Nobleman’s free pardon partially reversed (4)
I believe the answer is:
peer
'nobleman's' is the definition.
(peer is a kind of nobleman)
'free pardon partially reversed' is the wordplay.
'partially' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue.
'reversed' is a reversal indicator.
'reep' can be found hidden inside 'free pardon'.
'reep' backwards is 'PEER'.
(Other definitions for peer that I've seen before include "count, perhaps" , "Look hard at the nobleman" , "Member of the nobility" , "Noble; look intently" , "Squint" .)