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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Splent, Splint, n. Pl. splenttis. [ME and e.m.E. splent (c1325), splynt (Trevisa), splint (1463), MDu. splint, MLG splinte, splente.]

1. A piece of armour, chiefly for the arms and legs. Also coll. without article.(1) 1429 Acts II 18/2.
And vther sympillar of x lib. of rent or 1 lib. in gudis haif hat gorgeat … & gluffis of plate brest plate pans & legsplentis at the lest 1495 Treas. Acc. I 268.
Gevin to Muncur of Dunde for leg splentis and a pare of arme splentis iiij li. 1496 Treas. Acc. I 304.
To a man to ryde to Dunde, for to ger mak arm splentis and leg splentis to the King ij s. 1504 Treas. Acc. II 452.
For mailȝeis to the kingis leg splentis, xx s. … for ane pair leg splentis to the king, xlij s. 1504–5 Stewart Mem. 86.
viij li. for certane splentis, xiiij s. for ane best splent 1542 Acts & Decr. I 141.
Ane pair of leg splentis price xl s. 1547 Treas. Acc. IX 98.
vij quarterris of … welwote to cover ane pair of arme splenttis of his graces, price of the elne iiij li. x s. … fustiane to lyne … [these] splentis, the elne vj s.(2) 1456 Acts II 45/2.
It is ordanyt … at ilk man that his gudis extendis to xx^tj merkis be bodyn at the lest with ane jak with slevys to the hande or ellis a payr of splentis a sellat [etc.] 1474 Reg. Cupar A. I 194.
Tha sal be … welbeseyn with jakkis, hattis and splentis, bowis and schavys [etc.] 1491 Acts II 226/2.
That euere man be furnist … with … gude jakkis with splentis & gluffis 1500 Acta Conc. II 468.
[John M^cDowell to restore to the said Janet and Owchtre] … twa spetis, a rak with ane fryane pane, … ane cellat, … a pare of splentis, the price xiij s. iiij d., ane jak with ane fald of mailye [etc.] 1507 Lanark B. Rec. 17.
For the dychtyn of sellat and splentis 1517 Treas. Acc. V 122.
Splenttis 1521–2 Dundee B. Ct. I fol. 75 (5 Feb.).
A per splentis x s. a knapscall xl d. 1547 Treas. Acc. IX 98 (see (1) above). 1552 Coll. Rebus Alban. 156.
Sleves of plait or splenttis 1566 Inv. Wardobe 170.
Certane auld harnes with foir geir and bak geir with part of auld splentis and bardin to hors 1573 Lochwinnnoch Par. 109.
That na maner of persoun … attempt to do or raise ony bandis of men of weare on hors or fute, with pikkis, speris, jakkis, splentis, steilbonettis, quhyte harnes, or uther munitioun bellical … without speciall licence 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. I 113.
Some doubting what to do, to leap or stay, Were trampled under foot … The shivering spears do through their bodies tremble, And strongly brangled in splents do quickly flee(b) 1540 Acts II 362/2.
Splintis(3) 1522 Aberd. B. Rec. I 99.
Personis that beis fund in ony borrowit geir … othir jak, splent, knapskaw … the samyn to be escheit a1568 Bann. MS 64a/10.
Ane small barronis riche abelȝement … Micht furneis fourty in to jak & splent Weill bodin at his bak with bow & speir a1568 Bann. MS 94a/37.
Thay red amang our durris With splent on spald and rousty spurris 1558-66 Knox I 150.
To address thame selves in thare most warlyk array, with jack, knapscall, splent, speir a1578 Pitsc. I 281/8.
The number of iiij^c speiris weill arrayit in jake and splent and wther airmor

2. attrib. With sleve. ? A sleeve consisting of or reinforced by a metal plate or strip of armour. Cf. Plate-slefe n., Slef(e n. 4 and Coll. Rebus Alban. quot. in 1 (2) above. 1552 Reg. Privy C. I 130.
Ane … fitman … with a jack of plett, steilbonet, splent slevis of mailyie or plait