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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

(Swerenes,) Swernes, Sweirnes, n. Also: suer(e)nes, suerenesse, sueirnes, sweirnesse, swearnes(s, -nesse, suearenes(s, sweerness. [ME suernes (Cursor M.), swernes (c1400); Swer(e adj.]

1. Sloth, laziness. Also personified and proverb.(a) c1420 Ratis R. App. ii 4.
Se surfastnes thé nocht assailȝhe; Vitht slep, with suernes kep thow thé 1456 Hay II 25/32.
Nobles of curage is better pertenand to knychtis na is force of corssage, or ellis suerenes and cowardise in mannis persone suld be of the proprieteis of the ordre 1456 Hay II 55/37.
Suerenesse c1460 Thewis Gud Women 119.
Luf nocht slepinge na gret suernes, Fore mekill ill cummys of ydilnes c1490 Irland Asl. MS 71/25.
Swernes(b) 1460 Hay Alex. 260.
He haitit als glutonie adultre and sweirnes 1494 Loutfut MS 131a.
The rowst & filtht of the harnes schawis al way the sweirnes & inabilite of thaim that beris it a1568 Bann. MS 72a/20.
Of nownis sleip cumis grit sweirnes 1577 Buch. Wr. 58.
I haif mony excusis, as age, forgetfulnes [etc.] … yit I wyl use nane as now, except my sweirnes, and your gentilnes 1585 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 432.
That nane be bureit in the mwre bot be the beir and nocht careit vpoun mennis bakis or sledis for sweirnes of the buriares 1587 Carmichael Etym. 28.
Pigrities, sweirnes c1610 Jok Uplandis Newis 5a.
Ye had amonges yow that I had mad of good ministeris swear bishopis … ye now have maid them easie bishopis & soe ye have turned ther sweirnes to ease to them for … I will not take ther benefiets from them sua long as they live(c) c1575 Balfour Pract. 536.
He that for swearnes and cauld wald not work in winter, sall thairfoir beg in the sommer time 1594–5 Sc. Hist. Rev. XVI 141.
I was purposed to have written unto you & that without any greate occasion except for freeing myself at your handis from the imputation of suearenes 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 180/1281.
Swearnesse … The which with willing yrnes her armes At all times fastned keepes 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 181/641.
Suearness c1680 W. Row Blair 129.
Checking himself for swearness, laziness [etc.]personified c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxvi 68.
Sweirnes, at the secound bidding, Come lyk a sow out of a midding c1590 J. Stewart 241 § 164.
Sad Sueirnes sat vith crepill feit molestproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 685.
Pride and sweirnesse [1667 sweerness] wald have meikle uphald

2. Unwillingness, reluctance (to do something), proceeding from laziness. 1533 Bell. Livy II 231/2.
For swernes that ȝe haue to big, ȝe ar reddy to suffer all thir schamefull and haly dammaigis 1649 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 197.
Uthers drawing watter continuallie … to watter their horsis thairwith throw their awin sweirnes to ryd out to the loche the ordinarie place for wattering of their horses 1659 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 218.
[In oatseed time … he] burstit [a mare, … ] … binding three harrowes togither for hes sueirnes to lift the ane at the land end