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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.

Herry, v. Also: herrey, -ie, herré, harry, harré, hirrie, hirré, hyrré. [Later var. of Hery v., with rr as in e.m.E. harry, harrie (16th c.).]

1. intr. To harry, plunder, commit ravages. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 25.
[To] haif hundit furth … young men to herry, slay, byrne, and tak presonaris 1596 Dalr. II. 183/16.
The Erle … is sent … to … inuade the Scotis bordowris, rinn the foray, herrie, burne and slae

2. tr. To ravage, despoil, or devastate (a place or district). 1574 Thanes of Cawdor 179.
The great … skaythis done … in herreing, distroying, and making herschippis upon the said … landis a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcv. 17.
Thai haue neir hand hirreit haill Ettrik forrest and Lawderdaill a1578 Pitsc. I. 53/31.
They … herreit … the bischopis landis 1596 Dalr. II. 183/18.
This Erle … cam to Kelsoi, burnte ane parte … and herriet another 1625 Garden Kings 17.
Thir broills the … countrie herries c1650 Spalding II. 7.
The soldiouris … had schortlie herryit his ground if he had not agreit

b. To harrow (hell). 1540 Lynd. Sat. 809.
Weill said, be him that herreit hell

c. To take (goods) by force. 1659 McDowall Hist. Dumfries 376.
It is ordained that Helen Moorhead's moveables be intromitted with by the shereff of Nithsdaile, to seize upon and herrie the samin for the king's use

3. To make predatory raids upon, to plunder or ravage the property of (a person); to rob with violence. Also const. of.(1) 1567 Acts III. 31/2.
Permittand thame to reif, herrie, & oppres thair nychtbouris 1568 Grant Chart. 133.
Diuers wikkit personis … , intendis schortlie to … burne, herrie and destroy his pover tenentis 1585 Waus Corr. II. 331.
To burne, slay, herry, and oppress the wardane of the west marche 1627 Glasgow Burgesses 66.
A merchant[s] … fines [are] modified … in respect he was herrit upon the cost of Britanȝie be pirotts 1645 Rec. Old Aberd. II. 142.
Given to ane poore woman herryit be the Irishes 1687 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 180.
James Buchane had threatned to cast her out and to herrie her(2) 1568 Douglas Chart. 265.
[He] is all reddie to cum wpoun the feildes to … herrie vs of all guidis and geir 1572 Reg. Morton I. 75.
The … rebellis … hes of late … forrayit certane landis … and hes herreit the … subjectis of thair guides

b. In fig. applications. 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 74.
Cryand out, harmesay! he was herreat a1598 Ferg. Prov. 18 b.
They are lightlie herrite that hes thair awn

4. transf. a. To despoil (a stretch of water) of (shell) fish. b. To rob (a bird's-nest); fig. 1663 Edinb. B. Rec. IX. 337.
The new trade of the Zelanders sending alongs their barks … to Leith for oysters, herrieing the watters of that kyn of shell fish 1664 Ib. 339.
The great prejudice the countrey is liklie to sustein by the trade of transporting of oysters … first be example of Haly Iland that wes haillie herried and nothing left — 1585 Elgin Rec. I. 177.
Na ... persone ... [to] clym the kirk wallis with ledderis to herrie birdis nestis 1621 Acts IV. 624.
Anent the harreing of haulk nestis a1680 D. Blair Blair's Autob. 595.
[Sharp] vowed that he should herry that nest

5. fig. To bring to ruin or poverty, espec. by extortion or injustice. Chiefly herreit p.p., ruined, impoverished. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiii. 34.
Sum is put owt of his possessioun, Sum herreit [M. hyrreit] and on creddens dynis 1549 Soc. Ant. XI. 94.
The said Erle allegis that teindis wald harry pvir tennentis 1567–8 Inverness Rec. I. 160.
The puyr serwandis ar alluterle herreit in giffin of greit pricis for thair schone a1570-86 Maitl. F. cx. 8.
Sum with deir ferme ar hirreit haill Ib. 12.
Sair seruice hes sum hirriet sone a1585 Maitl. Q. xiii. 25.
With vaine consait to puire him self and herrie 1605 Dundonald Par. Rec. 74.
The commendatioun of the Presbytry of ane puir man … herreit by fyr 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 38.
Thay themselues, wha … were altogidder depauperat, herried and disabled