Better one byrde in hand than ten in the wood.1 Children learne to creepe ere they can learne to goe. Who is worse shod than the shoemaker's wife?" Ibid. One good turne asketh another. Ibid. Ibid. By hooke or crooke." 1 An earlier instance occurs in Heywood, in his "Dialogue on Wit and Folly," circa 1530. 2 Two strings to his bow. -HOOKER: Polity, book v. chap. lxxx. CHAPMAN: D'Ambois, act ii. sc. 3. BUTLER: Hudibras, part iii. canto i. líne 1. CHURCHILL: The Ghost, book iv. FIELDING: Love in Several Masques, sc. 13. 8 See Chaucer, page 5. 4 Naught venture naught have.-TUSSER: Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry. October Abstract. 5 'Tis an old saw, Children and fooles speake true. - LYLY: Endymion. 6 Set all on sex and seven. — -CHAUCER: Troilus and Cresseide, book wv. line 623; also Towneley Mysteries. At six and seven. - SHAKESPEARE: Richard II. act ii. sc. 2. 7 All's fish they get that cometh to net. - TUSSER: Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry. February Abstract. Where all is fish that cometh to net. GASCOIGNE: Steele Glas. 1575. 8 Him that makes shoes go barefoot himself. BURTON: Anatomy of Melancholy. Democritus to the Render. This phrase derives its origin from the custom of certain manors where tenants are authorized to take fire-bote by hook or by crook; that is, so much of the underwood as may be cut with a crook, and so much of the loose timber as may be collected from the boughs by means of a hook. One of the earliest citations of this proverb occurs in John Wycliffe's Controversial Tracts, circa 1370.-See Skelton, page 8. RABELAIS: book v. chap. xiii. DU BARTAS: The Map of Man. SPENSER: Faerie Queene, book iii. canta 1. st. 17. BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER: Women Pleased, act i. sc. 3 Proverbes. Purt i. Chap. ai Ibid. She frieth in her owne grease.1 Who waite for dead men shall goe long barefoote. I pray thee let me and my fellow have A haire of the dog that bit us last night." Ibid. But in deede, A friend is never knowne till a man have neede. Ibid. This wonder (as wonders last) lasted nine daies.* All is not Gospell that thou doest speake." Ibid. 2 In old receipt books we find it invariably advised that an inebriate should drink sparingly in the morning some of the same liquor which he had drunk to excess over-night. 3 See Chaucer, page 6. 4 Ah, well I wot that a new broome sweepeth cleane-LYLY: Euphues (Arber's reprint), p. 89. A burnt child dreadeth the fire. - LYLY: Euphues (Arber's reprint), p. 319. 6 You do not speak gospel. 7 MARLOWE: Jew of Malta, act iv. sc. 6. BACON Formularies. 8 Sottes bolt is sone shote. Proverbs of Hendyng. MSS. 9 It has been the Providence of Nature to give this creature nine lives instead of one. - - PILPAY: The Greedy and Ambitious Cat, fable iii. B. C. 10 LYLY: Euphues (Arber's reprint), p. 80. Many hands make light warke. The greatest Clerkes be not the wisest men.* Ibid. Ibid. Out of Gods blessing into the warme Sunne." Ibid. 1 Pryde and Abuse of Women, 1550. The Marriage of True Wit and Science. BUTLER: Hudibras, part ii. canto i. line 698. FIELDING: The Grub Street Opera, act ii. sc. 4. PRIOR: Epilogue to Lucius. Lord Macaulay (History of England, vol. i. chap. iii.) thinks that this proverb originated in the preference generally given to the gray mares of Flanders over the finest coach-horses of England. Macaulay, however, is writing of the latter half of the seventeenth century, while the proverb was used a century earlier. 2 See Chaucer, page 6. Two may keep counsel when the third 's away.. SHAKESPEARE : Titus Andronicus, act iv. sc. 2. 8 Pitchers have ears. 4 See Chaucer, page 3. SHAKESPEARE: Richard III. act ii. sc. 4. 5 Thou shalt come out of a warme sunne into Gods blessing. -LYLY: Euphues. Thou out of Heaven's benediction comest To the warm sun. SHAKESPEARE: Lear, act ii. sc. 2. - 6 Ther can no great smoke arise, but there must be some fire. LYLY: Euphues (Arber's reprint), p. 153. One swallowe prouveth not that summer is neare. Treatise against Dancing. 1577. 8 See Chaucer, page 2. NORTHBROOKE: It is a foule byrd that fyleth his owne nest.1 Have yee him on the hip.2 Proverbes. Part ii. Chap. v. Ibid. Hee must have a long spoone, shall eat with the devill." It had need to bee Ibid. A wylie mouse that should breed in the cats eare.1 Ibid Leape out of the frying pan into the fyre." Ibid. Ibid Ibid. Much water goeth by the mill That the miller knoweth not of.8 He must needes goe whom the devill doth drive. Set the cart before the horse.10 1 See Skelton, page 8. Ibid. Chap. vii. Ibid. 2 I have thee on the hip. SHAKESPEARE: Merchant of Venice, act iv. sc. 1; Othello, act ii. sc. 7. 3 See Chaucer, page 4. 4 A hardy mouse that is bold to breede In cattis eeris. Order of Foles. MS. circa 1450. 5 The same in Don Quixote (Lockhart's ed.), part i. book iii. chap. iv. BUNYAN Pilgrim's Progress. FLETCHER: The Wild-Goose Chase, act iv. sc. 3. 6 Time trieth truth.- Tottel's Miscellany, reprint 1867, p. 221. Time tries the troth in everything. - TUSSER: Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry. Author's Epistle, chap. i. 7 I saye, thou madde March hare. -SKELTON: Replycation against cer tayne yong scolers. 8 More water glideth by the mill Than wots the miller of. SHAKESPEARE: Titus Andronicus, act ii. sc. 7. An earlier instance of this proverb occurs in Heywood's Johan the Husbande. 1533. He must needs go whom the devil drives. - SHAKESPEARE: All's Well that Ends Well, act i. sc. 3. CERVANTES: Don Quixote, part i. book in. chap. iv. GOSSON: Ephemerides of Phialo. PEELE: Edward I. 10 Others set carts before the horses. - RABELAIS: book v. chap. xxii. The moe the merrier.1 Proverbes. Part ii. Chap. vii. Ibid. To th' end of a shot and beginning of a fray.2 It is better to be Be the day never so long, An old man's derling than a yong man's werling. Ibid. Evermore at last they ring to evensong.3 The moone is made of a greene cheese.* Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. I know on which side my bread is buttred. It will not out of the flesh that is bred in the bone." Went in at the tone eare and out at the tother. Ibid. Ibid. Love me, love my dog. 1 GASCOIGNE: Roses, 1575. Title of a Book of Epigrams, 1608. BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER: The Scornful Lady, act i. sc. 1; The Sea Voyage, act i. sc. 2. 2 To the latter end of a fray and the beginning of a feast.—SHAKESPEARE: 2 Henry IV. act iv. sc. 2. 3 Be the day short or never so long, At length it ringeth to even song. 4 Jack Jugler, p. 46. Quoted at the Stake by George Tankerfield (1555). Hatchet of Heresies, 1565. BUTLER: Hudibras, part ii. canto iii. line 263. It will never out of the flesh that's bred in the bone.-JONSON: Every Man in his Humour, act i. sc. 1. None so deaf as those that will not hear.-MATHEW HENRY: Com nentaries. Psalm lviii. 7 He has the wrong sow by the ear.· Humour, act ii. sc. 1. 8 See Chaucer, page 6. 9 CHAPMAN: Widow's Tears, 1612. JONSON: Every Man in his A proverb in the time of Saint Bernard was, Qui me amat, amet et canem meum (Who loves me will love my dog also).- Sermo Primus. |