Sentence:  I Wrote a letter long ago, / But did not like it, you must know, / So rather chose to take my time, / And write my own defence in rhime, / Though not in your be-crabbed stile, / To <WSD>spatter</WSD>, threaten, and revile; 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To injure by aspersion; to defame.