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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.

Quittance, -ans, n. Also: quittaunce, quyttance, qwittance, quitans, quyt(t)ans, quhyttans, quetance. Pl. quittancis, -es, qwyttances, also quyttans. [OF quitance, quittance (12th c.), med. L. quietantia (c1096), quittantia (1156).]

1. The act of clearing oneself of a charge. (Cf. Quite v. 9 a.)Under quittance, in or during the process of clearing, or within or during the time allowed for clearing oneself of a charge.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxii 702.
That for quetance scho suld ga One ane heyt yrne brynnande c1500 Barounis Lawis fol. 7b.
Alsua it is to witt that gif ony man be adiugit to mak his purgacioune and quyttance in forme of law … agane the party followand [etc.] — 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 16.
Thomas in Brehouland is tryit to haife failyeit quittance of stowth of befoir and now giffin upe to be the brekar of his nychbouris skeois … upon liklines thairof the said Thomas is decernit to quit him with the saxter ayth Ib. 51, 62. 1603 Ib. 66, 68.(2) 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 71.
It is tryit that James Manisoun hes deit under quittance of the stowth of ane syd of ane swyne … and in respect thairof decernis his movable guidis and gere to be escheit

2. A release or discharge from (of, for) a debt or obligation; a document certifying this; also, letter of quittance. (= Acquittance n.) (Cf. Quite v. 18 a.)(1) 1465 Liber Aberbr. II 148.
To pay … quhat somys that euir thai draw to of the quhilkis I … can schaw na quyttance or document of 1476–7 Swintons App. lxi.
To … distrenȝe the lands of Cranchawis at ilka terme for ten pundis and gif a quitans ay thar of to the tenendis and seriandis of the said grounde aye thar of 1482–3 Acta Conc. II cxxv.
The said Johne … allegit that he had pait to the said Issabell four skore of pundis … of the said some, and the said reverend fader grantit that he had quittance of the said Issabell thairof 1489–90 Ib. I 139/1.
Qwittance 1494–5 Treas. Acc. I 243. 1494–5 Halyb. 7.
Contyt with my [Lord] of Sant Andros … and all thyngis clar to that day, of the quhilk I haf quhyttans in dobyll form of all rasatis. Item left an of thir quyttans in Edinburgh 1497–8 Newbattle Coll. (Somerville) (Reg. H.).
And tharefore qwyttances & qwytclamys to gif 1498 Halyb. 217.
Paid for 3 generall quyttans that Blasso gaf my lord … of the hayll 1501 Fam. Rose 172.
I Wilyame … haff resauyt fra … Huchone … twa syndry quytclemys of Dauid Betone, … ilka quytans be thaim selff extendand to twentty powndis 1502 Halyb. 269.
And to be quyt of hym in tym to cum I gaf hym a hayll quyttans and quhill I leif never to deill with hym 1518 Elphinstone Mun. 191/1.
Nor ouer this schall not tak vpone me to geue any quittaunce for suche dettis as be due … to her said grace 1519 Peebles Chart. 49.
In witnes of the quhilk, I haif subscriwit this present quittans with my hand at Edynburgh, the penult day of May 1554 Dundee B. Ct. II fol. 311b (28 June).
To ressave the said xxiiij liis as said is & to gyf quittancis thare vpon 1595 Cal. Sc. P. XI 571.
To mak faithe in judgement with all the quittances of his that may be had(2) 1505 Reg. Privy S. I 157/1.
A lettre of quittance maid to Johne Cathkert of the sowm of four hundreth merkis