int.; still dial. Forms: 6 byrladye, ber-, burlady, byr lady, 6–7 bir lady, ber-, birladie, barlady, 7 birlady, b’ar ladie, 9 dial. by’r leddie, by-leddy, 6– byrlady, by’rlady. Contraction of by our Lady, used as an oath, form of adjuration, or expletive.
1570. Play Wit & Sc. (1848), 18. Byrladye, not thou wench, I judge you.
1592. Chettle, Kind-Harts Dr. (1841), 35. Byr lady, this would be lookt into.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. v. 35. Berlady thirtie yeares.
1616. Pasquil & Kath., III. 182. B’ar Ladie, that’s a bumming sound.
1632. Brome, North. Lasse, IV. iv. Birladie a competent modern portion.
1821. Coleridge, Lett. Convers., &c. I. 221. Very late, or, by’r lady, it might be early in the morning.
1884. St. James’s Gaz., 20 June, 6/1. The farmers [near Ludlow, Shropshire], although none of them are Roman Catholics, swear ‘by’r Leddie.’
