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.
Latrin, Lettrin, n. Also: latron, lateran; lettron, letterin, lettern. [F. (pl.) latrines, L. lātrīna. The variation in form appar. results from a confusion with Lattroun n., Lettroun n. a desk.] A latrine, privy. (Only in plur., ? in sing. or collect. sense.)(a) c1646 Craufurd Hist. Edinb. Univ. 150 (J).
1628 and 1629, the publick latrones (removed from the north gavel of the great hall) were built where now they stand c1650 Spalding II. 188.
He also tirred the laterans in the colledge, whereby the studentis had not sic naturall eisment as befoir 1659–61 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 606.
For cleansing the latrins, 12 s. 1673–88 Fountainhall in M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. III. 293.
The sea … is the latrons and receptacle of the universe(b) 1623 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 282.
That the lettronis of the said college sould be timert and sklattit 1659 Edinb. B. Rec. IX. 148.
The thesaurer of the Colledge to remove the puddell … and to vent the letterns the ordinarie way as formerlie 1666 Ib. X. 12.
The said James his land wes much prejudged by the letting out of the lettrins of the colledge Ib.
The owtletting of the said letterins