Obs. exc. Hist. Also 4 sparþe, 4–7 (9) sparthe, 5 sparreth, 9 sperth(e. [ad. ON. sparða of obscure origin, perh. related to OHG. partå (MHG. barte), OS. barda (MLG. barde) of the same meaning. Cf. SPAR sb.5
Sparke in Spenser, St. Ireland, Wks. (Globe), 676/1 is prob. a misreading for either sparthe or sparre.]
1. A long-handled broad-bladed battle-axe, used especially by the Irish down to the 16th century.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 209. An ax in his oþer [hand], a hoge & vn-mete, A spetos sparþe to expoun in spelle quo-so myȝt.
a. 1363. Higden, Polychron. (Rolls), I. 350. Tres fratres … usum securium, qui Anglice sparth dicitur, ad terram Hiberniæ comportarunt.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1662. He hath a sparth of twenti pound of wighte.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 1403. Now a schaft, now a schild,… Now a sparth, now a spere. Ibid., 2458. Sparrethis spetous to spend & speris in handis.
c. 1425. Eng. Conq. Ireland, 16. Ai, with wepne ryngynge, speres and sparthes ruthlynge to-geddre.
1530. Palsgr., 273/2. Sparthe, an instrument.
1586. J. Hooker, Hist. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 33/1. The one part giuing a fierce onset with stones and spa[r]ths, & the other defending themselues with bowes and weapons.
a. 1604. Hanmer, Chron. Ireland (1809), 59. Their chiefe armes were Skeynes, Speares, Darts, Slings, and Sparthes (which we call Galloglas Axes). Ibid., 170. Of these and the former Norwegians, the Irish took the use of the sparthes, now called Galloglas axes.
1801. Scott, Eve St. John, iii. At his saddle-gerthe was a good steel sperthe.
2. transf. A fighting-man armed with an axe of this kind; a galloglass.
c. 1518. in Jrnl. Kilkenny Arch. Soc., Ser. II. IV. 112. The said Brene shull finde on his propre Costes an c Sparthis of Gallogles, on his vitailles and wagges … for a quarter of a yere. Ibid. (1862), Note, Every Sparthe or axman was attended by four ‘horse boys.’
