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

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

Tartan(e, Tertan(e, n. Also: (tartain). [OF tiretaine (1247) a sort of cloth half wool, half some other yarn (Godefroy Comp.), stuff of which the weft is wool and the warp linen or cotton (Wartburg), tridaine (?14th c., toile de fil et de coton bleu et rouge), tyretenne, tirtaine (1449-1501), tertaine (1487) (all Wartburg), OF tiret a precious cloth, perhaps with influence from futaine fustian (Larousse), OF tire a cloth of silk orig. f. Tyre (Wartburg). Cf. also ME tartaryn (1343), tartryn (1359), tartyn (1454, E. E. Wills 133/2 ‘the testour & canape ther-to palid tartyn white and rede': MED suggests ? read tartaryn), tartorne (1462), tartarne (?1476), OF drap tartarin (1295), MF tartarin (1342-1423), tartaine (c1400, Lille) (Wartburg), orig. a precious or rich cloth f. Pers. Tātār. Cf. Tartar n.]Parallels to the distinctive patterning and the use of more than one colour in the cloth are to be found in the regional developments of the senses in F. as tiretaine (Dol, Brittany) cider made half of apples and half of pears, and tiretainne Châtenois (Belfort) a woman of the crossroads.

1. Tartan, a kind of cloth, sometimes distinguished as being of more than one colour. Also attrib. 1618–33 Collie Highland Dress 10.]
[Their [sc. Highlanders'] habit is shoes with but one sole apiece, stockings (which they call short hose) made of a warm stuff of divers colours which they call tartane … A jerkin of the same stuff that their hose is of … with a plaid [etc.](a) 15.. Sym & Bruder 20.
Syne schupe thame vp to lowp our leis Twa tabartis of the tartane 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I 236.
Ane vob of tartane contenand x ellis, the price of ell iiij s. … ane blankat of tartane, the price iij s. 1573 Inverness Rec. I 226.
Tearlocht McGregour … stawe … ane coit of tartan … quhilk tartan and coit … the said Johne Dow alluterle refuissis to mak payment of 1584 Edinb. Test. XIV 107.
Of Scottis & Inglis tartane fiftie fywe eln 1584 St. A. Test. II 38.
Ane stand of tartane for the werkday xxvij s. viij d. 1584 Aberd. B. Rec. II 55.
The eln of tartane of all sortis, vi d. … the eln of quhyt plaiding, iii d.; the eln of hewit plaidis of all soirtis, xvi d. 1682 Irvine Nomenclatura 246.
Vestis varia, tartan, the old native cloth of our ancestors(b) 1538 Treas. Acc. VI 436.
For iij elnis of heland tertane to be hois to the kingis grace 1548–51 Aberd. B. Rec. MS XX (Jam.).
Ane gelcoit of quhit tertaneattrib. 1532–3 Treas. Acc. VI 80.
Ane uthir tartane galcoit gevin to the king be the Maister Forbes 1544 Elgin Rec. I 81.
Twyching the claym of ane tertan plaid clamit be Androu Brus fra Jonet Leslie 1545–8 Aberd. B. Rec. MS XIX (Jam.).
Ane gelcot of tertane work v s. Scottis mone 1562 Treas. Acc. XI 197.
For vj tartane plaidis 1568 Inverness Rec. I 163.
With ane drawin sowrd dingyne at him and cutting of his tartan pled 1583 Sempill Warning xx.
First quhan thai land thai leuk lyk men of gwid Bot thair return may be with tartane raggis 1605 Paterson Ayr & Wigton III 198.
Sax stand of tartane courtenis 1616 Misc. Maitl. C. II 188.
That thair cam tua men to her ane cled in blak and the uther with ane grein tartane plaid about him a1700 Bk. Dunvegan 194.
Serge tartan cloch an ell

2. A piece (? or garment) of tartan material. 1561 Old Dundee I 52.
Colourit and undrawn claith, whites and tartans only secludit 1566 Inverness Rec. I 139.
Ane tartan blak and quheit … and ane quheit pled quhilk he gaif ane tartan for 1567–8 Inverness Rec. I 159.
Hyr styrk com to his sled quhayr ane tartan of hys was and gnew and spylt his tartan quhilk wes worth fyf merkis 1571 Inverness Rec. I 207.
Thre cleowis of yarne to tartanes 1699 Reg. Privy C. in Chambers Domestic Annals Scotl. III 126.]
[Woollen stuffs of all sorts, … draughts, friezes, drogats, tartains, craips, capitations