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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quarter-sele, -seill, -seal(l, n. Also: -seile, -seyll, -seale. A seal, consisting of a replica of the upper half of the Great Seal, obverse and reverse (see, e.g., J. M. Thomson Public Records of Scotland (1922) 75), held by the director of the Scottish chancery.See further Quhit(e) wax n. 1498 Acta Conc. II 185.
The sade Schir Wilyeam producit the sade recognicione of the quarter sele under the quhilt walx 1524–5 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 215.
Undirstanding that umquhile Robert Colvile … , directour of the chanclary, decessit in our soverane lordis service and that James Colvile his sone has maid trew service … , tharfor has deliverit to him the quarter sele, makand him directour of the chancelary [etc.] 1538 Ib. 469. 1542 Acts II 424/2.
Siclik all sumoundis to be rasit vnder the quarter sele 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 109.
That I suld send master John Ballantyn unto you [sc. Mary of Lorraine] with the quarter seyll to derek precepts of the parlament 1544 Reg. Privy S. III 143/1.
Quarter-seile 1550 Reg. Privy C. I 100.
Ordanis the clerk of chancellarie and kepar of the quarter seill to answer the samyn 1571-2 Canongate Ct. Bk. 345 (see Quhit(e) wax n. (4)). c1575 Balfour Pract. 644.
The keiping of the testimonial of the greit seill, commounlie callit the quarter seill 1578 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 85.
With ane precept of sesing vnder the quarter sele 1587 Acts III 457/2.
That all speciale commissionis of justiciarie be maid be signatouris to pas the quarter seill in tyme cuming 1592 Crim. Trials I ii 268. 1597 Skene Verb. S. (1597) s.v. Breve.
Quarter seale 1621 Acts IV 618/2. c1630 Hope Minor Pract. (1726) 84.
A signature is properly a letter of gift … which, according to the several natures thereof, passeth either under the Signet allenarly or under the Privy Seal allenarly or under the Quarter Seal allenarly, which is the Testimonial of the Great Seal, or passeth under all these seals, except the Quarter-seal Ib. 85. 1632 Monteith Stewartry Ct. 15 May.
Tua brevis of tutorie extract furth of our soverane lordis chancellarie vnder his hienes quarter seall 1639 Acts V 601/2.
Quarter seale 1640 Proceedings of the Commissioners from the Parliament of Scotland 54.
Upon the pretence of a clause in the commission under the quarter seal 1655 Acts VI ii 896/2.]
[Director of the chancery keeps the quarter seal as a pendicle of his office 1664 Argyll-Lauderdale Lett. 7.
He seemed first to incline to the quarter seall, and afterwards to the greate seall 1672 Acts VIII 69/2.