A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Sparpal(l, -el(l, -il(l, v. Also: sperp- and -yl(l, -le. P.t. also -at. [ME and e.m.E. sparple (Manning), sparpill (a1350), sparpyll (1435), sparpeyll (Caxton), sperple (1542), sperpele (1582), OF esparpeillier, esparpiller (c1120 and 13th c., both in Larousse).]
1. intr. Of people: To go in different directions, disperse, scatter.a1500 Rauf C. 26.
Ilk ane tuik ane seir way, And sperpellit full fer
2. tr. To scatter, disperse or distribute in a disorderly manner, or in every direction; also, to list without regard to method or order.1487 Acts II 178/2.
Anent the … laiding of schippis … That … [no] merchandis gudis be … vnresnably sparpalit nor reving 1513 Doug. xi xii 50.
With sik rebund and rewyne wonder sair That he his lyfe hes sparpellit [Ruddim. sperplit; L. vitam dispergit in auras] in the ayr 1513 Doug. xi xiii 8.
The sowpill schaftis baldly sche On ather sydis thik sparpellis [Ruddim. sparpillis; L. spargens hastilia denset] and leit fle c1590 Fowler I 86/7.
Quhen that the sweit and sommer frost was sparpled by the air c1590 Fowler I 121/99.
I sparple all my speache most vanelie to the wind a1620 Marischal Coll. Rec. 77 n.
All things [in the Foundation Charter] ar confuisit and sparplit heir and thair without order and nott dewlie sett downe in articlis as they sould be 1625 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 162.
In gathering togither of the kingis timber that wes sparpalled be the heiche tyde
b. To disperse, divide or distribute (goods, etc.) (amang (to) people, in a person's hands), also, once, const. adv.Freq. in collocation with dispone (upoun).(1) 1525 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 225.
That nane of the gudis be sparpalit nor put on syd 1538–9 Crim. Trials I i 217.
My gudis at hame wasted and sperpalit … because I … left nane to ouerluke the samin 1563 Reg. Privy C. I 246.
To win … and keip the samyn [sc. corn] with the remanent the said … gudis, upoun the grund of the saidis landis, unintromittit with … or utherwyise sparpalit quhill [etc.] 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 575.
Thre hundrith pickis … wer sparpallit and intromettit with be diverse of oure said soveranis liegis 1593–4 Reg. Privy C. V 117.
His Hienes fynanceis being swa exhaustit and sparpallit be the moyane of inordinat suitaris that [etc.] 1600 Reg. Privy C. VI 184.
[Alexander Gald McGregour reft … the said cattle, and] hes sparpellit and disposit upoun the same at thair plesour 1601 Reg. Privy C. VI 269.
[They] bringis the haill heirschipis liftit be thame … to the same boundis, quhair thay sparpall and dispone thairupoun, at thair plesour(2) 1533 Bell. Livy I 138/14.
The faderis has dividit the croun amang thame self, and sparpellit his riches [and guddis] amang the pepill 1547 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. vi (Hope v. Tod & Robertson).
George Tod … tuik ane pak of clayth … & sperpallat it … amangis thair partineris c1555 Wemyss Corr. 10.
Becaus it wald be cummersum to ws to caus the saidis plegeis be kepit in castellis [etc.] … it is thocht expedient that thai be sparpalit and put to remane amang the noble men of the invart partis of this realme 1561 Inverness Rec. I 58.
The … balye wald had sparpillit the fysche to the pure 1572 W. Maitland in Bann. Memor. 340.
Be his … furthsetting, I am dispossesseth of my whole leving, and the same sparpled [Trans. sparpeled] in diverse handis 1572–3 Treas. Acc. XII 337.
For certane culvering pulder deliverit … to be sparpellit amangis thair suldertis 1594 Edinb. Test. XXVI 361.
I leif my brother Johnne [etc.] … with my haill gudis & geir to sparpill amangis my bairnes as I have ordanit 1597 Reg. Privy C. V 380.
[They] thifteouslie staw and awaytuke … aucht oxin [etc.] … quhairupoun thay disponit and sparpallit the same amangis thame 1625 Justiciary Cases I 27.
Thay … sparpallit and devydit the samyn [sc. stolen goods] amangis thame(3) 1667 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II 332.
The committers were tennents … upon the lands … and a great part of the goods brought thereto and sparpelled thereon
c. To disperse, disseminate, spread out, scatter (in, amang, through an area, place, etc.).1531 Bell. Boece I 48.
King Rewtha brocht … craftismen out of othir contres, and sparpellit thaim in sindry schiris of his realme 1588 Cal. Sc. P. IX 624.
To sparpill and disperse thame [sc. members of the Spanish navy] amangs the saide schips c1590 Fowler I 108/126.
Valiant Quene, with one tres of hir hair knitt wpp when that the other hang evin sparpled to hir spair c1590 Fowler I 161/8.
Of lovs force I feil the full effect, Whoe in my breist his poyson sparpled hathe 1584 Melvill 189.
The haill rents thairof standing in teinds ar sparpeled in sindrie parts and provinces of the countrey 1601 Calderwood VI 115.
Suche [sc. Jesuits] as convoy and sparpell their bookes through the countrie
3. To break up, disperse (a military force, etc.).1513 Doug. x vii 165.
The thikast sop or rowt of al the pres … Thys Lawsus alto sparpillyt [Sm. sparpyllit, Ruddim. sparpellit] and invadys 1573 Aboyne Rec. 493.
Wee are able ynouff to hold their soldiers doing so that Mortoun shall not sparpell his forces c1590 Fowler I 38/54.
The Romane armes with honour wer besprent, And sparpled to the vtmaist parts of east and occident
4. To spread, disseminate (news).1600-1610 Melvill 132.
Newes war sparpelit athort the countrey, that [etc.]
