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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.

Peax, n. Also: peaxe, peex, pex(e, peix. [e.m.E. peax (1485–1558). Cf. Pais n.¹, Pes(e n.] Peace, in the usual senses.

1. Cessation of fighting; absence of war or strife; amity; reconciliation. = Pes(e n. 1, Pais n.¹ 1.attrib. and comb. with -makar and -making.Also personified.(1) 1475 Cal. Doc. IV. 409.
The conservacioun of peax and tranquiliite betuix the realmes 1499 Douglas Chart. 173.
For the gude of peax and souer keping of the treux a1500 Colk. Sow ii. 135.
Scho knew … notable gestis of peax and weiris in storye c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiii. 3.
Quhat tydingis, gossep, peax or weir? 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 10. Ib. xiii. iii. 83. 1525–6 Treas. Acc. V. 264.
The commissionaris in Berwik for interchanging of peax 1526 Renfrew Arch. Coll. I. 128.
Oure soverane lordis … proclamatioun of peax 1535 Stewart 37966. 1553 Reg. Privy C. I. 149. 1553 Treas. Acc. X. 191.
Certane articulis contenit in the last trete of peax 1561 Ib. XI. 62. a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 3. 1622-6 Bisset I. 30/10.
He … suld nother denunce weir nor treat peax but advise … of his … nobillis(2) 1535 Stewart 29580.
With Brit and Pecht and Saxone … He maid gude peax Ib. 30834.
That none of thame suld peax or trewis tak With the Saxonis without vtheris consent 1568 Mary in Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lviii.
& sa that scho haif peax uith my realme a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 42.
Quhen the peax was tane and the Inglismen had left Hadingtoun(3) 1535 Stewart 39952.
He sparit nocht … Amang his liegis peax and rest to mak 1588–9 Crail B. Ct. MS. 22 Feb.
[The provost desires] to mak peax and concord betuix the nychtburis presentlie being at variance(4) 1532 Crim. Trials I. i. 158.
For the sure keping of the House of Adrintoune in tyme of peax during the tyme of the takkis that he sal happin to get 1590 Crail B. Ct. MS. 26 May.
The said thre akeris … ar worth als mekle in tyme off peax as tyme off weir(5) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii. 181.
Welcome to be our princes of honour … Our peax [etc.](6) personified a1568 Bann. MS. I. p. 23/74.
And hummill peax sall occupy his place And peax salbe seisit in his stall(7) comb. 1581 Burne Disput. 45 b.
The deutie of ane perfyt reconsiliator and peax makar 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 103/2.
Sa aduyse I you to be slau in peaxemaking

b. Freedom from disturbance. Chalmer of peax, a retiring room. — 1593 in Bisset I. 120/19.
Quhasaevir salhappin … to streke … ony persone within his hienes parliament house … within the Kingis inner chalmer cabinet or chalmer of peax

2. Tranquillity of mind. = Pes(e n. 2, Pais n.¹ 2. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxiv. 50.
Freindis prosperitie heir peax syn heavins blys 1635 Red Bk. Menteith II. 147.
On this dependis ȝour lordships worldlie peax & contentment

3. In certain adv. phrases, in senses 1 and 2 above. = Pes(e n. 3, Pais n.¹ 3.In peax. a. In freedom from war or strife; in tranquillity. b. In time of peace: cf. 1 (4) above.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2731 (Bann.).
Mychty men … will nocht thoill in peax ane pure man 1513 Doug. xiii. vii. 84.
Maist riall kyng all tyme accustumate To lyf in plesand peax a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xviii. 37.
So that our heid and leigis do confidder In peax and luif for to remane togidder 15.. Black Bk. Taymouth 163. 1581 Burne Disput. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 116/5.
I had depairted fra him in peax 1582 Declar. Causis 5.
Ane earnest desyre to haue the commounwealth … gouerned in peax 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 56/9.
A goode king … dees in peax Ib. 81/7.
The floorishing of youre kirke in pietie, peax [v. r. peace] & learning(2) c1530-40 Stewart 27167. Bann. MS. 88 a/31.
Tha sould be fre to duell into his land … In peax and rest(3) 1541 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 98.
The saidis Henry and Katheryne … to occupy the saidis landis … frelie quietlie and in peax a 1546 St. A. Formulare I. 397. 1580–1 Wemyss Chart. 212. 1583 Red Bk. Menteith II. 364.(b) 1525 Armstrong Hist. Liddisdale I. App. xxii.
Peix(4) 1499 Misc. Spald. C. II. 261.
At I sal … gang with my said lord in peax and in weyr 1583 Sempill Warning xi. 8.

c. At peax. = a above. 1595 Lett. Jas. VI to Eliz. .
We both are but at a truce, and not at peax, with the Romishe and Spanishe practices

4. A treaty of peace; a truce; also, the fact of being at peace. = Pes(e n. 4, Pais n.¹ 4.(a) 1513 Doug. xii. iv. 106.
Sall nevir … day betyd To breke this peax on the Italian syde 1526 Douglas Corr. 112.
Withoute the same … noe thing the peaxe shall proufite 1529 Conv. Burghs I. 508.
Renouatioun of the peax contrahit betuix … Scotland and the realmis pertening to the Empirour 1550 Reg. Privy C. I. 89.
To sek ane honorable peax 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 60.
The dait of the peax of the randering of Leith Ib. 278. 1582 Crim. Trials I. ii. 108.
Inglismen … daylie manassand … to dissolue the publik peax foirsaid 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 103/4.
Looke that the grounde of youre uarres be satisfeid in youre peaxe(b) 1551 Corr. M. Lorraine 354.
Peex

5. The king's protection, as extended to all law-abiding persons; (the king's) jurisdiction; public order within a community. = Pes(e n. 5, Pais n.¹ 5.Justice of peax, see Justice n. 11c.Borrous or souuerte of peax = borowis of pece, see Pes(e n. 5 (6).Also comb. with -brekar.(1) 1516–17 Reg. Privy S. I. 449/1.
Under the kingis obedience and peax 1592 Douglas Chart. 303.
To find souirte for keping of his hienes peax … incace of failȝie to caus put thame to the horne 1605 Breadalbane Lett. 29 June.
That thai sall … obserue his hienes peax(2) a1568 Bell. Bann. MS. 1 a/15.
Octauian … Be quhais peax and royell ordinance The furious Mars wes blawin to the horne 1566 Rep. Sir Rob. Menzies MSS. 692.
How … we haue ressauit thame in our peax(3) c 1555 Wemyss Corr. 10.
Takand plegeis of the clannis … quhilkis mycht be maist noysum to the peax 1565 Q. Mary in Misc. Maitl. C. III. 180.
That he her [sc. Queen Elizabeth's] … minister … suld enterpryse a thing sa prejudiciall to the peax 1578 Reg. Privy S. VII. 251/1.
Effaris concernyng his grace, the common peax and quietnes of his realme 1580 Reg. Privy C. III. 324.
His broder nawyis willing to impeid the publict peax for his particular [etc.] a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI. (1825) 151.
Albeit he dealt partiallie aganis the peax with the inhabiters of Edinburgh, and puneist thair pursis besyd gude equitie Ib. 314.
To the prejudice of the common peax of the cuntrie 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 55/2.
The uelfaire & peaxe of his people 1622-6 Bisset I. 99/24.
Stayaris of the peax of the King of Scotland(4) 1578–9 Reg. Privy C. III. 74.
That na fugitives … be ressavit agane to peax bot be me [sc. the Warden of the Marches](5) 1597–8 Misc. Spald. C. II. 140.
At our souerane lord the kingis grace fayth and peax(b) 1537 Colquhoun Chart. II. 342.
Pex(6) 1476 Acta Aud. 41/1.
Brekang of borrous of peax 1485 Acta Conc. I. * 111/2.
Anent the souuerte of peax that the said Johne lord Somervile become(7) comb. 1588 Reg. Privy C. IV. 292.
The thevis and disordourit people that evir hes bene peax-brekaris and the avowit enemeyis of all … trew subjectis

b. Analogously, in Godis peax. 1521 Fife Sheriff Ct. 278.
Traistand … to hef levit wnder Goddis peax & ouris 1528 Orkney Antiq. Soc. VIII. 19. 1542 Linlithgow B. Ct. 18 Aug.
Wndir Godis peax and the kyngis 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 139/2.
He foryette to keipe the … lau in not … crying Goddis peaxe

c. (A) pardon. = Pes(e n. 5 c. 1558-66 Knox I. 233.
Who schorte tharefter war called to Scotland, thare peax proclamed, and thei thame selfis restored to thare landis 1570 Sat. P. xxiii. 28.
And quhen the Duke put thé to banischment And from thé held thy landis mony ȝeir … he was diligent To get thy peax and slaik thé of that weir

d. Wand of peax: see Pes(e n. 5 d and Wand n. 1526 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 15.
[To relax Dugall Makdowell [etc.] from the process of the horn] and ressaue thame to our peax and gif thame the wand thairof 1567 Acts III. 5/2.
Relaxand the forsaidis haill personis respectiue … fra the said proces of horne and gevand the wandis of peax to Edwart Hislop in thar names 1585 Lennox Mun. 330.
I … messinger … be opin proclematioun maid publicatioun … and deliuerit the wand of pexe to [etc.] … of thir … lettres