esili - Middle English Compendium

Middle English Dictionary Entry

ēsī̆lī adv.

Forms	ēsī̆lī adv. Also aisi(e)liche, eseli, easli, eisliche. Comp. ēsilīer, ēsiloker.
Etymology	From ēsī adj.

In comfortable circumstances, comfortably; in luxury; so as to provide comfort.

c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)259/89 : He fond heom hereborewe,..bed and cloþes guode i-nowe, and wel aysiliche heom diȝte.
(c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.8.8 : Ful ofte thingus bifalle to hym eesili, or in prosperite.
(c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.423 : Thus Walter..Wedded with fortunat honestetee, In goddes pees lyueth ful esily At hom.
(a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)97a/a : Þis euel [podagra] brediþ in hem [þat] lyueþ esylyche & softe and trauaileþ not but lite.
a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)64/16 : It was a riche man..þat lyued so eisilich and also faire as he myȝth.
c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7381 : In a liter, maked ful ryal,..To carien him softe and esely.
a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)220 : Þe child lay in a bed o loft, Made ful esely and soft.
?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)35/8 : To fullfille here pilgrymages more esily & more sykerly.
?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)20 : To..norischen hem esily in synne, and dryuen hem to helle.
a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)445 : And sell it faste for redy money in honde..and lyve therebye..easylye.
a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)509/298 : Be-lyue ȝe brought me of þe beste And made my bedde full esyly.

Without haste, leisurely; gradually, slowly; esili a pas, with unhurried step.

(c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.388 : Forth she walketh esily a pas..for to pleye and walke on foote.
(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)55 : Set hem in an ovene and lat hem bake eselich.
a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.988 : Al esily now,..for every thing hath tyme.
c1425 Contempl.DLGod (Mdst Mus.6)11 (D.71) : Y wolte schewe þe..foure degres of loue whiche þou maist kepe and eisliche come to, on aftur anothþer, yif þou haue a good wyl.
?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)473 : Let hit renne thorugh esiliche.
(1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)143 : Esyly, or sokyngly: Sensim, paulatim.
a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)42 : Lat it seþe esyli, & not hard, a good whylys.
c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1675 : Blow yt [the trumpet] soo That thrugh the world her fame goo Al esely, and not to faste.
c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3319 : Þen onswared Elan easely agayne.
c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)1804 : A palmer he sawe comyng, Easely by the wey goyng.
a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)471 : I will come ride after stilleche and esely.

With little effort or difficulty; easily, conveniently, readily.

c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)400 : To þe contreye..ȝe schullen i-wende With-oute trauail al aisieliche.
(a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.125 : Tholomeus..esily occupiede þe londes by the see side.
(c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.469 : Vpon an amblere esily she sat.
(c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1041 : [The prayer] is short,..for to withholden it the moore esily in herte.
(a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)222b/a : Hynndes eteþ þis herbe þat he may calue esiloker.
(a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)268b/b : Þe tunges of serpentes beþ..y cloue a tweyne.. & moeueþ esiliche.
(a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)69a/b : For tendirnes þe lymes of þe childe mai esilich and sone bowe .i. bende & take divers schappis.
?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)125/23 : Þei myȝten happili þe hesiliar be excusid.
a1450 3 KCol.(1) (Roy 18.A.10)71/35 : A rounde appil of gold, þe which was as moche [as] a man myȝt eselich close in his hande.
c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)90 : As moch of clene ryver watir as they may easely be boyled in.
c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)26/1 : Thus thei schal be more easly discomfytt.
c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)12 : Whos names I coude not esely lerne.
(c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)15/13 : He schal aftirward mych þe eesilier rede oþire bettir writen lettris.
(a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)15/34 : Arthur..pulled oute the swerde easely.

Gently, in a mild or kindly manner; quietly, softly.

(c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3764 : Absolon knokketh al esily And seyde, 'Vndo, Gerueys.'
(a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)283b/b : A Colte..is y taught..to gon esiliche and softe [L suaues cursus facere].
a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.156 : She gan hire eyen on hym caste Ful esily and ful debonairly.
?a1425 Const.Masonry(1) (Roy 17.A.1)268/28 : Teche hym esely hyt to amende, Wyth fayre wordes.
(1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)881 : Inspiracioun whech comth fro a-boue..It comth ful esily as a pipelyng wynde.
(c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)370 : The tenauntis..vndir the clergie ben Esilier tretid.
a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)25.220 : In A bed they dyden him leye Al so Eselye As they Cowde.
c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2208 : Ector hym answarede esely and faire.
c1460 Ipom.(3) (Lngl 257)355/19 : He..spake easlie to hire and asked who was there.
a1475 *Hrl.Bk.Hawking (Hrl 2340)2b : Take the thredes & kut them esily away.

Indifferently, poorly; scarcely;--preceded by but.

(1433) RParl.4.424b : Some [servants] withoute any liflode or guerdon,..and some but esily guerdonned.
c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)29 : Some peple endowed with worldly goodes..can not depart but easily withe finaunce.

a1500 Sln.122 Artist.Recipes (Sln 122) 116/24 : Stoppe faste þe mouth þat non eyre do in noþer out, and 6 wekes afterward opyn the barel esilyche, and take a stik and schake of þe white that hongeth on þe plates.

Note: Postdates sense 4. New spelling (esiliche).