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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rate, Rait, n. Also: raite, raitt, raith, raid, reat(t. [Late ME (1425) and e.m.E. rate, also rayt (1505), ratte, OF rate, raite, etc., med. L. rata.]

1. The total (estimated) quantity, amount or sum of (something). 1511 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 134.
Thai sall pay for … the paks efferand to the raitt thairof and quantitie 1557 Aberd. B. Rec. I 302.
To the resignaris and ourgewaris forsaidis [of fishings and land] in recompensatioun of thair skaithis and expenssis effering to the rait of the same 1558 Inverness Sheriff Ct. 39.
Landis … efferand to the rait and quantite of tuay hundreth pundis land of auld extent 1569 Reg. Privy C. I 677.
Quhat … sowme that thai will gif … according to the rait and quantitie of thair benefices 1591 Monimail Reg. Ct. 10 April.
And according thairto euery portioun of the toun to be extentit efferand to the rait and quantite of the portionis thairof 1593 Acts IV 35/2.
Ane impost of tuentie pennies for euerie last of guidis cumand in at the said port … and sua furth in vther guidis according to the rait and quantitie thairof 1606 Chart. Coupar A. II 220.
Efter the rait and quantitie of thair landis and teyndis 1669 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 255.
With power to him to poynd for the saidis respectiue rates [of fish] not exceeding the value of the same

2. A number or amount given as a proportion of one hundred, as a statement of interest due. 1577 Conv. Burghs I 50.
Interest … according to the raitt of tuelf for the hundreth

3. a. The value of money.In terms of its intrinsic or conventional worth. 1584 Acts III 370/2.
Furnesment of money according to the rait thairof 1601 Ib. IV 257/1.
The valour and pryce of the said money to be cunȝeit to be at the rait following 1603 Moysie 18.
This [issue of coin] wes altogither mislykit be the commone pepill. … And this same proclamatioun prohibit any man to refuse the siluer of this reat 1628 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 14.
The countrie hes beene verie farre abused … be the vncontrolled course of the saids dollours at so high a rait 1632 Aberd. Council Lett. I 355.
The rex dollor … to be receaved at the raite of 4 sh. 8 d. 1645 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 129.
At quhat raitt … the samen [sc. coin] may or should be receaved, in respect of their intrinsick bountie in weight and fynnes 1657 Balfour Ann. IV 279.
That the siluer be crayed wpe 10 in the 100; … and the haill whyte money to be proportioned to that raitt 1695 Proclam. Rate Money 12 July.
These rates … are … ordained to be the current rates of the foresaid species and coyns

b. spec. A standard valuation assigned to each class of commodity, on the basis of which customs duty was fixed. Buik of Raitis, a list of such valuations.Esp. those following the Convention at Dundee of 1597: see Halyb. lxxxvii ff. 1611–12 Ayr B. Acc. 251.
His expenses in Edinburgh in July 1612 as commissioner for waiting for the putting forth of the Buik of Raitis 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 287.
The rates and valuatioun of merchandizes and goodes transportit oute of the kingdome of Scotland and importit within the same according to the whilk the kingis maiesteis customes is ordaned to be collected 1630 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 22.
And for that effect to lett the booke of raites be doubled 1636 Edinb. B. Rec. VII 181. 1672 Rothesay B. Rec. 245.
Ane Buik of Raits of the customis of the said brughe 1681 Aberd. Council Lett. VI 332.

4. The amount of a charge or payment (as rent, profits, wages, etc.) calculated in relation to another amount or on some other comparative basis. 1497 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 71.
[That] the fermoraris pay thair ferme according to the rait of the assedatioun c1550 Reg. Cupar A. II 176.
Sic payment and seruice … conforme to the rait of the said auchtane part 1564 Reg. Privy S. V i 497/2.
Payment … of the teindis … of this instant yeir and crope according to the raid of the saidis teind schavis 1582 Perth B. Ct. 7 Sept.
Awand … for the mele of the boith … conforme to the raite of tyme 1584 Acts III 370/2.
To pay to his maiestie als mekle proffeit as the rait therof wald have extendit to … rekning according to the foirnamed proffeit 1596–7 Retours II Inq. Val. Dominii de Balmerinoch (3).
And that we micht pay the taxationis to be imponit thairupone, according to the raith of uther pund landis of auld extent within this realme 1622-6 Bisset II 256/27.
He aucht to raise there weyges … course be course eftir the reat of there hyre 1659 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 432.
That the peyment be by the pol (excepting only such as … live only upon charitie) at the rates following: viz. at the matriculatione … sex shillings sterline [etc.] 1672 Aberd. Council Lett. V 152.
The inhabitants … ware still lyable for paying such small rates for ther lairs therin [supra ane comone buriall place] according to ther qualitie and conditiones 1681 Stair Inst. i x §14.
Such is the value of portraits, tulips [etc.] … upon which, in some places, a far greater rate hath been put, than any usefulness thereof would allow; hence it is that the rate of things does frequently change … the more they abound, the easier is their rate Ib.
According to the common rate of the place, as they [sc. goods] are worth in money for the time 1685 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 134.
They by the power given … to them of the raittis of the said customes … does hierby … publish the reatis of the comodaties wnderwritine

b. A fixed charge applicable to a single instance, occasion, commodity, etc.; the price of an article. Also fig. or in fig. context.(a) 1612 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 205.
He hes principall entries in thaes landes [sc. of Lochmaben], … and … doeth … stryue to keip thaes landes att the meinest rate he can 1644 Spalding II 502.
Where was a meter chamber, altho at a dearer rate 1651 R. Brown Paisley I 278.
The brewers of the towne … have brocht the drinking beire and ale to ane verie heich rate and price 1658 R. Moray Lett. 9/19 March.
To have given me thanks by the heap to pay myself at the millar of Carstaris rate 1683 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. XXXVIII 167.
I mind to buy no skines till I hear yor rates 1692 Seafield Corr. 76.
They shall pay drey excyse att the highest rate, whither they brew or not(b) 1492 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 62.
That the pais suld be gevin of the penny laiff to the baxteris after the raitt of the quheitt to x s. vj d. the boll 1579 Reg. Privy C. III 181.
The personis … appointit for making and setting of the said stent … hes stentit the said Maister Johnne far abone the rait of ony of his nychbouris 1612 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bk. (ed.) 20.
Selling [merchandise] … to the cuntrey pepill at ane far heicher rait 1612 Inverness Rec. II 92. 1625 Aberd. Council Lett. I 236.
And upone … quhat pryceis and raittes they wold furneis the subjectes 1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 108.
Many persones … cannot … pay for thair lair according to the old rait 1656 St. A. Baxter Bks. 124.
Nor … to sell or vent ony bread bot conforme to the accustumat raitis 1659 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 183.
They wold not at any raite buy the samen 1664 Dundee B. Laws 140. 1669 Edinb. B. Rec. X 64.
The … clerk to imploy … persones … at such reasonabell raits as he can agree with them 1677 Ib. 319.
Taking als great a rait therfore as if [etc.] 1681 Ib. XI 21.
Bread to be according to the rait of ten pounds Scots for the boll of wheat 1696 Banff Ann. I 167.(c) 1622-6 Bisset II 258/2.
The wyne … aucht to be payed eftir the reat as the uthir salbe sauld 1681 Old Ross-shire I 174.
I hav non [sc. horses] to sell at the reatt you wryt of 1685 Dunlop P. III 15.fig. 1657 Balfour Ann. IV 313.
The Scottes … fought valiantly and sold ther liues at a deire rait 1685 Dunlop P. III 17.
As for James Gray he is not disposed of as yet to any man for they holld him at a great reat

5. The usual mode of conduct or behaviour (of the person or community referred to). a1500 Henr. Fab. 215 (Ch.).
I keip the rate [Asl., Bann. ryt(e (Rit(e n. 3), H. rait] and custume of my dame 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 400.
Swa efter the rait of vther realmis, [they] war becummit idil bellyis 1580 Mill Mediæv. Plays 161.
The rait and lowabill consuetud of this realme 1610 Crim. Trials III 103.
Conforme to the lawis and practique of this realme, rait and custome of the said admiralitie 1696 Soc. Ant. XI 440.
The famous professing, or, as they called her, the presbiterian witch, Margaret Lang (one whom I discoursed with in prison, & found her knowledge beyond the common rate of countrey women)

b. According to, efter the rait of armes, ? according to the custom of the profession of arms or ? according to rank. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 219.
Capitane James Meluile … wes burijt according to the rait of armes a1578 Pitsc. I 76/17.
The spoillȝe was partit amangis the Scottismen efter the rait of airmes

c. In (at) (a) … rate, in the way or manner specified. a1570-86 Maitl. F. 447/7.
Leirne by his lyff to leive in sembill reatt 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 453.
We were treated at a singular rate. The kingdom could not afford better wines than was drunk 1686 J. Canaries Rome's Addition to Christianity.
At this rate they render it leasing-making and lese-majesty to speak against Popery at all 1700 Minnigaff Par. Rec. 39.
He was a villan to treat a woman … at such a rate