1/4 question

[Terrance]

Jeremy Osner wrote:
> 
> calbert at tiac.net wrote:
> 
> > The term in question, however, relates to the martial
> > principle of "no quarter asked, and none given" - a primitive form of
> > motivation which eliminates the possibility of honorable surrender.
> 
> Does anyone know how this usage of "quarter" arose? It must have meant that
> the surrendering parties were giving a quarter of something to the victors
> or vice versa -- I have no idea what it was though.
> 
> Jeremy


Quarter, as exemption from death upon surrender

To cry Quarter, To beg for mercy

To grant quarter, To spare the life of an enemy in your
power. 
The old suggestion that it derives from an agreement
anciently
made between the Dutch and Spaniards, that the ransom of a
soldier
should be the *quarter* of his pay, is not borne out. It is
possible
due to the fact that the victor would have to provide his
captive with
temporary *Quarters.*  

Brewer's 14th 

I don't know, but I know where to look it up, but I still
don't know. ;-)

The winds of Thor...
they hold no quarter
they ask, they ask, no quarter, 
no quarter....oh,oh,oh