a1544 H. Latimer Let. in J. Foxe Actes & Monuments (1563) 1329/1 The Galathians..were in a quiete trade vnder the dominion of masterlye Curates.

1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. Pref. sig. A.v^v They stablished..so many canons, so many maisterly [Fr. magistrales] determinations without any woord of God.

1586 T. Bowes tr. P. de la Primaudaye French Acad. I. 492 A house..may be diuided..into these foure parts: into Matrimoniall, Parentall, Lordly or Maisterlie, and Possessorie part.

a1618 W. Raleigh Prerogatiue Parl. (1628) 43 It was a proud and maisterly speech of the Duke.

1645 J. Milton Tetrachordon 33 It gives place to maisterly power, for the Maister might take away from an Hebrew servant the wife which hee gave him.

1649 J. Milton Εικονοκλαστης v. 42 He told them with a maisterly Brow, that by this act he had oblig'd them.

1668 J. Dryden Sr Martin Mar-all iv. 36 You are a sawcy masterly Companion, and so I leave you.

1685 R. Baxter Paraphr. New Test. 1 Tim. ii. 11 Let them [sc. women]..not be over-talkative and masterly.

1766 J. Entick New Hist. London I. 277 If he had been apprized of his masterly behaviour.

a1648 W. Percy Faery Pastorall iii. ii, in Cuck-queanes & Cuckolds Errants (1824) 137 Since you commend my Archery so high Loe you another shott as Masterlye.

1662 J. Evelyn Sculptura iv. 96 Perform'd in single and masterly stroaks, without decussations and cross hatchings.

1699 R. Bentley Diss. Epist. Phalaris (new ed.) Introd. 2 We must expect nothing from Him, but what is masterly and great.

1713 J. Gay in Guardian 1 Sept. 1/1 You may see the Masterly Hand of a Painter in three or four swift Strokes of the Pencil.

1773 H. Chapone Lett. Improvem. Mind II. 149 I do not wish your knowledge to be exact and masterly.

1804 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 12 174 The small, but masterly work of Le Dran on Gun-shot Wounds.

1815 W. H. Ireland Scribbleomania 139 (note) She has blended truth with fiction in a masterly way.

1876 L. Stephen Hours in Libr. 2nd Ser. vii. 292 The thought is masculine and the expression masterly.

1925 J. M. Murry Keats & Shakespeare i. 8 Time and again he marshals the evidence, in his masterly fashion, so that the conclusion..appears inevitable.

1988 A. Robertson Atkinson Grimshaw iv. 75 Dickens presents a masterly description of London grime in the first chapter of Bleak House.

1868 T. F. Cronise Nat. Wealth Calif. 271 On the surface it is composed of four parallel veins, all of which, from their proximity and angle of pitch, it is thought will finally unite in one masterly lode.

1895 B. Scott in Westm. Gaz. 18 Nov. 4/1 A shaft has been sunk..on a strong masterly lode, many feet in thickness.

c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) ii. 1035 (MED) Þis ymage..Was..From hed to foot so maisterly entayled.

c1450 (?c1408) J. Lydgate Reson & Sensuallyte (1901) 2396 And synge songes of plesaunce, Maisterly revel and Daunce.

1599 T. Nashe Lenten Stuffe 23 I might enamell and hatch ouer this deuice more artificially and masterly.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) v. iii. 65 'Masterly done: The very Life seemes warme vpon her Lippe. View more context for this quotation

1726 G. Leoni tr. L. B. Alberti Architecture II. 62 They are masterly wrought.

1887 J. J. Hissey Holiday on Road 382 Its wooden gables..showed how masterly they had been carved of old.