If he were a secular prest, or one vnprested by them, he shuld clerely lose his benefyce.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 285. One Stephen was made Pope, who … doth first vnpriest, and afterwardes newpriest agayne all such as Const. before him had priested.
1641. R. Brooke, Eng. Episc., 74. I finde … some others unpriested by Councells because ordained by Presbyters alone.
1691. Grascombe, Reply Vind. Disc., 11. To take away our Orders, and Unpriest and Unbishop us.
1713. Calamy, Life Baxter (ed. 2), xvii. 466. No Secular Power could Unbishop and Unpriest, or disable them. A Clergyman’s Authority (said they) is from God.
1839. J. Rogers, Antipopopr., xvii. § 2. 340. Thousands of men may have … brought disorder and nullity into the kirk, unpriesting the priesthood.
1868. Browning, Ring & Bk., VI. 1870. Unpriest me,… Remove me from the midst, no longer priest.
2. To deprive, or make free, of priests.
1844. Mozley, Ess. (1878), II. 33. This ideal of a Church of course utterly unpriested it, and a priest, accordingly, Arnold could not tolerate.
