Chapter Ocnus of O by Brewer's Readers Handbook

(7) Francois I., On the word of a gentleman!

(8) Henri IV., Ventre Saint Gris!

Ventre Saint Gris! are you dumb, man?—Stanley Weyman: A Minister of France (1895) (“V. The Lost Cipher”).

(9) Henry II. of England, By the death of our Lord!

(10) Henry III., when he confirmed Magna Charta, On the word of a gentleman, a king, and a knight!

(11) Henry V., By’r Lady!

(12) Henry VIII., By God’s wounds!

(13) James I., On my soul!

(14) John (King), By God’s tooth! By the light of our Lady’s brow! Sir W. Scott, in Ivanhoe (ch. xiii.), makes him swear, By the bones of St. Becket!

(15) Joseph, viceroy of Egypt, By the life of Pharaoh!

(16) Louis XI., By God’s Easter! (Pasque Dieu!) and Mother of God!

(17) Louis XII., The devil take me! (Diable m’emporte!)

(18) Otto I. of Germany, By my beard!

(19) Perrot (John), a natural son of Henry VIII., was the first to employ the profane oath of God’s wounds! afterwards softened into Zounds!

(20) Philip II. of Spain, By the soul of my father! (Charles V.).

(21) Richard I., Mort de ma vie! and Despar dieux!

(22) Richard II., By St. John! (i.e. the Baptist) and God of Paradise!

(23) Richard III., By my George and Garter!

(24) Simon de Montfort, the great patriot in the reign of Henry III., By the arm of St. James!

(25) William the Conqueror, By the splendour of God!

(26) William Rufus, Par sante voult de Lucques! (“By the holy face of Lucca!” or “By Lucca’s holy face!”). Lucca was a great crucifix in Lucca Cathedral.—Albert Butler: Lives of the Saints April 21), p. 494, col. 1. (See Lucca, p. 635.)

(27) Winifred (St.) or Boniface, By St. Peter’s tomb!

In the reign of Charles II., fancy oaths were in fashion. (For specimens, see Foppington, p. 381.)

The most common oaths of the ancient Romans were By Herculês! (Mehercule!); Roman women, By Castor! and both men and women, By Pollux!

Viri per Herculem, mulieres per Castorem, utrique per Pollucem, jurare solîti.—Aulus Gellius: Noctes Attica, ii. 6.