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Among Kelly’s Scotch Proverbs, p. 290, we find: “Sweet in the bed, and sweir up in the morning, was never a good housewife;” and in a ballad of the last century quoted by Laing, the editor of that highly curious collection, the Select pieces of Ancient Popular Poetry of Scotland, we meet with the same expression: A Clown is a Clown both at home and abroad, When a Rake he is comely, and sweet in his bed.

Mebbe the club was ca’d “The Union,” but I wouldnae like to sweir; and mebbe it wasnae, or mebbe only words to that effec’—but I wouldnae care just exac’ly about sweirin’.

“Wald scho put on this garmond gay, I duret sweir by my seill, That scho woir nevir grene nor gray That set hir half so weill.”

I’ve seen’s been unco sweir to sally, And at the door-cheeks daff an’ dally, Seen’s daidle thus an’ shilly-shally For near a minute— Sae cauld the wind blew up the valley, The deil was in it!—

I suppose this’ll be your purpose in your favour, which I could very ill make out; it’s one I would be sweir to baulk you of.