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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.

Kent, n.¹ [Origin uncertain.But cf. ME. (East Anglian) quante (Prompt. Parv.) and mod. Eng. dial. of East Anglia and Kent quant a punting-pole, also, in Kent, a young sapling, a walking-stick.Also in the mod. dial. of Scotland (appar. chiefly southern), northern Ireland and Northumberland, chiefly in the sense given below, but also, on the Tweed and Teviot, and in Northumberland, = punting-pole.The word appears to have been commonly recorded only between 1606 and 1634. The great majority (more than 20) of the examples noted refer to places south of the Forth, including East Lothian, Midlothian (7 examples), Lanarkshire, Berwickshire, Selkirkshire, Roxburghshire, Dumfriesshire, against only 4 referring to places further north. For a number of further examples see the indices to Reg. Privy C., XII, XIII, and 2 Ser. I–V.]

A long staff or pole, ‘properly such a one as shepherds use for leaping over ditches and brooks’ (Jam.). Freq. grit, grite, (great) kent. Also long kent. b. Comb. with stalf.(1) 1606 Crim. Trials II. 519.
The said William Rutherfurd [of Chatto, Roxburghshire] haifing ane grit grene kent and squarit batoun in his hand … crewallie invadit him 1607 Reg. Privy C. XIV. 530.
[Plenderleith, Roxburghshire] 1619 Crim. Trials III. 481.
Johnne Moitt in Wasthousis, aboue Newbottile, dilaitit of the … slauchter of … his vmquhile spous be streking hir in the heid … with ane grit kent, to the effusioun of hir bluid 1621 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 338.
Casschogill himself … , his haill servandis … , with suordis, hagbottis, lances, corne-forkis and great kentis 1622 Reg. Privy C. XII. 753.
[William Syme in Cowplay by St. Andrews attacked] with a grite kent or battoun 1626 Justiciary Cases I. 37.
[Murdered] be gevin to him of dyuers straikis … uith rungis, grit kentis, irne gaddis and halbertis … u[i]thin the burgh of Dundie 1631 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. IV. 292.
[James Angus of Foulfordleyes against John Arnot of Pathhead and others who] persewed him of his lyfe with great kents(2) 1620 Reg. Privy C. XII. 282.
[Attack on Martin Harkess of Wysbie, Dumfriesshire, with a] long kent 1620 Ib. 300.
[An attack in the High Street of Hawick] with lanceis, staulffis, swerdis, long kentis or grite trees 1624 Ib. 655.
[By Frendraught and Culsamond, Aberdeenshire, with] long kents(3) 1620 Crim. Trials III. 488.
Be streking him with kentis and flaillis [by Dalmahoy, Midlothian] 1631 Justiciary Cases I. 153.
William Smaillie in Hairtwoid of Murdiestoun [Lanarkshire] … , be geving to hir of … straikis … with kentis, battones [etc.] 1634 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. V. 376.
[Attack on John Dickson on the lands of Fluires] with klubbis, stalvis, kents and rungs1685 Lauder Notices Affairs II. 621.b. 1612 Crim. Trials III. 124.
Being bodin with suordis, quhingeris, kent-stalfis and otheris wappones invasive