[f. as prec. + -LY1.]
† 1. Or, pertaining to, or connected with the Court. Obs.
1484. Caxton, Curiall, 3. The maner of the peple curyall or courtly.
1567. Norfolk, Lett., in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. l. 536. Than that I can write any thing of courtly proceedings.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., I. i. 27. In Courtly company.
1611. Coryat, Crudities, 485. The Courtly Church, where the Prince and his family of the Court heareth divine Service.
1643. Prynne, Sov. Power Parl., III. 62. And were his Majestie … attended onely with his Ordinary Courtly Guard.
1786. Mad. D’Arblay, Lett., 10 July. I fear you will be so taken up with your courtly attendance, that you will have no leisure.
1882. Shorthouse, J. Inglesant, I. 105. The minion of courtly power.
2. Of persons (or their manners): Having the manners or breeding befitting the Court; polished, refined, of a high-bred courtesy.
c. 1450. Crt. of Love, 474. Be jolif, fressh, and fete, with thinges newe, Courtly with maner.
c. 1460. J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 679. Se þat ye haue officers boþe courtly and connynge.
1580. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 367. Philautus … courteous by nature, and courtly by countenance.
1633. Ford, Love’s Sacr., I. i. The French are passing courtly.
1647–8. Cotterell, Davila’s Hist. Fr. (1678), 9. Of a courtly behavour.
1791. Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, June. I could but accede, though I fear with no very courtly grace.
1852. Miss Mitford, in L’Estrange, Life, III. xiii. 234. The most courtly gentleman that he has seen in Europe.
1874. Green, Short Hist., viii. 520. His manners were genial, and even courtly.
3. Of things: Having the state, elegance or refinement befitting a court; elegant, refined.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., I. 397. The madynis come in mony courtlie ring.
1557. Tottel’s Misc. (Arb.), 192. His youth, his sport, his pleasant chere, His courtly state and company.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., III. ii. 72. You haue too Courtly a wit, for me.
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 362. Many Courtly Barges, both for magnificens shewes and pleasure of the water in Summer time.
a. 1839. Praed, Poems (1865), II. 14. Alas! the same caprices reign In courtly hall, or tented plain.
1850. Prescott, Peru, II. 279. The governor … entertained them with a courtly hospitality.
4. In bad sense: Characterized by the fair words or flattery of courtiers.
1607. Shaks., Timon, V. i. 28. To Promise, is most Courtly and fashionable.
1737. Pope, Hor. Epist., II. i. 215. In our own [days] (excuse some Courtly stains) No whiter page than Addison remains.
1768. H. Walpole, Hist. Doubts, 78. How truth sometimes escapes from the most courtly pens!
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 121. A large and respectable minority voted against the proposed words as too courtly.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), I. App. 737. A more impudent case of courtly falsehood can hardly be found.
b. Disposed to favor or be subservient to the Court.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 213. That judgment James had notoriously obtained … by dismissing scrupulous magistrates, and by placing on the bench other magistrates more courtly. Ibid., 225. Convicted by a jury, such as the courtly sheriffs of those times were in the habit of selecting.
1872. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 140. He was now essentially aristocratic and courtly in his predilection.
