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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Peth, n. Also: pethe, pethth-, peith, peath(e; and Paith(e. [OE. pæþ, var. of paþ Path n., (1) a path, (2) in ONorthumb. glossing L. vallis vale, dene and L. chaos abyss, gap. In the mod. dial. only Sc. and north. Eng.]For a discussion of the ulterior etym. see Trans. Phil. Soc. (1961), 107 ff.

1. As a place-name element in sense 2.For further examples and some discussion, see Scottish Studies VII. 83–5. See also Pathhead and Redpath in Black Surnames.Appar. only in the south.(a) 1107–24 Facs. Nat. MSS. I. xvi.
Colbrandespade 1143–7 Holyrood Chart. 5. c 1150–1200 Reg. St. A. 208.
Morpath 1368 Rot. Sc. 922/2.
Roberto Hodyspath [of Berwick](b) (1) 1165–1214 Holyrood Chart. 23.
Colbrandespeth 1222 Liber Dryburgh 62.
Ailinuspeth c 1222 Ib.
Hailise peth a 1328 Liber Melros II. 385.
Redpeth c1475 Wall. vi. 793.
Gamlis peth Ib. viii. 75.
Coburns peth 1509 Acts II. 267/1.
The dene of Cokburnspeth contenand fra the braa hede to the burne ende 1535 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 155.
Ane portioun of land with medoo lyand at Yperlaw peyth(2) c 1320 Liber Calchou 199.
Pethheuid 1567 Reg. Privy S. VI. 11/1.
Pethdailis 1607 Berw. Nat. C. XXIV. 436.
Pethheid [near Cockburnspath]

2. a. A cleft, re-entrant or ? water-course, running up and down the slope of a steep hill, and so offering a passage to its top. Passing into: b. A steep path or track leading to the top of a hill.Also attrib. with -heid and -fute and possess. with heid.Chiefly or only in central and southern Scotland. 1375 Barb. xviii. 366 (E).
Thar was A craggy bra strekyt weill lang And a gret peth wp for to gang Ib. 447.
[He] bad thaim leif the peth haly And clym wp in the craggis hy c1420 Wynt. viii. 4667.
That at a lytill peth … All sammyn thai assemblyd ware c1475 Wall. v. 5.
Banyst men … With thair power in pethis worthis gang 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 297.
To draw the gunnis in peththis and myris a1578 Pitsc. I. 314/34.
Quho followit so furieouslie at the fute of ane peath the Laird of Cesfurd was slaine be the schot of ane speir 1587 Carmichael Etym. 46.
Clivus, the peth of an hill c 1650 Lanark & R. 129.
Daer water flowing from the well pethe … before it fall in Clideattrib. 1561 Crim. Trials I. i. 412.
At the peth-fute of Stenypeth callit Ridinghill 1592 Lanark B. Rec. 106.
Passand … to ane peth on the south syd of the samin walter … and fra the said peth heid passand south up ane syikpossess. 1513 Doug. xi. x. 68.
And ly at wait in quyet enbuschment At athir pethis hed or secrete went

c. The peths, the name given to the several ravines or denes crossing the coastal route from Scotland to England near Cockburnspath. 1528 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 289.
And that thai mete the said abbot and the Lord Hwme his brothir at the uvir pethis of Colbrandspeth apoun Monunday nixtocum 1543 Armstrong Hist. Liddesdale I. App. lxiii.
[The pethes of Dunglas] 1548 Patten Exped. Scotl. B. ij.]
[So stepe be these bankes on eyther syde and depe to the bottom that … the trauailers that way haue vsed to pas it, not by going directly but by paths & footways leading slopewise of the number of which paths they call it … the peaths 1558 Treas. Acc. X. 344.
Convenyng of oxin at the pethis for transporting of the artailȝearie 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 32.
Thaj … brunt Dunbar and all that coist syid and ȝeid throw the pethis and muris 1627 Rep. Parishes 102.
Auldhamstokis, fortie fywe landis and ane corne mylne quhairof sume lyis benethe the peithis and sume abowe the peithis

3. A path or way; a footpath. = Path n., Paith(e n. 1513 Doug. ix. vii. 26.
The horsmen … sprentis To weil beknawin pethis and turnys wentis Ib. xi. x. 89.
Quharthrow thar strekit a rod or a strait way Ane narrow peth baith outgang and entre [etc.] a1586 Lindsay MS. 65.
The sewin virtewis quhilkis bene … the way and peth of celestiall glorie perdurable 1604 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 7 Dec.
[The council] ordanis Alexr Setoun thes^r to mend the peth at Sanct Lowrens houss 1638 Banff Ann. I. 82.
The mid peathe … is … defylit with muck and middingis