1562, William Bullein, “The Booke of Compoundes”, in Bulleins Bulwarke of Defence against All Sicknesse, Soarenesse, and Woundes that Doo Dayly Assaulte Mankinde:[…], London: […] Thomas Marshe,[…], published 1579, →OCLC, folio 15, verso:
[I]t [“oleum de costo”] fortifyeth yͤ ſtomack and Lyuer, it keepeth the hayre from fallyng of, & the head from horeneſſe [hoaryness], it cauſeth good colour, and ſauour in all the body.
1669, Robert Boyle, “Experiment XXXII. Shewing, that when the Pressure of the External Air is Taken off, tis Very Easie to Draw up the Sucker of a Syringe, though the Hole, at which the Air or Water should Succeed, be Stopp’d.”, in A Continuation of New Experiments Physico-Mechanical, Touching the Spring and Weight of the Air, and Their Effects. The I. Part.[…], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Henry Hall, printer to the University, for Richard Davis, →OCLC, page 107:
[…] I preſum'd it vvill not be unvvelcome to Your Lordſhip, if I here fortifie the Speculations that have been or may be propos'd to explicate theſe things according to the Hypotheſis of the vveight of the Air, by vvhat vve tried to that purpoſe, among others, vvhen vve vvere making uſe of a Syringe in our Engine.
1701, [Jonathan Swift], “Chapter I”, in A Discourse of the Contests and Dissensions between the Nobles and the Commons in Athens and Rome, with the Consequences They Had upon Both Those States, London: […]John Nutt[…], →OCLC, page 8:
[T]hey admitted three thouſand into a ſhare of the Government; and thus fortified, became the cruelleſt Tyranny upon Record.
Nor must we here omit that great variety of arms with which Nature has differently fortified the bodies of several kinds of animals; such as claws, hoofs, horns, teeth, and tusks, a tail, a sting, a trunk, or a proboscis.
In the day I called, Thou [God] answeredst me; / Thou fortifiedst me with strength in my soul.
1873 February, Émile Souvestre, “What One Learns Looking Out of a Window”, in A. W. C., transl., edited by [Roderick] Noble, The Cape Monthly Magazine, volume VI (New Series), Cape Town, Cape Colony: J. C. Juta, →OCLC, page 96:
Thou [poverty] fortifiest the body, thou strengthenest the soul; and thanks to thee, this life to which the rich cling to as a rock, becomes as a skiff whose anchor death can part without awakening our despair.
1528, Thomas More, “A Dialogue Concernynge Heresyes & Matters of Religion[…]. Chapter XXVI.”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght,[…], London: […]Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, book I, page 164, column 1:
And vnto that texte he wold haue made you a gloſe, that his father and he were one not in ſubſtaunce but in will. And that gloſe he would haue fortified and made ſomewhat ſemely with an other worde of Chriſt, […]
1621, Thomas Fitzherbert, chapter VII, in The Obmutesce of F. T. to the Epphata of D. [Samuel] Collins. Or The Reply of F. T. to D. Collins His Defence of My Lord of Winchesters Answere to Cardinall [Robert] Bellarmines Apology.[…], [Saint-Omer, France]: [English College Press], →OCLC, paragraph 44, pages 211–212:
[I]t may ſerue for no ſmal iuſtification of the tranſlatour that he fortifyeth his tranſlation vvith the authority of ſuch an auncient manuſcript, vvritten aboue eleuen hundred yeares ago, […]
If he made transcendental distinctions, he fortified himself by drawing all his illustrations from sources disdained by orators and polite conversers; from mares and puppies; from pitchers and soup-ladles; from cooks and criers; the shops of potters, horse-doctors, butchers, and fishmongers.
Compare the nutrition information label of a regular ready-to-eat fortified cereal with that of a presweetened brand and you'll note that, although the sweetened one's sugar content is higher, the fortification is virtually identical.
[H]er ovvne proofe taught her to knovv her mothers minde; vvhich […] greatly fortified her deſires, to ſee, that her mother had the like deſires. And the more iealous her mother was, the more ſhe thought the Ievvell precious, vvhich vvas vvith ſo many lookes garded.
[…] I had rather vvrite of you to others, to provoke them to imitate ſo excellent an Example, than to your Self, to encourage you in your Chriſtian Courſe, and to fortifie you in your Athletick Conflicts vvith the greateſt of temporal Evils, bodily Pain and Anguiſh; […]
A young Man, before he leaves the ſhelter of his Father's Houſe and the guard of a Tutor, ſhould be fortified vvith Reſolution, and made acquainted vvith Men, to ſecure his Vertue; leſt he ſhould be led into ſome ruinous courſe, or fatal precipice, before he is ſufficiently acquainted vvith the Dangers of Converſation, and has Steadineſs enough not to yield to every Temptation.
1751 September 21, Samuel Johnson, “No. 155. Tuesday, September 10. 1751 [Julian calendar].”, in The Rambler, volume VI, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair,[…], published 1751, →OCLC, page 181:
[E]very delay gives vice another opportunity of fortifying itſelf by habit, and the change of manners, though ſincerely intended and rationally planned, is referred to the time vvhen ſome craving paſſion ſhall be fully gratified, or ſome povverful allurement ceaſe its importunity.
The princeſs fell immediately into cloſe connexions vvith the cardinal and his party, the dukes of Somerſet, Suffolk, and Buckingham; vvho, fortified by her povverful friendſhip, reſolved on the final ruin of the duke of Gloceſter.
I vvas not armed by Nature and education vvith the intrepid energy of mind and voice. […] Timidity vvas fortified by pride, and even the ſucceſs of my pen diſcouraged the trial of my voice.
Mr. Inspector, hastily fortifying himself with another glass, strolled out with a noiseless foot and an unoccupied countenance.
1875, Matthew Arnold, “A Persian Passion Play”, in Essays in Criticism[…], 3rd edition, London; Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Macmillan and Co.[…], →OCLC, page 269:
He pressed his friends to consult their safety by a timely flight; they unanimously refused to desert or survive their beloved master, and their courage was fortified by a fervent prayer and the assurance of paradise.
1913, Rudyard Kipling, “[Egypt of the Magicians.] Dead Kings.”, in Letters of Travel (1892–1913), London: Macmillan and Co.,[…], published 1920, →OCLC, page 261:
Even the sight of a very great king indeed, sarcophagused under electric light in a hall full of most fortifying pictures, does not hold him [a visitor to the Valley of the Kings, Egypt] too long.
"And do you realize that in a few shakes I've got to show up at dinner and have Mrs Cream being very, very kind to me? It hurts the pride of the Woosters, Jeeves." / "My advice, sir, would be to fortify yourself for the ordeal." / "How?" / "There are always cocktails, sir. Should I pour you another?" / "You should."
For if they fell upon one kind of ſtrictneſſe, unleſſe their cure vvere equall to regulat all other things of like aptnes to corrupt the mind, that ſingle endeavour they knevv vvould be but a fond labour; to ſhut and fortifie one gate againſt corruption, and be neceſſitated to leave others round about vvide open.
It is, ſay the American advocates, the natural diſtinction of a freeman, and the legal privilege of an Engliſhman, that he is able to call his poſſeſſions his ovvn, that he can ſit ſecure in the enjoyment of inheritance or acquiſition, that his houſe is fortified by the lavv, and that nothing can be taken from him but by his ovvn conſent.
The third manner of hunting is done vvith leſſer labour: that is, foure ſtrong men armed vvith ſhields, and fortified all ouer vvith thonges of leather, and hauing helmets vpon their heades, that onely their eyes, noſes, and lips may appeare, vvith the brandiſhing of their firebrands ruſtle in vpon the lyon lying in his den: […]
1697, Virgil, “The Fourth Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis.[…], London: […]Jacob Tonson,[…], →OCLC, page 130, lines 256–257 and 262–263:
If little things vvith great vve may compare, / Such are the Bees, and ſuch their native Care; / […] / To fortify the Combs, to build the VVall, / To prop the Ruins leſt the Fabrick fall: […]
Ile haue you learne to ſleepe vpon the ground, / March in your armor thorow watery fens, / […] / Then next, the way to fortifie your men, / In champion grounds, […]
They […] descended Snake river again, and encamped just above the American falls. Here they proceeded to fortify themselves, intending to remain here, and give their horses an opportunity to recruit their strength with good pasturage, until it should be time to set out for the annual rendezvous in Bear river valley.
But Baſilius (having bene the last day ſomevvhat vnprouided) novv had better fortified the ouerthrovvne ſconſe; and so vvell had prepared every thing for defence, that it vvas impoſſible for any valour from vvithin, to prevaile.
And ye haue numbred the houſes of Jeruſalem, and the houſes haue yee broken downe to fortifie the wall.
1705, J[oseph] Addison, “Monaco, Genoa, &c.”, in Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […]Jacob Tonson,[…], →OCLC, page 8:
There are but Three Tovvns in the Dominions of the Prince of Monaco. The chief of 'em is ſituate on a Rock that runs out into the Sea, and is vvell fortify'd by Nature.
[B]eſides puniſhing the diſaffection of the inhabitants, by pillaging the country, the French propoſed to ſeize and fortify St. Andrevv's, and to leave there a garriſon ſufficient to bridle the mutinous ſpirit of the province, and to keep poſſeſſion of a port ſituated on the main ocean.
1725, [Daniel Defoe], “Part I”, in A New Voyage Round the World, by a Course Never Sailed before.[…], London: […] A[rthur] Bettesworth,[…]; and W. Mears,[…], →OCLC, page 29:
At the ſame time, I fortified my ſelf vvith the French Captain, and the Supra Cargo, and the other Captain; […]
For ſuch a time do I novv fortifie / Againſt confounding Ages cruell knife, / That he ſhall neuer cut from memory / My ſvveet loues beauty, though my louers life.
But the poets and vvriters of Hiſtories are the beſt Doctors of this knovvledge, vvhere vve may finde painted fourth vvith greate life, Hovv affections are kindled and incyted: and hovv pacified and reſtrained: and hovv againe Conteyned from Act, & furder degree: hovv they diſcloſe themſelues, hovv they vvork hovv they varye, hovv they gather and fortifie, hovv they are invvrapped one vvithin another, a[n]d hovve they doe fighte and encounter one vvith another, and other the like particularityes: […]
1658, [Nicolas de Bonnefons], “[The First Treatise.] Section III. Of Trees, and of the Choice which Ought to be Made of Them.”, in John Evelyn, transl., The French Gardiner: Instructing How to Cultivate All Sorts of Fruit-trees, and Herbs for the Garden:[…], 2nd edition, London: […]J[ohn] M[artyn] for John Crooke,[…], published 1669, →OCLC, page 28:
From Peare-trees grafted upon the free-ſtock you ſhould cut off the dovvn-right root, that ſo the other roots may fortifie and extend themſelves all about to ſeeke the beſt mould.