Gret sweryng is a thyng abhominable, And fals sweryng is yet moore reprevable. The heighe God forbad sweryng at al, Witnesse on Mathew; but in special Of sweryng seith the hooly Jeremye, "Thou shalt swere sooth thyne othes, and nat lye, And swere in doom and eek in rightwisnesse"; But ydel sweryng is a cursednesse.

Now wol I speke of othes false and grete
A word or two, as olde bookes trete.
Gret sweryng is a thyng abhominable,
And fals sweryng is yet moore reprevable.
The heighe God forbad sweryng at al,
Witnesse on Mathew; but in special
Of sweryng seith the hooly Jeremye,
"Thou shalt swere sooth thyne othes, and nat lye,
And swere in doom and eek in rightwisnesse";
But ydel sweryng is a cursednesse.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Pardoner’s Tale. The Pardoner’s sermonizing continues with an explanation of the evils of swearing, using the names of God or Jesus Christ. He condemns as abominable great swearing, oaths referring to Christ’s body and crucifixion. Even more worthy of reproof is false swearing, swearing an oath to do something and not keeping your word. And idle swearing the Pardoner brands as a wickedness. Jeremiah "Thou shalt not swear in vain, to be a liar, But swear in judgment and in righteousness."

Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes