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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.

Heres(c)hip, Heirschip, Herischip, n. Also: hereschepe, heirschyp, -schepe, -scheip, -schep, (heirstschip); her(r)yschip, herishop. [f. Here n.², army, host, or stem of OE. herᵹan, ON. herja Hery v. Also north. e.m.E. (once) hearship (1572). Cf. Herschip.]

1. An armed incursion, espec. one made for the purpose of carrying off cattle and other plunder; a predatory raid. Chiefly in pl.a. pl. (a) 1398 Acts I. 208/1.
The … horrible destruccons, heryschippis, brynyngis & slachteris thar ar sa commonly done throch al the kynrike 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 87.
Our alld inimeis … intendis … to invaid the Merce … with all maner of dampnegis and herishopis a1578 Pitsc. (1728) 76.
Wherethrough came great reif and heryships in all countries(b) 1504 Breadalbane Doc. (Reg. H.) No. 32.
Our rebellis … , committaris of hereschippis, slauchteris, depredacionis and birnyngis vppoun oure trew liegis 1533 Bell. Livy I. 112/21.
To suffir … sic hereschippis and direpcion of thare landis and cieteis 1533 Boece IV. iv. 130.
Followit … diuers radis & hereschippis without grete effusioun of blude(c) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 83.
He nurist opinle … theiffis, to mak reiffis and heirschippis in the cuntre 1541 Hamilton P. I. 141.
Your maistres lieges … hes maid laitlie syndry incursionis, byrnyngis, and heirscheppis apon our maisteris subditis 1568 Lindsay Pref. 9.
The manifest reiffis, the continuall heirschippis, the plane oppressionis a1578 Pitsc. I. 36/4.
To be the onlie cause of sa greit thift, heirscheipis, stouth-reif and slaughter 1587 Acts III. 464/1.
Quhensoeuer ony heirschippis … salhappin to be committit … in the hielandis … be ony captane of clan 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 60.
Considering the great and horrible destructions, heirschips, … that ar sa commonlie done throw all the kinrikb. sing. 1443 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 44.
Sin oure said cousin … has na wyte of the gret hereship made be the Lorde of Gordone upon yhou and yhoure freindis Brus ix. 300 (C).
That … Men menyt the heirschip of Bouchane c1515 Asl. MS. I. 221/23.
The hereschipe of Inuerkip be Donald of the Ylis 1493 Crim. Trials I. 17.
[The … inbringing of the Englishmen of Tyndale to the] hereschip [of Thomas Leipdene] 1541 Reg. Privy S. II. 598/1.
Preceptum remissionis … pro eorum … predatione, lie hereschip, de Kenlochow et Troutermes 1562 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 147.
The heirschep committit vpoun Alexander Weland, lorymer, be the Franschemen … within this burgh 1598 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. (Reg. H.) 179 b.
The heirschip maid and committit vpoun him

2. The act or practice of harrying, plundering, or pillaging, by an army or armed force. Freq. to mak hereschip. 1533 Boece i. vii. 49.
King Coill … making grete hereschip, eftir be fyre and swerde thai had distroyit mekill, … lugeit his campe Ib. xi. xiii. 432.
Of oxin, hors, and all vthir riches be hereschip thai war dispuleȝete 1543 Misc. Spald. C. IV. 210.
In case that ony of our men makis stouth, heirschipe, reif, or slaughter vpoun utheris 1558-66 Knox I. 216.
In thare jorney thei maid some hereschepe upoun the coast of England a1578 Pitsc. I. 15/8.
So lang as thair was na man to punisch nethir heirschip, slauchtar in land and borrowis, nor creueltie of nobillis

b. Const. of the things plundered. 1528 Misc. Spald. C. II. 83.
The saidis personis … has … maid plane heirschip of nolt, … cornis, and insycht gudis, layand the land waist a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxvi. 22.
All man maikis me debait For heirschip of horsmeit

3. Booty, plunder, esp. in cattle. 1535 Stewart 3956.
All the heirschip tane wes of befoir To euerilk steid tha gart agane restoir 1612 Crim. Trials III. 233.
The steilling and away-taking of ane grit heirschip of ky and oxin 1641 Acts V. 484/1.
Certane persones … did tak away … diverse spreathes and hearshipes

4. Harm or hardship inflicted on a person by violence or robbery. 1456 Hay I. 124/3.
Gif it hapnyt that him behovit tak help of his legis, he sulde kepe him wele … that it war nouthir disherisoun na herischip to thame 1475 Acts II. 112/2.
In the haldin of courtis of guerra to the grete hereschip and skath of our souerain lordis liegis and of his awin in his justice aris 1488 Rep. Menzies MSS. 32.
I … sall not wit his harme, hurt, scaith, heirschip, [etc.] 1521 Fife Sheriff Ct. 280.
Johne Bower [etc.] … slew the said Andro … , & na justice done on thaim, in the wtir hereschip of the said wyff, barnis, kyn & frendis 1550 Dundee Chart. No. 53.
Throu the greit heirschippis and douncastis … thai haif gottin be oure saidis auld inymeis 1572 Peebles B. Rec. 337.
To send tua honest men … to the regent grace … to lament thair heirschippis and reiffis

5. Harried condition; impoverishment caused by harrying or violent treatment. 1531 Acta Conc. MS. XLIII. 64.
The brokynnes and heirschip of the Ilis being considerit 1531 Bell. Boece II. 229.
The landwart pepyll be thir weris war brocht to … pouerte and heirschip a1578 Pitsc. I. 35/14.
Right potent men … hes bene brocht to ane wtter wraik and heirscheip 1580 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 174.
Chaissing of thame [salmon] agane in the mayne sey to the saidis … commvniteis vtter heirschip and wrak 1600-1610 Melvill 422.
Ane interlocutor … past against tham of ten thowsand mark, quhilk tendit to thair utter hearschipe a1651 Calderwood V. 206.
Reafe and oppressioun through all the countrie … Alace! the great heirship of the poore