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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Leit, n.¹ Also: leitt, leatt, leet. [Appar. OE. hlét (*hlíet, híit, hlýt) masc., a lot that is cast, casting of lots, the share assigned to one, one's lot or fortune (cf. ON. hleyte neut., portion, share, part etc.).]Also in the later dial. (as leet) in the same uses.

1. In the north-east: A stack of peats of a specific size (see quot. 1620); freq., one portion of the peats paid as part of rent by the tenants of an estate. b. Leit peits, peats supplied by the tenants of an estate to the landlord and apportioned by stacks of this size. 1552 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 116.]
[Rental of Forbes. Fudes. Fudes Moir, 4 ploughs, 6 tenants: rent £21/6/8d.; 18 bolls victuall, 48 capons, 1 custom cow, 8 wedders, 8 leits of peats or their value at 2 s. each in my lord's will. Grassum, £21/6/8d. Cultircullane, 4 ploughs, 8 tenants, … 8 leits of peats. Fudes Beg, 3½ ploughs, 4 tenants, … 6 leits of peats; etc. 1581 Elgin Rec. I. 59.
Decernit to pay … tuelf schillingis four penneis for sax leittis of peittis and fyve firlottis malt sauld … to him 1605 Misc. Spald. C. IV. 274.
[Rental of the Lordship of Huntly. Gartlie.] Manes, sex pleuches, [132] bollis ferm wictuall, [etc.] … sex leitt peitts, … Mylnehill, tua pleuches, … tua leitt peitts … 1620 Ellon Presb. 106.
[It is deemed that 6 leits of peats should be sufficient,] of 24 fuit of length and 12 fuit of breid, with hicht effeirand. The paroche being 48 plewis, ilk aucht plewis to leid ane leit of the said peitts 1651 Misc. 3rd Spald. C. II. 197.
Leitt peatts barronie of Dunott. Item, the number of leatts peyit yearlie is 27 … .Thir peits peyed except … James Anderson 1 leit 8lb. the leit, to be charged herefter 1669 Aberd. Council Lett. V. 44 n.
[Rental of Pettans: Various payments in money and kind by several tenants] with four pund as the pryce of ane leit of peits 1682 Urie Baron Ct. 96.
They … amicablie concord and condiscend to lead … ane leit of peates out of the … moss of Cairntoune, … to the peat hill of Wrie … , and everie plewch … to furnish three horss till the said leit beis ledd 1687 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 176.
She … helped the said Elspet … to cast and leid ane leit of peits c 1690 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 442 (Rental of Fedderat).b. 1604 Urie Baron Ct. 13.
Persewit for nocht winning and leading sufficient leitt peittis according to the remanent of the ground, viz., ilk ane of them ane leit of peittis 1646 Misc. Spald. C. V. 229.
That no peits be led of the lairds mooss quhair his leit peits ar castin, … till first the laird his leit peits be compleitlie led

2. In the south-east: A quantity of peas.‘A division in an oblong stack of grain or pulse which may be taken down and thrashed at one time, without exposing the stack to be injured by the weather, Berwicks.’ (Jam.). 1612 Edinb. Test. XLVII. 83 b.
[In Dunbar] ane leit of peis estimat to xij bollis peis