c1200 Vices & Virtues 9 Of oðe(s) sueriingge.

1303 R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne 2724 By þis tale, ȝe mowe se alle Þat fals sweryng wyl euyl befalle.

c1425 J. Hill in Illustr. Anc. State & Chivalry (Roxb.) 9 Whanne he is called to his first ooth, thanne sitteth it to alle his forsaide Counsaille to goo with hym..for to here..how he swereth, and what countenaunce he maketh in his sweryng.

1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. avi Sweryng, whan it is with delyberacion for any thyng that is false or vayne, it pertayneth to periury.

1561 T. Hoby tr. B. Castiglione Courtyer ii. sig. Y.i I beleaue withoute swearinge that you haue no faith also in Christ.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) v. i. 268 And all those sayings, will I ouer sweare, And all those swearings keepe as true in soule. View more context for this quotation

1651 T. Hobbes Philos. Rudim. ii. §20. 32 Swearing is a speech joyned to a promise, whereby the promiser declares his renouncing of Gods mercy, unlesse he perform his word.

a1704 T. Brown Dialogues of Dead in 4th Vol. Wks. (1720) 187 The Doctor consider'd the taking of the Oaths to be only an indifferent Thing..for otherwise, it had been his Duty to disswade all Persons..from Swearing.

1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. II. i. viii. 59 The February swearing has set them all agog.

1887 Spectator 20 Aug. 1114 There is not, we fancy, much false-swearing; but there is probably a considerable amount of hard-swearing.

1340 Ayenbite (1866) 63 Hi ne conne noþing zygge wyþ-oute zueriynge.

c1380 J. Wyclif Wks. (1880) 120 Ydel swerynge of herte & bonys of crist.

a1513 W. Dunbar Tabill of Confessioun in Poems (1998) I. 271 I knaw me vicius, lord,..In aithis, swering, lessingis and blasflemyng.

1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth vii. sig. D.i^v In all the worlde there is not suche odyble swearyng as is vsed in Englande.

1623–4 Act 21 Jas. I c. 20 For as much as all prophane Swearing and Cursing is forbidden by the Word of God, Be it therefore enacted..That no person or persons shall from henceforth prophanely sweare or curse.

1657 in Trans. Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archæol. Soc. (N.S.) 14 189 Convict..for the swearinge of 5 profane oaths upon the same day (viz.) 3 of them by god, one by his troth and one by his soule.

1669 J. Dryden Wild Gallant i. i. 12 He has been a great Fanatick formerly, and now has got a habit of Swearing, that he may be thought a Cavalier.

a1771 T. Gray Jemmy Twitcher in Gentleman's Mag. (1782) lii. 40 All the town rings of his swearing and roaring.

1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. (at cited word) Habitual swearing was usually typical of a bad officer.

a1400 Old Usages Winchester in Eng. Gilds (1870) 362 So þ^t, byfore answere, ne legge non oþer delay, but ȝif hit be for swerynge of mo parteneres of play of londe by ryȝt.

1712 H. Prideaux Direct. Church-wardens (ed. 4) 47 There is a Writ at Common-Law issuable out of the King's-Bench to command the Swearing of him.

1863 H. Cox Inst. Eng. Govt. i. vi. 42 As there is no election of a Speaker, and no general swearing of members.

1900 Westm. Gaz. 4 Jan. 7/3 The swearing-in of the Volunteers at the Guildhall.

1569 J. Sanford tr. H. C. Agrippa Of Vanitie Artes & Sci. liv. 72 b Who is that whiche seethe a man goo with a cocke pase, with a swearinge gesture, with a fierce countenaunce,..with an vnpleasaunt speache, with wild manners,..that doth not iudge him to be a Germane?

1705 tr. W. Bosman New Descr. Coast of Guinea x. 149 Every Person entring into any Obligation is obliged to drink this Swearing Liquor.

a1708 T. Ward England's Reformation (1710) iv. 102 Cowper, who kept the Swearing Office, Instructed wisely ev'ry Novice, In what concern'd the Swearing Art.

1721 N. Amhurst Terræ-filius No. 41. (1754) 218 [I] swore, engag'd my soul, And paid the swearing-broker whole Ten shilling.

1842 D. G. Rossetti Let. 1 Sept. (1965) I. 7 Uncle Henry's Swearing-book combines both Bible and Prayer-Book.

1899 W. James Talks to Teachers viii. 64 They talk of the smoking-habit and the swearing-habit and the drinking-habit.

1939 J. Joyce Finnegans Wake 524 Mr. Cockshott, as he had his assignation with, present holder by deedpoll and indenture of the swearing belt.

1727 P. Walker Some Remarkable Passages Semple, Welwood & Cameron 100 We have the Parallel Case in Scotland this Day, putting the Swearing Ministers in Place of the Actually-indulged.

1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. II. i. vi. 51 Saw the Sun ever such a swearing people?

1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. xiv. 447 The swearing clergy, as they were called, were not a little perplexed by this reasoning.

1796 J. Woodforde Diary 10 Oct. (1929) IV. 312 My Boy, John Brand, left my Service to day, as he had proper Notice so to do, being the most saucy swearing Lad that ever we had.

1862 G. Borrow Wild Wales lxviii Night came quickly upon me after I had passed the swearing lad.

1887 F. Francis Saddle & Mocassin 5 I guess they [sc. the Mormons] smokes more, and stands for the swearingest people as there is anywhere.

a1617 S. Hieron Penance for Sinne in Wks. (1620) II. 340 Now it curseth man, talkes viciously, speaks swearingly; suddenly it is framing some words of holinesse and deuotion.