Obs. [a. OF. surcres, -creis, f. pres. stem of surcreistre: see SURCREASE v. Cf. increase sb.] A growth or addition over and above; an increment, accession; a surplus, excess.
1600. Holland, Livy, VIII. xxix. 302. Over and above all these, the Vestine people, as a surcrease to their troubles, joined and banded with the Samnites.
a. 1603. T. Cartwright, Confut. Rhem. N. T. (1618), 98. Not (as the Iesuites make it) to serue for a surcrease or ouerplus of righteousnesse and merite.
1603. Florio, Montaigne, I. xxix. (1632), 98. If the … husbandlike affection be … surcharged with that a man oweth to alliance and kindred, there is no doubt, but that surcrease may easily transport a husband beyond the bounds of reason.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., i. 515. Their surcrease grew so great, as forced them at last To seek another soyle.
So † Surcrue [after ACCRUE sb. (OF. acreue), CREW1 (OF. creue)], † Surcroist [OF. surcroist (mod.F. surcroît), later form of surcrois, -creis, -cres: see above], † Surcroitre ? [OF. surcroistre inf. used subst.].
1496–7. Plumpton Corr. (Camden), 130. Send to me … a byll of such lands as ye are content to departe with to Kilborne in exchange, & if ye wyll have the surcrortr [sic]….
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXI. iv. II. 83. Cæpio … was of opinion, That the hundred-leafe Rose … should not be put into Chaplets, unlesse it were last in manner of a tuft, to make a sur-croist, or about the edges as a border.
c. 1638. Wotton, Lett. to Walton, in Reliq. (1672), 361. It [sc. the fever] had once left me, as I thought; but it was only to fetch more company, returning with a surcrew of those splenetick vapours.
c. 1825. Scott, Lett. to Laidlaw (in Athenæum, 6 April (1895), 442/3). I have, however, great resources, and considerable securities, and am confident, at the very worst view of the case, to pay every man his own, with a large surcrue.
