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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.

Lath, n. Also: latht (-cht), lathe, laith(e, lauth(t (-cht). [ME. lathes plur. (1330), laþþis, e.m.E. lath(e)s, sing. lath(e (1398), beside ME. and e.m.E. (appar. chiefly north.) lattes plur., -is, -ys etc., OE. lætta, latta plur.]

1. Chiefly uninflected as a collect., also once plur.: Laths collectively as used in building, espec. as groundwork or sarking for a roof. Hence b. the sarking of a roof.(a) 1482 Acta Aud. 109/1.
The wrangwis … withhalding of twa nop beddis ij^c aykkin burdis j^c lath a feder bowster 1507 Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) 204.
[To William Schang, carpenter, for his work at] lie lath [for my lord's great lodging] 1510 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 103.
[To] theik … the undir prik of the said stepil with latht for leid 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) 182.
lxxx pece schort aikin tymmer for lath and sarking Ib. 188.
For new theiking with borit lath and Chathnes sclait … the new chapell 1555–6 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 57.
For … xxxij dalis to be serkne, … Item, for plantiour nalis, lidne nalis, and dur nalis to the lacht 1563–4 Ib. 194.
iiij sparris to mend the lath of the houssis that wer tirwit 1609 Dunferm. B. Rec. II. 67.
For ane half trie and sawin thairof in lath to the schole 1658 Ellon Par. Rec. 144.
The dailes in the for pairt of Arnage ile to be employed for sarking or lathplur. 1599 M. Works Acc. (ed.) 321.
For sawing of xlviii dracht of lathis to the court ciching(b) 1595 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 580.
x doubill ruiff sparis to be lathe to the sangscoole 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 238.
[To] theik and repair the lytill hows … and that withe ovir lappit lathe(c) 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 359.
Coft laith to theik it with 1561 Edinb. B. Deeds 12.
Irne naillis to naill on the laithe & foige 1571 Lanark B. Rec. 64.
To make viij voltis … with xxiiij cupill of timer, … and the laith to be all sarking lyk Sanct Nicolus kirk(d) 1531–2 M. Works Acc. (ed.) 73.
Tua pece of the said lautht sawin in lautht 1532 Ib. 100.
To the sawaris for complete lautht to the said kechin … price of ilk rude of lautht xiiii s. 1535–6 Ib. 177.
For ii ruid ii elnis lauth sawing 1545 Edinb. Hammermen 167 b.
For sclaittis sand lyme laucht [sic] garronne nalis & the sclateris warkmenschip 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 367.
For ane daill to be laucht to it [St. Mary's Chapel], … Item, for sawing and quartering of it

c. Attrib. with nail, pin. = Lathbrod-nale (and cf. Lath-brod n.¹). 1506 Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) 198.
In reformationem hospitij domini … in tecto arenis lathbrod, lathpynnis, constructionem le cawsay 1565–6 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 226.
For xxvj lacht nailles 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 121.
iiij^c blynd naillis … v^c fluring naillis … vi^c laith naillis

2. The bending part of a cross-bow. (e.m.E., 1545). 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 296.
Crosbow lathes the pound weght thairof viii s.