acquite

acquite (third-person singular simple present acquites, present participle acquiting, simple past and past participle acquited)

1. Obsolete spelling of acquit.
   • c. 1380s, [Geoffrey Chaucer; William Caxton, editor], The Double Sorow of Troylus to Telle Kyng Pryamus Sone of Troye [...] [Troilus and Criseyde] (in Middle English), [Westminster]: Explicit per Caxton, published 1482, OCLC 863541017; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], book II, [London]: Printed by [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, OCLC 932884868, folio clxxix, verso, line 1200, column 1:

     Therwyth al roſy hewed tho woxe ſhe / And gan to hym, and ſayd, ſo I trowe / Aquyte him wel for goddes loue (q[uo]d he) / My ſelfe to medes wol the lettre ſowe […]

     (please add an English translation of this quote)

   • 1576, George Whetstone, “The Castle of Delight: […]”, in The Rocke of Regard, Diuided into Foure Parts. [...], Imprinted at London: [By H. Middleton] for Robert Waley, OCLC 837515946; republished as J[ohn] P[ayne] Collier, editor, The Rocke of Regard, Diuided into Foure Parts. [...] (Illustrations of Early English Poetry; vol. 2, no. 2), London: Privately printed, [1867?], OCLC 706027473, page 48:

     Although it pleaſed you this other night (occasion by me unhappily miniſtred) to intertaine time with an ordinarie profeſſion of love, yet (maſter Rinaldo) you doe both me and your ſelfe great injurie to continue your needleſſe labour with ſuch importunancie to me. […] Thus muche (being your firſte attempt) I thought it good to anſwere, leaſt you ſhould think with needleſſe niceneſſe I acquited your courteſies.

   • 1594, Torquato Tasso; R[ichard] C[arew], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Hierusalem: […], London: Imprinted by Iohn Windet for Christopher Hunt of Exceter, OCLC 1049095473; quoted in “Art. III. Godfrey of Bulloigne, or the Recouerie of Hierusalem. […]”, in [Henry Southern], editor, The Retrospective Review, volume III, part I, London: Charles and Henry Baldwin, […], 1821, OCLC 921234248, page 45:

     Midst foes (as champion of the faith) he ment / That palme or cypress should his paines acquite; […]

   • 1619, Samuel Hieron, “[The Back-parts of Iehovah.] The Fourth Sermon.”, in The Sermons of Master Samvel Hieron, […], London: Printed by Iohn Legatt, published 1620, OCLC 863546051, page 188:

     [W]hen God ſaith of himſelfe, that he is one who acquiting will not acquite the wicked, his meaning is, that whatſoeuer may be ſuppoſed becauſe of his patience, yet he will not fully and finally diſcharge thoſe who goe on ſtill in their vngodly courſes, and preſume vpon his Mercy, without repentance.

   • 1628, Phineas Fletcher (falsely attributed to Edmund Spenser), Brittain’s Ida. Written by that Renowned Poët, Edmond Spencer, London: Printed [by Nicholas Okes] for Thomas Walkley, […], OCLC 960102177; republished in Alexander B[alloch] Grosart, editor, The Poems of Phineas Fletcher, B.D., Rector of Hilgay, Norfolk: […] In Four Volumes (The Fuller Worthies’ Library), volume I, [s.l.]: Printed for private circulation, 1869, OCLC 606061624, canto IV, stanza 8, page 72:

     But gently could his passion entertaine, / Though she Love's princesse, he a lowly swaine. / First of his bold intrusion she acquites him, / Then to her service (happy Boy!) admits him, / And, like another Love, with bow and quiver fits him.

• acquiet