sorrowfulnessn.

a1250 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Nero) (1952) 48 Seoruhfulnesse made him siken sore.

a1333 in F. A. Patterson Middle Eng. Penitential Lyric (1911) 67 The day of rykenyng..ys day of wreythe, of wo, of soroufolnesse.

c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 2 Macc. iii. 17 Forsothe sum sorewfulnesse was shed about to the man.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 22560 (MED) Þan behoves all folk to dei, Thoru sorfulnes þat þai sal drei.

c1480 (a1400) St. Paul l. 502 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 43 Þe grete blythnese kirk had efter sorowfulnese.

a1500 ( J. Yonge tr. Secreta Secret. (Rawl.) (1898) 218 In frenesy, in Dreddys, in Soroufulnesse.

1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. cv That we dispose ourselfe in sorowfulnesse of hert, to receyue his grace.

1584 J. Dee Jrnl. in True & Faithful Relation Spirits (1659) i. 234 In token of hearty sorrowfulnesse for his fault.

1648 H. Hexham Groot Woorden-boeck Bedroeftheyt, greefe,..Sorrowfullnesse.

1697 J. Cockburn 15 Serm. v. 141 Our Lord turned about, and checked the excessive Sorrowfulness of these Women, saying, Daughters of Ierusalem, weep not for me.

1727 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. II Mournfulness, sorrowfulness.

1798 W. Beckford Azemia (ed. 2) I. x. 156 Every now and then her husband seemed to fix his fierce and angry eyes on her, as if he was not willing her sorrowfulness should be remarked by the stranger.

1832 L. Hunt Poems Pref. p. lv All are the one common story of sorrowfulness.

1889 R. C. Moberly Sorrow, Sin, & Beauty i. 11 Thank God, then, for the essential sorrowfulness of human life!

1912 Harper's Mag. July 172/1 I know there was a pale, sick-looking young girl in white who..moved compassion by her gentle sorrowfulness.

1952 Observer 10 Feb. 6/3 The day-long silence maintained by English broadcasting was a gesture of quelling dignity, which also enhanced the sorrowfulness and the grandeur of the spaced announcements.

1991 N. Baker U & I i. 14 The commemorative essay..full of sad-clown sorrowfulness.