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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.

Hery, v. Also: herie, heré, (herȝie), heiry, -ie, hierie, heary, -ie. P.t. and p.p. heryit, hereit, etc.; herit, -yt, -yd. [ME. hery(e, herien, early herȝen, OE. herᵹian, herian, ON. herja. Cf. Herry and Hary.]

1. intr. To harry, plunder, commit ravages. c1420 Wynt. vii. 2862.
Than past thai fra the Kyng in werth and slw and heryid in thare berth Ib. viii. 5767.
[They] Passyd and heryd in Ingland And made all theirrys that thai fand 1535 Stewart 14624.
With fyre and blude quhair no resist tha fand, [they] Hereit and brint … ouir all 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 28.
The Inglismen wes heryand privilie in Teviotdaill a1578 Pitsc. I. 71/19.
[The] Inglischmen … hierieit, and tuik away great riches baitht of men and goodis

2. tr. To ravage, despoil, plunder, or lay waste (a place or district).(a) 1375 Barb. xix. 280.
The Scottis men all Cokdaill Fra end till end thai heryit haill 1405 James of Douglas Letter to Henry IV in Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
Yhour men of Inglande … has heryde … a part of Etryke forest 1456 Hay I. 153/20.
Sen he has fundyn him heryand his land and slaand his men c1515 Asl. MS. I. 243/24.
[The king] syne brynt … all the lord Hamiltonnis landis & herijt thaim clerlye 1516 Reg. Privy S. I. 412/2.
Theves, rebellis and tratouris that waistis and herys the cuntre 1533 Boece iv. ii. 126 b.
Thai had renewit ane armye tending to hery Pichtland & delete the name of Pichtis 1559 Wemyss Chart. 296.
Oure auld innymeis of Ingland … put oure said place to vter distructioun, brint and hereit the samyn a1578 Pitsc. I. 29/21.
Traittouris became so proude and insolent that they brunt and hereitt the kirkis quhair euer thay come(b) 1570 Leslie 14.
Lauchlane M^cClane [etc.] … spulyeit and brint the cuntrye of Lenox, … and heiriet the haill cuntrie thairabout a1578 Pitsc. II. iii/27.
They passit throw all Scottland and extorsit and hierieit the haill contrie c1650 Spalding I. 46.
Thair brak out a number of Hieland lounis and heiryit the brayis of Morray(c) 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Populor, … to sack, to heary

b. spec. To harrow (hell). Hence, transf., to despoil, lay waste (heaven). 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 143.
The saule of Jhesu … quhen it passit to hell to hery it 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 41.
Thou plenyst paradyce, and thou heryt hell 1535 Stewart 53270.
Beseikand him, for his saik hereit hell, To … rew on him that tyme c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 116.
‘For him that heryit hell, Help me, sweit sir’ 1567 G. Ball. 210.
Gif God was maid of bittis of breid, Eit ȝe not oulklie sax or seuin, … Quhill ȝe had almaist heryit heuin

3. To take as plunder or ravage the property of (a person); to despoil, rob with violence. c1420 Wynt. viii. 2431.
Owthyr he gert his men thame sla, Or he thame heryd, sparand nane 1478 Acts II. 119/2.
For staincheing of masterfull beggaris … that daily oppressis and heryis the Kingis pure liegis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 242/22.
The kyng … passit on southwart with the ost … and herijt mony … that war with him self 1515 Treas. Acc. V. 34.
To ane pouir man quhilk wes heryt on the bordour 1531 Bell. Boece II. 212.
Nocht onlie temporal men, bot als spretual, wer heryit in the same maner 1578 Glenartney Doc.
The brokin men of the hielandis … oppressit and hereit our trew faithfull leigis 1665 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II. 31.
Severall leud persons … who oppenly boast … to herȝie and undoe the said compleaner in his meanes

b. To despoil (a place or person) of certain goods. c1420 Wynt. vii. 3042.
His landys qwyt Wes for that brynnyng all heryit Bathe off nowte … And all othire gudys halyly c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 210.
[To] herie him of all his gold and geir a1578 Pitsc. I. 66/14.
Thinkand it was ane great plesour to spullȝie thame of thair lywes … , to herie theme of thair geir

4. transf. a. To rob (a bird's-nest); also, to cast out (a young bird, from the nest). Also fig.(1) 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. vi.
Hie invy me from his service kest, … As bird but plumes heryit of the nest(2) 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 309.
Gif they help not … to hearie that nest of the castle of Edinburgh 1621 Black Bk. Taymouth 356.
It is statute … that na tennent … suffer … craw nor pyatis to big nor clek in thair rowmes … , and quhat nichtbour so euir sall refuis to help to herie thame [etc.] 1646 in Row p. xxxii.
Some parichoneris of Torrie … herit craw nestes within this congregation

b. To despoil (a pond, etc.) of fish. 1607 Acts IV. 373/2.
Oure souerane lord … , cousidering how dowcattis ar brokin, … mennis propir lochis and stankis heryit, [etc.]

5. fig. To bring to poverty or ruin by extortion, waste, or other means. 1456 Hay II. 81/32.
He that gevis atour his power tynis his riches and heryis himself and puttis him till … povertie a1500 Prestis of Peblis 275.
Thai [corrupt justices] dyte ȝour lordis and heryis wp ȝour men 1543 Acts II. 432/1.
Archibald … brint & distroyit his place of Boltoun … and tuk & led away him self & hereit him thairthrow 1549 Soc. Ant. XI. 94.
Gif thai that ar nocht responsale salbe hereit throch taking of teindis c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 534.
Within few yeris ye herye him also, Syne puts him furth; to beggin most he go 1622-6 Bisset I. 50/35.
Oure commonis, … quhen they are heryed and put to povertie, nane of ws ar at ease

b. To be heryit, to be reduced to poverty, impoverished, ruined, espec. by extortion or injustice. c1460 Regim. Princ. 274.
Thair is a pure man heryit uttirly, And tynt bath cost, labour and principale a1500 Prestis of Peblis 288.
Thus ar the husbandis dytit all … And heryit quyte away all round about c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 378.
Quhen he was heryit out of hand, to hie vp my honoris 1515 Treas. Acc. V. 70.
To the bailȝeis of Selkirk to pay their taxt, becaus that thai war hereit be thevis and pestellence 1542 Ex. Processes MS.
The saidis poure tenentis … ar dowbill poindit for the saidis termes maill and hereit thairthrow 1581 Conv. Burghs I. 132.
Thair is … sindry merchantis … alluterlie wrakkit and hereit be the playing of baukeroutt … within the cuntrie of Flanderis 1666 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II. 185.
His hand and arme … is mutilat and uslesse, so that therby he is utterly heryed and undone