Shamefacedness (Hastings' Dictionary)

The adj. 'shamefaced' occurs in Sir 26"-^ 32"' 41'»-«, and the subst. ' shamefacedness ' in Sir 41", I Ti 2'. But in the 1611 editions, and for some time after, the spelling is always 'shaniefast' and 'shamefastness.' Davies says he has not found ' shamefaced,' ' shamefaced- ness' earlier than 1661. Trench (On AY of NT^ p. 66) says : ' Shame fastnesi is formed upon shamejast, that is, fait or established in honoiirabie sham^.

To chuni^e tills into shamefacedness is to allow all the meaning and force of the word to run to the surface, to leave it ethically a far inferior word, — and marks an unfaithful guardianship of the text, both on their part who first introduced, and theirs who have so long allowed, the change.' And Davies (Bible Bjvjlish, p.

12), after describing 'shamefastness' as 'that modesty which is fast or rooted m the character,' adds, * Tlie change is the more to be regretted because shamefacedness is seldom employed now in a verv good sense ; it has come rather to describe an awkward ditflrlence, such as we sometimes call sheepishness.' But the confusion between 'shaniufafitness' and 'shamefacedness' is as old as ICll. Shaks. does not use the lubsi., but he has Uie adj. twice : io /// Henry VI. iv.

viii 63, 'shamefaced' is the only spelling: in RicK I.I.I. Iv. 142, th« folio has ' shamefaced.' the quartos * shamefast.' In the Rhemish NT (note on Lk '2450) we read, 'S. Augustine saith that Christ him self not without cause would have bis sign to be fixed in our foreheads as in the seat of shamefastnes, that a Christian man should not be ashamed of the reproach of Christ,' which shows how the confusion could arise.

And James MelviU (Diary, 79) uses the word 'shamefastness' practicaUy in the modern sense of ' shamefacedness,' ' Vit my guid God, of his free grace, and love towards me, a vean, vyll, corrupt youths ; partlie by his fear wrought in my heart, partlie by necessar occupation in my calUng. and partlie be a certean schamfastnes of a bashful!

nature, quhilk he pat in me, sa keipit me that 1 was nocht overcome nor miscaned be na woman offensivlie to his kirk, nor grievuslie to my conscience, in blotting of my bodie.' For the proper sense of 'shamefastness,' cf. Ohaucer, Doctor's Tale, 65— 'Shamefast she was in mayden's shamefastnessa ' ; Spenser, FQ iL ix. 43 — ' She is the fountain of your modestee : You shamefast are, but Shamefastnes it selfe is shea * ; Elyot, Governour, i.

61 — 'The moste necessary thinges to be obser^'ed by a master in his disciples or scholars ... is sham- fastnes and praise. By shamfastiies, as it were with a bridell, they rule as well theyr dedes as their appetites." J. Hastings.