lurdanelurdane

The story

The Puritan, Rev Joseph Caryl, commenting in 1666 in volume 12 of his Exposition upon the Book of Job, page 363, on Job 39:9, describing the Unicorn or Wild Ox, says that the Unicorn does no work but expects no wages nor reward from you, "which may be a reproof to those men, who are very unwilling to serve others, yet are very willing to abide by their Crib; they like it well to eat and drink upon you, as long as you will, and possibly whether you will or no, but will not do a stroke of work; such as one we call proverbably a Lurdane, from the lazy Danes, who long since Lording it in this Kingdom, would eat and drink in a good well-stored house, but refused to labour."