Robert of Brunné, in the ‘Handlyng Sinne,’ writes:—
“Thy oaths do him more grievousness,
Than all the Jews’ wickedness;
They pained him once and passed away,
But thou painest him every day.”
Again, in the ‘Moralité des Blasphémateurs’ (circa 1530):—
“Tu luy fais plus dure bataille
Que les juifz sans nulla faille
Qui pour toy le crucifierent.”
[26] A certain delight in arranging the favourite oaths of his contemporaries and of other historical personages is plainly to be seen in Brantôme. In the ‘Vies des Grands Capitaines’ he throws off a whole string of these cherished devices. “On appeloit ce grand capitaine, Monsr. de la Trimouille, ‘La vraye Corps Dieu’ d’autant que c’estoit son serment ordinaire, ainsin que ces vieux et anciens grands capitaines en ont sceu choisir et avoir aucuns particuliers à eux; comme Monsr. de Bayard juroit, ‘Feste Dieu, Bayard!’ Monsr. de Bourbon, ‘Saincte Barbe!’ le prince d’Orange, ‘Saincte Nicolas!’ le bonne homme M. de la Roche du Maine juroit ‘Teste de Dieu pleine de reliques!’ (où diable alla il chercher celuy là) et autres que je nommerois, plus sangreneux que ceux là.”
[27] Ch. Rozan, ‘Petites Ignorances de la Conversation.’
[28] “A shocking practice seems to have been rendered fashionable by the very reprehensible habit of the Queen, whose oaths were neither diminutive or rare, for it is said that she never spared an oath in public speech or private conversation when she thought it added energy to either,”—Drake, ‘Shakspeare and his Times,’ ii. 160.
[29] J. G. Nicholls, ‘Literary Remains of Edward VI.’
[30] ‘Every Man out of his Humour,’ i. 1.
[31] 1 Henry IV., iii. 7.