a1500 Hymnal in R. S. Loomis Medieval Stud. in Memory G. S. Loomis (1927) 465 (MED) O lord..heer in erth all ruler and Regent..Diuidyng tyme by perfyt ordinance Aftyr labor that men myght be quiete, And wery lymmes myght fyndene recreance By conforth of slepe.

?1526 Complaynt Mary Magdaleyne in Chaucer's Bk. Fame (Pynson) sig. f ^v/2 I shulde anone deuoyde all my greuaunce For he is the blysse of very recreaunce.

1581 N. Woodes Conflict of Conscience Prol. iv Our Author Bethought himselfe, to ease his heart, some recreance to fynde.

1842 M. F. Tupper Proverb. Philos. 2nd Ser. 207 Sleep is a recreance to body.

1876 J. Ruskin Fors Clavigera VI. lxiii. 92 Such recreance as that in Mr. Ryman's shop.

a1632 T. Taylor God's Judgem. (1642) ii. iv. 48 When in the stead of going on, we rather stand still, or draw backe; and this recreance and defiling, if not taken in time, may turne to Infidelity and Apostasie.

1859 A. Stevens Hist. Methodism II. ix. 259 Wesley appointed him to preach at a Conference; his natural diffidence shrunk from the task, but no itinerant could disobey such an order without recreance to his office.

1879 W. D. Howells Lady of Aroostook xxvi. 314 Grieving at this recreance of her memory to her conscience.

1897 F. Thompson New Poems 103 To give the pledge, and yet be joined That a pledge should have force to bind, This, O Soul, too often still Is the recreance of thy will!

1939 J. M. Dewey in P. A. Schilpp Philos. John Dewey 26 His father was hurt at his sons' recreance to the Republican Party.

1964 ELH 31 337 In the last three lines above, one finds four dreadful possibilities: 1) suicide; 2) adultery; 3) recreance; or 4) social disgrace.

2001 Sydney Morning Herald (Nexis) 30 June 34 Malaysia's stance was a case of out-and-out recreance.

1677 J. Berkley et al. Let. 5 Apr. in W. Wynne Life Sir Leoline Jenkins II. 85 To produce the substantial Pieces of an Embassy; the Letters of Credence and Recreance, Pouvoirs, &c.

1705 Earl of Sunderland Let. 31 Dec. in Notes & Queries (1913) 11th Ser. VII. 505/2 Whether I am to give the Emperor's lettres de cachette, and his letters of recreance, to the Queen when I shall kiss her hand.

1792 Times 14 July 2/3 The Turkish Envoy also presented his letters of Creance and Recreance. He is to be allowed a suite, and to have his expences defrayed as far as the Frontiers.

1797 W. Short Let. 30 Mar. in T. Jefferson Papers (2002) XXIX. 332 I did not recieve [sic] my letters of recreance [word interlined in place of ‘recall’] until the end of the summer.