adv. Obs. Forms: 4 spacli, 5 -ly, 4 spakli (-liy), 4–5 -ly, 5 spakely; 4 spaclyche, spaklich(e. [f. SPACK a. Cf. ON. spakliga, MSw. spaklika.]
1. Speedily, quickly; actively.
Freq. in 14th-cent. poetry; in some examples the sense is not quite clear.
c. 1310. in Wright, Lyric P., x. 37. Such reed me myhte spaclyche reowe.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 5456. Þe king of spayne spacli spedde him þan to horse.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVII. 81. And spes spaklich hym spedde, spede if he myȝte, To ouertake hym.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 2975. With þat he … Sparis out spacly as sparke out of gledes.
2. Prudently, knowingly, wisely.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 19. Þe child … was … breme of his age, For spakly speke it couþe tho, & spedeliche to-wawe.
c. 1400. Sege Jerus., 784. Or y wende fro þis walle, ȝe schul wordes schewe & efte spakloker speke.
