A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Pet(e, Peat, Pait, n.3 [Cf. Pet(t n.1; also e.m.E. peat(e term of endearment (1568) or obloquy (1599) for a woman, also in the later Sc. dial.; of doubtful ulterior origin, cf. MDu. pete godmother. Cf. also Petie n. Also in this sense in early 18th c. Sc. as peat (1700), pete (1706).] Only Sc.: An advocate who is the favourite or protégé of a particular judge. —c 1675 Bk. Pasquils 182.
'Twixt his pets pro and con, curse on that name, A judge's son that takes his brybes but shame Whose pleading and advyce not worth a groat Ten dollars earns joyn'd with ther patron's vote Ib. 224, etc.
He's likely to starve unlesse made a peat [: seat] Yet first he must know whose peat he must be Ib. 225.
Newbyth … went snips with the peats Bot haveing discovered them all to be cheats Resolves … his sone … Shall be peat of his house as well as young laird Ib. 226.
Peats … plead without speaking, consult without wryting … And now they have found out a new way of flytting Which they doe call sollicitatione 1681 Lauder Notices Affairs I. 316.
Why should [a man] … be permitted … to plead ather before his father or brother? &c. This was flatly levelled at the paites as they are called
