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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Exeme, Exeem(e, v.² Also: exeim(e, exeym, exime, exeame. [L. eximere. For the vowel cf. redeme v.]

1. tr. To exempt (usually a person) fra or from an obligation, duty, jurisdiction, punishment, etc. Also const. of. (Common in 16–17th c.)(a) 1501 Reg. Privy S. I. 110/2.
A letter of exemptioun made to Johne Baptista … exemand him … fra all jugis and officiaris of the realme 1511 Ib. 349/1.
A lettre maid to Walter Chepman, … exemand him of all walking, warding, paying of taxt [etc.] 1531 Bell. Boece I. 54.
Thir preistis wer exemit fra all chargis of weir, and othir exactionis 1556 Mun. Univ. Glasg. I. 61.
Wnderstanding that the Vniuersite … hes beine fre and exemit fra all. payment of taxationes [etc.] 1587 Conv. Burghs I. 240.
To desyir … thatt libertie and previlege quhairby they war exemitt fra all wairdan and lieutenant raidis 1601 Ib. II. 113.
The … commissioneris exemis the brugh of Elgyne fra the nixt conventioun 1634 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 70.
The exemptioun grantit … to the toune and haill inhabitantis thairof, exeming thame frome all such raidisrefl. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 125/22.
I wil nocht exeme & deliuer me fra the punycioun that I haue iustlie deseruit 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 263.
Ony minister wha exemis him self fra ordore and godly discipline 1606 Crim. Trials II. 500.
Thai in nawayis thairby meanit to exeme thame selffis fra ony lauchfull subiectioun to his Maiesteis royall authoritie(b) 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Manvs.
The King may be … prejudged in his tennendrie, dewtie and service, fra the quhilk the Kirk men in auld time were exeemed 1600 Colville Palinode 17.
The clause conteined in the said pretended act, … doth exeeme the king … out of the compasse thereof 1629 Boyd Last B. 3.
No man is exeemed from this necessite 1661 Glasgow Chart. II. 44.
Provideing … the saidis fewaris and inhabitantis be first freed and exeemed frae any mustering, leavying and outreiking 1672 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II. 88.
The late Act … exeeming casual homicide from capitall punishment 1684 Acts Sederunt 8.
His Majesty's warrand, exeeming the Lords of Session from payment of taxes(c) 1633 Acts V. 161/2.
Exeyming the … patrones … frome all chairges and expensis in building of the said new kirk 1641 Ib. 418/1.
Thair being bot tua bottis to ilk schip … quhilk they doe liberat and exeim fra all payment of anie dewtie 1649 Lanark B. Rec. 142.
Till reparatioun be maid to exeime the suplicants rowme … from maintinance, quarterings [etc.] 1688 Conv. Burghs IV. 79.
The conventione doe therfore exeime the said burgh from pavment(d) 1622-6 Bisset I. 92/28.
The said president and fourtene persones … quhilk sall be frie and eximed frome ordinare jurisdictioun [etc.] 1639 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 149.
And neither magistrattes … nor na wther inhabitant within this burghe to be eximit frome working of thair awin pairtes of this wark 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 359.
The lait act. whairby small heretors are eximed from attendance

b. Without construction. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 318.
That it may be knowin that ministaris … be not exemit, bot rather first tryit 1651 Lamont Diary 30.
None were exemed, nether ministers nor others 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 353.
I send your Lordship a list off the exempted persons … with a marke upon those I think should no be exeemed 1731 Ann. Banff I. 202.
Souldiers … are frequently quartered upon persons irregularly and severalls exeemed

c. To withdraw or remove. Const. fra … to. 1569 Reg. Privy C. II. 39.
To heir and se the personis … exemit fra him and his jurisdictioun to the justice generall and his deputis

2. To set free, to deliver. a 1584 Fowler I. 3/1.
When as my minde exemed was from caire Ib. 235, iii. 8.
Blist is my state which is exeimd from stryfe a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xvii. 59.
Exemed clene from loves lair, To work Apollo spyt 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 2587.
I sall … shortlie be exim'd From fleshlie groans and greef 1688 Red B. Grandtully I. cxlvii.
Weime and the other gentlemen has you to thanke for being exemed from that vasallage

3. To shut out, debar. 1628 St. A. Baxter Bks. 90.
He salbe alluterlie excludit and exeimit fra all service and vorking with ony brother of craft

4. To remove, set aside, exclude. 1639 Baillie I. 218.
Though thir scruples had been exeemed, yet no ordinar way for our safetie did appear a1651 Calderwood II. 178.
To exeme his father out of the number of the conspirators Ib. 342.
To exeme all feare and doubts out of his minde