adv. arch. Forms: 4–5 sertes, sertis, 4–7 certis, 4–5 certys, 5 certus, 6 certeyse, certesse, (5)–7 certs, 3– certes. [ME. certes, a. OF. certes, more fully a certes, according to Littré:—L. *a certis from certain (grounds), certainly. Cf. OSp. certas, Cat. certes.
In French now pronounced (sert’): in Eng. usually dissyllabic, but, from 1300, occasionally found as a monosyllable, spelt cert or certs, or shown by the rhyme or rhythm to be so pronounced when written certes. See CERT.]
Of a truth, of a certainty, certainly, assuredly. Used to confirm a statement. (‘An old word’ (J.); used chiefly in poetry or archaic prose.)
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1769. Certes cwaþ þe ule þat is soþ.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 4907. ‘Sertes,’ said þai, ‘leue lauerdinges, Haue we noght þan o þe kinges.
138[?]. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 6. Certis noon but the lord of þis feeste.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 64. ffor certes [v.r. certus] lord ther is noon of vs alle, That she ne hath been a duchesse or a queene.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., I. ii. 8. Wherfore certis if eny man can be sikir [etc.].
c. 1557. in Hazl., E. P. P., III. 121. Many a man certesse.
1597. Bp. Hall, Sat., I. iii. 29. Then certes was the famous Corduban Never but half so high tragedian.
1600. Tourneur, Transf. Met., xxxiii. Yet certis, if the naked truth I say.
1759. Sterne, Tr. Shandy (1802), II. xix. 240. Then certes the soul does not inhabit there.
1802. Wordsw., Stanzas, in Castle Indolence, vi. And certes not in vain; he had inventions rare.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., I. I. 47. Certes, we might have gathered wealth untold.
† β. monosyllabic. Obs.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 1359. He thonkid alle therof, certes, And starf anon withoute smert.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 13. Certs to þis I sey þei owe boþe to curse & wari.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., I. i. 48. As you guesse: One certes, that promises no Element in such a businesse.
1640. Fuller, Joseph’s Coat, David’s Sin (1867), 213. This, certs, I know. Ibid., David’s Pun., 237. But certs I know that such mistake their ground.
