a1623 W. Pemble Fiue Godly & Profitable Serm. (1628) i. 10 The godly many times are here besotted, who to satifie [sic] some one vnmasterly desire, will hazard the peace and comfort of their soules.

1682 W. Saywell Evangelical & Catholick Unity xix. 174 Suppose all the Ministers Endeavours, Reproofs, and Censures, prove in vain, and people grow unmasterly and stubborn, too obstinate and unruly for him alone to govern.

1715 T. Pyle Paraphr. Acts of Apostles II. 381 If ever Divine Justice were due to any Crimes, it must fall with terrible weight upon the abominable Lusts, the unmasterly Pride, and incurable Prejudices of the False Teachers of these Times.

1886 Pennsylvania County Court Rep. I. 383 The father made a complaint on oath, before two justices of the county, ‘that a certain child of his, by name Sarah Jane, is not well and is unmasterly in his household, and he is not able to support her any longer’.

1672 M. Locke Observ. Ess. Advancem. Mus. 37 The publishing to the World under his great Name so pitiful and unmasterly a piece.

1717 Acct. Frauds & Abuses Dagenham Breach 8 The Work was so weak, and for so long a time, and at so vast an Expence, carryed on in so unskilful and unmasterly a Manner, that it soon gave way upon the first boisterous Tide.

1820 T. R. Malthus Princ. Polit. Econ. 7 Nothing indeed is so unsatisfactory, and gives so unscientific and unmasterly an air to a proposition as to be obliged to make admissions of this kind.

1965 Shakespeare Q. 16 142 It was a serious portrait of Shakespeare, unmasterly in performance but wholly appropriate as a sign for a bookseller and publisher.

2006 Sunday Tel. (Nexis) 12 Feb. vii. 6 Masterly phrasing..is interspersed with a funny, but decidedly unmasterly, ‘Mmnnh’ sound when passion or disgust overwhelms her.

1684 S. E. Answer Remarks upon Dr. H. More Pref. sig. b4 ^v To act at pleasure, prosperously, freely and unmasterly.