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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.

Spreth(e, Spreith(e, n. Also: spreitht, spreich(t, spreyth, spreath(e, spreatch, spreeth, sprait(h, spraich, spraigh, sprauch. [OIr. spréid cattle, property, Gael. spréidh cattle. Also in the later dial. Cf. Inspreth n.]

1. Plunder, booty; stolen property. b. An instance of this, a quantity of goods plundered or stolen. c. specif. Plundered cattle or other animals. Some examples above may belong here.(a) c1420 Wynt. viii 6479.
Thai … tuk thare spreth [C. spreithe] and personeris c1420 Wynt. viii 6485.
Off that spreth [C. sprethe] mony war rychyd thare, That pour and sympill befor ware 1460 Hay Alex. 5874.
Gud men into tyme of were Suld haue the spreith the riches and the gere 1494 Bk. Carlaverock II 449.
Certane scheip and gait, and brynning and hirscheip and sprethe of gudis contenit in the bill of complante gevin in be the said Scottishmen a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. 212/33.
So mony theiffis and mycharis richt weill kend So grit releiffis and lordis thame to defend Becaus thai spend the spreyth all thame betwene 1513 Doug. ii vii 27.
Tursyng away fut hait The spreith of Troy, quhilk now is brynt to gledis 1533 Boece 424b.
Cruthlint … distribute the spreich amang his cumpanye 1641 Acts V 649/1.
The gentlemen induellaris thair having followed the limmeris for recoverie of the spreith so takin away 1689 Proclamation 12 Nov.
To stop the in-falling of the rebels, and hinder them from carrying away the spreath that shall be taken by them(b) 1375 Barb. v 118.
The king gert be departit then All haill the reif [H. spraith] amang his menb. c1630 Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 179.
At last was driven to Ireland on the west syd theroff. And took up a spreath [1643 Misc. Spottisw. C. II 353, spreeth] and returned home therefter 1649 Reay P. (Reg. H.).
Certane spraites and hershipes war takine 1670 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III 254.
Spreatches forsaid [sc. money, cattle, horses, etc.] taken away from him 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 132.
And carried away a considerable spreath and prey of goodsc. 1513 Doug. i viii 62.
Nor by the cost na spreth [Sm. spreicht, Ruddim. spreich, E. spreitht] to dryve away 1513 Doug. vii xii 110.
Thai hant ful oft huntyng in woddis at hand; Evir lykis thame to cach and dryve away The recent spreith and fresch and callour pray And on spulȝe to leif 1513 Doug. viii iv 65.
Of all tha catal away with hym drave … And thus his spreith he had ontil his in 1513 Doug. x ii 45.
Thinkis thou lesum is … thar catale in spreth to dryve away? 1660 Hist. Clan Gregor II 138.
That severall louse ydle men in the hielands doe gather themselffes together in companies and carries away sprauchs of chattell … to the hills 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 216.
Killing and burning and carrying all their cattell away in spreathes 1691 Old Ross-shire I 88.
All the bestiall they could find in Balnagown's country … and thar in body raised a spreath of the lands of Ragg in Strathoykell 1694 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii 46.
Ther are noe great spreaths takine away, since the garrisone wes planted att Innerlochey, yet I never remember in a peacable tyme to see such complaints of stealing of horses, and uther beasts

2. An act of plundering or spoliation. 1533 Boece 175.
Scottis and Pichtis … brak down the dike and on the Britoun landis maid spreith and spuleȝe 1668 Sutherland Bk. III 202.
Ony crymes, spraighes, depredationes done or comitted by the M^cNeills