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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.

Pard-, Perdoun(e, -on(e, n. Also: -own, -onne, -in. [ME. and e.m.E. pardon (c 1290), -un (Cursor M.), -oun (Gower), perdon (Wyclif), AF. pardoun (1328), OF. pardun, -on, perdon.] Pardon, or a pardon, in the usual applications.

1. Forgiveness for, or remission of the punishment due to, a. sin, b. a crime, wrongful act or other offence.a. (a) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 498.
Na mane for grewous syne Sal disparit be pardone to wyne c1420 Ratis R. (S.T.S.) 1214.
To … ken … Quhar-for men suld have gud pardone [etc.] c1450-2 Howlat 662 (A).
The Pape [etc.] … Welcummit thaim … With … Pardoun and prayere 1456 Acts II. 46/1.
And at the prelatis … grant pardone to the priestis that gangis in the said processionis a1500 Rauf C. 922.
Thow suld haue mair profite and mekle pardoun [: doun, ressoun, toun] 1490 Irland Mir. I. 123/20.
This lettir of grace and pardoune sal be writtin [etc.] 1533 Gau 3/26.
Sindrie prayers … that thay quhilk red thayme … suld haiff sa mony thousand ȝeris of pardone 1620 Dumbarton Kirk S. 2.
Agnes Garner … was ordanit … to crave God pardonne for the forsaid sclandir(b) 1461 Liber Plusc. I. 384.
To … wyn perdoun to bryng hir saul to rest ?a1500 Obsecro 15.
Mary … Well of perdoun 1513 Doug. iii. iv. 100.
With … devot prayer Thai wald we suld perdoun and pace requerb. a1400 Leg. S. xl. 519.
[He] askit pardone … Of the myse that he had wrocht Aganis hyme c1475 Wall. vi. 137.
Sic pardoune as we haiff In oys to gyff thi part thow sall nocht craiff Ib. v. 975.
Pardown a1500 Colk. Sow iii. i. 1533 Boece viii. xiv. 283.
And with pardoun now of ȝour he lordschippis [the readers] 1570 Sat. P. x. 272.
The rest of thame … He did intreit with perdoun and mercie 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 5.
Scho promysit him hir assent … with pardoun and leif to commit the offence Ib. 82. c1590 Fowler I. 264/8. 1593 Elgin Rec. II. 29.
Janet Martyn … askit mercie and pardin of James Young … for the miscalling of him 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I. 93. 1606 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 81.
Your maiesties pardoune 1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 23 July.
Alexander Cannan … craived pardoun for his misdemanors towards Marioun Glendoning

c. An instance of either of these: a papal indulgence or remission of sins; a remission of the legal penalties attached to a crime.(1) 1437 Liber Melros II. 570.
That the affect of this pardoun is vij ȝeir and vij lentrynis that is to say xxj ȝeir of pardoun at the fornemit feistis 1456 Hay I. 104/8. Ib. 104/36.
How may he [the Pope] than geve pardouns and indulgence to mak were apon thame? c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 49/3.
The gret pardonis and indulgens grauntit to thai placis [churches] Ib. 228/20.
Willam Turnbull bischope of Glascow that brocht haim the pardoun of it (sc. of Glasgow: see 225/12 ff.] a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 426 (M).
Thow beggit with ane pardoun in all kirkis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 475 (M). 1534 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 424.
The faculteis, gracis, indult and pardoun laitly brocht in this realm be Jhone Bernyernis … messinger apostolic 1567 G. Ball. 204.
His [the Pope's] plak pardonis ar bot lardonis 1573 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 448.
Witht ane perdoun of auld xxvj s. viij d. 1581 King's Confession in Dickinson Source-bk. III. 34.
We … refuse … his … workes of supererogation, meritis, perdones, peregrinationes [etc.](2) 1499 Douglas Chart. 167.
The Kyngis henes has grantit … his fre remissione and pardoun [etc.] a1500 Prestis of Peblis 278.
Thai wryt wp leile and fals baith all & sum And dytis thaim vnder a perdoun 1560 Cal. Sc. P. I. 527.
In sewtyng my lordis remeit & perdone 1568–9 Anderson Collect. Mary IV. ii. 189.
The … best way till obteine the said Erle of Mourtounis perdoun was [etc.] 1610 Highland P. III. 121.
He thoght to gett his pardoun 1611 Inverness Rec. II. 79.
Nochtvithstandinge of ony pardoune grantit to the said Thomas 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1751) 121.
Those who are condemn'd to die … If any tell them of a pardon [etc.]

d. transf. The document conveying a pardon. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2048 (B).
My pardonis and my prevelage Quhilk ȝe sall se & graip 15.. Sym & Bruder 43.
To se quha best the pardone spellis 1567 G. Ball. 175.
He had to sell the Tantonie bell, And pardonis thairin was

2. A church festival on which an indulgence was granted (see also Pardon day n.). a1400 Leg. S. xl. 747.
That pardone is lestand ay Fra the for-sad Twysday Of Sanct Johnne the baptist to the birth c1490 Irland Asl. MS. 68/13.
Nocht gangand to the kirk na the pardone na the mes [etc.] 1504 Treas. Acc. II. 265.
To the Kingis offerand to ane pardoun in Abirdene 1532 Crim. Trials I. i. 278.
For cariage of the samyn [king's bed] … to the pardoun a1578 Pitsc. I. 339/8.
The king … passit to Sanctandrois … and thair remanit quhill the Michallmas perdoun

b. Pardon of armez, a tournament. [Cf. OF. pardon d'armes, id.] — 1494 Loutfut MS. 44 a.
Lordis and knychtis thai do to wyt a richt hie and noble pardone of armez and a rycht hie and noble tournoy salbe in sic a place