Hist. The phr. sweet singer (see SWEET a. 4), more fully sweet singer of Israel (app. with reminiscence of 2 Sam. xxiii. 1, where David is called ‘the sweet psalmist of Israel’), designating a sect or sects that flourished in the latter years of the 17th cent.: see quots.
1680. H. More, Lett., in R. Ward, Life (1710), 356. I partly have some Knowledge of the Sweet Singers of Israel. But to say or sing sweetly is little to the Purpose, while there is a False Principle at the Heart…. What a Discord in Your Sweet Singer was the Admiration of that roaring Wretch you described, that lately hanged himself!
1681. Act of Counc., in Wodrow, Hist. Suff. Ch. Scot. (1722), II. 221. Edinburgh, August 2, 1681. His Royal Highness and Lords of Privy Council, having considered the Condition of these Prisoners, called the sweet Singers, David Jamison, John Gib,… and some Women, give Order to the Magistrates to liberate them.
1687. Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., Eng.-Fr., s.v., Tis a late blasphemous Sect, which call themselves the Sweet Singers of Israel. Whereof one John Taylor was Head, who had a Congregation of them at Guildford in Surrey.
1692. Life of John Bunyan, 22. A Sect of loose prophane Wretches, afterward called Ranters and sweet Singers.
1704. Swift, Mech. Operat. Spir., in T. Tub, etc., 319. Now from this brief Survey of some Principal Sects, among the Fanaticks, in all Ages … to which I might add several among our selves; such as the Family of Love, Sweet Singers of Israel, and the like.
1711. Mem. Visct. Dundee, p. ix. At this Time, about thirty of these deluded People left their Families and Business, and went to the Hills, where they lived in Rocks and Caves for some Weeks…. They called themselves The Sweet Singers of Israel, eat nothing that there was Salt in, or paid Tax to the King, blotted the Name of King out of their Bibles, and cohabited all together.
1732. P. Walker, Life of Cargill, in Biogr. Presbyt. (1827), II. 16. These People … were commonly called Sweet-singers, from their frequently meeting together, and singing these tearful Psalms over the mournful Case of the Church, Psal. 74, 79, 80, 83, 137.
