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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.

Qualifyit, -fiit, -feit, Qualefeit, ppl. adj. Also: qualifiet, -fit, -fyt, qualyfeit; qualefiit, -fiet, -feyit, -feyet; qualified, qualyfied, -feid. [Cf. mod. L. qualificatus qualified (person) (1526), e.m.E. qualified possessing good qualities (1592), modified (1599).]

1. Possessed of the required skill or competence for a certain post, task or function; equipped, capable, competent. Also, rarely, b. Possessed of the legal or customary requirements or qualifications; suitable, fit.In attrib. and predic. use and const. for the function, in the required ability or to perform the duty or fulfil its requirements. Also absol.(1) 1533 Bell. Livy II 16/2.
To create … two maist qualifyit persouns amang thame to haue empire and signorie abone the laif 1540 Acts II 376/1.
That in euery burgh thare be ane qualifijt man chosin to seill all claith 1548 Reg. Soltre 217.
Qualifit 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 152.
To provide sick qualifeit pastouris as wyll do conforme to thair vocatioun 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 2.
Ane sufficient numer of the maist qualefiet men of the citie 1568 Peebles Chart. 73. 1572–3 Peebles B. Rec. I 352.
Quhat thai … will gif benevolentle to ane qualifiit scoilmaister 1574 Conv. Burghs I 27.
Sic vtheris as thay sall chuse [sc. to man the ship], qualefeit abill men 1581 Acts III 244/1.
Qualefiit 1583 Prot. Bk. J. Scott MS 155.
To ane vther leirnit and qualifeit man hable to preiche the word of God and minister the sacramentis 1583 Reg. Episc. Brechin. II 343.
Quhilk can be bot a very meane … living for a qualifeit minister 1590 Conv. Burghs I 328. 1594 Ib. 443.
Qualefeyet 1594 Edinb. Surgeons 18.
That Andro Scott is ane qualifyt chirurgiane c1624 Montgomery Mem. 287.
That another more qualefeit persone may be of new nominat 1668 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 99.
That ane fitt and weell qualified persone be intrusted with the shreff-deputship 1669 Kirkwall Chart. 92.
Ane leitt of eight aibill qualified and sufficient honest burgesses againest Saturday nixt for adding to the counsall(2) 1559 Edinb. B. Rec. III 37.
That thair be feit vj gunnaris, qualefeit at the sicht of the said prouest and ballies 1565 Edinb. Univ. MS La. iii 388a 3b.
Swa that thai may knaw quhidder the iuges contenit in the same be qualefeit 1607 Facs. Nat. MSS III lxxxvi.
To elect sic as we can find maist qualifiet and best lykit of be your maiestie 1616 Sutherland Bk. II 121.(3) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3870.
And qualefiet richt prudentlie to preich 1545 (1546) Reg. Great S. 757/1.
Owtlandis men … nocht habill nor qualifyit to use marchandice [etc.] Ib. 757/2.
Providing … that the airis male … be thocht qualifyit be the provest [etc.] … to scot, lot [etc.] 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 386.
Nocht qualyfeit to bruke ane benefyse 1549 Compl. 12/7.
Nature hes nocht dotit ane person to be qualifeit to excerse al sortis of craftis 1559 Q. Kennedy in Misc. Wodrow Soc. 267.
That I wes nocht qualifiet to ressone with Willok 1568 Peebles Chart. 74. 1570 Prot. Bk. A. Lawson 1.
Ane persone able, qualefeit, leirnit, and idoneous to … exerce the office of notarie 1577 Conv. Burghs I 51.
The conseruatour … is knawing to be ane man, abill and qualefeit to be helpful in this actioun 1581–2 Inverness Rec. I 291.
The haill cordinar craft … fyndis William Dict wourde and qualifeit to be ane buytht haldar 1595 Banff Ann. II 403.(4) 1593 Edinb. B. Rec. V 102.
[They] fand William Stenhop … the persoun maist meitt and qualefeyit to be placet … as myller to the said malt mylne(5) 1563 Acts II 542/1.
Insufficient notaris not qualifeit as effeiris to be in making of instrumentis 1565 Edinb. Univ. MS La. iii 388a 3b.
That the lordis insert in the said commission able and qualefeit men in vnderstanding thairto a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 21.
Ther should none be presented therto bot qualified persones in religion, literatur, practique, and judgment 1655 Argyll Synod II 87.
Though they be not lawriat nor qualified in tongues or sciences(6) 1537–8 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 152.
Cognition to be takin thairof be the balle or vtheris qualefeit thairfor 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3880.
Except men of gude eruditioun, And for preistheid qualefeit and cunning 1595 in Brunton & Haig 235.
To the effect the said senatoures my^t elect in thair place persounis maist qualifiet therefor 1622-6 Bisset I 106/27.
Qualyfied Ib. II 251/17.
Qualyfeid 1678 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 119.absol. 1562 Edinb. B. Rec. III 133.
And put sum vther mair qualifeit in his place 1562-3 Winȝet I 136/16.
Moueit be Godis spirit to dimit willinglie thair places to the mair qualifeit

c. That fulfils or has fulfilled the requirements for a freeman of a burgh; accredited (freeman, burgess). 1555 Conv. Burghs I 12.
That the said dene of gild gif na ticket bot to qualifeit fremen 1579 Inverness Rec. I 270.
Except onlye burges sounis of this burcht being qualefeit haiffing stob and steaik

2. ? Established (as being of the character specified), proven. (Qualify v. 1 b and c). 1699 Cramond Ch. Aberdour 38.
Also compeared James Hetherwick who is a qualified thieff

3. Of a statement or oath: Modified by reservations or relevant additional points.See also Qualificate. 1657 Dunkeld Presb. II 426.
What is meant by his qualified submission; when it shall be condescended upon the qualifications, there shall be an answer given to them, but they have been mental reservations whereby he qualified his submission, for there are not any qualifications … registered 1681 Stair Inst. iv xliv §14.
Qualified oaths are these wherein the deponent acknowledgeth that what is referred to his oath is true, but that what is referred doth not contain all the truth requisite for determining the cause, which therefore he adds as qualities of his oath Ib. xlvi §5.
Albeit they are sparing to determine upon qualified oaths, or these which are not so plain and short as that they may be written and signed at the bar