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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
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Plate, Plait, Plet(t, n.¹ Also: plat, plait(t)e, playt, playit, plaith, plete, pleit, pleit(t)e, pleat(t. [ME. (c 1250) and e.m.E. plate, ME. plat (14th c.), late north. ME. playthe (15th c.), north. e.m.E. plait (1517), OF. plate, f. fem. of plat, plate a. (see Plat a.), med. L. (Brit.) plata: cf. Plat n.²]See also Wall-plate n.

1. A relatively flat, smooth piece (of metal); a (metal) sheet, plate or slab.Both generally and as made to a specific size for a particular purpose.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii. 552.
Thane wes of irne mony plat Layd til hyr sydis, brynnand hat Ib. xxxi. 458. Ib. xxxvii. 288.
& yrne platis brynnand hat Wes laid on hyme to mak hym mat 1456 Hay I. 37/28.
All the wallis all our [were] fensit with platis of metall 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 290.
To cary the pailȝoun treis … to the Castel to put on the bandis and platis on thaim Ib. 293.
For ij dowbil platis of quhit irne to be gun chargeouris 1506 Ib. III. 354.
For v dosan quhit platis to be lanternis and bowatis, ilk pece vj d. 1513 Doug. x. viii. 148.
Quhilk historeis Eurition … Had carvyt … In weghty platis of the gold massy 1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 37. 1537–8 Ib. 218.
For twa pair gret round portell bandis with twa irne slottis rynnand upone platis 1538 Treas. Acc. VII. 210.
To be schone and platis and uthir irne werk to the gun quhelis and stokkis 1571 Misc. Spald. C. II. 79.
j^c pare of irne bandis, snekkis and platis for durris and windois 1683–90 Soc. Ant. LIV. 244.
Two quarts of aile [payed to them] at the laying of every plate in the above mentioned works inde the number of plats being five the money extends to [£2](b) 1504 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 99.
To gett plaittis for the channell and lowsing thairof [sc. the haven of Leith] 1513 Doug. vii. xii. 97.
Bukclaris thai bair with boys or plait of steill 1513 Treas. Acc. IV. 496.
For ij stane of leid made in a plait of a faldome lang for hir [sc. a ship's] syd 1531 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 59.
Ane greit bund plait and boist to ane of the forsaid lychtis contenand in wecht xxxiii stanis ix lib. 1537 Treas. Acc. VI. 356.
Alevyn pair of plaittis to the sadillis price of the pair iiij s. 15.. Sym & Bruder 113.
He gatt twa plaitis of ane awld pan, Ane breistplait maid him boun 1566 Treas. Acc. XII. 405.
For xvij plaittis of quhit yron quhairof was maid fyve flambeantis 1576 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 50 a.
iij irne flouris with iij irne plaitis to set candellis vpon the heidis of the saitis in the kirk 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 296.
Copper in plaitts vnwrocht, round or squair 1614 Stirling B. Rec. I. 136. 1645 Edinb. Test. LXI. 118.
Certane double and single plaits for horneing of poynts 1663–6 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp 26.
For a new lap to the clokbag and some iron plaittis therto 1666 Edinb. Test. LXXII. 194.
Tuo braid plaitts of iron four newked quhairupon the kitching fyre stood 1682 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 191.
Ane indented silver standart plaite of sterling fynnes 1692 Foulis Acc. Bk. 147.
For 2 transum plaits, 1 swibar plait, a perch plait, a mainshekell, a houkit clout to the poull end

b. A (brass) plate to bear an engraving. 1569-70 Soc. Ant. VI. 53 (see Plat n.² 1).
Plaitt 1622 Sc. N. & Q. I. 103.
The compt off the pleitt off bress bocht and transportit be Johne Liddell from Antverp … for the buriall place of his brother 1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 34.
To caus put on a fair plait of brase vpon the said stane 1645 Ib. 54, 56.

c. In certain other specialised applications.(1) 1508 Treas. Acc. IV. 122.
For vernesing of ane lang culveryn … and the twich plaith half fut lang 1534 Bamff Chart. 65.
[On a marchstone] ane picture of ane scheir with the manner of ane ball within the plaits and schering of the sheiris 1585 Elphinstone Mun. 193/1.
Ane gros culwering of found with hir stok furnetour of irne plaittis and bullattis(2) 1590 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 402.
For mending the stok lock … & for making ane … baksprent & plait thairto 1654 Peebles B. Rec. I. 423.
For the making up tua new lockis that was brokin … sprentis and plaitis brised and brokin

2. Metal in sheet form.See also Quhite a. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 6984.
And all within with plate of gold ourepast a1500 Sir Eger 2704.
The earle was served in his state With cup and piece of golden plate 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1482.
Bot all the bordour [sc. of a mirror], circulair euerie deill, Was plait of gold, cais, stok and vtter hem 1506 Edinb. Hammermen 55 b.
For ane cap of quhit plait to put out the candillis with 1513 Doug. iii. v. 6.
A bowand scheild of plait Ib. vii. x. 75. 1515 Treas. Acc. V. 13.
[61] stane fourtene pundis leid of plait … for reparing of the palice 1548 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 136.
Ilk pund wecht of tin of the best chargeour seruice plaite

b. Attrib. and comb.: (Metal) in sheet form. 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 144.
iij wolbis of plet leid for the bakkis of the ij windois, weyand xxj stane 1593 Edinb. Test. XXV. 239 b.
Of plait tyn vnmaid viij stane price of the pund v s. 1613 Soc. Ant. X. 222.
For plait led to naill on the schip 1628 Edinb. Test. LIV. 223 b.
Fyne plait peuder pryce of the pund wecht x s. 1644 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII. 54.
For covering with plaitt copper the churche at the Trone 1652 Edinb. Test. LXVI. 84 b.
Ane stand ane half of plaitt tine

c. Plait (gold, silver), very thin pieces (of leaf) overlaid on base metal. Silver plait, perh. id., but cf. b prec. 1628–9 Mill Mediæv. Plays 209.
Siluer and gold bookis, and plait gold bookis 1667 Edinb. Test. LXXIII. 8.
Tuentie four plait silver buttones — 1647 Old Ross-shire i. 143.
4 dusane of silver plett buttons to them

3. One of the pieces of sheet metal composing plate-armour.Also Brest-plait and harnes plate, Harnes n. 4. 1367 Rot. Sc. 916/2.
Unum par de platis [1368, 917/1, plates] ?1438 Alex. ii. 9787.
Mony ane plate and mony ane sheild c1420 Wynt. viii. 5258.
The Talbot on had platis twyne And throw thame bath his spere he bare 1456 Hay I. 141/19. Ib. 142/28 (see Mail(l n.¹ (2)).
And his haubergeoun, his platis and his actoun a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 965.
Mony mailye and plait war marrit on the mold Ib. 708. c1475 Wall. viii. 266.
Erll Patrik … On the the-pes a felloun strak him gaiff Kerwit the plait with his scharp groundyn glaiff 1507 Treas. Acc. III. 394.
For ane plait to the kingis chamferon Ib. IV. 73.
For ane plait of legharnes to the king 1508 Ib. 137. 1513 Doug. x. viii. 109. 1535 Stewart 7554.
Plaittis 1538 Treas. Acc. VII. 95.
For making of platis of steill to the justing sadillis a1568 Bann. MS. 37 b/26.
This … king Quhois bricht plaitis attoure all Iuda schone 1571 Bann. Memor. 152.
Bring with thé … a pair gantilotis, tuo sword strypes or plettis [T. pleatis] for the theise and legis a1578 Pitsc. I. 282/3.
Quhen Mr. Gawin had hard … how he chappit on his breist and persaiffit the plaittis of his jake clattering c1590 J. Stewart 18/111.
The plaits and malȝeis fiom thair harneis flew a1646 Wedderburn Voc. (1709) 15.
Squama, the plets of a jack

4. Armour consisting of thin pieces of metal, plate-armour.For further examples see esp. Gluve n. 2, Jak n.² and Harnes n. 4.(1) 1390 Reg. Morton II. 174.
Aventayl cum cirotecis de plate 14.. Acts I. 113/2 (see Gluve n. 2).
Playt Brus xi. 109 (E) (see Plane attrib.). Plate 1495 Acta Conc. I. 416/1.
In plate and mailȝe ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 59.
With gret treis and gluffis of plait 1506–7 Treas. Acc. III. 363.
For ane breik of plait 1513–14 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 10. 1523 Wigtown B. Ct. 138 a.
Ane glof of plaith 1545 Treas. Acc. VIII. 410.
Ane pair of slevis of plait 1552 Reg. Privy C. I. 130.
With a jack of plett, steilbonet, splent slevis of mailyie or plait 1582–3 Perth B. Ct. 1 Mar.
Ane jak of pleit price thairof four pundis(2) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1919.
Royall princes in plait and armouris quent c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 152 (Ch. & M.).
Resoun … In plate and maille as Mars armypotent Id. xxi. 31 (B).
Is non so armit in to plait That can fra truble him debait 1513 Doug. ii. i. 14 (Ruddim.).
The belly was stuffit … Full of knychtis armyt in plate of stele Ib. viii. 55 (C).
In schynyng plait and mail, Pyrrus(3) 1513 Doug. xii. ix. 99.
Nother scheild nor obstant plait of steil(4) c1475 Wall. iv. 663.
Throu plaitt and stuff

b. Plate of mail, appar. = mail-armour: see Mail(l n.¹ (2).

c. Attrib. with glufe and scheld, and in Plate-slefe n. 1596 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 141.
Ane dorloch, ane plait glufe 1605 Black Bk. Taymouth 343.
Thrie stand of horsmen harnes with thrie plait glufis 1606 Rollock's Thess. 128.
He will get on a croslet and plate-glufe — c1420 Wynt. viii. 5191.
On qwhat manere Will yhe ryn at this justyng … ? Wyth plate scheldis

5. A household plate, a shallow dish as used for food.Freq. with defining word, as beif, broth, butter, chargeour, counterfute, housell, trunscheour; lame (leam), pewder (peuther), quhite, silver, timber, tin, tre (trene, treing), qq.v. for definitions and examples.In plur., also without inflexion.(a) 1504 Treas. Acc. II. 259.
For xxxij stopes, xxxij coggis, and xxxij platis of tree to thaim Ib. 441.
For ix platis of quhit irne to the quenis chamir 1513 Doug. xiii. ii. 22.
With platis full the altaris by and by Thai can do charge 1531 Treas. Acc.V. 462; etc. 1551 Reg. Cupar A. II. 71. 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 225.
The xxxij pecis weschell … borrowit … fra him … quhilkis platis wer nocht gottin agane 1694 Inchmahome Pr. 160.
Tuo silver candlesticks with snuffers, plate and chaingȝie(b) 1489–90 Acta Conc. I. 131/1.
A butter plait a1500 Henr. Fab. 282 (Bass.).
Ane plait off grottis and ane dische full of meill 1512 Rentale Dunkeld. 227.
[13] plaittis, [8] dischis, [9] sauseris 1519 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II. 177. 1522 Dunferm. B. Rec. 209. 1535 Stewart 56059. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8410.
I wesche my handis in the plait 1573 Tyrie Cath. Tr. 9/29.
That a mannis language is lyk vnto ane plait … and the mater that he proponis … is lyk the meat that is proponit in the plait 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Lanx, ane plait, … Paropsis, ane plait 1598 Black Bk. Taymouth 331.
Off trene plaittis in Auchalladour, xxx; item of Inglis plaittis … ii dosane 1601 Crim. Trials II. 354.
The saidis pecis quhilk wer maid of ane pewder plait 1649 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 781.
Fyve dison of plaites pryce of ilk dison threttie sex pund 1655 Boharm Kirk S. 1 Apr.
Given to buy ane plait for the use of the kirk, 42 s. 1662 Glasgow Trades House 378.
Having atteined to the skill and knowledge of the pewtherer tred in casting plaitsuninfl. pl. 1647 Edinb. Test. LXIII. 50 b.
Twa grit leame plaitt 1681 Blackness Customs 16 b.
Six leam plaitt(c) 1575 Dumfries B. Ct. 20 Mar.
vj plets ij trunschors 1583–4 Crail B. Ct. 10 Mar.
Ane plet, four trounscharis, ane chargour plait 1595 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 10 a.
For stoupes and pletis, xii s. 1634 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II. 423.
Ane great plett for confectiones ?a1648 Polemo-Mid. 74.
Gruelias … lickere plettas 16.. Nat. Lib. MS. 22.2.11 penult. p.
Mixt together in a plet(d) 1578 Inv. Wardrobe 241.
Ane pleitt hollit as gif it wer wandis 1580 Coll. Aberd. & B. 391.
Pewter pleittis 1591 St. A. B. Ct. 28 May.
iij puder pleitis 1595 Brechin Test. I. 128 b.
Capes, pleittis & disches 1625 Church Plate of St. Nich. Kirk, Aberdeen in Sc. N. & Q. 3 Ser. VII. 122.
For ane pleitte [ed. plence] of copper for the wis of the lerd in tyme of kasting of the quhilk pleit I send [etc.](e) 1592 St. A. B. Ct. 1 Dec.
iiij pleattis and aucht trunschooris of xx s. 1639 Old Ross-shire i. 126.
Twentie pewter pleats 1651 Buccleuch Mun. II. 291.
Thrie great pleattis. Item, tuentie sewin lesser pleattis. Item, four long pleatts 1677 Maxtones 42.
I could not lipen the pleats to this boye for spoyleing of them 1694 Inchmahome Pr. 160.
Of hollow broth pleats, 3

b. Attrib. with mould (muild) and rack. 1645 Edinb. Test. LXI. 184 b.
Ane plaitt mould of bras. … Item ane vther mould of bras for plaitt … Item ane trinscher & ane sacer mould 1693 Brechin Test. VIII. 75.
Six stone weight of plait muilds — 1689 Ib. VII. 211.
Ane plaitt rack or carier, ix s.

c. transf. An amount of food; alimentation. 1577 Reg. Privy C. II. 634.
That scho haif … assignatioun of money and victuallis for the support of hir plate as of befoir

6. a. A plate as the prize for a horse race. Hence b. the race for which a plate is the prize. Plate-run, id.(See also Plat n.² 6, quot. 1682.) 1669–81 Haddington Corr. 194.
On Tyousday bothe the plet runs at which ther is six horsies 1684 Peebles B. Rec. II. 113.
[Beltane race:] The counsell have aggried this yeir to have a plain plait att the value of eight pounds sterling … to be run for upon … the second Thursday of May 1686 Ib. 117.
The last yeirs staikes of the plait and saidle … quhich the thesaurer is to hold compt for

7. A platform supported by a scaffold. 1661 Funeral Acc. i. 5, M. of Montroes.
Ane hundreth daillis to be skaffalds pletts & ane staige … for the doune taking of my lord marques head

8. Vessels and tableware made of silver or gold. 1513 Doug. i. ix. 108.
Of siluer playt ane huge weght furth was brocht To set on burdis Ib. iii. vi. 210.
Seyr weghty gyftis of massy goldyn plate [1553 gold in plate] Onto our schippis chargit he beir onon 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 45.
Scho tuke away all his plate, let it be pardonit 1591-2 Rob Stene i.
His jowaillis, movabillis and plaitt … Wald mvnt vnto fourty thowsand 1610 Hist. Kinloss A. xii.
The inventorie of the plaite. Item, ane gilt bassen and lawer, … Item 16 silver dyshes c1610 Melville Mem. 85.
The Quen of Scotland and hir husband had tane on the … [English and Irish] armes vpon ther siluer plait 1617 Melrose P. 299.
Plaitte 1625 Edinb. Test. LIII. 55 b.
Iewellis, pleit [etc.] 1640 Black Bk. Taymouth 346.
The jewells, silver plaitt and vther silver work … left to ws c1650 Spalding I. 127. Ib. II. 22. 1674 Fraser P. 258.
Inventarey of the silver pleat in the trunk … tuo silver basons [etc.]

9. Precious metal in bulk or unworked, bullion. 1610 Crim. Trials III. 100.
The said Dutche schip … laidnit with ane hundreth kistis of succour, tua kistis of silver plait, ane kist full of ryellis of aucht 1639 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 112.
To reseave the hail silver and gold plait as weill English as Scottis plate … and … print the samen … in sufficient coyned gold and money c1650 Spalding II. 238.
40,000 pundis wecht off pleat and 15,000 pundis wecht of ingotis of gold were brocht to the mynt-houss at Oxfurde 1675 Mint Melting Journals II. 9.
Of London plaite a small lignot … and a small cack Ib. 11.
From Alexander Reid 1 lib. 12 ounce Scotis plaitte 1677 Ib. III. 2.
Scots pleat Ib. 14.
Pleate … broken pleatt Ib. 15 b.
In Spanish plaitte to be reported paid in as bullione