Forms: (see SOVEREIGN sb. and a.). [f. SOVEREIGN a. + -LY2.] In a sovereign manner.
1. In a supreme degree; in a surpassing or pre-eminent manner.
α. c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 8777. And þat land es cald soveraynly Þe kyngdom of God alle-myghty.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XI. 176. [Christ] comaundeth eche creature … hym to louye, And souereynelyche pore poeple.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 99. Þe kynde of þe þinges abown shall drawe hym soueraynly to þe craft þat accordes to hem.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 9. Many spyrtys it counfortyth souvereynly.
a. 1536. Songs, Carols, etc. (E.E.T.S.), 2. Soueraynly in mynd she is with me.
1577. St. Aug. Manual (Longman), 5. Thou art good without qualitie, and therefore … sovereinly good.
β. c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 457. Al his hert … To loue hir was sett souereignelie.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. clxxxi. [clxxvii.] 549. Soueraygnely there ought none to enterprise any mater there.
1586. Warner, Alb. Eng., II. viii. (1592), 31. But soueraignlie the Sonne of Ioue bestird him in the presse.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., I. ii. 323. I cannot Beleeue this Crack to be in my dread Mistresse (So soueraignely being Honorable).
1648. Boyle, Seraph. Love, ii. (1700), 15. He was Soveraignly Lovely in Himself.
1715. Ash, Serm. for S. P. G., 10. The other more exalted Charity … sovereignly heals all the Maladies and Infirmities of a corrupt Nature.
1768. Woman of Honor, II. 38. She possesses sovereignly the talent of declining offers without offence.
1834. Mar. Edgeworth, Helen, III. xii. An expression which had sovereignly taken her fancy.
1856. Doran, Knights & their Days, 182. Alien knights who were expected to render obedience, and could not sovereignly exert it.
1891. G. Meredith, One of our Conq., xxxviii. She was a girl sovereignly pure, angelically tender.
γ. 1375. Barbour, Bruce, X. 299. He, for his dedis worthy, Suld weill be prisit soueranly.
c. 1400. Love, Bonavent. Mirr. (1908), 91. The whiche clennes we oweth souerenly to desire.
1432. Test. Ebor. (Surtees), II. 19. Þat it may be pleasauns and louyng to hym soueranly.
δ. 1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 45. In þe worchep … souerengly of þe Noble confessour seynt Antony.
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 135. Therfor good rennoune is Souerantly to be desyrid.
a. 1500[?]. Chester Pl., I. 57. Wee thanke the lorde, full soverayntlie that us hath formed so cleane and cleare.
2. With supremacy or supreme power; royally; as a sovereign.
c. 1375. Leg. Rood (1871), 124. A nobill king … Was gouernowre of grete empire Souerainly als lord and syre.
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. 1064. Wher I hym leue in his royal sete Souereynly regnynge in quiete.
1471. Fortescue, Wks. (1869), 533. I wrote how that me semyd no woman ought soveranly or suppremely to reynge vpon man.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Presidial, Courts of Iustice … wherein ciuile causes … are heard, and adiudged, Soueraignely, and without Appeales.
1643. Case Affairs Law, Relig., etc. 15. The superioritie that is but subordinately in them is soveraignely in the Parliament.
1692. S. Patrick, Answ. Touchstone, 96. None but God can absolutely and sovereignly forgive Sin.
1738. Warburton, Div. Legat., II. 410. A King who should determine sovereignly, and command their Armies.
1793. Holcroft, trans. Lavater’s Physiog., xxxiv. 176. [Women] often rule more effectually, more sovreignly than man.
1883. Mem. Vol. Rev. Alex. Maclean, 231. How sovereignly the Lord of Misrule sways his sceptre.
