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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Persuit, -sute, -sewt, n. Also: -swte, -suite, -suyt(e, -swyt, -switt; -sut(t; -seut(e, -sewit; -shuit; -soit, -soyt; pursute, -suit(e. [ME. and e.m.E. pursuyt (Wyclif), -sute (c 1386), -suet (1387), sewt (1455), -syewte (c 1500), -suyte (1503–4), poursuite (1425), e.m.E. also persut (1529), AF. purseute, -sute, OF. por-, poursieute, poursuite (1326 in Godef.).] The action of pursuing, in various senses of Persew v.; pursuit.

1. The action of prosecuting or bringing a suit in a court of law; an action, suit, prosecution.(1) 1379 Douglas Chart. 28.
Me and myn ayres … haue releissit … al my rycht clayme persuit chalenge or askyng … to fourty markis worth of land 1381 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 4.
At hir persuyt or hir attornays 1589 Craig-Brown Selkirkshire I. 167.
[That] the time of our persuit be the law that the persuers and defenders sall be … as freinds and like as nae actions were dependant betuixt us 1594 Conv. Burghs I. 435.
The commissioner of Elgein past fra his perswitt 1622-6 Bisset I. 259/9. a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 64.(b) 1470 Lennox Mun. 80.
In defalt of persute and entre of the said … airis 1485–6 Newbattle Coll. (Somerville) (Reg. H.).
Be complaynt & persute of my tenandis of this baronry 1533 Bell. Livy II. 8/22.
This Appius but ony forther persute of M. Claudius … gaif his interloquitur aganis Virginea 1543 Reg. Privy S. III. 42/1.
Of the said James aune persute and seiking 1561 Reg. Privy C. I. 172.
Thairfoir absolvitour suld be gevin fra the persute of the said pretendit procuratouris 1635 in Hay Geneal. 87.
My persutes held from morning till evening … untill the dittay wes qualified 1674 Douglas Corr. 274.
Which maks his present persute apear with as much ungratitud as unjustice(c) 1575 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. 419/1.
The lang trubill … the Laird of Lekky hes sustinet be the persewt of the Erll of Menteithe(d) 1491 Dunferm. B. Rec. I. 27.
For his costis … that the said Thomas as maid for hir and hir persoit(e) 1672 Mackenzie Pleadings 10.
After the pursuer has stated his pursute 1676 Old Ross-shire I. 300.
You will passe from yor leggell pursuite and enter in a friendlie agreement(2) 1585 Acts III. 388/2.
In ony of the saidis persuitis intented … be his hienes aduocattis 1607 Crim. Trials II. 521.
That thair ar diuerse criminall persuitis movit [etc.] 1617 Ib. III. 423.
In the quhilk the justice-depute was set as being depute to the Erle of Ergyle quha bakit the persute 1690 Peebles B. Rec. II. 134.
John Muir proveist … to goe to Edinburgh and … insist in the said persuit 1698 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 325.
The forsaid persuite to be defended wpon the toune of Aberdeens expences(b) 1453 Stirlings of Keir 226.
I … sal neuermar … mak ony persute clame [etc.] 1515 Reg. Privy S. I. 410/2.
Without ony … persute accusatioun violence or distrublance to be done to hym 1516 Ib. 435/2. 1551 Boyd Fam. P. No. 34 (10 March).
Evirilkane … to mak thair awain expensses in persute and defens in ony part of the said lands 1584 Waus Corr. 287 (see Elide v. (a)). 1587-99 Hume 74/208.
For pouertie they man leaue of persute 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 114.
Like as the persute and action perteines to the persewer and is intended be him against the defender [etc.] 1626 Justiciary Cases I. 49. 1631 Monteith Stewartry Ct. 29 May.
Ane commissioun … to … ministrat justice vpoun the said persute 1635 in Hay Geneal. 87.
In all criminall persutes … the dyets ar from Frydayes to Weddensdayes 1672 Rothesay B. Rec. 311.
Anent which the said Johne hes enterit in persute of lawe(c) 1463 Wemyss Chart. 82.
Persewt 1505 Dunferm. B. Rec. 150.
Persevt 1590 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 49.
Be sic ane persewit as tuiches thame in thair honestie(d) 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii. xvii. 1.
Advocation is the away calling of an intented cause or pursuit from an inferiour … judicatory to a higher

b. The prosecution or suing (of a person, by another). 1532–3 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 89.
The wrangous persuit of hym for the allegit wrangous occupeyng [etc.] 1533 Acts Sederunt . ii.
For the accusatioune and persute of the personis beand vpone the pannall 1619 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 171.
We left off our persutt of him till the mater sall be persewit be the agent 1628 Justiciary Cases I. 91.
James M'Morrane persewar … intendis to insist in our persute

c. The prosecution of a legal action or suit, aganis or upoun another.Chiefly in adv. phrases, as (freq.) in (the) persute of.(1) 1456–70 Liber Aberbr. II. 108.
The skathys costys [etc.] … we … sustenis in the persut of diuers vrangis dwne to ws 1471 Acta Aud. 19/1.
The expens … made in the persuyte of the said caus 1488–9 Ib. 127/2.
Persut 1496 Acta Conc. II. 7. 1540–1 Balfour Pract. 292.
The persewar may not pas fra the persute of his libel … gif [etc.] 1587–8 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 28.
And than to insist in persuit thairof [sc. of certain complaints] 1588 Glenartney Doc.
Commanding alsua oure advocat … to … insist in persute of the saidis lettres 1593–4 St. A. Kirk S. 773.
Thai will abyde be persuit of the reductioun of the electioun 1622-6 Bisset I. 165/6.
The perseware … will preis to pas fra the persuit of his summonis(2) 1551 Digest Justiciary Proc. B. 58.
Andro Ker … disassentit to the persut of the dittay of Mark his fader vpoun the Laird of Balcluche 1572 Crim. Trials I. ii. 34.
That he will nocht assist the persute of this caus aganis Martyne Hay 1622-6 Bisset I. 255/14.
Lykwyse obleisand the said burges to insist in the persuit aganist the uthir the nixt courte day eftir [etc.]

d. The action of seeking to obtain or recover something by legal means. 1472 Lennox Mun. 88.
Tuichand persoyt or folowing of the ferd part of the said erldome 1478 Acta Aud. 64/2.
Anent the wrangwis persewt folowing & processing of a tenement of land 1484 Ib. *145/2.
Persoyt 1494 Acta Conc. I. 378/1.
Persut 1496 Ib. II. 15.
In the persewt of his landis of Abircorne before the schiref of Lithquow 1498 Ib. 231.
That the sade Robert Lord Creichtone [etc.] … has spendit [100 marks] … in the persewt and folowing of the sade Robert Charteris heretage 1518–9 Fife Sheriff Ct. 134.
Anent the persut of ane coppir cathill 1555 Peebles B. Rec. I. 206.
That the persut of the Quenis rycht be na preiudice till his fredome 1566 Inverness Rec. I. 137.
In default of persoit of his rycht 1575–6 Rec. Earld. Orkney 378.
Wereit … in persute of his just heretage 1666 S. Ronaldshay 53.
That the said kirk register sould be … patent to any that sould intend the further persuite thairof [a sum claimed to be due to the kirk and outstanding]

e. A claim at law (to or til something). 1500 Acta Conc. II. 426.
For thare persewt til the sadis landis 1504–5 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 677.
That I … sall in na tyme tocum mak persute nor clame to the said annualrent

2. The action of striving to achieve or attain to or of seeking to encompass (some purpose or non-material object).Const. of the goal. c1490 Porteous Noblenes 172/7 (A).
The perseute and folloving of werteu & gud deidis c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 333.
He mareit the heretour of Northumberland and faucht sindry battallis … in pursute thairof 1565 St. A. Kirk S. 256.
Nor hes mayd ony promys … to ceas fra persut of mariaige etc.] 1558-66 Knox II. 174.
The paipistis … did not a litill animat hir in that persute 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. ii. 69.
All meanes I soght To be aweng'd on him … Alace! ane faint persuit; I furthered noht 1669 Lauder Jrnl. 199.
He took a strong fancie he would be king … in pershuit wheirof [etc.]

b. The action of engaging in (of) battle. 1533 Boece i. iii. 37.
Be persute of batell ather wrocht on uthir grete myscheif

3. The action of entreating; a petition or suit. 1456 Hay I. 281/25.
At the persuyt and request of partye the king aw to punys him 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 35.
Upoun oure gentill and humyle persute 1543 St. P. Henry VIII IV. ii. 284.
In case it stud with ȝowr plesur apon owr persute to grant [etc.] 1558-66 Knox II. 137.
After the whiche he [sc. the Earl of Arran] maid no farther persuyte in that mater a1568 Weddirburne Bann. MS. 260 b/61.
My vane persut gart me vin schame & lak

4. The action of following in order to attack, capture or kill; pursuit (of a fugitive); a chase. 1492 Myll Spect. 284/8.
Medea seing the scharpe persoit of hir fader tuk [etc.] 1513 Doug. viii. xii. 82.
Cleopatra … dredand persute behynd 1533 Boece ii. xii. 84 b.
The King … ceissit to mak forther persute 1571 Montgomery Mem. 207.
To … assist my Lord of Glencarne … in the persut of the committeris of the foirsaid cryme 1592 Douglas Corr. 37. a1605 Birrel Diary 9.
They desyred the Queine to … assist them in perseute of her husband's murther 1609 Crim. Trials III. 174.
Haueing warrand … for the persute of the said Thomas 1612 Inverness Rec. II. 94.
Ȝet may the constable … apprehend him in a fresh persute 1613 Denmylne MSS. in Highland P. III. 139.
The persute of Allane Mak Eane Duy and his rebellious complishes 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 75.
Haveing … merched the lenth of Turreff in persut of the enemies

5. An attack or assault. b. A siege.Only Sc. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 182.
Dissymilance scho bad go mak persute At all powere to perse the Goldyn Targe 1513 Doug. x. xii. 11.
Aganyst a man thai rowtys … maid persutys 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 20.
Gif the governour makis scharp perswyt on … your grace that ye wryt to … Argyle [etc.] … to caus thame to persew … the governour … be fyre and sword 1545 Reg. Privy C. I. 4.
The gret invasions and persute maid be Donald allegeand him of the Ilis and utheris hieland men … be byrnyng hereing [etc.] 1570 Leslie 123.
He wes sa trublit be the persute of the Scottis men be continewall invaisioune [etc.] 1570 Rep. Southesk MSS. 722/1.
The grit troble … quhilke ye our … subiectes … hes susteanit … be forrene perswte 1587 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 8.
The saids complenaris being under danger of his persute be way of deid continewallie sensyne Ib. 34.
Be the convocatiouns and persewttis of Johne Leslie 1590 Reg. Privy C. IV. 533.
Artaillierie … quhilk suld have bene keipit and augmentit for defens of the said burgh in tyme of foreyne persute 1622-6 Bisset II. 188/13.
Defence of … thair … cuntrie … fra the unjust invasionis and persuit of sua mychtie … persewarisb. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 227.
Certane of the burgessis of Edinburgh … past furth … to Leith … purposing thairthrow to tak plane pairt with the lordis assistaris of the King in the persute of Edinburgh toune Ib. 261. a1578 Pitsc. I. 141/2.
He beseigit the castell … and quhen he was maist bessie and earnist in the persuit thairof [etc.] Ib. 331/14.
The King … had … mony men … slaine at the persuite of the said castell 1614 Crim. Trials III. 284.
For persute and assadgeing of the house c1650 Spalding I. 44. Ib. 259.
His men leavis the persute and lovpis about to lift him wp agane

6. Harassment; ill-treatment; persecution. 1554 Acts II. 604/1.
James … Lord Hammiltoun … hes … relevit our soueranis maist noble persoun fra the cruell ernistfull persute of the King and counsell of Ingland 1558-66 Knox I. 289.
And to absteane for my luif fra persuyt … I am addetted to your lordschip 1570 Leslie 87.
The commissioners … requirit the King of Ingland to … discist fra the persute of the saidis princis 1587 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 9.
Without attempting of ony iniurie trouble or persute agains the saids complenaris be way of deid c1590 Fowler II. 13/1.
Being compelled to leaue France be the cruel persuit of papists 1600-1610 Melvill 54.
Provyding he wald be the regent's man and leave aff the persut of the bischopes 1611-57 Mure Psalmes cix. 31.
For Hee … Him from persute of such as wold Condemne his soule setts free 1642 Inverness Rec. II. 180.
The saidis petitiounaris … lippneing for no harme iniurie or persuit, the saidis persones out of ane forthoucht fellonie … strack Alexander Cuithbert Jamesone behind his back 1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 302.
Quher the said James daylie opresses your suplicants by crewall hunding and worriing of our geir … and as yitt insists in the said crewall persewit