Chiefly Sc. Obs. Forms: α. 4 leute(e, lewete, leautee, 4–5 leaute, 4–6 lewte(e, 5 lewted, leutye. β. Sc. (4 leawte), 4–6 lawte, lawty, laute, 5 lauta, lawta, 5–6 lawtie, 6 lautie, lawtay, 7–8 lata, 8 lawtith, lateth. [a. AF. leuté, lewté, F. leaute, lealte, lealted, mod.F. loyauté (= Pr. leyaltat, leiautat, lealtat, Sp. lealted, It. lealtà):—med.L. lēgālitāt-em: see LEGALITY; cf. LOYALTY, LEALTY.] Fidelity, loyalty. Often in phr. by or for my, thy (etc.) lewty.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1655 (Gött.). Ȝe eyth, for ȝour treu leute Alone i haue granted mi gre. Ibid., 12252 (Gött.). Queþen he come … I ne wate, be mi laute.
13[?]. Guy Warw. (A.), 1743. Gode man … for thi leute, What is thi name, telle thou me.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 364. Larg and luffand als wes he, And our all thing luffyt lawte.
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 144. Thay brake the lewted that Stablid was to Profite of mann and hele.
1460. Lybeaus Disc., 1940. I woll yelde me, In trewthe and lewte, At thyn owene wylle.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VIII. 11. Fra this tyme furth kepe lawta till our croune.
c. 1510. Gest R. Hode, III. in Arb., Garner, VI. 438. ‘Now God so me help!’ said Little John, ‘And be my true lewte!’
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 116. Ȝone on the leid that lawtie hes forlorne.
a. 1572. Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. 1846, I. 354. Upoun our lautie, fidelitie, and honour.
1670. Ray, Prov., 286. Lata is lang and tedious.
1721. Kelly, Sc. Prov., 230. Lata is long and dwigh [read dreigh].
1728. Ramsay, Step-daughter, ii. She neither has lawtith [ed. 9 lateth] nor shame.
