evangely Obs. or arch.
(ɪˈvændʒəlɪ)
Forms: 4–7 ev-, ewangeli(e, -ye, (5 evangilye), 4–5 evaungelie, -y, 5– evangely. Also 5 aphet. vangelye.
[ad. Eccl. L. ēvangelium, ad. Gr. εὐαγγέλιον good tidings (in class. Gr. only ‘reward for bringing good news,’ and in pl. ‘a sacrifice offered on receiving good news’), f. εὐάγγελος, f. εὖ well + ἀγγέλλειν to announce. Cf. evangel1.]
1. The ‘good news’ of redemption; the Gospel revelation, the faith of the Gospel; = evangel 1.
| 1382 Wyclif Gal. i. 7 Ther ben summe that..wolen mysturne the euangelie of Crist. c 1450 Lonelich Grail lii. 969 [Piers] the holy vangelye gan him vndo. c 1540 in Prance Addit. Narr. Pop. Plot (1679) 36 To most notable slaunder of Christs Holy Evangely. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. x. 53 Christes Evangely. 1675 Case of Quakers conc. Oaths def. 47, I..submit myself principally to the Evangely of Jesus Christ. 1683 E. Hooker Pref. Ep. Pordage's Mystic Div. 29 This Gospel is, this the Evangelie. |
b. In etymological sense: Glad tidings.
| c 1380 Wyclif Serm. (Sel. Wks.) II. 339 Evangeli is seid as good tyþing of blis: and þus not oonly þes foure gospels but epistlis of Poul..ben clepid Evangelies. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. xi. 54 If oure Euangelie is couered. |
2. The Gospel record; = evangel1 2. Also a passage in the same.
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. i. 174 Þeos beþ wordes I-writen In þe Ewangelye. c 1386 Chaucer Melib. ¶113 As he him selfe recordeth in his Evaungelie. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xii. 204 For clergie seith þat he seih in the seynt euangelie, That, etc. c 1470 Harding Chron. lxxxvii, Thou vnderstandest full litill theuangilye. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour L ij, Jhesus Cryst sayd in theuangely that, etc. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. (1877–9) 120 Our Sauiour Christ Iesus..in his Euangely, the sixt of Mathew, saith. |
b. One of the Four Gospels; = evangel 2 b.
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xvi. 45 Þenne cam scripture, And seruede hem þus sone of sondrie metes menie, Of austyn, [of] ambrosie, of all þe foure euangelies. ? a 1400 Chester Pl. 210 Austyne..his homilye upon Saynte John Evangelye. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 2854 Rehersed by Mathewe, in his evangely. 1529 Latimer 1st Serm. on the Card i. 5 Christ..left be hind for our safeguard..the evangelies, the sacraments, the commandments, and so forth. 1530 Compend. Treat. (1863) 53 That the Euangely off Jhon was drawen into Englishe by the forsayde Bede. |
¶ App. taken to mean ‘evangelist’. (The older texts have euangelist, wangeliste.)
| c 1340 Cursor M. 13977 (Trin.) Als telleþ luke þe euangele. |
3. As an object to swear upon. a. pl. A copy of the Four Gospels; cf. evangel1 3. b. sing. used collectively: The Gospels.
| 1494 Fabyan vii. 548 And I swere vpon the holy Euaungelys here presentlye with my handys towchyd, that, etc. 1547 Homilies i. Swearing ii. (1859) 79 Whosoever wilfully forsweareth himself upon Christs holy Evangely. 1577 Harrison England ii. v. (1877) i. 123 You shall..swear upon the holy evangelies by you bodily touched. |