Now chiefly Sc. Also 5, 7, 9 lite, 6 liet, lyet, lytt, 7 lyte, leit. [app. an aphetic form of ELITE sb.2 (a. OF. eslite, eslete), election. (With the phrase to be in leet cf. OF. estre en eslite ‘to be at the choice or disposal’ of a person.) Sense 2 may be a development of sense 1; but cf. LITE sb. = ELITE sb.1, (bishop) elect.]
1. A list of persons designated as eligible for some office. Phrases, to be in leet, to be on the leets, to put in leet, to put on the leet, etc. Short leet: a select list of a prescribed number of candidates, which is to be submitted to the elective body or the appointing authority.
1441. Extracts Aberd. Reg. (1844), I. 7. Quhasaeuer that happynnis to be put furth at lites to be chosin alderman.
a. 1500. Ordinances, in Boyle, Hedon (1895), App. 66. The maior and crowner, with the other of his cowncell, shall nayme two men to be that daye in liet of the mayre, and iiijor men to be in liet as baylyffis. And when suche lyetts are writtyne, the said mayre or crowner shall fyrst tell to the towne clerke, and cawsse hym writte, whiche of them as is in lyet shalbe chosyne the mayre by hyme, and so the baylyffis.
1612. Sc. Acts Jas. VI. (1816), IV. 518/1. To present ane Leit to my Lord [of] aucht persones.
1614. Bp. Cowper, Dikaiologie, 180. You will not finde any Bishop of Scotland whom the general Assemblie hath not first nominated and giuen vp in lytes to that effect.
c. 1635. W. Scot, Apol. Narr. (Wodrow Soc.), 15. The Assemblie put in leits the said Mr. Alexander and Mr. Robert Pont … [and] ordained edicts … for the admission of one of them to the superintendentship.
1637–50. Row, Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.), 152. That they would put on the leet five or six of the discreetest of the ministrie, that his Majestie may make choise of two of them to be ministers in his houss.
1639. in Baillie’s Lett. (Bannatyne Club), I. 124. The Moderator for the time offered to my Lord Commissioner a lite, whereupon voices might passe for the election of a new Moderator.
1718. Wodrow, Corr. (1843), II. 375. Mr. Chambers, Mr. Clark, and Mr. Rodgers, were on the leet.
1822. Galt, Provost, vii. 51. The policy of gentlemen putting themselves on the leet to be members of Parliament.
1865. Reader, 21 Oct., 450/2. The chair of Scots Law … is vacant. The patrons are the Faculty of Advocates and the Curators, the former having the right of presenting to the latter a leet of two, from which the appointment must be made.
1884. Sir A. Grant, University Edinb., II. 279. The Town Council … placed him on a leet of persons eligible for the Principalship.
2. pl. The candidates forming a ‘leet.’
The only use which is known to us outside Scotland is with reference to the annual election of Wardens of the Trinity House, Hull. Four ‘lites’ are nominated, from whom the two wardens are chosen.
1533. Bellenden, trans. Livy, II. (1822), 298. The candidatis and new litis [trans. L. candidati].
1552. in Rec. Convent. Roy. Burghs (1870), I. 3. Quhilk new counsale and auld counsale to convene on Fryday … and cheis the litis to the offices…. It is of … auld vse, that the provest than present, the dene of gild, and thesaurare ar litis to that samin office for the zeir to cum.
1583. in Maitland, Edin. (1753), 232. To proceid to the cheising of the Lytts to the Magistratts and Officemen.
