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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.

Remit(t, -myt(t, n. Also: rem- and -meit. [Appar. only Sc. till 1688 (once, = reference to a book) and 1833 (in legal use); Remit(t v.]

1. Forgiveness or pardon of sin or wrongdoing. = Remissio(u)n(e n. 1. c1490 Porteous Noblenes 172/3 (Asl.).
Quha that will haf forgifnes and remit of all his trespasis [etc.] a1568 Kennedy Bann. MS 268b/46.
Gif thow wilt haif … of thy gilt remit and grace — 1565–6 Reg. Privy C. I 422.
The said Robert … hes alswa obtenit remit and discharge of the said deforcement a1578 Pitsc. I 331/28.
Promissand … remeit of all thingis bypast to the said captane and … his freindis

2. Without specification of the offence: Forgiveness or pardon for an offence a. against human law. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 195.
Quho sal be thare to pray for thy remyt? 1550–1 Bk. Carlaverock I 219.
Samony as the lordis commissionaris permittis pardoun and remitt vnto thais personis sall haif the quenis … pardoun and remitt 1560 Cal. Sc. P. I 527.
In sewtyng my lordis remeit and perdone 1566–7 Reg. Privy C. I 498.
Quhasaevir will first reveill the … devysaris … of the said … murthour …, althoch he be ane culpabill and participant of the same cryme, sal haif fre pardoun and remit 1588 Prot. Bk. J. Robertsone 45.
The said James sat doun on his kneis vpone the bair arth and and crawit remit and forgewance of the said Charles

b. By extension, against divine law. 1626 Garden
Thow … left it that did to the Lord belong, Remitt or vengeance for thy brothers blood 1626 Worthies 109.

c. Letter of remit (and forgevinnes), a document granting a formal pardon. 1498–9 Reg. Privy S. I 40/2.
A letter of remitt and forgevinnes 1505–6 Ib. 174/2.
A lettre of remitt maid to Donald Makranald Vane … remittand to thaim the rancour of the kingis hart and all actioun that he has … again thame … and willis that this generall remitt be of als mekle strength … as thai had the kingis remission under his grete sele … gevin to thaim specialy nemmit in the samyn 1508 Ib. 243/1.
A letter of remit and discharge … of all … crime that may be imputeto thaim Ib. 246/2.
A lettre of remit and forgevin maid to … Johne Sym, plewman … for all crime [etc.] a1592 Archbp. Adamson in MartineRelig. Divi Andreae 95.
Thir letters of remitt to be extended in maist ample forme so oft as need be is

3. A formal pardon (for an offence), or the document conveying this. c1475 Wall. vi 322.
A fre remyt … he suld ger to thaim mak For alkyn deid that thai had doyne beforn 1505–6 Crim. Trials I i 105.
A remitt … for all actioun and cryme … of … intercommonyn with the saidis rebellis 1508–9 Reg. Privy S. I 277/2.
A remitt … for all actioun and crime that may be impute to thaim for the taking of certane gudis 1511–12 Dundee Chart. No. 47.
That nane of ȝou tak vpoun hand … to do ony thing incontrar this our generall remitt and discharge 1571 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 28.
Thay sal haue a remitt to thame for not obeying and serving the king in times bigane 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 297.
Whidder he hes givin a remit for all byganes or not I am vncertane 1589 Reg. Privy C. IV 388.
A remitt for the said cryme

4. The action of remitting, or releasing a person from, a payment due; ? a document setting this forth.(1) 1490 Acta Conc. I 148/1.
A instrument of the remitt of xl merkis 1509–10 Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) 216.
In lie remit [made to Sir John Tyri, vicar of Crawmound … 12 b.] 1518 Stirlings of Keir 315.
Remyt 1557 Aberd. B. Rec. I 303.
To lawbour and solist to gett remytt and discharge of ane pairt of this … taxatioune 1578–9 Reg. Privy S. VII 290/2.
And declaris … that this present remit and discharge … sal have full effect 1606 Chart. Coupar A. II 220.
With ane speciall remit and discharge of the thriddis of the said Abbacie of Couper alsweill victuall as siluer(2) 1552 Reg. Privy C. I 130.
The pane … for everie man that he presenttis nocht, xx lib. to be providit of … his landis and guddis … without ony remitt

5. ? The terms, or general tenor, of a legal claim or action. 1560 Admir. Ct. Bk. 152.
The pretendit eikis … ar to [be] repellit … anentis the qualiteis of personis situatioun of placis and remit of persute quhilk is generale to be interpretit baith of revenge and restitutioun civile

6. The act of referring a legal case to another judge or court; remission. 1650 Acts Sederunt ii 67.
The meanness of the expences that has been heirtofore grantit and insert in protestatiounes and remitts 1661 Ib. 79. 1663 Justiciary Ct. Rec. I 70 marg.
Remmitt from the Exchequer. … to take tryall whether the slaughter … was casually or on precogitate malice 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii xv 3 (1678) 425.
The Lords having remitted him to be tryed by the Justice-General and his Deputs, the Justice Deputs declar'd that they accepted only of the remit as meaning they were His Majesties Justice Deputs 1690 Acts IX 225/2.
Remit of the proces of treason to the Lords of Justiciary

7. A laying aside (of ill-feeling). 1562 St. A. Kirk S. 169.
And in signe of concord, amite and simple remit of all displesor, the said Adam … drank to hyr