Forms: α. 3–6 solas, 5–6 solasse, 6 Sc. solaes, soles. β. 4– solace, 4–6 sollace. (See also SOLANCE sb.) [a. OF. solas, later soulas (now dial.), = Prov. solatz, Sp. solaz, It. sollazzo:—L. sōlācium, sōlātium, f. the stem of sōlārī to comfort, console. Cf. MDu. and MLG. solaes.]
1. Comfort, consolation; alleviation of sorrow, distress or discomfort.
α. c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 220. Hidere þou come for ovre solas, and nouȝt suych deol to make.
c. 1300. Life of Beket, etc. (Percy Soc.), 138. Vourty dawes he was, In a chaumbre al one withoute eni Solas.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 2789. I shalle yeve thee … Three other thingis, that gret solas Doith to hem that be in my las.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., v. 13 (Harl. MS.). I pray þe, wepe not, but make me solas and comfort, and chere me.
1530. Palsgr., 272. Solasse, comforte, solas, recomfort, solace.
β. 1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 252. His solace was alle reft, þat scho fro him was gon, Ne no sonne him left.
1382. Wyclif, Heb. xiii. 22. Forsothe, britheren, I preie ȝou, that ȝe suffre a word of solace.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), Pref. 2. Þeroff þai hafe grete solace and comforthe.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 203/2. I am with the and shalle gyue to the the solace of my serununt paule.
1575. Mirr. Mag., Hen. VI., xvii. The solace of my soule my chiefest pleasure was.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., II. iii. 21. Sorrow would [have] sollace, and mine Age would ease.
1611. Heywood, Gold. Age, I. i. C ij. I’le warre with comfort, be at oddes with solace.
1677. Marvell, Corr., Wks. (Grosart), II. 560. You will … have the usual solace of those who goe to law, that your adversary hath been at no lesse charges.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 653. For I want to lay in a stock of solace which shall not fail me in time of need.
1791. Mrs. Radcliffe, Rom. Forest, iv. (1792), 119. She wept also, that she could no longer seek solace in the friendship of Adeline.
1839. G. P. R. James, Louis XIV., III. 143. Though the relief of reading was allowed as some solace to his overloaded heart.
1879. W. H. Dixon, Royal Windsor, II. xvii. 182. Time brought no solace to her widowed heart.
† 2. Pleasure, enjoyment, delight; entertainment, recreation, amusement. Obs.
α. 1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 370. To honti & to winne is mete & to abbe solas & game.
a. 1320. Sir Tristrem, 2856. Þer was miche solas Of alle maner soun And gle.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Frankl. T., 74. He goth to his cuntre,… Wher as he lyveth in blisse and in solas.
c. 1430. Lydg., Minor Poems (Percy Soc.), 80. Thus thay songe … This melodious ympne withe grete solas.
1484. Caxton, Fables of Poge, iv. [Hunting and hawking] ought not to be done ful ofte, but somtyme for to take disporte and solas.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. clx. 178 b. For he kepte reuyll, daunsyng, and solas: and euery daye it was newe to begyn.
1551. R. Robinson, trans. More’s Utopia, I. (1895), p. xciv. An yle … Ful fraight with worldly welth, with pleasure and solas.
β. a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter lxxvi. 3. He amonestis vs to pass fra erthly solace and ȝern anly delit of heuen.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVIII. 217. God of his goodnesse … Sette hym in solace & in souereigne myrthe.
c. 1400. Pilgr. Sowle, IV. i. (Caxton, 1483), 58. Hym nedeth of solace and disport wher with to appesen his herte.
1480. Caxton, Myrr., II. iii. 67. This is a place whiche is ful of solace, of playsances and of delices.
1519. Interlude Four Elements (Percy Soc.), 45. Let us go to the taverne agayn, And make some mery solace.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. vi. 3. And therein sate a Ladie fresh and faire, Making sweet solace to her selfe alone.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 176. Sundry smal turrets are dispersed about, which serue for solace as well as for safe-guard.
a. 1629. Hinde, J. Bruen, xxix. (1641), 90. O how great was his rejoycing, and solace, when … he might rejoyce the soules of Gods people.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 844. Great joy he promis’d to his thoughts, and now Solace in her return.
3. That which gives comfort or consolation, † brings pleasure or enjoyment, etc.
c. 1290. Beket, 178, in S. Eng. Leg., I. 111. For he scholde hire solas beo, and speke to hire with mouþe.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xxxvii. 11. In þere twa solaces man ioyes.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xix. 88. He hase forsaken … all þe ricches and solacez of þe werld.
c. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, II. v. 45. God allone … is þe solace of mannys soule & very gladnes of herte.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxxvi. § 8. All which solaces and comforts of this our vnquiet life it pleaseth God oftentimes to bestow.
1597. Bacon, Ess., Of Honour & Reputation (Arb.), 74. Fauorites, such as exceede not this scantling to bee sollace to the Soueraigne.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 486. To have thee by my side Henceforth an individual solace dear.
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, III. ix. 280. Tell your lady … that this [picture] has been my companion, and only solace in all my misfortunes.
1849. Robertson, Serm., Ser. I. viii. 125. He had cut himself off from the solaces of life.
4. Printing. (See quot. 1683.)
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, 356–7. The Penalty for the breach of any of these Laws and Customs is in Printers Language called a Solace.
1683. [see SOLACE v. 4].
1888. Jacobi, Printers’ Vocab., 128. Solace.—A penalty imposed by the chapel for the infringement of any of its rules.
† 5. Rose of solace, = ROSA SOLIS 2. Obs.–1
1604. Meet. of Gallants at Ordinary, C j b. To the comforting of his poore heart, he powrde downe a leauen shillings in Rose of Solace.
