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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Relax, -laxe, v. [Med. L. relaxare to set free, remit, dispense with, redeem (a pledge), reverse (a sentence), L. relaxāre to unloose. Cf. F. relaxer (14th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), late ME and e.m.E. relax, also Relesch(e v.¹, Reles(e v.] tr. Only Sc.: To free or discharge (a person) from (fra, furth of, out of) a legal process, sentence or penalty; to set free (from restraint, also a place of confinement). Also without const.Also in fig. context. 1461–2 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II 89.]
[Sic excommunicatas suspensas aut interdictas in forma ecclesie absoluendi et relaxandi(1) 1511 Reg. Privy S. I 355/1.
With command to the schiref of Drumfres to relax him fra the horne 1511 Crim. Trials I i 75.
The Scheref-deput … relaxt Nevin M^ckello [etc.] … fra the proces of the horne, and gaif thaim the wand of pece 1518–9 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 140.
Gif the saidis lordis wald relax him fra the said proces 1546 Reg. Privy C. I 29, etc.
Ordanis lettres to be direct to relax James Twedy … fra the proces of the horne led upon him 1564–5 Reg. Privy S. V i 562/2.
Throw being of him denuncit rebell and at hir graces horne and nevir relaxit thairfra thaireftir 1566 Crim. Trials I i 484.
I beseik … letteris to be direct to relax me fra the proces of horne c1575 Balfour Pract. 559. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Schireff. 1600-1610 Melvill 387.
To relax the ministers of Edinbruche from the horn, and repon tham again in thair awin roumes 1629 Justiciary Cases I 141.
I … was ordourlie relaxt from the hoirning execute aganis me a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 278.
That he wes at the horne … for not peyment of certaine thirds, and wes not relaxed therfra c1650 Spalding I 244.
He relaxt him self fra the horne, purchessit his remission orderlie, and went home … peciablie 1657 Rothesay B. Rec. 261.
Niniane Stewart of Kilkatten wes laufully relaxit from the horne at the Mercat Croce(2) 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II 13.
The … counsale relaxis hir fra the said bannessing 1533 Boece 54.
He … fra this bondage was nocht relaxit vnto the tyme he war [etc.] 1534 Prot. Bk. J. Cristisone 35.
[That] he serue be our jugement to be deliverit or relaxit of the said pennance 1543 Reg. Morton II 289.
The said erle wes relaxit of the said ward and optenit licence incontinent to returne hame agane 1580 Hume Promine 146.
And pynit pure men, from all panis relaxt Salute ȝour souerane 1610 Reg. Privy C. IX 89.
He sall satisfie the Kirk and obtene himselff relaxt fra the proces of excommunicatioun pronunceit aganis him 1640 R. Baillie Canterb. Self-Convict. 115. 1647 Dunkeld Presb. II 140.
And if they sall be found to despise the said censure by not seeking to be relaxit therefra, they shall be deposed(3) 1551 Dundee B. Ct. II fol. 67b (12 June).
Jonkyne Dauidsone … relaxit Vat Fermorer furth of the tolbuth he beand fensit thare Arundel MS 274/18.
Mankind … That hes thi lyne relaxit of the lymbe a1578 Pitsc. I 178/5.
That he sould never be relaxit out of the castell of Edinburgh 1688 Coupar Angus Kirk S. in Dunkeld Presb. I 128 n.
And thereafter to relaxe him from prison(4) 1521 Douglas Corr. 81.
At the saidis lordis … salbe cleirly relaxit and quytclamyt, to have na mellinge with the said duk 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II 12.
Quharfor scho wes relaxt till the fredome of this toune efter scho wes bennest the samyne 1541 (c1580) Ib. 106.
We pray yow … that ye … relax and discharge the samyn [merchants] and gyf thame fredome to pas quhair evir thay pleis best 1542 Acts II 416/2.
To … remane in ward quhill he war relaxt 15.. Clar. ii 318.
Relaxit he this knicht that bundin wes a1560 Fam. Rose 234. a1570-86 Maitl. F. 426/27.
The corpis mycht be relaxit, Bot schame suld thé confound, … That thou couldist newir be fre 1573 Waus Corr. 83.
We admonishe thame … to pay the debt, and obtene thame selfis relaxt 1574 Carrick Baillie Ct. 17 June.
Gif the said George rasit ony summondis … he wer nocht hard thairintill quhill he wer relaxit 1576 Inverness Rec. I 252.
To that thai be releiffit and relaxit in the authoriteis letters a1578 Pitsc. I 26 h. of ch. 1582 Declar. Causis 22.
Being … relaxt or kepit strait at thir mennis appetyte 1593 Lett. Jas. VI to Eliz. 88.
Quhairupone I was forcit to continue that maitter … and thay to remane relaxit in the meane tyme ?c1604–5 Sc. Hist. Rev. XIX 268.
An outlawe … untill by obeyinge of the charge he purchase himself relaxed a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 158. ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. I 26.
Whosoever shall speacke against the Booke of Common Prayer, shall be excommunicated and not relaxed till he retracte and repentefig. c1600 Montg. Suppl. xii 46.
Beseiking ȝow … Me of my tormenttis to relax

b. To free from an office, anxiety, etc. 1511 Reg. Privy S. I 355/1.
The king … has relaxit him of the said curatory, and … restoris him … to the … reule of all his landis 1533 Boece 61b.
My hevy age requiris now to be absoluit and relaxit fra curis 15.. Clar. iv 1496.
Dansit then [MS they] thir two, As thay that war relaxit out of wo

c. To free (goods, lands, etc. that have been arrested), or to raise the restriction placed on their use.(1) 1520–1 Dundee B. Ct. I fol. 18 (18 Feb.).
Thar was a styk of clath arrestit … the quhilk stik was relaxit be Fergous Lynnis wif 1528 Maxwell Mem. I 259.
To relax and redym … my fyfe pwnd land 1561 Reg. Privy C. I 179.
The said Johne his schip and gudis being fred and relaxit to return within this realme 1582 Burntisland B. Ct. 3 April.
Johine Phine becumis bund … to redeime relax and owtquit the said annuall rent … and mak the said tenement of land fre thairoff(2) 1538 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 18 Feb.
Schir Patrik Hepburn … relaxet denunciation of four husband lands … gevand Jhone Jedwart … licens till … lay in ved the four husband lands 1560 Peebles B. Rec. I 268.
[The] baillie relaxit the said arreistament maid on the saidis cornes