John heywoodes woorkes :: :: University of Virginia Library

John heywoodes woorkes

A dialogue conteynyng the number of the effectuall prouerbes in the Englishe tongue, compact in a matter concernynge two maner of maryages. With one hundred of Epigrammes: and three hundred of Epigrammes upon three hundred prouerbes: and a fifth hundred of Epigrammes. Whereunto are now newly added a syxt hundred of Epigrams by the sayde John Heywood

Heywood, John (1497?-1580?)

[section]

The Preface.

[Of mine acquayntance a certaine yong man]

ii.

iii.

iiii.

vi.

vi.

vii.

The seuenth chapiter.

viii.

ix.

xi.

xii.

xiii.

ii.

iii.

iiii.

vi.

vii.

viii.

ix.

xi.

The firste hundred of Epigrammes.

To the reader.

An Epygramme on this booke of Epygrammes. 1.

Of three sages. 2.

Questions answered. 3.

Of water, wine, and ale. 4.

To muche or to little. 5.

Of the senses. 6.

Of talkyng. 7.

Of heares and wyttes. 8.

A dronkard. 9.

10.

The foxe and the mayde. 10.

11.

Of an yll gouernour called Jude. 11.

12.

Of geuyng an almes. 12.

13.

Of a surfet. 13.

14.

Repugnancie in apparance. 14.

15.

The ape and the asse. 15.

16.

A foole and a wise man. 16.

17.

Of syght. 17

18.

Feigned newes. 18.

19.

Two, arme in arme. 19.

20.

Of hearyng and speakyng. 20.

21.

Of wit, will, and wisdome. 21.

22.

The wrenne, and hir birdes. 22.

23.

The maister and the man. 23.

24.

Vpon penance. 24.

25.

Jacke and his father. 25.

26.

Of a daw. 26.

27.

Of shewyng the waie. 27.

28.

A quiet neighbour. 28.

29.

Of dogges and theeues. 29.

30.

A keper of the commaundementes. 30.

31.

Of a nose. 31.

32.

Lettyng of a ferme. 32.

33.

Age and youth. 33.

34.

A rose and a nettill. 34.

35.

Of the wyues and hir husbandes waste. 35.

36.

An olde wiues boone. 36.

37.

A talke of two conies. 37.

38.

A prisoner. 38.

39.

Two blinde men. 39.

40.

Debilitee of senses. 40.

41.

A foolishe husbande. 41.

42.

A wytty wyfe. 42.

43.

Handsom handlyng. 43.

44.

A saiyng of Patche my lord cardinals foole. 44.

45.

Certaine folies. 45.

46.

Of two studentes. 46.

47.

A merie woman. 47.

48.

A louse and a flea. 48.

49.

Of him that forgat his pater noster in latine. 49.

50.

Of him that could not learne his Pater noster in Englishe. 50.

51.

Of the fist and the hart. 51.

52.

Of this woorde enough. 52.

53.

Of table play. 53.

54.

The cocke, and the hen. 54.

55.

Cheepenyng of a face of furre. 55.

56.

Biyng of showes. 56.

57.

A suspicion cleared. 57.

58.

Of spite. 58.

59.

Of the letter H. 59.

60.

Il fliyng of idelnesse. 60.

61.

A tounge and a clocke. 61.

62.

A hearer of a sermon. 62.

63.

A man without wit, strength, and cunnyng. 63.

64.

How to wishe. 64.

65.

A doubtfull demaunde of choise. 65.

66.

An olde widower and a yong mayde. 66.

67.

Gaping oysters. 67

68.

The Judge and the Juggler. 68.

69.

Of lookyng. 69.

70.

Of constancie. 70.

71.

Of a face and a witte. 71.

72.

Of blowyng. 72.

73.

To the flatterer. 73.

74.

Of contentacion. 74.

75.

Of waytyng. 75.

76.

Of fore knowlage. 76.

77.

Mistakyng an errand. 77.

78.

Of holdyng an Inne. 78.

79.

A wiues defence of hir beetill brow. 79.

80.

The shrewde wiues tounge. 80.

81.

A fooles tounge. 81.

82.

Of glas and lattise. 82.

83.

Two wisshers for two maner of mouthes. 83.

84.

Of dispraise. 84.

85.

A discharge from hipocrisie. 85.

87.

Of the foole and the gentlemans nose. 87.

87.

A foole taken for wise. 87.

88.

Thinges to forbeare. 88.

89.

Of medlars. 89.

90.

Of dwelling. 90.

91.

Of the Milner and the Sexten. 91.

92.

Of bookes and cheese. 92.

93.

Of heades. 93.

94.

The woodcocke and the daw. 94.

95.

Of few woordes. 95.

96.

Wottyng and weenyng. 96.

97.

A much like matter. 97.

98.

Wisedome and foly. 98.

99.

Of lacke 99.

100.

The weathercocke, the reede, and the wynde. 100.

Three hundred Epigrammes, vpon three hundred prouerbes

Of amendment. 1.

Wagging of beardes. 2.

Of haste. 3.

Breakyng of square. 4.

Lookyng and leapyng. 5.

Weddyng and hanging. 6.

10.

11.

Geuyng and takyng. 11.

12.

Jacke and Gill. 12.

13.

Of the ende of a wit. 13.

14.

Of bought wit. 14.

15.

Of haste and waste. 15.

16.

Makyng of malte. 16.

17.

Of an akyng eye. 17.

18.

What thing beggers choose. 18.

19.

Of robbyng. 19.

20.

Of neede and law. 20.

21.

Of beginnyng and endyng. 21.

22.

Of grace. 22.

23.

Of fore prouision. 23.

24.

Of saiyng and doyng. 24.

25.

Of treadyng on a worme. 25.

26.

Of ease in an Inne. 26.

27.

How to proue a freende. 27.

28.

Vnwise weddyng. 28.

29.

Some thyng and nothyng. 29.

30.

The sleapyng dogge. 30.

31.

Of hap. 31.

32.

Of syght and mynde. 32.

33.

Of mirth with wisdome. 33.

34.

Of holding of a nose. 34.

35.

An eye sore. 35.

36.

Of recknyng. 36.

37.

Settyng vp a candell. 37.

38.

Of cloudes and weather. 38.

39.

Of making and marryng. 39.

40.

Of byrdes and byrders. 40.

41.

Of sorowes. 41.

42.

Of feedyng and teaching. 42.

43.

Of suffiance. 43.

44.

Of him that set his hand on his money. 44.

45.

Of a horse coriyng. 45.

46.

Of shame. 46.

47.

A lordes hart and a beggers purse. 47.

48.

Of fergettyng. 48.

49.

Of the harte and the heele. 49.

50.

Praise of a man aboue a horse. 50.

51.

Of weeping. 51.

52.

Of two false knaues. 52.

53.

A hart in a hose. 53.

54.

Of creeping and goyng. 54.

55.

Of flotyng and fleetyng. 55.

56.

A man at an ebbe. 56.

57.

Syght in a mylstone. 57.

58.

Of throwyng. 58.

59.

Of store. 59.

60.

Of one in prison. 60.

61.

Saintes and deuilles. 61.

62.

Of botching. 62.

63.

Of a yeres fayre. 63.

64.

Of a cap and a head. 64.

65.

A theefe that hath no felow. 65.

66.

False measures. 66.

67.

Of cleane sweepyng. 67.

68.

Turnyng of typpettes. 68.

69.

Of theft and receite. 69.

70.

Of woorke and play. 70.

71.

Of a peinted sheathe. 71.

72.

The hare and the hound. 72.

73.

Of beggers syngyng. 73.

74.

75.

76.

77.

78.

Of shalbe and shall not be. 78.

79.

The blacke oxe. 79.

80.

Of brydlyng. 80.

81.

Mendyng and payryng. 81.

82.

Of runnyng without turnyng. 82.

83.

Biyng a pyg. 83.

84.

Hungry flies. 84.

85.

Of louyng a dog. 85.

86.

Of precious stones. 86.

87.

Of yll and good wynde. 87.

88.

Of sooth boorde. 88.

89.

Of tales tolde in the eare. 89.

90.

Of goyng. 90.

91.

Of neede. 91.

92.

Takyng hart of grasse. 92.

93.

Of nothyng and althing. 93.

94.

Couetyng and leesing. 94.

95.

Of the marche hare. 95.

96.

How god will not do for vs. 96.

97.

Of harping on a string. 97.

98.

A losse by the deuils death. 98.

99.

Of a sheepes iye. 99.

100.

Of ruse. 100.

101.

Of blinde bayard. 101.

102.

Of the spinsters thrift. 102.

103.

Of defenes. 103.

104.

Of a good hors. 104.

105.

Of waies to the wood. 105.

106.

Of one that may soone amend. 106.

107.

An ill hearer. 107.

108.

Of a good face. 108.

109.

A sharpe thorne. 109.

110.

Commyng and goyng. 110.

111.

The better cumth seldome. 111.

112.

One driueth out an other. 112.

113.

Of burden. 113.

114.

Runnyng and goyng. 114.

115.

A locke of tooles. 115.

116.

Tast of a mans tales. 116.

117.

Of a cattes looke. 117.

118.

One put out of a creede. 118.

119.

All that may be won of the fox. 119.

120.

The suertie of some seale. 120.

121.

The hares goyng away. 121.

122.

Judgement of colours. 122.

123.

Hap and wit. 123.

124.

Of fortune to fooles. 124.

125.

Of loosers wordes. 125.

126.

Gettyng and spendyng. 126.

127.

Matters not leyde a water. 127.

128.

Measure. 128.

129.

Goyng beyonde the wall. 129.

130.

Of harme. 130.

131.

Wit kept by warmth. 131.

132.

Light comyng and goyng. 132.

133.

Of kissing. 133.

134.

Of leaue. 134.

135.

God in the almery. 135.

136.

The diuell in thorologe. 136.

137.

The best. 137.

138.

The woorst. 138.

139.

Lastyng of woonder. 139.

140.

Of a galde horse. 140.

141.

Good begynnyng and ende. 141.

142.

The still soowe. 142

143.

Of stumblyng. 143.

144.

Of the shoe and the sole. 144.

145.

Myght and ryght. 145.

146.

Byrth and teaching. 146.

147.

Of hangyng. 147.

148.

An olde knaue. 148.

149.

A mans heare and his whood. 149.

150.

Geynes and losses. 150.

151.

Theeues fallyng out. 151.

152.

Of a shorne face. 152.

153.

A benche whistler. 153.

154.

What god sayde to one. 154.

155.

Boowyng and breaking. 155.

156.

Of wrestlyng. 156.

157.

God and the church. 157.

158.

Of one tale in all men tolde. 158.

159.

Of malkin. 159.

160.

Rashe ventringe. 160.

161.

162.

163.

164.

165.

Eatyng of flies. 165.

166.

Of the foxes preaching. 166.

167.

Of poore mens soules. 167.

168.

Promise of lycence. 168.

169.

Of little saiyng. 169.

170.

Of the tyde. 170.

171.

Praise of good ende. 171.

172.

Of hearyng and iudgeyng. 172.

173.

A lesson for lookyng. 173.

174.

Of a womans lines. 174.

175.

The crowe called white. 175.

176.

Of the olde foole. 176.

177.

Of a beane. 177.

178.

The gyft of a pyg. 178.

179.

Chaunge and robery. 179.

180.

Of fayre woordes. 180.

181.

Of laughyng. 181.

182.

Of seekyng. 182.

183.

Of a head vnder a gyrdell. 183.

184.

Of wyde shootyng. 184.

185.

The fooles bolte. 185.

186.

187.

188.

189.

190.

191.

192.

193.

194.

Of Mortimers sow. 194.

195.

Of fleabytyng. 195.

196.

The breechelesse maister. 196.

197.

Of meate and sauce. 197.

198.

Of proferd seruice. 198.

199.

Of common medlers. 199.

200.

Of enough and a feast. 200.

201.

Of plaine fashion. 201.

202.

Of him that cumth last. 202.

203.

Of striuyng. 203.

204.

Of sittyng. 204.

205.

Of writyng to frendes. 205.

206.

Of great clarkes. 206.

207.

208.

209.

210.

211.

212.

213.

Of an ill stake. 213.

214.

Of suffraunce. 214.

215.

Of misrecknyng. 215.

216.

Of euen recknyng. 216.

217.

Of takyng. 217.

218.

Of mum. 218.

219.

Of stoppyng a mouth. 219.

220.

Of castyng. 220.

221.

Of Jacke. 221.

222.

Of the winking Cat. 222.

223.

Of saying nay. 223.

224.

Of the pie and crowe. 224.

225.

Of saying nought but mum. 225.

226.

Of tounge and wit. 226.

227.

228.

229.

230.

231.

Of the winde blowyng. 231.

232.

Of far and nie. 232.

233.

Of thynstep. 233.

233.

Of smaule and greate. 233.

234.

Of the keyse. 234.

236.

Of prouender. 236.

237.

Of sum here and there. 237.

238.

Of the persons lemman. 238.

239.

Of il weede. 239.

240.

Of synkyng. 240.

241.

Of good syluer. 241.

242.

Of the proude cocke. 242

243.

Of fat in the fyre. 243.

244.

Of bowe bent. 244.

245.

Of gods beynge. 245.

246.

Of kinsfolke. 246.

247.

Of Freendshippe. 247.

248.

Of nothinge. 248.

249.

Of pouertee. 249.

250.

Of eares glowyng. 250.

251.

Of poste and pyller. 251.

252.

Of may be. 252.

253.

Of vse. 253.

254.

[Folly to spurne or kycke ageynst the harde wall.]

255.

Of tiyng the bell. 255.

256.

Of had I wyst. 256.

257.

Of daunsyng. 257.

258.

Of the cat eatyng fyshe. 258.

259.

Of the blinde. 259.

260.

Of the woorst and best. 260.

261.

262.

263.

264.

265.

266.

267.

268.

Of the hot yron. 268.

269.

Of the purse. 269.

270.

Of many handes. 270.

271.

Of the lothe stake. 271.

272.

273.

274.

275.

276.

Of one had in the wynde. 276.

277.

Of one yll shod. 277.

278.

Of all and naught. 278.

279.

Of warnyng. 279.

280.

Of byrdes flowne. 280.

281.

Of leauyng. 281.

282.

Of settyng in foote. 282.

283.

Of fast byndyng. 283.

284.

Of hap. 284.

285.

Of tyme. 285.

286.

Of the fat hog. 286.

287.

The bale and boote. 287.

288.

Of sowes. 288.

289.

Of makyng a crosse. 289.

290.

Of a pad. 290.

281.

Of long standyng. 281.

282.

293.

294.

295.

296.

297.

Of nought laide downe. 297.

298.

Of syght and fare. 298.

299.

Of the pot not broken. 299.

300.

Of late and neuer. 300.

The fifth hundred of Epygrams.

To the reader.

Of weenyng and wottyng. I.

Of a man of law and his clientes. 2.

An aduise against mockyng. 3.

Of itchyng and smartyng. 4.

Of a sharpe tunge. 5.

Of a horse. 6.

Of a butler and a hors. 7.

Of brasse. 8.

Of a louces dwellyng place. 9.

10.

Of a straunge glasse. 10.

11.

Of driuyng and drawyng. 11.

12.

Of longe sutes. 12.

13.

Of lightnesse. 13.

14.

Of a disagreement. 14.

15.

Of chepenyng of conies. 15.

16.

Of a wyfe hauyng childe. 16.

17.

Of a bachiler and a mayde. 17.

18.

Of shorte payment. 18.

19.

Whence certaine thinges came fyrst. 19.

20.

Of furred and lyned gownes. 20.

21.

Of a wyne drawer. 21.

22.

Shorte checkes betwene a man and his wyfe. 22.

23.

Of a woman deckt in two coloures. 23.

24.

Of vnsweete breath. 24.

25.

Of clyppyng and clensyng. 25.

26.

Of a man and his wyues departyng. 26.

27.

An account of a mans children. 27.

28.

Of a woman of Huntington. 28.

29.

Of a laundres. 29.

Of a cutter of purslane.

31.

Of one standyng in his owne conceite. 31.

32.

Of one that hard without eares. 32.

33.

Of an archers rouyng. 33.

34.

Of perill to one by the number of three. 34.

35.

Of gloria patri. 35.

36.

Of a dyar. 36.

37.

Of a Jugge. 37.

38.

Of the three cuppes. 38.

39.

Of brasse and Iron. 39.

40.

Of Jacke and John. 40

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

Of louinge of a goose. 45.

46.

Of harpe stringes. 46.

47.

Of fortune. 47.

48.

Of choyce. 48.

49.

Of a false bragge.

50.

Of liyng and true saiyng. 50.

51.

Of a dawe pate. 51.

52.

Of water and wyne. 52.

53.

Betwene dogges and a deere. 53.

54.

Of twelue and one. 54.

55.

Of verdingales. 55.

56.

Preceptes of a man to his wyfe. 56.

57.

Of an expert man. 57.

58.

Of deliuerance from yll. 58.

59.

Of cuttyng of the herbe tyme. 59.

60.

Of one fearyng the swette. 60.

61.

Of one thinkyng on an other. 61.

62.

Of one beyng at a poynt. 62.

63.

Of testons. 63.

64.

Of redde Testons. 64.

65.

Of stampyng. 65.

Of John longe the carier.

67.

Of turnyng. 67.

68.

Of master Carter. 68.

69.

Of goyng farre. 69.

70.

How money is made lame. 70.

71.

Of an olde woer. 71.

72.

Of a yong wooer. 72.

73.

Of weakenesse and strength. 73.

74.

Warnyng of pride. 74.

75.

Of pacience. 75.

76.

Of pleasyng. 76.

77.

Of a hande gonne and a hande. 77.

78.

Of brasse and siluer. 78.

79.

Of difference betwene wise men and fooles. 79.

80.

Of a pithy witte. 80.

81.

Of choise to be a wise man or a foole. 81.

82.

Of a knightes carterly coller. 82.

83.

Of males and male horses. 83.

84.

A man discommended. 84.

85.

Of runnyng. 85.

86.

Of polling. 86.

87.

Of plate lente forth. 87.

88.

Of a man of law and his wife. 88.

89.

Of pennes and pence. 89.

90.

Of a womans thinne tounge. 90.

91.

Of drinkyng to a man. 91.

92.

Of runnyng at Tilte. 92.

93.

Of expence. 93.

94.

Of fraying of babes. 94.

95.

Of Reedes and Okes. 95.

96.

Of biyng a morter. 96.

97.

Of a stepmother. 97.

98.

Of a lyar. 98.

99.

Of tunges and pinsons. 99.

100.

Of Heywood. 100.

A sixt hundred of Epigrammes.

To the reader.

Of Rebellion. 1.

Of toung, mouth, teeth, and wisdome. 2.

Of syluer to be borowed. 3.

Of an vnkyndly march. 4.

Of goyng to heauen and hell. 5.

Of the high way and a maydes face. 6.

Of one that would be praysed. 7.

Of lookyng. 8.

Of a hare a foote. 9.

10.

Of Hob and John. 10.

11.

Of seekyng a daw. 11.

12.

Of saiyng grace. 12.

13.

Of Dette. 13.

14.

Of stepping. 14.

15.

Of wrytyng a gentleman. 15.

16.

Of a wyues affection to hir husband. 16.

17.

Of a mans thrift. 17.

18.

Of learnyng the lawe. 18.

19.

Of good wyll and good deedes. 19.

20.

Of Newgate wyndowes. 20.

21.

Of treadyng a shooe awrye. 21.

22.

Of a fayre soowe. 22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

A taunt of a wife to her husband. 27.

28.

Of pride. 28.

29.

To walke, talke, drinke or sleape. 29.

30.

Of a santhorne and light. 30.

31.

Of a crie. 31.

32.

Of a watermans rowyng. 32.

33.

Of tunge and witte. 33.

34.

Of a peinter. 34.

35.

Of Peter and Poll. 35.

36.

Of losse of helth and wealth.. 36.

37.

Of lookyng out. 37.

38.

Of chafyng disshes. 38.

39.

Of hanging and standyng. 39.

40.

Of a mans head and the Pillery. 40.

41.

A prayse of one. 41.

42.

Of diuers bandes. 42.

43.

Of couenantes. &c. 43.

44.

Of promise and paiment. 44.

45.

Of one that dare not steale. 45.

46.

Of the creation of the deuils dam. 46.

47.

Of reward to a seruyng man. 47.

48.

Two properties of a seruaunt. 48.

49.

Of toughnes and tendernes. 49.

50.

A question to a childe. 50.

51.

Seekyng for a dwellyng place. 51.

52.

Of three soules. 52.

53.

Of one saying of a hat. 53.

54.

Of biyng a coate. 54.

55.

Of paryng neyles. 55.

56.

Of a mans head. 56.

57.

Of money in ones purse. 57.

58.

Of freendes and foes. 58.

59.

Of diffrence in sondry thinges. 59.

60.

Of callyng one flebergebit. 60.

61.

Of crowes breedyng. 61.

62.

Of Powles. 62.

63.

Of a crowe keper. 63.

64.

65.

66.

67.

68.

69.

70.

71.

72.

73.

74.

Of Parsnip seede. 74.

75.

Of Annesse seede. 75.

76.

Of lettis seede. 76.

77.

Of good newes to a man. 77.

78.

Of least and most mastrie. 78.

79.

Of a man and a clocke. 79.

80.

Of a spare horse. 80.

81.

Of a husband hangd. 81.

82.

Of Horsadowne. 82.

83.

Of a Cocke and a Capon. 83.

84.

Of disdeigne. 84.

85.

Of Peter. 85.

86.

Of one in Newgate. 86.

87.

Of sauyng of shooes. 87.

88.

Of hogstowne. 88.

89.

Of coleprophet. 89.

90.

Of thinges vnlyke. 90.

91.

Of the gentlenesse of a wyfe. 91.

92.

Of catchyng a fly. 92.

93.

Of a horse wearyng great breeches. 93.

94.

Of a recknyng at a shotte. 94.

95.

Of vse. 95.

96.

Of one askyng for sheepe. 96.

97.

Of walkyng and talkyng. 97.

98.

Of seeyng and feelyng money. 98.

99.

Of takyng thinges wronge. 99.

100.

Of a number of rattes mistaken for diuelles in a mans sloppes. 100.

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

Three hundred Epigrammes, vpon three hundred prouerbes

Of amendment. 1.

If euery man mende one, all shall be mended.
This meane to amendment, is now intended.
For though no man looke to mend him self brother:
Yet eche man lookth to controll and mend other.

Wagging of beardes. 2.

It is mery in hall when beardes wagge all.
Husband for this, these woordes to minde I call:
This is ment by men, in their mery eatyng:
Not to wag their beardes in brawlyng and threatyng.
Wyfe, the meanyng herof, differth not twoo pins,
Betweene waggyng of mens beardes and womens chins.

Of haste. 3.

The hastie man wanteth neuer woo.
In hastie women not euer soo.
With suffring husbands hasty wiues,
Haue oft we see, full mery liues.

Breakyng of square. 4.

An inche breakth no square: which sins thou hast hard tell,
Thou doest assay how to breake square by an ell.

Otherwise.

An inche breakth no square: thou breakst none, though it doo,
Thou rather bringst square thē breakst square betweene too.

Lookyng and leapyng. 5.

Looke er thou leape, nay thou canst in no wise brooke.
To looke ere thou leape, for thou leapst ere thou looke.

Weddyng and hanging. 6.

Weddyng and hangyng, are desteny I see.
Weddyng or hangyng, which is best, sir (quoth shee?)
Forsooth good wife, hangyng I thinke best (quoth hee)
So helpe me god, good husband, so thinketh mee.
Oh how like lambes, man and wyfe here agree.

Of delay. 7.

He that will not when he may,
When he would he shall haue nay.
But to that nay, nay I say:
If of my wife I delay,
To take shroude woordes: yet that stay
Stayth them not from me next day.

Of wittes. 8.

So many heades, so many wittes, nay nay.
We see many heades, and no wittes some day.

No lacke in loue. 9.

In loue is no lacke, true I dare be borowe.
In loue is neuer lacke, of ioy or sorowe.

Otherwyse.

In loue is no lacke, no in no wooyng day.
But after weddyng day, lets here what ye say.

Of homely home. 10.

Home is homely, yea and to homely sometyme.
Where wiues footestooles, to their husbandes heads clime.

Geuyng and takyng. 11.

Better giue then take, all say, but so thinke none:
All thinke better take, xx. poundes, then giue one.

Jacke and Gill. 12.

All shalbe well, Iacke shall haue Gill:
Nay nay, Gill is wedded to wyll.

Of the ende of a wit. 13.

Thou art at thy wits ende, which I wonder in
To se a wit at ende before it begin.

Of bought wit. 14.

Wit is neuer good, till it be bought:
Thy wit is dere bought, and yet starke nought.

Otherwyse.

Wit is neuer good till it be bought Will.
Iacke, to bie or sell that ware, fooles can no skill.

Of haste and waste. 15.

Haste makth waste: which perceiued by slouth,
Slouth will make no haste, he swerth by his trouth.

Makyng of malte. 16.

Soft fire maketh sweete malte, as malt makers tel:
Then to make sweete malte, fire is to rashe in hel.
Wherby sins in hell no good ale is to sel,
Drie drunken soules can not lyke in hell to dwel.

Of an akyng eye. 17.

Better eye out, then alway ake:
In rage of ache, true as I spake:
But in meane ache, meanely to mone,
Better an akyng eye then none.

What thing beggers choose. 18.

Beggers should be no choosers, but yet they will:
Who can bryng a begger from choyse to begge still?

Of robbyng. 19.

Rob Peter and pay Poule, thou sayst I do:
But thou robst and poulst Peter and Poule to.

Of neede and law. 20.

Neede hath no law: in some case in very deede.
Neede hath no law: and yet of law we haue neede.

Of beginnyng and endyng. 21.

Of a harde beginning, comth a good endyng:
Truth, on this terme is not alway dependyng.
Some hardely begin, by the feete to sit fast:
That ende with harde hangyng, by the neckes at last.

Of grace. 22.

In space comth grace, I graunt grace may come in space:
But in rule, by thy rule neuer looke for grace.

Of fore prouision. 23.

Who so that knew what would be dere,
Should neede be marchaunt but one yere.

But thou hast knowen yeres, twoo or three:
That good condicions woulde in thee
Both dere and deintely be growen:
And yet for all this, thus fore knowen,
To warne thee of good fore prouision,
Thou hast not now one good condicion.

Of saiyng and doyng. 24.

Saying and doyng are twoo thinges, we say:
But thy sayinges and doynges euery way,
Ioyne iumpe in one thy woordes and deedes proceede:
But thou art good, nother in woorde nor deede.

Of treadyng on a worme. 25.

Treade a worme on the tayle, and it turneth agayne:
But thou tredst on the wormes head, that to restrayne.

Of ease in an Inne. 26.

Thou takest thine ease in thine Inne, so nie thee:
That no man in his Inne, can take ease by thee.

Otherwyse.

Thou takest thine ease in thine Inne, but I see:
Thine Inne takth nother ease, nor profit by thee.

How to proue a freende. 27.

Proue thy freende ere thou neede, that canst thou no way:
For without neede of thy freende thou art no day.

Vnwise weddyng. 28.

Who wedth ere he be wise, shall die ere he thriue.
Then shalt not thou be wedded and riche aliue.

Some thyng and nothyng. 29.

Some thyng is better then nothyng.
In some thyng I graunt this othyng:
In some I deny: for I see
As good haue nothyng, as haue thee.

The sleapyng dogge. 30.

It is ill wakyng of a sleapyng dogge.
So thinke many, namely the wrotyng hogge.

Of hap. 31.

It hapth in an houre that hapth not in. vii. yeere.
That hapth this houre wife, for thou makst me good cheere.

Of syght and mynde. 32.

Out of sight out of minde, this may run right:
For all be not in mynde, that be in sight.

Of mirth with wisdome. 33.

Tis good to be mery and wyse:
How shall fooles folow that aduyse?

Of holding of a nose. 34.

Thou canst hold my nose to the gryndstone:
So can not I thine, for thou hast none.

An eye sore. 35.

It is but an eie sore, but an eye sore, fye
That eye sore is as yll as any sore eye.

Of recknyng. 36.

Recknyng without thine hoste thou must recken twyse:
Maie not my hostes disapoint that deuise?

Settyng vp a candell. 37.

To set vp a candell before the deuyll.
Dym syghted deuyls, I deeme, deeme it not euyll.

Of cloudes and weather. 38.

After clouds blacke, we shall haue wether cleere:
And after wether cleere, we shall haue cloudes blake:
Now whot, now colde, now fayre, now foule appeere:
As wether cleerth, or cloudth, so must men take.

Of making and marryng. 39.

Make or mar I wyll, so saist thou euer:
But thou doost euer marre, thou makst neuer.

Of byrdes and byrders. 40.

Better one byrde in hande, then ten in the wood.
Better for byrders, but for byrdes not so good.

Of sorowes. 41.

Make not two sorowes of one, if thou can:
Lest makyng of two sorowes, marre one man.

Of feedyng and teaching. 42.

Thou art better fed then taught, I vnder take:
And yet art thou skyn and bone, leane as a rake.

Of suffiance. 43.

Of suffrance comth ease: how shall I know that, wyfe?
I haue suffred the, without ease, all my lyfe.

Of him that set his hand on his money. 44.

Thy hand is on thy halfepeny, and must Iohn:
For thou hast no more coine to set thy hand on.

Of a horse coriyng. 45.

A shorte hors is soone coride, thats to weete,
When short hors, and short coriers doo meete.

Of shame. 46.

Shame take him that shame thinkth, for thou dost thinke non.
Thou art to far past shame, shame to thinke on.

A lordes hart and a beggers purse. 47.

There is nothing in this world that agreeth wurse,
Then doth a lordes harte and a beggers purse,
And yet as yll as those two do agree,
Thou canst not bryng them a sunder to bee.

Of fergettyng. 48.

The paryshe priest forgeth, he was paryshe clarke:
And the person forgeth, he was parishe pryste.
But priest, clarke, and no clarke, all, who wyll marke,
To forget what we were, shall see vs entyste.

Of the harte and the heele. 49.

Shall I set at my hart, that thou settst at thy heele?
Nay, a hart in a heelde hose, can neuer do weele.

Otherwyse.

Shall I set at my harte that thou setst at thy heele?
Nay, how euer kybde heeles doo, kybd harts do not weele.

Praise of a man aboue a horse. 50.

A man may well leade a horse to the water:
But he can not make him drinke without he list.
I praise the aboue the horse, in this mater:
For I leadyng the to drynke, thou hast not mist
Alway to be ready without resistens
Both to drinke, and be drunke, ere thou were led thens.

Of weeping. 51.

Better children weepe then olde men, say wyse men.
But olde men weepe when children laugh, now and then.

Of two false knaues. 52.

Two false knaues neede no broker: but it is neede
That brokers breake false knaues felowshyp with speede.

A hart in a hose. 53.

Thy hart is in thy hose, which iayle is not stronge,
Thy hose are to full of holes, to kepe it longe.

Of creeping and goyng. 54.

Children must learne to creepe ere they can go.
In the spyttell, olde knaues learne to do so.

Of flotyng and fleetyng. 55.

Thou art a flote thou weenst, beyng in the fleete:
But flotyng and fleetyng agree not there meete.

A man at an ebbe. 56.

Thou art at an ebbe in Newgate, thou hast wrong.
But thou shalt be a flote at Tyburne ere long.

Syght in a mylstone. 57.

Thou seest far in a mylstone: thanke God therfore.
Thou seest in a milstone in nothing more.

Of throwyng. 58.

Throw no gyft againe at the gyuers hed:
Namely no gyfte of thy wyfe, geuen in checke.
If thou do, the rebounde may be so red,
That the red bloud, may run downe in thy necke.

Of store. 59.

Store is no sore, yes, store may be a sore.
I thinke it a sore, of sores to haue store.

Of one in prison. 60.

Thou art in by the weeke, nay syr I am here,
Not in by the weeke, I am in by the yere.

Saintes and deuilles. 61.

Yong sainte, olde diuell: thers mo of woman kynde:
Then yong deuilles olde saintes, in mankynde as I fynde.

Of botching. 62.

God is no botcher, but when God wrought you twoo.
God wrought as like a botcher, as God might doo.

Of a yeres fayre. 63.

The fayre lastth all the yere, but wyfe I tell thee,
In this yeres fayre, for fayre I can not sell thee.
I haue woorse lucke (quoth she) and began to scoule,
I can not sell thee there, for faire nor for foule.

Of a cap and a head. 64.

Thy cappe is better at ease then thy hed,
Betwene whiche twayne, might I at wishe be sped,
To choose one of the twayne, whiche I would fyrst craue,
Thy whole cap before thy sicke hed I woulde haue.

Otherwyse.

My cap is better at ease then my hed.
Thy cap is better then thy hed, tis sed.

A theefe that hath no felow. 65.

Aske my felow whether I be a theefe,
No way, can that way, of thy theft make preefe:
Thou hast no felow in theft: to catche thee:
For there is no theefe (in thefte) can match thee.

False measures. 66.

Thou fearst false measures, which are things to feare sore:
But I feare false measures, as much and more.

Of cleane sweepyng. 67.

Newe broome swepeth cleane, which is thus vnderstande:
New broome swepeth cleane, in the cleane swepers hande.

Turnyng of typpettes. 68.

He hath turnd his tippet, that turne showth playne,
Our typpets haue ben turnd and turnd agayne.

Otherwyse.

He hath turnd his typpet dyed it and drest it,
Upon the right syde and feyre and playne prest it.

Otherwise.

He hath turnd his typpet and prest it so close,
That for a turnd typpet it hath a fayre glose.

Otherwise.

He hath turnd his typpet, lord how he prouydes,
Typpetts turnd, dyed, shorne, and worne bare on both sydes.

Otherwise.

He hath turnd his typpet, twyse in my syght:
Fyrst on the wronge syde and last on the right.

Otherwyse.

He hath turned his typpet an honest turnyng,
To turne his typpet and turne round for burnyng.

Otherwyse.

He hath turned his typpet shorne agaynst the wull ful,
And more against his will then against the wul.

Otherwyse.

He hath turnd his typpet, that haue we turnd all.
Sum halfe turne, sum hole turne, turnd round as a ball.

Otherwyse.

He hath turnd his typpet, ye for a whyle:
But might he turne agayne, lord how he wold smyle.

Otherwyse.

He hath turned his typpet, yet mo turns ye mocke,
But who doth weare his typpet a weathercock?

Otherwyse.

He hath turnd his typpet, now for a noueltee,
And for a noueltee wolde turne streyght ageyne he.

Otherwyse.

He turnth his typpet, or his typpet turnth hym,
But which turnth which, I see not by sweete saint Sym.

Otherwyse.

He hath turnd his typpet,
For symony a syppet.

Otherwyse.

He turnth his typpet, if that turnyng turne hym
Into the pulpyt, that turnyng is turnd trym.

Of theft and receite. 69.

Where are no receiuers, there are no theeues:
Where nought is to receiue, theues bryng no greeues.

Of woorke and play. 70.

As good to play for nought, as to woorke for nought:
But thou wylt play for nought, and not woorke for ought.

Of a peinted sheathe. 71.

Thou makst much of thy peynted sheathe, and wylt do,
It hauynge not one good knyfe longyng therto.

The hare and the hound. 72.

Holde with the hare and run with the hounde, run thare
As wight as the hounde, and as wyse as the hare.

Of beggers syngyng. 73.

Beggers syng before theeues, but what of that?
When beggers synge so, theues see nought to laugh at.

Of two faces. 74.

Thou berest two faces in one whood:
Thou hast one yll face, both be not good.

Of beggyng. 75.

Thou begst at wrong doore, and so hast begd longe:
Thy gettyng by beggyng, showth euery doore wrong.

Of nothing. 76.

Nothyng hath no sauer, which sauerles showe:
Shewth nothing better, then sum thyng that we knowe.

Otherwyse.

Nothing hath no sauer, as yl is this othing:
Ill sauerd sumthing, as vnsauerd nothyng.

Of ventring. 77.

Nought venter nought haue, and ventryng of much,
May haue a lyttle, ventryng is now such.

Of shalbe and shall not be. 78.

That shalbe, shalbe. but all that shulde bee:
Shall not be, nor hath bene, as far as I see.

The blacke oxe. 79.

The blacke Oxe neuer trode on thy foote:
But the dun Asse hath trode on both thy feete.
Whiche Asse and thou, may seeme sproong of one roote:
For the asses pace, and thy pace are meete.

Of brydlyng. 80.

I wyll brydell the with rough byt wyfe. Quoth she,
If thou wylt brydell me, I wyll snafell the.

Mendyng and payryng. 81.

I will mende this house, and peyre another.
Ye, but when wylt thou mend thy selfe brother?

Of runnyng without turnyng. 82.

He runth far, that neuer turnth againe: nay nay,
Though the snayle neuer turne, he runth no far way.

Biyng a pyg. 83.

I will neuer bye the pyg in the poke:
Thers many a foule pyg in a feyre cloke.

Hungry flies. 84.

Hungry flies byte sore, which shall byte vs euer.
For without hungry flies, we shalbe neuer.

Of louyng a dog. 85.

Loue me, loue my dog: by loue to agree,
I loue thy dog, as well as I loue thee.

Of precious stones. 86.

Folly to cast precious stones before hogs Hewe,
Hodge, except they be precious hogs thou sayst trewe.

Otherwyse.

Cast precious stones before hogs, cast stones to hogs nay,
But precious stones haue ben geuen to hogs some say.

Of yll and good wynde. 87.

It is an yll wynde, that blowth no man to good:
And lyke good wynde, that blowth no man yll.
But fearynge yll wyndes, olde men most tymes stood.
Out of all extreme wyndes vnder the hyll.

Of sooth boorde. 88.

Sooth boorde, is no boorde: sooth boorde soundeth yll,
In false fayre flattryng boorde: boorde as ye wyll.

Of tales tolde in the eare. 89.

In at the tone eare and out at the tother.
If tales tolde the, go in and out so brother,
Then the trauell of those tales shewe much woonder:
Thy two eares be two hundred myle a sunder.

Of goyng. 90.

The further we go, the further behynde.
Meete footemen to go with crabbes, in my mynde.

Otherwyse

The further I go, the further behynde.
Stande still foole, tyll thou better footyng fynde.

Of neede. 91.

Neede makth tholde wyfe trot: is she a trotter now?
Gallop yonge wyues, shall tholde trot, out trot you?

Takyng hart of grasse. 92.

Thou takest hart of grasse wyfe, not hart of grace.
Cum grasse, cum grace, syr, we grase both in one place.

Of nothyng and althing. 93.

Where nothing is, a little thyng doth ease.
Where al thyng is, nothyng can fully please.

Couetyng and leesing. 94.

All couet, all loose: this comth oft in vre.
But nought haue, nought loose: this is euer sure.

Of the marche hare. 95.

As mad as a marche hare: where madnes compares:
Are not midsomer hares, as mad as march hares?

How god will not do for vs. 96.

Euery man for him self, and god for vs all:
God will not seale that writing, write it who shall?

Of harping on a string. 97.

Harpe no more on that strynge, for it standth to hie:
And soundeth as basely as a halter, wel nie.

A losse by the deuils death. 98.

The deuill is dead, then hast thou lost a freende.
In all thy doinges, the deuill was at tone ende.

Otherwise.

The deuill is dead, one deuill is dead but wee se:
Mo deuils left aliue, as ill or worse then he.

Otherwise.

The deuill is dead, who shall enherite his lande:
Inowe, the deuill hath left children a thousande.

Otherwyse.

The deuill is dead, who shall his land rightly win,
Thou, for thou by condishin, art next of kin.

Otherwise.

The deuill is dede, nay the deuill is in a sowne,
But the deuill reuiueth agayne, chil ley my gowne.

Otherwise.

The deuill is dead, what helpeth the death of the deuill,
The deuill hath heyres as ill as he, and more euill.

Of a sheepes iye. 99.

He cast a sheepes eye at her: a straunge eye spred,
To se a sheepes eye, looke out of a calues hed.

Of ruse. 100.

Better rule, then be rulde: wife thy endeuer,
Hath shewde thee to be rulde, by that rule euer.

Of blinde bayard. 101.

Who so bolde as blinde bayerd: no beast of trouth.
Wherof my bolde blinde bayerd, perfit proofe shouth,
Both of his boldnes, and for his bolde blindnes.
By late occasion, in a cause of kindnes:
A company of vs, rode in certaine grounde:
Where we welny, an impassible slough founde.
Their horses, ere they entred began to stay.
Euery one horse geuyug an other the way.
Of good manner as it were, and more and more,
Eche horse gaue backe, to set his better before.
Saue this rude rustie, bolde blinde bayerd of mine,
As rashely, as rudely, chopt foorth: and in fine,
Without any curtsie, ere any man bids:
Blindly and boldly, he lepte into the mids.
And looke how boldly, the mids he lept in till,
Euen with like boldnes, in the mids he lay still:
And trow you the Iade, at the best mens wordes theare,
Woulde stur one ioynte: nay not the breade of one heare.
But starde on them, with as bolde a countenaunce:
As that hole had ben his, by enheritaunce:
He hauyng no more to do there then had I.
But streight there cumth, a carteweare, of good hors by:
By force wherof, and helpe of all that rout,
Blynde bayerd and I, were drawen together out.
Which blinde boldenes, by this admonicion:
Except he amend in some meete condicion,

Rather then ride so, I will a foote take payne,
Blynde bolde bayerd, shall not thus beare me againe.

Of the spinsters thrift. 102.

Thus rideth the rocke. if the rocke be ridyng,
The spinsters thrift, is set a foote slidyng.

Of defenes. 103.

Who is so deafe, as he that will not heare:
Not the deuill, till will draw his hearyng neare.

Of a good hors. 104.

It is a good hors, that neuer stumbleth.
Then haue I a good hors, for my hors tumbleth.
And fauleth downe right, my hors stumbleth neuer.
So well am I horst, and haue bin horst euer.
And so loth to lend him, to feelde or townes eende.
That as soone shall my fo ride him, as my freende.

Of waies to the wood. 105.

There be mo wayes to the wood then one.
Of all good wayes to wood, thou goste none.

Of one that may soone amend. 106.

He may soone amend, for he can not apeyre.
A good euidence to proue him the deuils heyre.

An ill hearer. 107.

I can not heare on that side, no, trueth to tell:
Of any side, thou couldst neuer yet heare well.

Of a good face. 108.

I did set a good face on the matter Ione,
Thou didst borow it then Bes, for thou hast none.

A sharpe thorne. 109.

It prickth betimes, that shalbe a sharpe thorne.
I weene thou prickst wife, ere time thou were borne.

Commyng and goyng. 110.

As fast as one goth, an other cumth in vre.
Twoo buckets in a well, come and go so sure.

But go or cum, who shall, while all come and go:
Seldome cumth the better, practise preeueth so.

The better cumth seldome. 111.

Seeldome cumth the better, come or go who will,
One nayle driueth out an other, wee se still.

One driueth out an other. 112.

One nayle driueth out an other, with strokes so stout:
That the hammer hed which driueth them, werth quite out.

Of burden. 113.

Light burden, far heuy: that doost thou try.
A fether borne far, will tyre thee welnie.

Otherwise.

Light burden, far heuy, borne for other men:
For our selues, heuy burdens light inough then.

Otherwise.

Light burden, far heuy, thy braine lacketh strength
To beare a pinte of wine, a payre of buttes length.

Otherwise.

Light burden, far heuy, thou doost finde that lacke:
In all light good burdens, that lie on thy backe.

Otherwise.

Light burden, far heuy, how can lame folke proue,
Who in all their liues, their lengthes do not remoue.

Runnyng and goyng. 114.

He may ill run, that can not go:
He that sitth by the feete, finde so.

A locke of tooles. 115.

What is a workeman without his tooles.
How may bables be mist among fooles.

Tast of a mans tales. 116.

A tale of a tub, thy tales taste all of ale.
Not of pescod ale, syr, my tales are not stale.

Of a cattes looke. 117.

A cat may looke on a kyng, and what of that.
When a cat so lookth: a cat is but a cat.

One put out of a creede. 118.

Thou maist be in my pater noster in deede.
But surely thou shalt neuer come in my creede.
I care not, though I do not, what can I win,
To come in a creede, whiche creede god is not in.

All that may be won of the fox. 119.

Wee can haue no more of the Fox but the skin:
And the Foxe thinketh that, to much for vs to win.

The suertie of some seale. 120.

As sure as it were sealde with butter, for sooth:
Sum butter seale lastth, as longe as some waxe dooth.

The hares goyng away. 121.

There goth the Hare away, is she gone say you?
Let her go, we haue Hares, and hare heds ynou.

Judgement of colours. 122.

Blinde men should iudge no coloures: should they nat?
Blinde men will iudge all colours, for all that.

Hap and wit. 123.

Better be happy then wise, here art thou hit,
Thy hap hath euer ben better, then thy wit.

Otherwyse.

Better be happy then wyse, not so, sum say:
He that can be wise, shalbe happy, say thay.

Of fortune to fooles. 124.

God sendth fortune to fooles, not to euery chone:
Thou art a foole, and yet fortune thou hast none.

Otherwyse.

God sendth fortune to fooles, and to wise men still.
God sendth good fortune, or the deuill sendth ill.

Of loosers wordes. 125.

Let the loosers haue their wordes, all at onse:
Shall the loosers talke? there will be chat for the nonse.

Gettyng and spendyng. 126.

Ill gotten ill spent: be that tale true to tell,
Thou art neuer lyke to spende peny well.

Matters not leyde a water. 127.

My matter is leyde a water, thats a false tale:
Thy matters lie not in water, they lie in ale.

Measure. 128.

Measure is a mery meane.
Which filde with noppy drinke.
When mery drinkers drinke of cleane:
Then merely they winke.

Otherwise.

Measure is a mery meane,
But I meane measures gret:
Where lippes to litell pitchers leane:
Those lippes they scantly wet.

Otherwise.

Measure is a mery meane.
But ynche, foote, yerde, or ell:
Those measures are not worth a beane:
They measure no drinke well.

Otherwise.

Measure is a mery meane.
Be drinke deare or good cheape:
From measure no wight, may thee weane:
Thou measurst drinke by heape.

Otherwise.

Measure is a mery meane.
Good licker may not shrinke:
Thou takst no triacle of Geane
So holsome as good drinke.

Otherwyse.

Measure is a mery meane.
Shewyng indifferency:
Would thale wife, play the poulyng queane:
Yet measure will not lie.

Otherwise.

Measure is a mery meane.
That doth diligently:
Attend the tappes of stande and steane:
To moyst thy lippes full dry.

Otherwise.

Measure is a mery meane.
And measure is thy mate,
To be a deacon, or a deane:
Thou wouldst not chaunge thestate.

Otherwise.

Measure is a mery meane.
Who that shall enterprise,
This measure from thee, for to gleane,
Right erly must he rise.

Otherwise.

Measure is mery meane.
In volewmes full or flat,
There is no chapter, nor no seane,
That thou appliest like that.

Goyng beyonde the wall. 129.

Furder then the wall, we can not go,
Thine vsage showth otherwise, then so:
Thou goste, when thou must start out of sight:
To the wall, and ouer the wall quight.

Of harme. 130.

A man far from his good, is nie his harme,
Ny thy good, next thy harme, as chaunce may charme.

Otherwyse.

A man far from his good, is nie his harme,
For thee to feare that, it were worse then woodnes.
Mouables, vnmouables, lande or farme,
Thou hast not one grotes woorth, of good or goodnes.

Otherwyse.

A man far from his good, is nie his harme.
This shewth the nie harme: for hadst thou an arme
That could and wolde, reache hence to Constantine,
That arme coulde not reache to any good of thine.

Wit kept by warmth. 131.

Thou art wyse inough, if thou keepe thee warme:
But the least colde that cumth, kilth thy wit by harme.

Light comyng and goyng. 132.

Light cum, light go, that cumth in vre by light feete:
But light heds, make light feete, ly lame in the streete.

Otherwyse.

Light cum, light go, for that thou art well wrought:
For thou art as light, as a thyng of nought.

Otherwyse.

Light cum, light go, pas, cum and go lightly,
In a Iuggler, that lightnes is sightly.

Otherwyse.

Light cum, light go, thy light goyng doth excell:
But thy light comyng, I like not half so well.

Of kissing. 133.

Unknowen vnkist, and beyng knowen I weene,
Thou art neuer kist, where thou mayst be seene.

Otherwyse.

Unknowen vnkist, from that desyre, wife blys thee,
For no man that seeth thee, desireth to kis thee.
From kyssyng in sight husbande, such as flee mee,
Let them come kis me, where they do not se mee.

Of leaue. 134.

Leaue is light, lyght inough as thou wilt make it,
If thy maister geue no leaue thou wilt take it.

Otherwyse.

Leaue is light, ye and leaue is axed lyghtly,
And may be graunted lightly, axyd rightly.

God in the almery. 135.

There is god in thalmery, a well playde part.
Shut god in thine almery, out of thy hart.

The diuell in thorologe. 136.

The diuell is in thorologe, the houres to trye,
Searche houres by the sunne, the deuyls dyall wyll lye.

Otherwyse.

The deuyll is in thorologe, nowe cheere in boules:
Let the deuyl kepe our clockes, whyle god keepe our soules.

The best. 137.

The best is behynde, the woorst is before:
Betwene bothe, beware dryft to the woorst shore.

Otherwise.

The best is behynde, we go before to fast,
Byde for the best, els it will be lost at last.

Otherwise.

The best is behynde, starte thou backe and fet it,
Abyde abyde, a wyser man must get it.

Otherwyse.

The best is behinde, euen so I thought it wolde:
The best lacketh feete, foote pace with vs to holde.

Otherwyse.

The best is behynde, behynde nor yet before:
Wolde I haue the best, but with vs euermore.

The woorst. 138.

The woorst is behynde.
There art thou assynde.

Otherwyse.

The woorst is behinde, but the way is not rough:
The woorst wyll get before agayne, tyme ynough.

Otherwyse.

The woorst is behynde, yet behynde woorse euyll?
We see our fare, at next course, cumth the deuyll.

Otherwise.

The woorst is behynde, god kepe it behinde vs.
Or vs before it, as it neuer fynde vs.

Lastyng of woonder. 139.

A woonder lasteth but. ix. daies:
Yes thou dydst. ix. yeres gon
But one good deede, for whiche sum saies,
Thou art yet woondred on.

Of a galde horse. 140.

Rub a galde horse on the backe and he wyll kycke:
But the galde asse wyll stande styll, rub, spur, or pricke.

Good begynnyng and ende. 141.

Of a good begynnyng, there cumth a good eende:
Nay, Lucyfer began well, and now a feende.
But of good begynnyng and endyng, truth to tell,
The best way to ende well, is to begyn well.

The still soowe. 142

The styll sowe eath all the draffe, my sowe eath none,
The deuill stylth not my sowe, tyll hir groyne be gone.

Of stumblyng. 143.

Stumble at a strawe, and leape ouer a blocke,
Such stumblers are blockeheads, or els they do mocke:

Otherwise.

Stumble at a strawe, and leape ouer a blocke,
The Asse and the Ape, seme here ioyned in one stocke.

Of the shoe and the sole. 144.

The shooe wyll holde with the sole. No man knowth it,
But he that knowth, how the shomaker sowth it.

Otherwyse.

The shooe wyll holde with the sole, what shulde the shoo doo,
But holde with the sole, the sole will holde with the shoo.

Myght and ryght. 145.

Myght ouercumth ryght. God kepe vs from that myght,
God geue vs that might, that stryueth not with ryght.

Byrth and teaching. 146.

Better vnborne then vntaught, but of truth, thow
Were as well taught afore thou were borne, as now.

Of hangyng. 147.

I haue hangd vp my hatchet. and scapte thy selfe?
Thou shuldest rather be hangde, then thy hatchet, elfe.

An olde knaue. 148.

An olde knaue is no babe, no. but we knowe,
Of an olde knaues babe, an olde knaue may growe.

A mans heare and his whood. 149.

Thy heare growth through thy whood, is thy whood torne?
Or dooth thy heare perse through thy whood, lyke a horne.

Geynes and losses. 150.

Lyght geynes, make heauy purses.
Lyght losses make heauy curses.

Otherwyse.

Light geynes make heuy purses, and lyght purses
Make heauy hartes, and heuy harted curses.

Otherwyse.

Light geynes make heuy purses, so brag marchantes bare,
When they take three halfpence, for two peny woorth ware.

Theeues fallyng out. 151.

When theeues fall out, trewe men come to their goode.
Cum betymes, or els it is gone by roode.

Of a shorne face. 152.

Thy face is shorne ageynst the wull, very deepe,
Haue I wool in my face? ye, thou art a sheepe.

A benche whistler. 153.

Thou art a bench whistler. a shryll whystlyng wenche,
But how long hast thou whistled in the kynges benche,
I haue whystled in the kynges bench (Gefrey)
As longe as thou hast marcht in the Marshalsey.

What god sayde to one. 154.

Thou art one of them, to whom god bad who,
God tooke the for a carte horse, when god bad so.

Otherwise.

Thou art one of them, to whom god bad who,
I weene thou wentst to far, when god bad so.

Boowyng and breaking. 155.

Better boowe then breake, when strainyng shall stretche.
Nay, as good breake as boowe, beynde our retche.

Otherwyse.

Better boowe then breake, I praise this that ye speake,
But sum bend, or be bent and boude, tyll they breake.

Otherwise.

Better boowe then breake, it is truly spoken.
Boude wands serue for sumwhat, so do not broken.

Of wrestlyng. 156.

The weaker hath the woorse, in wrestlyng alway,
Best for the weake to leaue wrestlyng then I say,

God and the church. 157.

The neare to the churche, the furder from god,
Bothe one to thee, a reame thence, or a rod.

Of one tale in all men tolde. 158.

It must needes be true, that euery man saith,
Tyll all men say one thinge, the iudgement staith.

Otherwise.

It must nedes be true that euery man saith,
Must it so? then art thou a foole, in fayth.

Of malkin. 159.

There be mo maydes then Malkyn, thou saist truth Ione.
But how may we be sure, that Malkin one?

Rashe ventringe. 160.

I will set all, euen at syre and at seuen,
Ye, and repent all, betwene ten and eleuen.

A scabde horse. 161.

A scabde horse is good enough, for a scalde squyre.
Your mastershyp, nede not care, what horse ye hyre.

Of syttyng. 162.

Betweene two stooles, my tayle goth to the grounde.
Better stande then syt, tyll sure seate be founde.

Ale and wyt. 163.

When ale is in, wyt is out.
When ale is out, wyt is in.
The fyrst thou shewst, out of dout,
The last in the hath not byn.

Of restitucion. 164.

Steale a goose, and sticke downe a fether.
In a fether, and such conscience,
If I shoulde stycke them downe together:
I can deuyse no great difference.

Eatyng of flies. 165.

The blynde eateth many a flie, not thou wife,
For though blyndnes haue banysht thyne eyes defence,
Yet when flies in flienge to thy mouth be ryfe,
Thy toung is a flie flap, to flap flies from thence.

Of the foxes preaching. 166.

When the foxe preacheth, then beware our geese.
You that feare your geese, learne wyt here a peese.
Kepe foxes from pulpets, your geese to teache:
Or kepe geese from sermons, when foxes do preache.

Of poore mens soules. 167.

Poore men haue no soules, no but poore men had soules:
Tyll the drunken soules, drownd theyr soules in ale boules.

Otherwyse.

Poore men haue no soules, yes, but we see,
Poore men soules as poore: as their purses bee.

Otherwyse.

Poore men haue no soules, no. haue ryche men any,
I feare but fewe, for they haue lost soules many.

Otherwise.

Poore men haue no soules. No no. the dyuell mad them.
The sots coulde not kepe theyr soules, whyle they had them.

Promise of lycence. 168.

I wyll say no more, tyll the day be longer,
No no, say no more tyll thy wyt be stronger.

Of little saiyng. 169.

Lyttle sayde, soone amended.
Lyttle good, soone spended.
Lyttle charge, soone attended.
Lyttle wyt, soone ended.

Of the tyde. 170.

The tyde taryeth no man. but here to scan,
Thou art tyde so, that thou taryst euery man.

Praise of good ende. 171.

All is well that endth well, a good saiynge (wyfe)
But I would see it proued, by thende of thy lyfe.

Of hearyng and iudgeyng. 172.

Here all parts, ere ye iudge any.
God sende suche hearers many.

A lesson for lookyng. 173.

Sum man may better Steale a horse:
Then sum may stand and looke vpone.
Where suche suspicion standth in force,
Flee syght of stolne horse, looke on none.

Of a womans lines. 174.

Wyfe, a woman hath nine liues lyke a cat.
Syr, you haue but one lyfe, and yet inough of that.

The crowe called white. 175.

I wyll say the crowe is whyte, art thou so lyght,
What is thy credence, when the crowe cumth in syght.

Otherwyse.

Ye must say the crowe is whyte, in any case,
Not nowe, but we were made sey so a longe space.

Otherwyse.

I will say the crowe is whyte. wylt thou so?
When euery man seeth hir blacke: go foole go.

Of the olde foole. 176.

There is no foole to the olde foole.
Go yonge fooles, to tholde fooles to scoole.

Otherwyse.

There is no foole to tholde foole. speake not that loude,
That prayse wyll make olde fooles vengeable proude,
Which prayse of olde fooles, yong fooles perceyuyng playne:
Yonge fooles, and olde fooles, eche wyll other disdayne.

Of a beane. 177.

A beane in a monkes whood, very good,
Here is the beane, but where is the whood.

The gyft of a pyg. 178.

Syr ye gyue me a pyg, of myne owne sowe.
Wyfe, I gyue a sowe pyg to a sowe nowe.

Chaunge and robery. 179.

Chaunge is no robry, that is a tale not straunge,
Chaunge is no robry, but robry maketh chaunge.
Many sweete blyssynges chaunge to bytter curses.
When trewe mens money, chaungth into theeues purses.

Of fayre woordes. 180.

Fayre woordes make fooles fayne, that was by olde scooles:
But now we see, fayre woordes make wyse men fooles.

Otherwyse.

Fayre woords make fooles fayne, yet fayre woords are chereful,
But foule woords make all folke, Irefull or ferefull.

Of laughyng. 181.

I laught in my sleeue, feynt laughynges there to wyn,
Sleeues be to narowe, to laugh lustily in.

Of seekyng. 182.

I seeke for a thyng wyfe, that I would not fynde.
Good husbande ye are the more foole in my mynde.

Otherwise.

Thou seekest for a thynge, that thou wouldst not fynde,
And I fynde all thynges, that I do not seeke:
In my hap, and thy wyt, what dyffrence assynde,
I weene not the value of a good greene leeke.

Of a head vnder a gyrdell. 183.

He hath thy hed vnder his gyrdell, take heede
He hange not thy hed, in his gyrdell in deede.

Of wyde shootyng. 184.

He shooteth wyde. the cause why, I see euen syth.
He hath not one streight shafte, to shoote streight with.

Otherwise.

He shootth wyde.
On which syde.

Otherwise.

He shooteth wyde, but he can not amende that,
For he seeth not the marke that he shooteth at.

The fooles bolte. 185.

A fooles bolte is soone shot, and fleeth oftymes fer,
But the fooles bolte and the marke, cum few tymes ner.

Of a marchant. 186.

He is a marchaunt without money or ware.
Byd that marchaunt be couered, he is bare.

Otherwyse.

He is a marchaunt without money or ware.
He hath in sum respecte, the lesse cause of care.

Of tongue. 187.

Tounge breaketh bone, and bone it hath none.
I wishe (wife) thy tounge may haue a bone.
And I wishe (quoth she) a bone in your whood.
Wyshe that bone away (said he) tis not good.
Then wishe you the tother (quoth she) away.
They did so, which doone: now sayd she wee may
Witnes bothe, that you haue your wishe in fine,
But both can not witnes that I haue mine.

Otherwyse.

Tounge breaketh bone, it selfe hauyng none.
Such tounges should haue bones, or bodkins the tone.

Otherwyse.

Toung breaketh bone, and bone it self hath none.
Yes, thy tounge is full of good ale bones (Ione)

Of speeche. 188.

Spare to speake, spare to speede. If speeche bring speede,
Then wilt thou speede, for thou speakst more then neede.

A busy body. 189.

He will haue an ore in euery mans barge.
Euen in cocke lorels barge, he berth that charge.

Otherwyse.

He will haue an ore in euery mans barge,
Then with sum of those ores, he rowth at large.

Of time. 190.

Time is tickell, we may matche time in this,
For we be euen as tickell, as time is.

Otherwyse.

Time is tickell.
Chaunce is fickell.
Man is brickell.
Freilties pickell.
Poudreth mickell,
Seasonyng lickell.

Of far castyng. 191.

He casth beyonde the moone. great diuersitie,
Betweene far castyng and wise castyng, may be.

Otherwise.

He casth beyonde the moone. what neede that be doone?
We haue castyng inough, a this side the moone.

Of hunger. 192.

Hunger droppeth out of his nose,
That is the woorst kinde of the pose.

Of feedyng. 193.

He hath fed till he is as full as a toon.
I meane an emptie toon. what foode hath he woon?

Of Mortimers sow. 194.

Backare, quoth Mortimer to his sow.
Went that sow backe, at that biddyng trowe you?

Otherwise.

Backare quoth Mortimer to his sow: se
Mortimers sow speakth as good latin as he.

Otherwise.

Backare quoth Mortimer to his sowe:
The bore shall backe first (quoth she) I make a vowe.

Of fleabytyng. 195.

Tis but a fleabityng: freende if fleas bite so,
They will bite men to the bare bones where they go.

The breechelesse maister. 196.

The master weareth no breeche, then I protest,
The master is a girle, a boy, or a best.

Of meate and sauce. 197.

Sweete meate will haue soure sauce, to this reason feate,
Ioyne this conuersion soure sauce will haue sweete meate.
Thus sourenes and sweetenes, the one and thother,
In feare of the tone, we hope of the tother.

Otherwise.

Sweete meate will haue soure sauce, where that is seene,
As good lacke that meate, as haue that sauce, I weene.

Of proferd seruice. 198.

Proferde seruice stinketh, thou art deceiued elfe,
Thy proferde seruice stinkth not: thou stinkst thy selfe.

Otherwyse.

Proferde seruice stinkth. more foole thou to profer it,
Thou shuldest season thy seruice ere thou offer it.

Of common medlers. 199.

He that medleth with all thyng, may shooe the goslyng:
If all such medlers were set to goose shoyng:
No goose neede go barfote betwene this and Greese,
For so: we should haue as many goose shooers as geese.

Of enough and a feast. 200.

As good ynough as a feast: ye god saue it.
Inough were euen as good, if we might haue it.

Otherwise.

As good ynough as a feast.
This for a truth say most and least.
But what ynough is iustly ment,
And with inough to be content,
Those are twoo pointes that fewe or none,
Can learne to know, and stande vpon.

Of plaine fashion. 201.

The playne fashin is best, what plaine without pleates
That fashin commendth the calfe when it bleates.

Otherwise.

The playne fashin is best, and accepted beste
In thinges that please heares but not in the rest.

Otherwise.

The playne fashin is best, thats trewly exprest
Where fashiners of playne fashins are honest.

Of him that cumth last. 202.

He that cumth last make all fast, to this say sum
All is made fast ere the last cummer cum.

Otherwyse.

He that cumth last make all fast,
Who shall make him fast that cumth last.

Of striuyng. 203.

He striueth agaynst the streme, by custums scoole
That striuer is either a fishe or a foole.

Of sittyng. 204.

Better sit still then rise and fall
If all fayle ye may hange when ye shall.

Of writyng to frendes. 205.

Ye may write to your freendes that ye are in helth:
Who may write to his freendes that he is in welth.

Of great clarkes. 206.

The greatest clarkes be not the wisest men
Be smaule learnd or vnlernd fooles wysest then.

Of killyng. 207.

He will kill a man for a messe of mustard
He will kill ten men then for a custard.

Of falshed. 208.

There is falshed in felowship, there is so
The felowshyp is small els as the worlde doth go.

Otherwyse.

There is falshed in felowship, no wunder
Falshed and felowship are seeld a sunder.

Of bleedyng. 209.

Here lithe all and bleadth, all, thats fals and foolish,
Thou neuer sawst bloud bleed out of a stockfish.

Of seyng. 210.

Seest me and seest me not, both one thing for soth
As good vnseene as seene whose sight no good doth.

Of ils. 211.

Of twoo Ils chose the least, of ils many
The least is to great to chose any.

Otherwyse.

Of two Ils chose the least, may we choose ils now,
Choose on choosers the like choyse neuer had yow.

Of Pepper. 212.

Thou takst pepper in the nose, and yet thy nose,
Lookth not blacke like pepper, but red like the rose.

Otherwyse.

Thou takst pepper in the nose which needeth not,
Thy nose without pepper is firy red whot.

Otherwyse.

Thou takst pepper in the nose which so sesond
Shewth thy nose better sesond then thy hed resond,

Of an ill stake. 213.

An ill stake that can not stand one yere in a hedge
If the stake self fayle, the stake is as ye alege.
But if stake stoobbers will not let stakes stand
Blame not the stake, blame the stake stoobbers hand.

Of suffraunce. 214.

Suffrans is no quittans, but suffryng to longe,
Showth much like a quittans in suffryng of wrong.

Of misrecknyng. 215.

Mysrecknyng is no paiment, yes as doth fall
In sum reckners, misrecknyng is payment all.

Otherwise.

Misrecknyng is no payment, to auoyde that,
Sum detters with their creditours recken nat.

Of euen recknyng. 216.

Euen recknyng makth long freends
Od reckyng makth many feends.

Of takyng. 217.

I will take as falth in the sheafe, where euer it fall
In the sheafe or out of the sheafe thou takst all.

Of mum. 218.

Mum is counsell in euery man we see
But mum except, nothyng is counsell in thee.

Of stoppyng a mouth. 219.

He shall not stop my mouth, no Nan I thinke that
I beleue all the deuils in hel stopth it nat.

Of castyng. 220.

He is cast in his owne turne, that is likly
And yet in all turnes he turnth wonders quikly.

Of Jacke. 221.

He is iacke out of office, curtsie withdrawe
Iacke once out of office all hayle Iack dawe.

Of the winking Cat. 222.

Let the Cat winke and let the Mouse run, run mise
Or els the cats clawes will catch you at a trise.

Otherwyse.

Let the cat winke and let the mouse run, run rats
Smalle holes keepe small mise, from wily winkyng cats.

Otherwyse.

Let the cat winke and let the mouse run, creepe mouse creepe
Run not before cats that winke more then they sleepe.

Of saying nay. 223.

Say nay and take it, ye say nay and take it
But say nay or say ye neuer forsake it.

Otherwyse.

Say nay and take it, here me say this othyng
Say nother ye nor nay, takte and say nothyng.

Of the pie and crowe. 224.

Not to hie for the pie nor to lowe for the crowe
Hie pies made lowe crowes we haue inough I trowe.

Of saying nought but mum. 225.

I will say nought but mum.
Thou showst the more wit sum.

Otherwyse.

I wyll say nought but mum, that I beseeche,
Mum hath a grace in thee far more then speeche.

Of tounge and wit. 226.

Thy tounge runth before thy wit, thats no rashe rase
For so may it run, runnyng but a snayle pace.

Of owne. 227.

Owne is owne,
Whers owne knowne.

Otherwyse.

Owne is owne, these wordes I speke with eyes weepyng,
For all mine owne is in other mens keepyng.
But good is that riches where it is heapt
That from thowner by no means can be keapt.

Of spinnyng. 228.

She hath spun a fayre threede, which showth in deede
That a fowle spinner may spin a fayre threede.

Of laughyng. 229.

They laugh that win, falsly to win and keepe,
Winners may laugh when they haue cause to weepe.

Otherwyse.

They laugh that win, by theft to win and keepe
Theeues at stealyng laugh, theeues at hangyng weepe.

Of pleying. 230.

He pleyth best that wins, that deny I will
Many pleyers win much that pley very ill.

Otherwyse.

He pleyth best that wins, there is a lye runnyng,
Many win much, much more by hap then cunnyng.

Of the winde blowyng. 231.

Let this winde ouerblow, when ouer blow
This winde will ouer blow vs first I trow.

Of far and nie. 232.

I haue seene as far come as nie, come no nere
The ferder thou art hence the better is it here.

Of thynstep. 233.

He is hie in thynstep, his steps may be hie,
But to stepe in good steps he stepth nothyng nie.

Of smaule and greate. 233.

Many smaul make a great, and sum great made small,
Thou hadst great good manners, and thou hast non at all.

Of the keyse. 234.

The keise hang not all by one mans gyrdle, no
Euery key hath a clog, who wolde be clogd so.

Of prouender. 236.

His prouender prickth him, prick him gods forbod
What is his prouender, pinnes by likelyhod.

Otherwyse.

His prouender prickth him, where grew that corne,
Pricking prouender as il as botes borne.

Otherwyse.

His prouender prickth him, that hors must neede stur
Prickt, with in with prouender, without with spur,

Of sum here and there. 237.

Here sum and there sum, ye here and there sum:
But most when and most where no sum doth cum.

Of the persons lemman. 238.

She is as tender as a persons leman,
Parsons lemans are tough inough now and than.

Of il weede. 239.

Ill weede growth fast, it groweth fast in deede
The corne can scantly growe for the weede.

Otherwyse.

Ill weede growth fast, that is showyng
In the show of thy fast growyng.

Of synkyng. 240.

He shall synke in his owne sinne. ye when he synkth,
But he fleeeth in his owne sin yet me thinkth.

Of good syluer. 241.

She thinkth hir farthing good syluer, but trust me
She is quycke syluer what euer hir farthyng be.

Of the proude cocke. 242

Euery cocke is proude on his owne dunghyll,
The hen is proud inough there marke who wyll.

Of fat in the fyre. 243.

The fat is in the fyre, that is a shrowde turne,
Cast the leane after, fat and leane let all burne.

Of bowe bent. 244.

I haue the bent of his bowe, that I know.
What bolts shootst thou from that bow, fooles bolts I trow.

Of gods beynge. 245.

God is where he was. ye but so art not thow
Thou were abrode late and art in Newgate now.

Of kinsfolke. 246.

Many kynsfolke fewe freends,
Fewe freends and many feends.

Of Freendshippe. 247.

A freende is neuer knowne tyll a man haue neede
Nor then nother for any I know in deede:

Of nothinge. 248.

Where nothyng is thē kynge must leese his ryght,
Where althynge is there ryght is lost by myght.

Of pouertee. 249.

Pouertee partth felowship, thats not trewe euer,
Pouertie in beggers partth felowship neuer.

Of eares glowyng. 250.

Thyne eares may glowe, lets see whether they glow Iohn.
I lye: thyne eares can not glowe for thou hast non.

Of poste and pyller. 251.

Tost from post to pyller, thou art a pyller stronge,
And thou hast byn a pyller sum say to longe.

Of may be. 252.

Be as be may is no bannynge.
But be as be shall hath much scannynge.

Of vse. 253.

Use maketh mastry, that is a trew tale to tell,
In that vse hath made the pycke a purse so well.

[Folly to spurne or kycke ageynst the harde wall.]

Of spurnyng. 254.

Folly to spurne or kycke ageynst the harde wall.
Beyng shod with cakebread, that spurner marth all.

Otherwyse.

Folly to spurne or kycke ageynst the harde wall,
But ageynst soft walles spurners spurne and kyck all.

Of tiyng the bell. 255.

Who shall ty the bell about the cats necke how,
Not I (quoth the mouse) for a thing that I know.

Of had I wyst. 256.

Beware of had I wyst wyfe. Oh man tys to late
To beware therof syns thou were my wedded mate.

Of daunsyng. 257.

He dauncth attendance. are attendantes daunsyng?
Then haue we much daunsyng with small auaunsyng.

Of the cat eatyng fyshe. 258.

The cat woulde eate fyshe but she wyll not weate hir feete,
She thinkth fleshe with dry feete more sweete thē fish wt weete.

Of the blinde. 259.

The blynde eate many a flie, that we fynde,
Chefly where caruers to the blynde are blynde.

Of the woorst and best. 260.

Prouyde for the woorst, the best wyll saue it selfe.
For that sauyng syde thou art a suttle elfe.

Of all kyndes of thynges thou hast prouish in prest,
For thy neighbours the wurst, for thy selfe the best.

Of fyue egges. 261.

He cumth in with his. v. egges, what egges to call?
Hen egges, goose egges, or ducke egges, nay dawes egges all.

Of clymyng.. 262.

He that neuer clymbd neuer fell, sum men clyme
For douys nests and fynde dawes nests sum tyme.

Of the wey. 263.

It is out of my way, so it lyghtly may,
To all good thyngs thy way is out of the way.

Of waytyng. 264.

He wayteth for moone shyne in the water,
Such waytyng such wynnyng thats a meete mater.

Of Ryme. 265.

It may ryme but it acordth not. cordth not Wyll,
Beware of cording rymes those rymes agree yll.

Of fyshyng. 266.

It is yll fyshyng before the net.
Wurse fyshyng behynde as nets are set.

Of good. 267.

He knowth none ende of his good, marke his wynnyng,
He knowth of his good none ende, nor begynnyng.

Of the hot yron. 268.

When the Iron is hot stryke, stryke hot Iron and steele,
But golde or syluer to stryke we haue no deele.

Of the purse. 269.

Thy purse is threede bare, we see on the out syde,
And more bare on the in syde when both sydes are tryde.

Of many handes. 270.

Many handes make lyght warke, many handes ye marke.
Ye must say thus. many lyght handes make lyght warke.

Otherwyse.

Many hands make light woorke, no woorke is sinde thee,
Thou canst not woorke thy hands be bounde behynde thee,

Of the lothe stake. 271.

The loth stake standth longe, we haue many lothe stakes,
Eche stake welny to other it selfe, lothe makes.

Otherwyse.

The lothe stake standth longe, in some place, but some hande
Pluckth vp all stakes, suffrynge no stake longe to stande.

Of hauinge. 272.

Better to haue then wishe, nay ye may so craue,
That better to wyshe ten tymes then once to haue.

Otherwise.

Better to haue then wyshe, not alway cosyn,
What yf ye rashely wysht strypes nowe a dosyn.

Otherwyse.

Better to haue then wishe. better haue as we haue,
Then to haue at wishe all that wishers wolde craue,

Of counsell. 273.

Three may kepe councell if twayne be away.
But one foole doth ofte his owne councell bewray.

Otherwyse.

Three may kepe councell if twayne be away,
Sum women I here say, that saiyng denay.

Of Roome. 274

Roome was not bylt on one day, that is well knowne,
Nor in one day Rome wyll not be ouerthrowne.
For where Roome semd puld downe in one day brother,
There is Roome set vp agayne in an other.

Of Speeche. 275.

Spare to speake spare to speede.
Doome men wyn nought in deede,
And speech as speeche may fall
May wyn nought, and leese all.

Of one had in the wynde. 276.

I haue him in the wynde. wel syr it is your mynde
To haue him in the wynde, or hange him in the wynde.

Of one yll shod. 277.

Who is woorse shod then is the shomakers wyfe?
The deuyls wyfe, she was neuer shod in hir lyfe.

Of all and naught. 278.

He woulde all haue and naught forgo, no,
He may all forgo and naught haue so,

Of warnyng. 279.

I gaue him scarborow warnyng, scarborow
That warnyng cam short to bryng good harborow.

Of byrdes flowne. 280.

The byrdes are flowne, that byrdes nest was yll watcht,
Byrdes wynges once full sumd byrdes wyll hardly be catcht.

Otherwyse.

The byrds are flowne. Flowne, that flight no wunder brings
Byrds may sone flee where byrders clyp no byrds wyngs.

Of leauyng. 281.

Leaue it or it leaue you, leaue what folly,
He can neuer leaue it nor it him wholly,

Of settyng in foote. 282.

He hath set in foote, thyngs by wyt to be sped,
His foote shall dooe seruyce as good as his hed.

Otherwyse.

I wyll set in foote, freende thou maist set in fyt
Foote hand and hed but thou canst set in no wyt.

Of fast byndyng. 283.

Fast bynd fast fynd, nay thou weare prentyse fast bownde,
And yet ranst thou a way where thou couldst not be founde.

Of hap. 284.

Happy man happy dole, so say sycke and hole,
But good hap is deintie, most men haue seeld good dole.

Otherwyse.

Happy man happy dole, hap is full of holes,
Hap catcheth and holdeth very few good doles,

Of tyme. 285.

Take tyme when tyme cumth, we are oftymes told of it,
But when tyme cumth yet can we take no hold of it.

Otherwyse.

Take tyme when tyme cumth, asay to be bolde of it,
But slyper as an eeles tayle is the holde of it.

Otherwyse.

Take tyme when tyme cumth, are we set tyme to take?
Beware tyme, in meane tyme, take not vs in brake,

Otherwyse.

Take time when tyme cumth, when time cumth thou saist wel
But when cumth good tyme to take, I can not tell.

Of the fat hog. 286.

Euery man basteth the fat hog. nay freend nay,
Mast faylth sore this yere fat hogs pyne away.

Otherwyse.

Euery man bastyth the fat hog, tis agreed
That those hogs shall haue most help that haue least need.

The bale and boote. 287.

When bale is hekst, boote is next, though boote be nye.
What helpyth boote, where bale is euer moste hye.

Of sowes. 288.

As meete as a sowe to beare a saddle Ihon.
A sowe to beare a saddle, we haue seene none,
But though sowes beare no saddles yet may we say
We see saddles beare sowes welny euery day.

Of makyng a crosse. 289.

I wyll make a crosse vpon this gate, ye crosse on
Thy crosses be on gates all, in thy purse non.

Of a pad. 290.

It wyll breede a pad in the strawe, very weele.
Beware it breede not a padlocke on thy heele.

Of long standyng. 281.

Long standyng and small offryng makth poore parsons,
Long wayghtyng and small wages makth poore garsons.

Of the weaker, 282.

The weaker goth to the pot, ye, and god wot,
Sum the weaker for ofte goyng to the pot.

Of catchyng. 293.

Catch that catch may, after catchyng and snatchyng,
Pyllyng and pollyng, we fall now to patchyng.

Of holdyng. 294.

Holde fast when ye haue it, if it be not thyne,
Holde fast and run fast when thou hast it freend myne.

Of knowledge. 295.

I know him as well as the begger knowth his bag.
Thou knowst him, but when wilt thou know thy selfe wag.

Of smellyngs 296.

I smeld him out, furder then he myght smell thee.
The smeller of smellers then, thou art euyn he.

Of nought laide downe. 297.

Nought lay downe nought take vp, welsayde,
Nought ly downe nought ryse vp, welwayde.

Of syght and fare. 298.

Ye see your fare, a very straunge fare to see,
A blynde man may see our fare as well as wee.

Of the pot not broken. 299.

Neyther pot broken nor water spylt, water
Thou spylst none, but thou spylst all other mater.

Of late and neuer. 300.

Better late then neuer. ye mate,
But as good neuer as to late.

Otherwyse.

Better late then neuer.
That is not trew euer.
Sum thynges to rule in rate.
Better neuer then late.

FINIS.