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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.

Kelt, n.¹ Also: keltt, celt, keilt. [? Cf. Early Ir. celt cover, dress, raiment (esp. of hair) (Hessen, Kuno Meyer), mod. Sc. and Ir. Gael. cealt also coarse cloth. In the later Sc. dial. and that of Cumberland. (Cf. Kelter n.)] A kind of native black or grey cloth or frieze, used for outer garments. b. Attrib. with coit (cott), claithis, clothe, freis.1516 Fife Sheriff Ct. 51.
Ane quote of kelt vj s. viij d. 1576 Edinb. Test. IV. 133.
Blak Inglis kelt price of the eln vj s. iiij d. 1577 Reg. Privy C. I. 646.
For kelt and freis 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 277.
[No-one except gild brethren to] top or sell … ony forane or owtlandis clayth of woll, exceptand alwayes … lynning, freis, kelt, Yorkschyre clayth, cairsayes and all sort of schrynking clayth 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 573.
Na dentie geir this doctor seikis, … Ane hamelie hat, a cott of kelt 1584 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I. 202. 1586 Edinb. Test. XVII. 10 b.
xv ellis of gray kelt at viij s., … tuelf ellis of blak kelt price of the ell viij s. 1609 Tailors Acc. Bk. 75 b.
iij elne of celt to be his … cot, … iij ellis of gray kelt to be … ane coit 1616 Thanes of Cawdor 240. 1611 Bk. Rates (Jam. s.v. Kendilling).
Kelt or Kendall freese 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 295.
Kelt callit Kendall kelt the eln xiij s. iiij d. 1618 Edinb. Test. L. 163.
Fourteine elnis cowmon kelt at [20/-] the elne1620 Reg. Privy C. XII. 337.
To mak freissis and keltis of thrie quarter breid and xxxij elnes of lenthe1623 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I. 97.
[12 ells] kelt [30/- the ell]c 1632 Tailor's Acc. Bk. B. 29.
Maid to ȝour selfe ane coit & ane pair of keilt for making xxxvi s.1674 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 2 July.
Fower ells … of kelt at 28 s. the ellb. 1587 Edinb. Test. XVIII. 136 b.
To … my fader brother ane kelt coit and ane pair of breikis 1610 Ib. XLVI. 137 b.
Ane dowblat with my kelt claithis and ane pair of claith sokis 1611 Brechin Test. II. 126.
Sex scoir elnis of gray kelt freis 1682 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 5 Apr.
[£4/16/-] as the pryce of certaine kelt clothe 1687 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 7 Oct.
[Owing] to William Mak Com ane keltt cott and ane ell of plading of old fie