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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Mort-clath(e, -claith, Mort-cloth(e, n. Also: mort-claithe, -claitht, -clayth(t, moirt-claithe, -clayth; morte-, moar-, moart-cloath, mort-, mor-, moir-, morthe-, murth-cloath(e; moir-cloth, moar-, moorclothe. Also plur. -clathis, -claithis, etc.; also -cloas. [Mort n. 1. Only Sc. Also in the mod. dial.]

A cloth for covering a dead body, a funeral cloth, a pall.Freq. one in the possession of a corporate body, as a burgh, a gild or craft or a kirk session, for use at the funerals of members and others, either gratis or (commonly) for hire.Collections of quotations and some discussion are also to be seen at St. A. Baxter Bks. 82 n. 2, Glasgow Maltmen 69 f., and Edgar Old Church Life II. 28 f. and 258 f.(a) 1497 Edinb. Hammermen 22 b.
Ane honorabill mort clath to serf the haile craft 1511 Treas. Acc. IV. 195.
xvj elnis iij quartaris blek weluus to be ane mort claitht, to ly one King James the Secundis tumbe in Halirudhouse 1512 Ib. 354. 1531–2 Perth Guildry 375 (19 Jan.).
The saidis den and brethir of gild heffand consideration that the mort claith hes ben diuers tymes lent in the toun to vtheris 1578 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 65.
For thre elnis of blak tobe ane mortclayth … vij lib. 1579 Bk. Univ. Kirk II. 431.
Anent the buriall … of the Erle of Athoill … the brute was of some superstitious rites … as a whyt crosse in the mort claith 1598–9 Edinb. Skinners in Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI. 99.
Mortclaytht 1608 Paisley B. Rec. 284.
It is concluded that there be ane mortclaith bocht of the finest black that can be gottin 1611 Glasgow Weavers 122.
Mortclayth 1612 Glasgow Trades House 44.
For the velvet mortclayth 1614 Rec. Earld. Orkney 381. 1629 Falkirk Par. Rec. I. 73.
Quha cumes to buriall with ane kist … sall tak the mortclaithe … for the ordiner price … and … poore folkes that wantis kistis to be bureit with … to be servit with the auld mortclaithe gratus 1630 Peebles B. Rec. I. 370.(b) 1636 Glasgow Hammermen 19.
To the moirtclayt[h] xx s. 1651 Elgin Rec. I. 288.
John Chalmer, thesaurar, appoynted to receave the moirtclaithe [marg. mortcloathe] and when he sendis it alandward to pay thairfoir ten merkis money and four pundis for the tounes men 1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 26 Feb.
The accompt of the common guid of this burgh … including teynd Boirland rent moirtclaithe [etc.](c) 1591 Dundee B. Laws 375.
With the mortcloth, handsenȝie, and pensiles of the samen [craft] 1621 Dumbarton B. Rec. App. i. 4.
For the corps that hath the velvett mortclothe sould be payit unto him tuentie schillingis, and tuelf schillings for them that hewe the mortclothe of black Inglishe clothe, exceptane allwayis poor anis 1642 Dunferm. Kirk S. 10.
The proveist and baillies … gave thair old mort clothe to be redrest … for the use of the poore 1650 Glasgow Wrights Acts 14.
That everie friman at his enterie to the croft sall pay to mantein the mort clothe threttie shillingis 1663 Sc. Ant. VII. 33.
I doe lykweis humbely intreat your honour for the leine of your mortclothe 1670 S. Ronaldshay 49. 1683 Dunferm. Hammermen 243.
[For] having cut up the mortcloth and made keps of it 1688 Logie Par. Hist. I. 134.
The poor in the parish … are greatly helped by the incomes of the public mortcloth given out by the kirk-session(d) 1645 Rec. Old Aberd. II. 20/1.
Ane faire morte cloath with sume draughtes on ewerie end off it and ane larg silk fringie c1650 Spalding I. 43 (B.C.).
Haveing above his chist a rich mortcloath of black velvet 1666 Misc. Maitl. C. II. 533. 1673 Beale Fife Schools 212. 1675 Cupar Trades 13 Oct.
An register of those who … have the use of the sessional mortcloath 1695 Elgin Rec. I. 357.(e) c 1686 Colquhoun Chart. 286.
For the moart cloath six pounds(f) 1673 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 4 Jan.
Ten merkis Scots … for the murth cloath to Sara Griersoune(g) 1649 Alyth Par. Ch. 80.
[On 21 Jan. 1649 there was] given for the morcloathe 60 lib.: the making of the moarclothe [cost 40 sh.] 1661 Lanark B. Rec. 187.
To be exactit for the meikle moircloth xx s. 1670 Meikle Old Session Bk. 154.
For making a wallat to the new moorclothe 1679 Ib. 156.
Morcloath 1698 Household Bk. Gr. Baillie 268.
For the morcloath £11/12/0 1698 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 10 Mar.
For ane chist … £12/6/0 … for the moarcloath £3/14/0plur. (a) 1622 Glasgow Maltmen 70.
That thair sould be twa mortclaiths off velvet bocht for the commone use of the said vocatioun … , ane meikill claithe … for aigit peopill, and ane less claithe … for young childring 1655 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II. 979.
They have resolvit to buy twa sufficient mortclaithes, ane of twa pyle velvet and ane vther of guid and sufficient Inglish cloath(b) 1643 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 6.
Mortcloths 1644 Ib. 32.
Mort clothes 1655–6 Misc. Spald. C. V. 179.
Mortclothis 1668 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 41.
Mortcloths 1682 Ib. XI. 53.
The inventar of the mortclothes belonging to the colledge 1698 Logie Par. Hist. I. 322.
Mortcloths(c) 1642 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 277.
That the thesaurar shall not giue furth any of the saids mort cloathis to any whatsomeuer … till he receave present payment in hand 1653 Lanark B. Rec. 149.
Mortcloathes 1657 St. A. Baxter Bks. 126.
And the benefitt and commoditie of the quholl mortcloathis afoirsaid to come to the vse of the saidis sax traidis proportionallie 1666 Cupar Trades 10 Oct.
The keiping of the 2 morthe cloathes 1669 Ib. 13 Oct.
Morth cloathes 1678 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 357.
Be frequentlie making of cloath mortcloaths 1689 Cramond Kirk S. III. 6 Dec.
Money arising from the velvet and cloath mortcloathes(d) 1658 Lanark B. Rec. 169.m.
Tua velvit moircloathes(e) 1664 Cupar Trades 21 Oct.
The keiper of the mortcloas

b. plur. The fees received for the hire of a mort-cloth or mort-cloths, collectively. 1636 Musselburgh 145.
The mortclaiths xxvi lib. 1689 Cramond Kirk S. III. 6 Dec.
Anwelrents, penalties, mortcloaths and depursments 1692 Conv. Burghs IV. 619.
They have some casuall comon good … by ther fines or mort cloathes

c. Attrib.Mortclaith silver, mort cloth money, dues paid towards the upkeep of, or fees paid for the hire of, a mortcloth or mortcloths, collectively.Mortcloth kist, mortcloathes box, a box in which these moneys were kept.(1) 1615 Glasgow Maltmen 36.
Ressaivit be the Visitour … of mortclaith silver, x sh. 1650 Glasgow Wrights Acts 9.
All their moneyes, aither for fynes of intrantis … or mort cloth money 1686 Inverness Rec. II. 346.
Collector of the mortecloath money 1699 Rec. Old Aberd. I. 165.
The conveiner and manadgers of the mortcloath money(2) 1670 Glasgow Weavers 81.
For beiring doune the mortcloth kist to the collectouris kist 4s. 0d. 1692 Conv. Burghs IV. 624.
Debts due be the burgh on bond … to the mortcloathes box