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

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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.

Peté, -ie, n. Also: pett-, peit(t)- and -y, -ee. [ME. and e.m.E. pete (Langland, 1399), petie (c 1400), petye (1542), var. of pity Pité n.] Pity, in the usual senses.

a. The quality of being pitiful or compassionate. = Pité n. 1, Pieté n. 1. c1420 Wynt. viii. 6995.
Bot God [that] welle is off pete [etc.] c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 77/15.
The … giftis of the haly gast the gift … of prudence of pete [etc.] a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1013 (Asl.). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxix. 34 (B).
Quha that dois deidis of petie … Is haldin a fule Ib. lxxiv. 37 (M).
Swete gentill turtour quhair is ȝour pete went 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 269/1.
We of oure special grace movet of pete … hes … forgevin [etc.] a1538 Abell 81 a. 1579 Acts III. 135/2.
Of his speciall mercie clemency and pety(b) c1420 Ratis R. 608.
Dem Cheryte … with twa en gracious at neid Full of peite

b. A feeling of pity or compassion. = Pité n. 2, Pieté n. 2To have or ta pete (of, also on, a person), to feel, or show, compassion.To have … pete (to do something), to feel remorse or compunction. = Pité n. 2 c.(1) 1375 Barb. iii. 523.
Mekill ioy or ȝeit pete May ger men sua amowyt be That watir fra the hart will rys c1420 Wynt. v. 585.
But pety tharefor or mercy He slwe hyr a1500 Henr. III. 127/34.
God … of his mercy petie haif c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 69/16.
Desyrand … vengeance & pvnicoun quhar I suld haue pete c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 314. 1554 Knox III. 261.
For besyde bloody warre … [there was] honger and povertie without petie 1567 Sat. P. iv. 97.
Quhat hairt so hard for petie will not bleid? 1569 Q. Mary in Misc. Abbotsf. C. 26. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 24.
Sic men as ar … without … petie to the inferiour c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxi. 67.
With petie than behald my greif(b) a1578 Pitsc. I. 70/15.
Bot … they … slew all the citinaris but ruth or pettie(c) 1642 Banff Ann. I. 86.
Bot any peitie 1674 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 214.
Peittie(2) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 857 (C).
Now atte last thow pete ta Of this wreche her — c1460 Thewis Wysmen 415.
Of pure folk haf thai na petee c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 58/5. a1500 Seven S. 1411.
Than of hir had his hart pete c1500-c1512 Dunb. iv. 87. 1533 Gau 50/25.
Ane bischoip the quhilk cane haif pete af our infirmiteis 1547 Corr. M. Lorraine 188.
He hes pete in his hart of our cuntre and of the ordour therof a1578 Pitsc. I. 355/26.
Because he had pettie and compassioun on his wyfe and bairnes(3) a1497, 15.. Gray MS. iv. 136.
Thow has na pety to persew To peille the pouer beswik the blynd a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcix. 25.
To reif the pure rycht few hes now petie

c. (A) cause for pity or regret. = Pité n. 3, Pieté n. 3.Also, wes (gret, etc.) pete or pete wes concerning (of) the person or event specified.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 82 (Makc.).
It wer pete thow suld in this myddyng Be beriit thus c1475 Wall. viii. 102.
Tharfor I ces to tell the destructioune Pete it was and all off a natioune c1500 Fyve Bestis 230.
It war gret pete he suld tyne his kirk a1578 Pitsc. I. 369/25.
Thair ȝeid sic murning throw the contrie … that it was great pettie for to heir — c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 442.
Ȝone is a pete to enprent in a princis hert That [etc.] a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcvii. 19.
It is ane petie to heir tell How [etc.](2) c1420 Wynt. viii. 6028.
Off his dede wes gret pete 1461 Liber Plusc. 382.
Wes neuir yit more gret pete of a princes In quhame [etc.](3) c1475 Wall. ii. 334.
Than wepyt scho that pete was to seyne a1500 Lanc. 696.
Gret peite was the sorow that he maad 15.. Clar. i. 1481.
Scho sounit deidlie that peitie was to see(4) c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 66.
His grace thocht petie for to hang me

d. Piety. = Pieté n. 4; cf. Pité n. 4.(1) 1513 Doug. ii. vii. 120.
Nor ȝit thé … Thy gret pety and godly religioun … hyd from skaith(2) 1533 Bell. Livy I. 115/1 (see Pieté n. 4 b).
Peite c1554 Makeson Genesis fol. i.
Cayin slew Abell … Aganis … bruderly pete — 1519 Dunferm B. Rec. I. 78.
The altaraige … of our Lade of Pete — 1549 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II. 196.
Ane propir vch of gold veil annamalit of our Lord of pette