a. Obs. exc. Sc. and north. [See WILLED a. 2.] Kindly or favorably disposed.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. clxxxv. (1495), 727. Of good men and well wylled: dronkenesse makyth euyll men and wycked.
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 2186. Thogh I be nat wys, Wel-willed am I.
1484. Rich. III., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. I. 166. Oure sayde soverayn Lord, as a wele-willed, diligent, and couragious Prince.
1530. Palsgr., 329/1. Wellwylled, de bonne voulenté.
1598. D. Ferguson, Sc. Prov. (S.T.S.), 82. Nothing is difficile to a well willit man.
1891. Atkinson, Moorland Par., 65. This was but one of the many exploits of a like nature achieved by this well-willed being.
1899. J. Spence, Shetld. Folk-lore, 212. The weel-willed man is the beggar’s bridder.
b. Const. to, unto; also to (do something) or that (something be done).
1417. E. E. Wills (1882), 38. Y pray hem þat þey be well wyllet … to here.
c. 1440. Alphabet of Tales, 295. And þuf all he war not welewillid þerto, yit he was compellid to drynk.
c. 1465. Eng. Chron. (Camden, 1856), 5. All the Cite was vnto thaym frendly and wellwillid.
1465. Marg. Paston, in P. Lett., II. 202. As for the woman that made the clayme,… he ys wellwyllyd that she shold be seyn to in the way of almys.
c. 1473. Plumpton Corr. (Camden), 27. I will be as wellwilled to doe things for your pleasure.
1477. Rolls of Parlt., VI. 178/1. Wherunto the more partie of the inhabitaunts … be right welwilled and agreable.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccxi. 254. Certayne yonge knyghtes … well wylled to do some dede of armes.
1871. W. Alexander, Johnny Gibb, xxii. 163. But see sic a han’le as that state o’ maitters gies to them that’s but owre weel-willit to be lords owre God’s spiritual heritage.
