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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
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Sclatar, -er, Sclait(t)er, -ar, Slatar, -er, n. Also: s(c)klat-; sklait(t)-, sklayt-; sclatt-, sklatt-; sclet-, sc(c)lett-, sklet(t)-; scleat-, skleat(t)-, skleit-, sklaett-; sla(i)tt-, slett-, sleat(t)- and -are, -ir; (sclaittler), (sklaitler). Pl. also skletris. [Late ME and e.m.E. sclater (north., 1408), slater (1562–3), slaiter (north., 1591), sklater (Chester, c1600); Sclate n. or v.]

1. One who is employed to fix slates on roofs; a worker with slates.In sing., ? freq. of a master-slater rather than one of his workmen (i.e. a craftisman sklettir, see b below.) Cf. sklaittar servand, see attrib. (2) below.The three earliest instances given under (2) are almost certainly examples of Sclatar as a surname.Also attrib.For numerous further references, see indexes to the various volumes of Treas. Acc., also M. Works Acc.See also Pointing vbl. n.¹ (1) 1428 Exch. R. IV 432.]
[Per solucionem factam … sklatoribus, pro tegulis lapideis 1488 Treas. Acc. I 89.
To a sclatar for the poyntin of al the place off Stirling 1488 Lanark B. Rec. 3. 1491 Treas. Acc. I 182.
Sclatare 1505 Ib. III 150.
To the sclatar of Paslay 1506 Ib. 194. 1516 Edinb. Hammermen 92.
To ane sclater for lennyng of twa ledderis 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 87.
To the … sklateris for beting of the thekin Ib.
viii ladis of fog to the sklateris 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 342.
Scklateris 1545 Edinb. Hammermen 167b.
For sclaittis, sand, lyme, laucht garronne nalis & the sclateris warkmenschip xl s. 1553–4 Edinb. Old Acc. II 28.
Watter furnisit to the sklatars 1561 Rentale Dunkeld. (SHS) 342.
To … auld servandis to the number of x personis, sic as wrycht, masoun, sklater, gardnar, fischer, and siclyk 1563 Reg. Cupar A. II 280.
To the sklatir for his warkmanisschip of the hail gyrnelis 1573–4 Day-bk. J. Kyle in E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 78.
For a riddill to serve the sklater 1655 Lamont Diary 87.
Dauid Browne, in Enster, a sclater, … did poynt the wholle house of Lundy [etc.] 1677 Cullen Kirk S. 15 Jan.(b) 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 523.
For vj puncionis to be pinnis to the said sclatter 1559 Rentale Dunkeld. (SHS) 357.
To the said sclatter for half rude new wark 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 124.
Tua lagallounis to the sclatteris … ane buikett to thame Ib.
Tua screping irnis to the sclatteris 1624 Elgin Rec. II 184.
Rany, the sklatter 1655 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 156.
The counsell inacts, statuts, and ordaines that no mariners, meassones, sclatters, milnaris, stablers, or any wther persones of that kynd within this burgh … tack vpone hand … to brew [etc.](c) 1521–2 Old Dundee II 340.
Will Sklaiter … Dave Quhite, and the lave of the sklaiters has tane to come before the provost and bailies and tak a reasonable price for their lawbour and darg, as other burghs give 1529 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 8.
To Johne Eres twa servandis sclaittaris for mending of the cart hors stable 1559–60 Ayr B. Acc. 34.
Thair wes gevin to the sklaitter four merkis quhilk he referris to the sklaitteris athes 1561 Dunferm. Ann. 208.
To the sklaittar and his servandis 1595 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 582.
Thre daillis to be eising buirdis to the sclaitteris 1595 Perth Guildry p. 549 (15 Oct.).
For laith nailis and morning drynk to the sklaiter 1598 Edinb. B. Rec. V 235.
Sclaiters 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 119.
For sex faddum smaller towes to bind about the sklaitteris waistis to hold them unblowing af the skaffeldis 1628 Ib. 236.
For making ane forkit craw yrone to the sklaitteris for drawing of naillis 1648 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 89.
The exorbitant pryces taken be the sklaitters 1648 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 160.
The counsell finding great necessitie of more able sklaitters thane at this present hes [etc.] 1671 Stirling B. Rec. II 9.
Noe wright, coopare, glassinwright, litstare, or sklaitter … salbe suffered to worke … within the libertie of the said burgh … till first they be enterit burgesses 1675 Cunningham Diary 55.
To the sklaiters for my chamber lum-sweeping, 4 s. 1687 Misc. Bann. C. III 250.(d) 1539–41 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 285.
To the foirsaid skleter for vi ruidis new theking werk 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I 262.
Skletter 1576 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 301.
Sclettar 1597 Misc. Spald. C. V 64.
Sklettaris 1610 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 324.
Skletris 1611 Ib. 336.
To the scleters and hes sarvantis for ther … efter nenis drinkes 1640 Alyth Kirk S. in Sc. N. & Q. 1 Ser. XII 59.
To the scletter to buy sclett pins 6 s. 8 d. 1656 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 498.
To all the men at the work massounes wrightis scletteris and borrowmen 1664 Bk. Old Edinb. C. V 116.
Taik wreights or skletters help as ye shall have neid 1681 Meikle Old Session Bk. 185.
The third [horse] to bring the skletters work-looms from Dundie 1697 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 784.
Reingen McClene the sccletter(e) 1561 Reg. Dunferm. 455.
Skleattar 1609 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 69.
Skleatter 1625 Argyll Rentals 18 Nov. (see Sclate n. 2 (1) (d)).
Skleatar 1668 Stirling Common Good 44b.
To ane workman that serves the scleaters four dayes is £1 12 s.(f) 1625–6 Sc. Ch. Hist. Soc. Rec. V 41.
Masons, skleiters, and glassen-wrichts had all to be satisfied(g) 1693 Dunbar Social Life I 162.
Sklaetters(h) 1534–5 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 129.
The compt of the perjonaris and slataris and thair serwandis. … the entres of Johne Slatar the quhilk is bayth slatar and perjonar, and thua childer with him … summa to the said Johne and his servandis [etc.] 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II 367.
For the slatters for thikne of iiij rud xxiiij eln new thak(2) 1399 Aberd. B. Rec. (SHS) 49.
Henricus sclatar in amerciamentis 1456 Exch. R. VI 131.
Johanni Sclatter 1458 Ib. 482.
Per solucionem factam Johanni Sklatare pro tegulis et tectura aule de Tarnway 1497 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 75.
Rob Chaip in amerciamento for the non intres of Johne Celly sklater 1516–17 Treas. Acc. V 115.
Johne Kelsaucht, sklatter of Striveling 1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 42.
To John Blar sklater … for his labouris and servandis 1539–41 Ib. 288.
To Johne Blair and Johne Clerk sclateris for ane monethis wage betand the armour hous 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 126.
To William Robertsoun sclatter for … ourseing of the wrychtis … fra Fasttreneis evin to Pace iij li. 1585–6 Perth B. Ct. 21 March.
Skleter 1589 St. A. B. Ct. 4 April.
Sklayter 1594 Edinb. B. Rec. V 124.
James Muriall, sclater, to be burgess as prenteis to David Hutsoun, sclater … nochtwithstanding that his maister obtenit his burgesschip gratis 1604 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 114.
To underly the law for stowth of ane plaid of Jhone Twatis, sclateris, as law leivis 1605–6 Montrose Treas. Acc. 3.
Giffin to Thomas Forbes skletter to mend the kirk and for naillis and watter theirto 1611 Brechin Test. II 141.
Johne Hay sklaitter 1624 Edinb. Test. Index II 107.
John Deuchares, skletter 1636 Dumbarton B. Rec. 51.
Sklaittir 1659 Rothesay B. Rec. 277.
Gavin Kilpatrick younger, sklaitter 1667 Ib. 145. 1668 Corshill Baron Ct. 81. 1696 Cramond Kirk S. IV 31 Aug.
The heretors & session recommends to the kirk thesaurer … to employ James Robison sklatter in repaireing the kirk 1696 Foulis Acc. Bk. 200.
To And. Baverage, sklaitter, for pointing about the bartizan and spouts(b) 1667 Edinb. B. Rec. X 27.
Johne Adie sklaitler(c) 1568 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 79.
James Jak slatter 1630 Kirkcaldy Presb. 8.
Nicoll Moreiss, slaitter in Dysert 1639 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 410.
Givin till David Andersone sletter to pay his men with 1647 Boharm Kirk S. 8 Aug.
Andrew Pantone, sleatter 1699 Ib. 14 May.
Will. Anderson sleaterattrib.(1) 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 111.
For tua punsionis for sklater pynnis 1656 Edinb. Justices Peace 409.
A sklater. For every rood of sklater-work, is to have ten pounds Scots 1685 Paterson Sc. Arithm. 6.
A sclater rood of work(2) 1594 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 529.
For ane sklaitter seruand that past to the cok on the hicht of the stepill and oild the samin to mak it glaidcomb. 1644 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 730.
Johne Weylie sclaittler burges

b. Craftisman-sklettir, a slater, a member of the guild of slaters. 1610 Stirling B. Rec. I 125.
To … transact with ane craftisman sklettir for the theiking of the kirk

c. pl. The craft, or guild, of slaters. 1525–6 Aberd. B. Rec. in Mill Mediæv. Plays 123.
To preif … gif the massonis & sclataris ȝeid with thaim in processioun on Candilmes day 1531 Ib. 125.
Writtis messouns slateris & cuparis [are to provide] the Resurextioun 1534 Ib. 126.
His craft & thair nychtbouris sic as writtis, cuparis & sclattaris 1600 Conv. Burghs II 89.
Ane artikle aganis the wrichtis, … sklatteris, … spargeneris, within brugh, for remeid of thair abusis 1642 Ib. 184.
The omnigadrum, viz., the wrichtis, maissones, coupares, litstares, glassinwrichtis, sklaitteris [etc.] 1654 Dundee B. Laws 595.
William Cock, deacon of the sklaiters of the said burt

2. A wood-louse.Also in the mod. dial., as slater, in this sense. 1684 Sibbald Scot. Illustr. iii 33.
Millepes asellus, nostratibus the sclater