Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PLAT, n.² Sc. Church usage of Eng. †plat, plan, design. The scheme for the reorganization on the Presbyterian system of the post-Reformation church, esp. in regard to parishes and stipends; the body charged with the implementation and administration of this scheme, appointed in 1573 and replaced in 1617 by the Commission of Teinds. Hence Commission of Plat, id., decreet of plat, an official ruling or authorised scheme of this body. Hist.Sc. 1705 W. Forbes Tithes 115, 125:
In order to the Distributing of the Thirds among Ministers, a Commission was pass'd under the King's Seal, to some of the Nobility and Ministry, for meeting at Edinburgh to modify Stipends for Ministers in planted Churches. These Commissssioners were called The Plat . . . [The Thirds] were dispos'd of by the Commission of Plat, till the Restauration of Bishops in the year 1606.Sc. 1734 J. Spotiswood Hope's Practicks 107:
The Decreets to this Effect, were, in our Practice, formerly called Decreets of Plat; but now they have the Name of Decreets of Modification.Inv. 1750 Sc. N. & Q. (Ser. 1) XII. 19:
The Town and Territories were in use and wont to pay to Mr. Fraser . . . £36 in lieu of small tythes but have stopt payment for some years past because we could not produce our Decreet of Plat which came but lately to our knowledge.Sc. 1773 Erskine Institute ii. x. 17:
That the above fund might be more justly distributed among the clergy, a commission passed the great seal, styled the Commission of Plat, authorising commissioners to authorise stipends out of it.Sc. 1899 F. Cruickshank Navar and Lethnot 34:
With the desire of doing justice to the ministers, he drew out what was called “a plat”, viz. a scheme for providing them with competent stipends out of the teinds.Sc. 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 65:
Plat means either the scheme, or the body in charge of the scheme, devised for the territorial organisation of the Church after the Reformation and for the provision of stipends.