saufly

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Middle English

[edit]

Adverb

[edit]

saufly

  1. Alternative form of savely
    • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of Bath's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 878-881:
      Wommen may go saufly up and doun,
      In every bush, or under every tree;
      Ther is noon other incubus but he,
      And he ne wol doon hem but dishonour.
      Women may go safely up and down,
      In every bush or under every tree;
      There is no other evil spirit but he,
      And he will not do them any harm except dishonor.
    • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Nun's Priest's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 4396-4399:
      God woot that worldly Ioye is sone ago;
      And if a rethor coude faire endyte,
      He in a cronique saufly mighte it wryte,
      As for a sovereyn notabilitee.
      God knows that worldly joy is soon gone;
      And if a rhetorician could fairly compose,
      He in a chronicle confidently could write it,
      As a supremely important fact.