[Alteration of SPREATH sb., prob. by association with CREAGH sb.] (See quots. and SPREATH sb.)
1809. Scott, Lett. (1894), I. 146. I met an old follower of Rob Roy, who had been at many a spreagh (foray) with that redoubted freebooter. Ibid. (1818), Rob Roy, xxvi. Driving a spreagh (whilk is, in plain Scotch, stealing a herd of nowte) Ibid. (1823), Quentin D., vii. ‘You will not deny that they are cattle-lifters?’ said Guthrie. ‘To drive a spreagh, or so, is no thievery,’ said Balafré.
Hence Spreaghery (also sprechery), cattle-raiding; plunder, booty.
1814. Scott, Wav., xli. It is unspeakable the quantity of useless sprechery which they have collected on their march. Ibid. (1818), Rob Roy, xxvi. They lay by quiet enough, saving some spreagherie on the Lowlands.
