1417 in M. Sellers York Memorandum Bk. (1912) I. 182 If that any apprentice of the gyrdelercrafte forfaite unto his maister, in perlunyng of his gude in bying or in sellyng unto the value of vj d. than his maister sall warn hym therof anes or twys.

1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 140^v And in deede, menne of this ordre been most commenly full of brybyng embesleyng, and purloynyng.

1583 in Yorksh. Archæol. Soc. 17 256 For perloynynge of wreckes or goodes stollen upon the sea.

1622 F. Markham Five Decades Epist. of Warre ii. vi. 63 Hee is also to discouer all manner of thefts or purloynings (whether of victualls or other matter).

1673 J. Dryden Assignation 100 You could never have suspected me for using my Masters wit, if you had not been guilty of purloining from your Lady.

1706 Boston News-let. 3 June 4/1 Negroes are generally Eye-Servants, great Thieves, much addicted to Stealing, Lying and Purloining.

1793 J. O'Keeffe World in Village i. i. 5 Marrying the housekeeper,—throwing her purloinings into a brandy vault and drug-shop.

1849 H. Melville Mardi II. xxvii. 106 Whence we came she knew not; enough, that we seemed bent upon pillaging her own precious purloinings.

1885 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Oct. 522/2 He got fum-fum for purloining again.

1927 Musical Q. 13 499 As to the historic purloinings of Handel, there is little new to be said to-day on that well-worn theme.

1952 T. H. Vail Motter Persian Corridor & Aid to Russia ii. xviii. 396 Travelers have long indulged..in the purloining of hotel silver, linen, crockery, and even the pictures on the walls.

1993 C. Brown et al. in B. J. Arnold et al. Materials on Canad. Income Tax v. 345 You will find judicial language which distinguishes between ‘purloinings’ by office staff and embezzlement by corporate officers.

1576 A. Fleming tr. Hippocrates in Panoplie Epist. 283 Thinking it safe from y^e purloyning robber.

1583 B. Melbancke Philotimus (new ed.) sig. Tii It is a custome of purloining burglairers, to strew pepper in the tract of their steppings.

?1605 J. Davies Wittes Pilgrimage sig. P3 To this tend all our (Wit-purloyning) Drifts, Which we in others, held nor Wit, nor Sense: But, being Ours (Stolne) both haue excellence.

1631 J. Mabbe tr. F. de Rojas Spanish Bawd ix. 112 Whats become of my handkercher, you purloyning thiefe?

1757 E. Perronet Mitre (new ed.) i. clvi. 36 Domestic-servants, hellish brood... A base, purloining fry.

1794 J. C. Cross Purse 25 A thief!—a little purloining villain! whom I have cherished, 'till, serpent like, it turns to sting it's preserver!

1819 C. Dibdin Young Arthur ix. 250 A ruthles [sic] sailor, who Serv'd with that slave-purloining crew.

1890 Lima (Ohio) Daily News 8 Jan. It was on their complaint of purloining strangers that the old facilities were withdrawn.

1988 Financial Times (Nexis) 19 Nov. (Weekend FT) p. xx Billy Bunter, the fat, mendacious, tuck-purloining, perpetually-kicked and caned rotter.

2006 Oceania (Nexis) 76 83 Later in this piece we shall come to deal with conscience: a purloining author's consequent discomfort and haunting unease.