Obs.
1. The act of wishing well (to another); good will, favor, kindly regard.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, cxlvi. 12. Wellwillynge is til lord on dredand him [Beneplacitum est domino super timentes eum].
c. 1450. Merlin, xxvii. 505. Better he cowde enforme hem of youre volunte, for he is with hem a-queynted and theire welwellinge.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xviii. 67. By thy well wyllynge, and by the yeftes & alle other thynges that I haue doon vnto the.
1583. Melbancke, Philotimus, C c j. In those daies I wearied thee with my welwilling and yet I am not tired to procure thy wellfare.
1640. trans. Verdere’s Rom. of Rom., II. xx. 75. It begot a well willing in her towards him.
a. 1708. Beveridge, Thes. Theol. (1710), I. 30. Benevolence, or Well-willing, to the Object beloved.
2. (One’s) good pleasure; what it seems good to a person to do, intend or allow.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, cxl. 7. My prayere in þaire wele-willyngis [oracio mea in beneplacitis eorum].
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., IV. iv. 439. This was doon … bi Goddis welwilling that it schulde be doon.
c. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, II. ix. 50. He chose þe welwillyng of god [divinum beneplacitum] before mannys solace. Ibid., III. lv. 132. Do wiþ me þi desired welwilling [desideratum beneplacitum tuum].
3. Right or virtuous intention; willing what is good.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, xvii. 27. Eftere my rightwisnes … That is eftere my welwillynge þat is in my saule.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 355. Pes to the men of welwillinge In erthe be among ous here [Lk. ii. 14].
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxxxi. § 12. Simplie to will proceedeth from nature, but our welwilling is from grace.
