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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.

Respect, -spict, n.² Also: -speck. [Late ME (c1440) and e.m.E. (1533) respecte, med. L. (Eng.) respectus or respectum (11th c. in Du Cange), (Eng. and Sc., see below) respectuatio, Respit n. Cf. Respect n.¹In at least some instances, -ct forms may represent editorial transcriptions of -tt, and hence be merely further examples of Respit n.]

A privilege, granted to a person by the king, also by another claiming to exercise regal power, of postponement of any legal action that has arisen or may arise against him and his family, dependants, etc., for a specified period of time.Under (a person's) respect, included in the ‘respect’ granted by, or to, the person named. 14.. Acts I 379/2.
[Respectuacio querelarum potest fieri [etc.] 1505 Reg. Privy S. I 158/1.]
Litera Respectuationis Lauchlano Maklane … pro arte et parte proditorie participationis(1) 1501 Acta Conc. III 85.
The tyme of gevin and grant of our soverane lordis respect made til the sade Georg, Lord Setoun, quhen he past furth of the realme 1517–18 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 114.
That respectis salbe gevin to all maner of persouns of the Mers and for all maner of actiouns … and the said respect to endur quhill … Mydsomer nixt tocum 1522–3 Edinb. B. Rec. I 210.
He producit ane respect grantit to him be my Lord Gouernour … for the spaice of xix yeris fra the dait of the said respect 1526 Acts II 307/1.
The kingis grace and … parliament ordanis respectis be maid & gevin to the erlis of Angus [etc.] … thar kyn … and vtheris part takaris to be … specifyit be thame for all maner of crymes … And the said respectis for … xix ȝeris to endur providing that digne satisfaction be maid to all partyis complenand on the persouns to be namyit in the said respectis … And the saidis respetis [sic in pr.] to haue na place fra thinfurth bot for actiouns committit befor the dait tharof [etc.] 1529 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 318.
I desire ane respect or remissioune to me and my servandis for all crimes bigane 1535 Stewart 44146.
But respect or remeid, … tha pat thame all to deid 1545 Reg. Privy C. I 17.
That thai on na wyse admitt ony dischargeis of ony crymis, bot gif the samin pas be respect or remissioun 1566 Ib. 472.
That he [sc. the Treasurer] on na wayis subscrive ony signature of remissioun, or respect, nor suffir the samyn to pas his register 1569 Ib. II 75.
To mak ane roll of all escheittis disponit and of all respectis or remissionis grantit c1575 Balfour Pract. 553. 1599 Crim. Trials II 97. Moysie 6.
He can nocht pas to ane assyis, becaus he hes obtenit the kingis respect for the said cryme … and takis him to the said respect(b) 1497 Acta Conc. II 82.
The contempcione … done be him … in the rupcione … of our soverane lordis speciale respict grantit be him to the sade Schir Robert 1498–9 Ib. 305.
That the sadis persons tuke thame til ane generale respict of our soverane lord(2) 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II 387.
The … prior and convent … beand under our soverane lordis proteccione and respict 1501–2 Ib. III 125.
Allegit … that he was under Patrik, Erle Boithule Lord Halis respict, becaus he was his cousing and of blude til him 1516 Fife Sheriff Ct. 30.
The said Robert … was wnder the kingis respect grauntit to the Bischope of Galloway(3) 1500 Acta Conc. II 429.
Our soverane lordis letters of respict 1535 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 444.
Howbeit we have gevin … to our ambassadouris now departing …, our speciale lettres of respect quhill thar returing agane within our realm [etc.] 1590 St. A. B. Ct. 14 Aug.
Our soveran lordis lettres of respect wnder his maiesties prevye saill for the slawchter of wmquhill Jhone Watt(4) 1501 Acta Conc. III 81.
[He asked instrument] that he had producit his lordis respict, and that he had na power til win nor tyne the accione 1522 Treas. Acc. V 202.
Deliverit … ane generale lettre and respect, direct for gadering of ane fute band contenand twa monethis, for quhatsumevir crymez or offenceis committit be ony persoun cumand to the fute band 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 540.
Upoun presentatioun of … eschetis of gudis … respectis, remissionis, supersedereis [etc.]

b. ? The right to enjoy the fruits of a benefice until such time as a permanent incumbent was appointed.Const. to the benefice. 1551 Corr. M. Lorraine 352.
For the kyngis mageste hes gevin to the said Master Alexander the respeck to ane abbacy