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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.

Lofting, n. and vbl. n. Also: -yn, -e(i)n(g. [e.m.E. lofting (1603) roofing, f. Loft n. and v. Cf. also Lafting.]

1. concr. The boarding constituting the ceiling of a room and the flooring of the room above. = Loft n. 4d. 1517 Treas. Acc. V. 121.
Wrocht be the said wrychttis … ij rud of lofting in David tour 1521 Wigtown B. Ct. 21 Nov.
For the vrangis haldin fra hir of … iiij loftenis & vdir iiij loftenis within the hous 1532 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. v. Elphinstone v. Innes.
[To restore, being stolen,] the lofting of the said chalmer with xiiij greit geistis and ane vndirgeist with iiij standvppis 1539 Treas. Acc. VII. 217.
[604] dalis to be sarking, lofting and scaffaling to [the roof of the chapel in the Castle] 1563 Lanark B. Rec. 32.
Quhat nychtburis that … makis nocht the tolboith waltyr teicht, and mendis the loftyn of the sammyn … sall pay x li. 1575 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 38. 1581–2 Waus Corr. 238.
Giff he knawis that he mon flit, he vill care all avay, and leff the bows bare off insycht and loftein 1598 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 224.
That the present lofting sall stand, and jeisting and lofting prepayret for swamekill as sall be augmentit Ib. 237.
An act … for the dountaking of the lofting of the utter tolbuith and alteratioun thairof 1619 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 281.
He suld repair … the haill edefeis of the said uniuersite … in thaik ruiff loftingis duiris vindowis wallis 1621 Perth Kirk S. MS. 22 Nov.
Adame Patersone complenit wpone certane coddrochis … quha duellis in laich sellaris wanting chymnayis quhairthrow he … is … abuseit with the … reik assending wp throw the loftingis of the houssis 1630 Kirkcaldy Presb. 7.
Lofteing 1640–1 Kirkcudbright Min. Bk. 66. c1650 Spalding I. 18.
As he is walkning him the tymber passage and lofting of the chalmer haistellie takis fyre 1664 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 32. 1668 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II. 485.
They … did ryve up and destroy loftings and uther plenisheing of his house 1680 Galloway P. 31 Jan.
The said Archibald obleises him … to leive the house alsweill in lofting windowes doors locks & glase at his removeall as at his entrie 1682 Fountainhall Decis. I. 194.
He ran up the stair and stept in at a wrong door, where there was no lofting and so fell thro' to the lower story 1684-9 Glamis Bk. of Record 39.
There was the cheif stable with travesses for horses … but the lofting of these was quitt rotten 1699 Black Bk. Kincardinesh. 92.

b. The timber upper work of a pier. 1648 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII. 145.
Anent the repairatioun of the northwest bulwarke of Leith … that the saids couples the holls of them be … festned in aiken timber [etc.] … and that the saids lofting above the howtries be cled with sex daills upone the middle thairof and ane inshe of wydnes betuix ilk daill

c. The boarding or the like which constituted the base of a bedstead. 1519 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II. 174.
Ane standing bed of aik withouit lofting 1563 Montgomery Mem. 197.
In my lordis schalmer of his awin, ane standing tymer bed, with syking [sic in pr.] abone and lofting vnder

d. transf. A floor (of turves) covering a pit. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 388.
[Bruce] maid deip fowseis in the place quhare the battall wes set and dang in staikis … coverit with scherrettis with sic ingine that fut men micht pas thairon … bot quhen ony preis of hors men come abone the said fowseis the lofting suld brek [etc.]

2. a. An upper floor or storey in a building; one of several floors or storeys of a building. 1621 Perth Kirk S. (ed.) 299.
The water rose to the loftings in the highest mid house in the Castle Gavel before six hours on Sunday 1625 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 347.
Houssis … laiche on the eard to put out oyes [= round windows] … , houssis nixt to the laichest lofting to putt out quhat lichtis thai pleis 1671 Orkney Rentals App. 64.
The steiple heid thrie loftings, and all the timber-work pertaining to the bells and the knock-house wer consumed to ashes

b. One of several levels of shelving in a press. 1612 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 326.
Twa gret presis to be thair of twelf feits lang and ten feits heich with sex loftings in eilk ane of them

3. vbl. n. Furnishing with a loft or joisted ceiling. 1601 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 282.
Wast kirk lofting 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II. 44.
To Bernard Dunlop wrycht for lofting and cupling the ruif of the tour to drink 1632 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III. 485.
To wrichts for their first task in lofting and putting on the roofe on the new house … of the Colledge 1643 Black Bk. Taymouth 99.
In anno 1643 … for repairing of the high towre of Castel Kylchorne, and lofting and gesting therof