1. = INCONSTANT a. 1.
c. 1480. Henryson, Test. Cres., 570. Traisting in vther als greit vnfaithfulnes, Als vnconstant, and als vntrew of fay.
1483. Caxton, Cato, c vj. And by the contrarye the man unconstaunt … falleth in to many vyces and synnes.
1564. Palfreyman, Baldwin’s Mor. Philos., 45. All men are ignorant, and as fraile and vnconstant as ye shadow of smoke.
1581. Pettie, trans. Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., I. (1586), 26 b. To some, stout hardinesse, and deuout holinesse, haue been alwaies proper and naturall, who neuerthelesse are worldlings and vnconstant.
1602. Fulbecke, Pandects, 89. For the Ægyptians as others report of them, are men vnconstant, raging, proude,… desirous of nouelties.
1647. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., I. lxvi. 229. They found the King either wilfull or unconstant.
1693. Mem. Ct. Teckely, iv. 25. The Will of the Soveraign, which is as unconstant as his Passions.
1712. Arbuthnot, John Bull, I. v. Bull … was … of a very unconstant temper.
Comb. 1653. R. Sanders, Physiogn., 194. A mutable, wavering, unconstant-minded person.
b. spec. Unfaithful in love or wedlook.
1561. Chaucer’s Wks., 340. A balade whiche Chaucer made agaynst women vnconstaunt.
1593. Marlowe, Edw. II., V. i. My vnconstant Queene, Who spots my nuptiall bed with infamie.
1611. Beaum. & Fl., King & No King, IV. She lives to tell thee thou art more unconstant, Than all ill women ever were together.
1676. D’Urfey, Mme. Fickle, IV. i. I am grown jealous of my Mistriss, several Reports declare she is unconstant.
1757. W. Wilkie, Epigon., VII. 196. To reclaim The hero’s love,… If e’er, devoted to a stranger’s charms, He stray’d, unconstant, to her widow’d arms.
c. Of actions, conduct, etc.
1549. Compl. Scot., xii. 100. Thai culd nocht meruel aneucht of his onconstant ansuer.
1563. B. Googe, Eglogs, vii. (Arb.), 59. Men do smarte not through your words but your vnconstant deeds.
1609. Daniel, Civ. Wars, VIII. lxxxvii. Without which, nor his Greatnes, nor his Wits, Could ward him from the Kings vnconstant fits.
1621. Quarles, Hadassa, Introd. Bleare-eyd mortals,… with vnconstant frailty,… vary From what is good, to what is cleane contrary.
1694. Kettlewell, Comp. Penitent, 66. My good Thoughts are unconstant and Changeable.
2. = INCONSTANT a. 2.
1574. Hyll, Conject. Weather, ii. The winter shall be windie and unstable, the Spring windy, and unconstant of weather.
1592. trans. Junius on Rev. xvii. 16. As unconstant and variable as are the waters.
a. 1619. Fotherby, Atheom., II. viii. § 2 (1622), 284. Error is alwayes vnconstant, and neuer true into it selfe.
1645. Quarles, Sol. Recant., III. 21. Vnconstant earth! what can thy treasure show, That is not, like thy self, unconstant too?
1691. T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., 79. An unconstant and unequal decay.
1703. R. Neve, City & C. Purchaser, 3. Being kept in an unconstant Temper, it decays in a little time.
1721. Ramsay, Keitha, 93. The powers … dinna like to gie o’er meikle trust To this unconstant earth, with what’s divine.
b. = INCONSTANT a. 2 b.
1610. Fletcher, Faithf. Sheph., II. i. Ne’r did my unconstant eye yet greet That beauty.
