i.e., as we should do best.
“Thus were abolished Spring and Autumn both,”
I. The Ring and the Book, 1358.
i.e., would be abolished.
“His peevishness had promptly put aside
Such honor and refused the proffered boon,” . . .
II. Half Rome (R. and B.), 369.
i.e., would have promptly put aside.
“(What daily pittance pleased the plunderer dole.)”
X. The Pope (R. and B.), 561.
i.e., as the context shows, {it} might please the plunderer {to} dole.
“succession to the inheritance
Which bolder crime had lost you:”
IV. Tertium Quid (R. and B.), 1104.
i.e., would have lost you.
But the verbs “be” and “have” are chiefly so used, and not often beyond what present usage allows. *