Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to bribe.

1886		Sporting Times 24 Apr. 6/2: This dose as I ‘readied’ the peeler, / Was that raw and that chokin’ to drink.
1909		J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.

2. to contrive, to manipulate, to ‘wangle’.

1907		Sun. Times (Perth) 14 July 4/8: Where the ‘readied’ broads are built / Where the sudden gore is spilt.
1937–84		Partridge DSUE (1984) 965/1: from ca. 1890.

3. to drug someone so as to knock them out.

1937–84

Partridge DSUE (1984) 965/1: C.20.