A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1499
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(Quitely,) Quyt-, Quitly, adv. Also: quiteli; quytllie, qwyt-, quhytly; quitli, qwitly, -li, qwhitly, qwhytly, qwetly. [ME (Cursor M.-c1400) quit-, quyt-, quytely, also north. ME whitely (Rolle).]In this form only in early texts, but cf. Quietly adv.2The different senses arise from those of Quite adj. (sense 1) and Quite adv. In some instances the allocation of particular quotations to one or other of these is tentative.
1. Freely. a. At liberty, without let.1375 Barb. x 548.
With a schort leddir may we … Clym to the wall vp all quytly 1375 Ib. 824.
He suld the castell ȝeld quytly 1375 Ib. xviii 484.
The king quytly [E. quitly] avay is gane a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvi 496.
Passis one quytly away 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 38.
Al prisoners … sal be quitly and frely deliverit 14.. Acts I 387/2.
Thai may pas on iiii hawys quhar thai will frely and quytly for to grind that corne for outyn ony gain saying
b. Unconditionally.a1400 Legends of the Saints iii 149.
That till that ald, God had remittit his syne quytly c1420 Wynt. vii 105.
The kyng than all his actyowne Forgawe the knycht thare qwytly
c. Free from claims or burdens.Common in grants or resignations of property or rights, generally coupled with frely.For many further examples of the formula frely, quitly … and in pece, see Peax n. 3 a (3) and Pes(e n.1 3 a (3).(a) 1384 Misc. Hist. Soc. V 33.
That Richart … resignit … quytly and frely … al the rycht [etc.] 1393–4 Argyll Charter MS.
Til haf tha said landys of Hvywil … als frely qwytly honowrhabilly wyth [etc.] c1420 Wynt. vii 3507.
Grawntyd the strykyn of mone, Als frely, qwytly and fullyly As [etc.] c1420 Ib. 3546.
Schyre Willame Comyn till hawe that qwyt … Besyd the erldwme all qwytly [C. qwhitly] c1420 Ib. viii 7117.
The King off Yngland wes oblist … The armys off Fraunce … Qwytly to lay all doun c1420 Ib. 7122 (see Quietly adv.2 (2)). 1422 Stirlings of Keir 208.
Hafand … tha for sayid landis … fra me … frely, qwhytly, fullyly, … weile and in pese 1431 Reg. Great S. 43/2.
Quhytly 1446 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 108.(b) 1405 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 201.
The saides landis of Monycabo … sal freli and quiteli resorte to the saide Schir Dauid(c) 1398 Grant Chart. 15.
At that ilke Gilbert … haff sauld … frely quitly and perpetualy fra hym … the twa tounys of Fochabirre 1399 Holyrood Chart. 112.
Qwitli 1417 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 249.
With all & sindry fredomis [etc.] … frely, quitly, plenarely … halili, honourabli 1423 Holyrood Chart. 127.
Enterand the saide alderman … and joysand … freeli quitli continuali wele & in pece 1439 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 49.
Qwitly(d) 1432–3 Ayr B. Ct. fol. 143b (19 Jan.).
The said iiii s. of annuell in wedsettyng frely & qwetly qwyll he the said Jhon … payt to the said Bethy … the qwylk som the said Bety patt beforhand to the said Jhon
2. Completely, entirely, wholly; all of it, them, etc.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints ii 996.
For to distroy quytly our lare a1400 Ib. xi 279.
To lewe quytly Ȝour fare ydolis a1400 Ib. xix 581. c1400 Troy-bk. i 52.
That ȝhe quytly withdrawin be c1400 Ib. ii 2174.
And flede and left his land quytly c1420 Wynt. i 1584.
Or he be qwytly all throwch gane c1420 Ib. iv 1415.
The gret byggynys it kest downe Sa quytly than, that men wald wene That nevyr byggyne thare had bene c1420 Ib. viii 1044.
The Kyng Henry For hyr wndyd all qwytly That ill custwme c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 6527.
Ane bastarde … That quytly all his land distroyit has c1460 Ib. 17222.
The wattir of Efrates Quhilk quytllie out throw the cite rynnand was(b) 1398 Liber Melros 489.
Qvhillez that … payment … be halily and qvitly made 1398 Ib. 490.
