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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.

Quest, n.¹ Also: qwest, queste; queist, qyest; qwyst, kuist. [ME and e.m.E. quest (1303), queste (Piers Plowman), also quiste, an inquest, a search, OF queste. Cf. also med. L. questa an inquest (15th c.), e.m.E. quest v. (of dogs) to yelp at the sight of game (c1420).]

1. A judicial inquiry, an inquest. = Inquest n. 1.(a) 1459–60 Peebles B. Rec. I 134.
And sayd it was nothir put to sys na quest na yyt men sworn thairto 1595 Highland P. I 161.
Efter cuming hame frae the qyest(b) 1620 Grant Chart. 327.
We … abstractit the kuist and haill process for that day

2. The (body of) persons appointed to take part in an inquest. = Inquest n. 2.(a) 1432–3 Ayr B. Ct. 20 Jan.
It was ordanit be a qwest that [etc.] 1456 Peebles B. Rec. I 112.
The qwest fand the said Dic lachful ar til his fader land Ib. 113.
And than the balyeis chessit the qwest Ib.
And than the balyeys and the qwest … gayf hym sessyng 1463 Ib. 150.
The gude men of the queste statut and ordanit that quhat wyf brak the pas … to be tane twa laffis and delt for the fyrst faut 1519 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 51.
And for the commoun profet the quest hes seit the profet of the samyn [tron] to James Bradfut for iii yeris(b) 1438 Ayr B. Ct. p. 61 (? 2 Dec.).
Qwyst(c) 1532 Mill Mediæv. Plays 248.
Becaws it wes delyuerit be ane queist afor that [etc.]

3. Only in Doug.: The baying of hounds in the hunt. 1513 Doug. v v 26.
For hundis queste it semyt the lyft ryfe wald Ib. x xii 48.
The bor Quham hundis quest … Down dryvyng from the hightis maid discend Ib. xii xii 142.
The rynnyng hund dois hym assail in threte … with hys questis grete