Better one byrde in hand than ten in the wood.*

Children learne to creepe ere they can learne to goe.

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. CHAP MAN: D'Ambois, act ii. sc. 3. BUTLER: Hudibras, part iii, canto i. line 1 CHURCHILL: The Ghost, book ir. FIELDING: Love in Several Masques, sc. 13. 8 See Chaucer, page 5.

4 Naught venture naught have.—TUSSER: Fire 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 iv. 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

of Good Husbandry. February Abstract.

-TUSSER: Fire Hundred Points

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 Reader

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 Controversyn Tracts, circa 1370. — See Skelton, page 8. RABELAIS: book v. chap, xii. DU BARTAS: The Map of Man. SPENSER: Faerie Queene, book iii, cante .. st. 17. BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER: Women Pleased, act i. sc. 3

Proverbes. Part i. Chap. zi

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.2

Ibid

But in deede,

A friend is never knowne till a man have neede.

Ibid.

This wonder (as wonders last) lasted nine daies.*

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.

Brend child fur dredth,

Quoth Hendyng.

Proverbs of Hendyng. MSS.

A burnt child dreadeth the fire. - LYLY: Euphues (Arber's reprint),

p. 319.

6 You do not speak gospel. - RABELAIS: book i. chap. xiii.

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 livet instead of one. - PILPAY: The Greedy and Ambitious Cat, fable ini. B. C. 10 LYLY: Euphues (Arber's reprint), p 80.

You stand in your owne light.

Though chaunge be no robbry.

Proverbes. Part ii. Chap. iv.

Might have gone further and have fared worse.

The grey mare is the better horse.1

Three may keepe counsayle, if two be away.2

Small pitchers have wyde eares.3

Many hands make light warke.

The greatest Clerkes be not the wisest men.*

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.

Titus Andronicus, act iv. sc. 2.

11

SHAKESPEARE:

3 Pitchers have ears. SHAKESPEARE: Richard III. act ii. sc. 4.

4 See Chaucer, page 3.

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.

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. - NORTHBROOKE Treatise against Dancing. 1577.

8 See Chaucer, page 2.

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.

Ibid.

It had need to bee

A wylie mouse that should breed in the cats eare.a

Ibid

Ibid.

Ibid.

Mad as a march hare.

Ibid.

2 I have thee on the hip. - SHAKESPEARE: Merchant of Venice, act ir.

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. ir.

6 Time trieth truth.

Progress. FLETCHER: The Wild-Goose Chase,

Tottel's Miscellany, reprint 1867, p. 221. Time tries the troth in everything. -TUSSER: Fire Hundred Points of Good Husbandry. Author's Epistle, chap. i.

9 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 iv. chap. ir. GossoN: Ephemerides of Phialo. PEELE: Edward I. 10 Others set carts before the horses. - RABELAIS: book v. chap. xxii.