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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.

Petitio(u)n(e, -icio(u)n(e, n. Also: -ityowne, -iscion, -isian; -eseione. [ME. and e.m.E. peticioun (Manning), -ycioun (Chaucer), -icione, -ycyon, petition (1467–8), AF. petitioun (1314–15), peticion (1367), OF. peticiun (12th c. in Littré), L. petitiōn- f. petere to seek, ask, lay claim to.]

1. The action of supplicating or petitioning. c1420 Wynt. v. 1200.
At his petityowne Trajanys saule wes owt off hell c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 45/30.
That he perseuere in his peticioun 1498 Acta Conc. II. 174.
At the peticione of David Bruse 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 3.
Accusing hir quhy scho sould haif sufferit sik petitioun … to haif being maid to hir

2. A formal request to a person or persons in authority to take action to grant a privilege, redress a wrong, etc.(1) 1456 Hay I. 140/31.
He aw nocht till ask wagis for we can nocht fynd be na writtin lawis how he mycht founde his peticioun to ask wage at the said lady 1513 Doug. xi. iii. 14.
Quhen that Eneas … Thar peticioun sa ressonabill vndirstud … Thar hail desyre full glaidly grantit he 1527 Douglas Corr. 118.
And as ȝit ȝour princely peticioune nocht fulfullit … my soverane standis of verray gude will thareonto 1533 Boece viii. iii. 252. 1566 Cal. Sc. P. II. 323.
The peticion of the protestantes to the Q. in the parliament 1600-1610 Melvill 435.
They sould reasone and vott in ther awin causses and … nocht stand at the durre geiffing in peapers of petitiones 1664 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp in Misc. Maitl. C. II. 515.
To a poore woman who had a petition for hir husband(b) 1601 Dundee Shipping P. 70.
Peteseione(2) 1600-1610 Melvill 435.
The commissionars in nam of the kirk sought be petitioun a vott in parliament

3. spec. An application to a court, submitting an issue to its jurisdiction and requesting a decision thereupon.‘The petition … as a rule asks no remedy against any specific person, but seeks the authority of the court to allow the petitioner to do some act or exercise some power which without such authority would be incompetent.’ Encycl. Laws Scotl. XI. 308.Also, freq., the document on which the petition was submitted.(1) 1463 Acts XII. 28/2.
I haue daily persewit … to haue had coursabill brevis of ȝoure chapell eftir the tennour of my peticionis gevin thareuppon tueching the landis of … the erldome of Leuenax 1481 Peebles B. Rec. I. 189.
Master Archbald Dickeson … comperit befor the balyeis consall and the hayll communite … and … proponit … that his land and tenement … mycht haf interes in Sant Mychellis Wynd … in the qwhylkis the balyeis … said thai thocht his peticion resonabill neuirtheles the balyeis laid the action to the inquest … and than incontinent the said balyeis [etc.] … as granttyt … his petition 1488 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 170*.
The parteis and thar dissyris, thar petiscionis, writtis, witnessingis be vs rasauit 1496 Acta Conc. II. 23.
The chancellar and lordis … considering … his desyre ressonable and for gude and honorable causes grantit to his peticione and desyre 1538 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 159. 1559 Inverness Rec. I. 30.
Quhar his peticion wes lauchfulle proclamit at the tolbuyth stare 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 108.
Desyring proces and richt sute of the said Erle Bothwellis ernist petitioun and desyre of tryall 1603 Inverness Rec. II. .
And exhibit and producit in judgement his petitioun desyringe him to be servit as generall air to his vmquhill father … quhairof the tennour followis(2) 1501 Acta Conc. III. 119.
He suld haf brocht him hame ane dispensacione eftir the forme of this peticione 1518 Boyd Fam. P. No. 2 (7 July).
The lords of counsale … assolȝies the said Thomas Kennedy fra the petitioun of the said Jonet and Patrik hir spous 1559 St. A. Kirk S. 26.
Lyke as the petitioun be him before us produced mair at lenth beares in effect &c.: the said petitioun with ansuereing therto, reasones, jures, allegationes [etc.] 1561 Ib. 133.
In takyng cognicion in the complaynt and peticion of Alexander Cwnynghame … proponit befoyr the said ministerie allegiand that [etc.] 1563–4 Perth B. Ct. 18 (1 Feb.).
Comperit Johnne Ȝoung … And presentit the breiff and pet[ic]ioun following and desirit the samyn tobe put to the knawlege of ane inqueist 1622-6 Bisset I. 44/6.
Gif the actor invaid the defendare, his pairtie salbe absolved fra the petitioun 1673 Fam. Innes 246.
Petisians(3) 1543 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 100.
All vthir do, seruice, petitioun or clame that I the said Schir William … haif c1575 Balfour Pract. 313.
Ane libel is ane petitioun maid in writ be the persewar 1673 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 17 Jan.
Ane petitioune givin in be Johne Sproat in relatioune to the modifieing and mittigating of ten pundis Scots quhilk was appoynted to be payed be him quarterlie(4) 1629 Stirling's Royal Lett. I. 344.
Wee are informed by peticione from the Master of Hereis that [etc.]

4. The matter of the entreaty; the thing entreated or requested: cf. 2 and 3 above. c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 45/27.
And that God grant thé thi peticioun ar requirit certane condicionis 1535 Stewart 49721.
The quhilk petitioun [sc. to surrender Stirling castle] he did sone deny a1538 Abell 84 b.
Wilȝem the Lion … denyit nocht his petition 1563 Instit. Ct. Sess. 26 b.
The persewar sall propone his petitioun verbo and the partie defendar salbe haldin to answer verbo incontinent sua that the petitione of the caus proponit exceid nocht the soume of xl lib. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 317.
He wes willing to haue grantit the foirsaids petitionis to the detenaris of the castell of Edinburgh a1578 Pitsc. I. 160/22.
Thair was nane sa abill as hie to gif them ansueris conforme to thair petitioun 1686 Cramond Kirk S. II. 29 Aug.
Befor their petition should be granted

5. A supplication addressed to God; a prayer. b. One of the clauses of a prayer. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 35/12.
He garris ws ask and demand at oure fader of hevin vij peticiounis ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 6.
Quhat euer he be or scho that sayis thir prayeris or artickleis with ane contrit hert thir petitionis Arundel MS. 240/90. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 27.
Jesus Christ leirit us to pray to God in the sevin peticions of the Pater Noster 1567 G. Ball. 4.
The Lordis prayer … contening sex petitiounis