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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
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Quite-clame, Quyt(e)-, Quit-clame, v. Also: qwite-, qwyt(e)-, qwytt-; quhite-, quhyt-, qwhyt-; whyt-; quyite-; quiet(e)-; queyt-; quet-; qwit-, quitte-, quhit-, qwhit-; cot- and -klam(e, -claim(e, -clayme; -clam; -cleme, -cleym(e, -cleam; -clem(m; (quitlaime). P.t. and p.p. -clamyt, -claymit, -cleameitt, etc.; also -clamed, -claimed, -clemyd. [ME and late ME quite-cleyme(n (c1314), quit-clayme (Gawain & Gr. Knt.), quyte-clayme (c1450, 1480), e.m.E. quite-clame (Spenser), OF and AF quiteclaimer (c1290), quitteclamer, med. L. quietum-clamare, quiete-, quite-clamare, mod. L. quitclamare (c1500): cf. Quite adj. and Clame v., Claym(e v., Clem(e v.]

1. tr. To renounce, resign, give up (to, till another in another's favour) a possession, claim, right, title, etc.Also, to give up an action at law, and to resign an office.(1) 1379 Douglas Chart. 28.
Wete yhe me … haue releissit quytclaymit & … remittyt till … Dame Mergarete … all my rycht [etc.] ?1438 Alex. ii 7272.
And I quyteclame ȝow vterly Baith gold and syluer halely Ib. 8688. 1426 Cal. Charters Suppl. (Reg. H.) 16 Jan.
I … sal vpgif quiteclame & resigne the superiorite of the said tenandry in the handis of the said Jonet & Walter 1444 Reg. Great S. 63/2.
Quyt clemyt 1458 Peebles B. Rec. I 127.
And al oudir clamis is qwytclamyt to master John 1489 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 546.
To resigne vp geve and fra me & my airis … purly and symply quytcleym and frely deliuer to [etc.] … al and syndry forsaidis landis … with charteir [etc.] … maid to me 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 249/1. 1509 Newbattle Coll. (Somerville) (Reg. H.).
Quhytclemyt 1512 Reg. Privy S. I 368/2.
Quietclamand 1512 Crim. Trials I i 77.
Quhitclamis 1538 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 40.
Quytclamit 1591 Lennox Mun. 332.
Wit ȝe ws … to heue renunceitt, queytcleameitt, and dischargeitt … to our louitt Schir James … the thre lettres of reuersioun efter specifeitt(2) 1400 Maxwell Mem. I 141.
And attour it is acordit at the forsayd Schyr Jon the sone sal gyf up, quyte cleme [etc.] … al the rycht at he had ?1438 Alex. ii 4726.
I haue quitclamit him vterly c1420 Wynt. vii 2044.
And qwyt-clemyd [C. qwhit clemyt, W. quytclamyt] all homagis And alkyn strayt condytyownys 1426 Cal. Charters Suppl. (Reg. H.) 16 Jan.
Quiteclemyt 1452 Maxwell Mem. 172.
Quyteclamis 1465 Buccleuch Mun. 67.
Quitecleme 1472 Lennox Mun. 87.
Quyitecleme c1475 Wall. vi 913.
Quytcleyme our land Ib. ix 388. 1481 Soc. Ant. Chart. (Reg. H.) No. 14.
Quietclame 1507–8 Reg. Privy S. I 240/1.
Qwiteclamys c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 62.
Quytclame clergie and cleik to thé ane club 1509 Newbattle Coll. (Somerville) (Reg. H.).
Quhitclemys 1516 Sutherland Bk. III 66.
Quetclame 1535 Stewart 18399.
Quitte [cl]ame 1567 G. Ball. 196.
Preistis, … The vmest claith ȝe sall quyte clame 1622-6 Bisset II 196/4.
Quytclamed 1658 Paisley B. Rec. 104.
Quiteclame 1670 Inverness Rec. II 243.
Yet they quytclame and hierby denude their airs of the benefite of sitting at the said cross(3) 1429 15th Rep. Hist. MSS App. viii 10.
The forsaide Wilham … all accyons … qwites and … qwiteclemis for ever 1632 Justiciary Cases I 209.
Wit ȝe me thairfoir to haif exonerit quytclamet and simpliciter past fra the saidis lettres and persute of the said George Currour … and of all actioun ciuile or criminall [etc.](4) 1641 Recantation of Two Ancient Prelates 1.
Witt you me to have dimitted, quytclamed, and simpliciter overgives the foresaid pretended office of Episcopacie

b. To repudiate, disavow, deny.? Only in verse. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 2166.
For as for me, I quitclame that I kend thé c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 741.
Or ellis for ay mirth clenlie I quitclame a1568 Scott xxvi 76.
I wat gud wemen will not wyt me Nor of this sedull be eschamit … And, gif thay crab, heir I quyt clame it Ib. xxvii 39.
Gif scho my luve quyt clame, I sall not kend

c. reflex., const. infin. To renounce (the option) to do something, to undertake not to do it. 1475 Peebles B. Rec. I 175.
The said Wilyam and his ayris quhytclemys and dischargis thaim for euir to mak ony clam na legens of the saydis anvellis or gyft

d. reflex. To divest oneself (of possessions) in favour of another. 1519 Thanes of Cawdor 133.
And falyeing that we [etc.] … we the saydis Sownye [etc.] … dischargis and quytclemmis us of all our guidis mouabyll and unmouabyll to be tane fra us … to the utilite … of the sayd Sir Johne

e. To guarantee against claims by third parties. (Cf. Quite adj. 2 f.) 1460 Peebles B. Rec. I 136.
And wye … our forsayd landis … the forsaydis Jhon [etc.] … agaynis all men and women sal warand qwhytclem and defend

2. To declare (a person) free, to release or discharge him (from (of) a debt, claim, duty, obligation or the like).Commonly because he has paid the debt or discharged the obligation.(1) 1422 Thanes of Cawdor 10.
(a) Of your oblising … we relesche you, dischargis you and quiteclemis you forever 1429 Wemyss Chart. 61.
Of the quhilke soume … the saide Dawy … & als of his obligacioune of this soume beforsaide for euir I quiteclame 1478 Acta Conc. I 4/2.
Johne dischargit and quiteclemyt the said Walter of the said kye(b) 1399 Melville Chart. 15.
Of the qwhilkis soume alsua the forsaide Schir Williame … I euer mare qwytcleme 1400 Maxwell Mem. I 138.
And of tha chargis the forsayd Robert … quyte clemys the sayd Schyr Jon c1420 Wynt. ix 1945.
And qwyte [C. qwhit] clemyt his barnage Off alkyn band of thare homage 1429 Ayr B. Acc. in Sc. Hist. Rev. XXXI 146.
The said bailȝeis ar qwyt clamyt [b]e the said commons off the said cont 1436 Reg. Panmure II 199.
Quyt clemyt 1469 Peebles B. Rec. I 160.
Quhytclemys 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I 175.
Quytklamys 1532 Edinb. B. Rec. II 57. 1561 Rec. Earld. Orkney 268. 1601 Liber Melros 654. 1634 Ruthven Corr. 5.
Quytclamed 1677 Irvine Deeds Bond 4/7/1677.
Quyt clame(c) 1408 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 69.
For til hafe remyttyt & quitclaymyt … Sir Robert … of the ten pondes worth of land [etc.] 1436 Reg. Panmure II 199.
Quitcleme 1443 Milne-Home MSS 21.
Quhitclamys 1460–1 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. viii 88. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2401.
I wald quitclame the carll off all the laif 1489–90 Acta Conc. I 139/1.
That the said Alexander haid qwitclamit and dischargit the said Thomas of all poyntis contenyt in the summondis 1499–1500 Ib. II 355. 1500 Ib. 465. 1525–6 Selkirk B. Ct. MS fol. 116b.
Quitclaimes 1540 Reg. Privy S. II 515/1.
Ane lettre maid to Gabriell Sympill [etc.] … quitclamand and dischargeand thame the soume of vii^c merkis 1544 Maxwell Mem. I 286. 1557 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. 262.
Of the quhilk sowme … I the said Johne Lowitfuit haldis me weil content … and dischargis and quhitclamis and exhonoris the foirsaid Henry Halcro [etc.] … of the first penny and the last [etc.] 1559 Reg. Privy S. V i 142/2. 1581 Perth B. Ct. 4 April. 1593 Elphinstone Mun. 22.
Quitclaime(d) 1475 Lennox Mun. 104.
Quietclamys 1512–13 Reg. Privy S. I 375/1. 1529 Grant Chart. 73.
Quieteclamis 1542 Reg. Morton I 4. 1603 Inverness Rec. II 13. 1609 Ib. 60.(2) 1407 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 32.
And the forsaide Schir Johon … anens the said monay I qwyt cleme(3) 1521 Doug. in Doug. (Sm.) I p. xciv.
And at the saidis lordis [etc.] … salbe cleirly relaxit and quytclamyt to haue na melling with the said duke(4) 1398 MacRae Early Sc. Texts No. 5.
Of the forsayde oxen I hald me payd … & the forsaid Jonkyne quyte claimes be this letter 1413 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 364.
Of the whilke sowme I hald me well payid and content and the fornemyt Lord of Eroll … I quite clayme for euirmare 1422 Stirlings of Keir 208.
The for said Willȝam … I qwyt cleme perpetuely 1429 Raine N. Durham App. 37.
Qwhit clamyse 1432 Montgomery Mem. II 9.
Qwitclamis 1455–6 Rec. Earld. Orkney 191.
Qwyttclemis 1456 Hay I 167/35.
Quite clamand 1478 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 70.
Quietclames 1480 Rec. Earld. Orkney 331.
Quhitclamys 1510 Lennox Mun. 189.
We exoner, dyschargis, and quhytclemis the said Waltyr … fra ws 1532 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 124.
Quitclam 1533–4 Ib. MS fol. 177b (24 March.).
Peter … resauit thir forsaidis gudis and quitclemit the forsaid Elesabecht 1539 Mill Mediæv. Plays 147.
Quietclamit 1542 Boyd Fam. P. No. 21 (24 June).
For me my aris asacutors acsygnis cotclamis and dyscargis the said Adame his aris asacutors and asignais 1572 Grey Friars II 64.
Quitclamis 1624 Wemyss of Bogie MSS.
Quytclamit 1639 Shetl. Doc. in Sc. Hist. Rev. XXI 130.
Whyt clame 1693 S. Leith Rec. 175/2.
Quhite claimed 1698 Discharge in Atholl MSS 44 iv A1.
Quytclaimes(b) 1575 Waus Corr. 59.
[We] exhonouris, quitlaimes [sic in pr.], and dischargis the said Mr. Patrik

b. To release from bondage, to manumit (a bondman). 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 45.
Throw syndry maneris may a man cum to fredome that is in seruitut as & gif his lorde will him bryng to fredome he may quytclam him fra him & his ayr or in other maner [etc.] 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 23b.
Quhen the maister quite clames, for him and his heires, his bondman, or selles him to ane extranear person Ib.
For everie frie man, haueand natiue bond-men, may quiteclame and make them frie

3. a. To grant remission to, to exonerate or declare free (a person) of a sentence or penalty. b. To remit (the sentence) to the person. 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 259/2.
And gife he be adjugit in ony unlawis … his grace quiteclamys and dischargis him thairof 1509 Ib. 284/1.
That he was put to oure horne for the said actioun, renuncyand and quitclamand the sammyn to hym 1526 Ib. 512/1.
We … exoneris, dischargis and quitclamis him of all … amerciamentis and unlawis in the quhilkis he wes adjugit to us 1554 Acts II 602/2 (see Quite-clamatioun n.).