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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.

Spuilȝeing, Spolȝeing, Spoiling, vbl. n. Also: spuilȝieing, spuilȝin, spuilyeing, spulȝ(i)eing, -eyng, -eane, spulyeing, spuleying, spwlȝeing, spoulȝeing, spoulyeing, spowilȝeing, spoilȝeing, spoilyeing, spoylȝeing, spayling. [ME and e.m.E. spuyling, -yng (both Wyclif), spoylynge (Prompt. Parv.); Spuilȝe v.]

1. The action of plundering, robbing or damaging in senses of Spuilȝe v.; spoliation; an instance of this. Also, once, in pl.(a) 1375 Barb. xiii 461.
Thai dispendyt haly that day In spulȝeing [C. spoulȝeing] and riches takyng c1475 Wall. ix 1688.
Spulȝeyng 1494 Loutfut MS 27a.
A man that liffit of reiff & spulȝeing of halikirk 1497–8 Acta Conc. II 134.
For the wrangus spulyeing fra the sade Maister Alexander and his tennantis out of his saidis landis … of j^c ky and oxin [etc.] 1539 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. i (Scott v. Seytoun).
The wranguis eiectioun … of him … spulȝeane him of his possessioun thairof 1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 315.
Spwlȝeing 1552 Breadalbane Doc. No. 82.
For the … distructioun cutting and spwlȝeing committit be hym of the saidis woddis 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 167/14.
Spuleying 1672 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 122 (6 Feb.).
For alleadgt spulȝieing and away taking detaining and as yet withhalding of ane black meir(b) 1526–7 Reg. Privy S. I 548/2.
For the reiff, spuilȝeing and herying of the said toun of Towgh 1578 Inverness Rec. I 263.
For the spuilyeing of the Duche schip c1590 Fowler II 84/19.
All which [five] faultes … might [have] been remedied … incace he had not committed the sax in spuilȝin and bereaving the Venetians off there estate ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 70.
The said heavin is quiet for fostering of thieves … till await upon the pailing and spuilȝeing of poor mens geir 1661 Decis. Lords G. 9.
For alledged ejecting of him furth of the lands … and spuilȝieing of his goods furth thereof 1691 Stitchill Baron Ct. 106.
James Taylȝeor … is unlawed … for spuilȝeing and away takeing of ane naig(c) 1575 Carrick Baillie Ct. 28 July.
Eiecting of the said Dauid furth of the samyn and spolȝeing him of his possessioun(d) 1514–15 Fife Sheriff Ct. 10.
The actioune … tueching the spoilȝeing allegiit of certane caittaile 1596 Dalr. II 39/8.
He culd nocht stay Angus Duff … from spoylȝeing and waisting of Moray land and Cathnes 1621 Black Bk. Taymouth 369.
For … blooding and striking of him with ane suord … and spoilyeing him of his bow and durk and away taking of xx s. out of his purse(e) 1375 Barb. xiii 457 (see (a) above). 1542 Fraser P. 182.
To desist … fra forther braking of the said cruif wall … and spowilȝeing of the stanis therof 1548–9 Reg. Privy S. IV 20/1.
For … setting of fyre in ane grete part of the said burgh and spoulyeing furth of the samyn divers gudis and geir(f) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 922.
In what forme & maner syne War to hold the distrybuyne Of the ryches of that cite, Thrught spoilling tane 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 444.
Mony men had … grit lose by the spoyling and steilling away of thair geir be the suddartis 1596 Dalr. II 73/10.
James Douglas … passis throuch al quarteris of the cuntrie, in spoyleng, burneng and slayng 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 373.
To Thomas Young … for his lossis … be breking of the grund and … spoylling of his grass 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 27.
Invading the poore and simple with cruel spoillings 1652 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 132.
Spoiling of the mossis be cutting, holling, and burneing the saidis mossis a1658 Durham Blessedness Death (1713) 91.
Ye have brought your selves in such a woful necessity of … hastering, mangling, and spoiling all that work … that ye should have gone about so … carefully 1678 Old Ross-shire I 166.
The breaking cutting and spoyling of sevin scoir double fir dealls 1661-88 Lauder Notices Affairs I 367.
For demolishing and spoiling a paper milne(g) 1669 Salmon Borrowstounness 88.
That no persoune … incrotch upon any hie wayes and passadges within the haill bounds foirsaids by delving and spayling thereof or casting divotts theruponpl. 1559 Inverness Rec. I 32.
The spulȝeingis of twe scep … gottyn in the … corne

2. The action of cutting meat in sense 8 of Spuilȝe v. 1647 Stirling B. Rec. I 193.
Proclamatiounes anent slotting & spuilyeing flesche