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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Tath(e, n. Also: tatht, tach, tachte, taith(t, taycht, teth, teath. [e.m.E. tathe (1545), tath (a1641), ON tað.]

1. a. The dung of grazing animals left on the pasture for manure. b. To kepe (brak) tath (and taithing), to adhere to (contravene) local regulations regarding manuring in this fashion.a. 1492–3 Acta Conc. I 289/2.
For the wanting of the tatht & fulȝe of the said nolt & scheip 1573–4 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 255.
Quhilkis oxin … ves wortht na less profeit and commoditie yeirlie in wark laubour and tatht or at the leist wald haue beine of na less excressens and yeirlie profeittis as said is in vark laubour tatht and guiding 1573–4 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 255.
The profeit of ilk peice … in guiding and tatht [extending] yeirlie to vi s. viij d.b. 1533 Wigtown B. Ct. 293a.
Schallens for the wrangus brakyne of taitht denyit & to asis the said Jhon M^cilstaven is convyt in the halden of a kov fra the taitht 1637 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II 460.
Obleist him as tennent of the said toune and landis … to hould his haill guidis yeirlie that pasturit on the saidis landis keepe the tathe thairof within the said toune … and to vare his haill guidding summer and vinter within the said toune 1665 Galloway P. 20 Feb.
The said Hew is to … kip tath & taithing … within the said lon

2. Ground, or a piece of ground, dunged by grazing animals. Also, grass that grows in such ground. Also attrib.The syntax of the quot. Belhaven Rudiments 24 is ambiguous, and this quot. may properly belong in 1. But cf. SND Tathe n. 2 and OED Tath n. 2, both signifying grass in dunged ground.(1) 1461 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 362.
To be haldyn & to be hade the forsaide landys … & the tua akerys of the tathis … to the seiyd Robert [etc.] 1525 Wigtown B. Ct. 175b.
Michell McConnyll challangis for the vith haldyne of iiii ky fra the tath summand his scayth of his part to ii crounis 1533 Wigtown B. Ct. 293a (see 1 b above).
Taitht 1564 Inverness Rec. I 115.
Pay … iij firlottis aittis comprisit on his taycht 1591 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 139.
John Dow … persewis Donald McFaus … for aittis sawing in his tath 1669 Rogers Social Life 363.
The third sheaff off all the cornes, bear, aites, or pease, that shall grow upon the croftes, carse, tath and awald off the said toune 1696 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 678.
[The said John is to] mak the tathe watch the lone(2) 1699 Belhaven Rudiments 24.
The grass that arise from the horse dung which is called tath

3. attrib. 1576 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 19b.
That ewerie tenent … big teth fawldis of feall and erd and heid dykis aggreable to thair land 1617 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II 208.
[A chalder of oats … said to have been eaten by their cattle, sheep and horses, in] tua tachte fauldis 1620 Grant Chart. 319.
Sawing in the tath fauldis of the said mayneis 1675 Argyll Justic. Rec. I 67.
Within the tath fold of that towne — 1564–5 Linlithgow Sheriff Ct. (20 Jan.).
And settis to the said Henry ane akir reid land half infield half outfield except taithfalding & hauching — 1671 Forbes Baron Ct. 283.
That the haill tennentis … sall mack thair fearm of guid cornes of tach and ewall fildis — 1592 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 26b.
Patrik McIllegers suittis Duncane Illiquhonill for byiding wranguslie in the tathe girs — 1698 Argyll Justic. Rec. I 165.
The above named … killed the said cow and caried away the same upon his back … to the teathhouse of Aucharioch