Now rare. [OE. unrihtlíce (UN-1 11 + RIGHTLY adv.), = MDu. onrechtelike (obs. Du. -lijk), MLG. unrechteliken, OHG. unrehtlîhho (MHG. unrehtlîche, etc.), ON. úréttliga (MDa. and Da. urettelig, MSw. orätlika).] Not rightfully; unfairly, wrongly.
a. 900. O. E. Martyrol., 18 May, 84. Fram þæm mannum … þa he ær unrihtlice ofsloh on þyssum life.
c. 1000. Rule St. Benet (1888), 104. Unrihtlice he ne ʓedihte [nan þing].
c. 1425. Eng. Conq. Ireland, 128. To setten yn har londes, Thay that wyth streynth & vnryghtly weren out i-dryue.
1544. Bale, Chron. Sir J. Oldcastell, 55 b. Not all vnryghtlye ded saynct Augustyn speake yt.
1583. trans. Maison Neuve’s Gerileon, I. 29 b. Thereby to burden you with the fault, wherein not vnrightly you are culpable.
1643. Prynne, Sov. Power Parl., III. 108. If any inferiour Officers … unrightly governe the people, they may lawfully be resisted by them.
1878. Prodigal Son, IV., in Simpson, Sch. Shaks., 110. We are such honest folk that we covet nothing unrightly.
