sb. Sc. Now only arch. Forms: 5–6 spreith, 5 spreithe (6 spreicht), 6 spreth, 7, 9 spraith, 7– spreath. [ad. Gael. spréidh cattle. Cf. INSPREITH and SPREAGH.]
† 1. Booty, plunder, spoil. Obs.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. 6467 (Cott. MS.). Son eftyr þai Donwart in þe towne helde þar way, And tuk þar spreithe and presowneris. Ibid., 6473. Off þat sprethe mony richit war þar.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, II. vii. 27. Our othir feris rubbis, tursing away, fute hait, The spreith of Troy. Ibid., xii. 6. Wardanes tway, For to observe and keip the spreith or pray.
† b. spec. Cattle taken as spoil. Obs.–1
1513. Douglas, Æneid, I. viii. 62. We com nocht hidder … To spuilȝe temples or riches of Libia, Nor by the coist na spreicht to drive awa.
2. A herd of cattle carried or driven off in a raiding expedition.
1665. J. Fraser, Polichron. (S.H.S.), 85. He wasted and spulied the whole country, carrying away a vast spreath of their strongest cattle.
1794. Statist. Acc. Scot., XIII. 149. A party of the Camerons had come down to carry a spreath of cattle, as it was called, from Moray.
1874. Hislop, Sc. Anecd., 273. Taking ‘spreaths’ or herds of cattle from their hereditary enemies.
3. A cattle-raid.
1773. Mrs. Radcliffe, Lett. fr. Mount. (1813), I. 110. Those plunderers,… who used to consider making a spreath as a gallant exploit; now, a spreath was carrying away forcibly a herd of cattle, and fighting their way through all opposition.
1836. Tait’s Mag., III. 426. It was … the scene of continual spreaths, liftings, reavings, and herriments.
So † Spreath v. intr., to pillage or plunder. Obs.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. 6279. Scottismen wes all þat nycht sprethand, And maid all þairis þat euer þai fand.
