John Heywood

John Heywood (1497–1580) was an English writer known for his plays, poems, and collection of proverbs. He fled England for the Low Countries to avoid persecution as a Catholic.

Sourced

• The loss of wealth is loss of dirt,
  As sages in all times assert;
  The happy man's without a shirt.
  • Be Merry Friends; reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919).

• Let the world slide, let the world go;
  A fig for care, and a fig for woe!
  If I can't pay, why I can owe,
  And death makes equal the high and low.
  • Be Merry Friends; reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919).

• All a green willow, willow,
  All a green willow is my garland.
  • The Green Willow; reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919).

Proverbs (1546)

Heywood did not invent what he calls "our common plaine pithie Proverbs olde." Rather, he collected and contextualized them:

• ... I write for this
  Remembering and considering what the pith is,
  That by remembrance of these proverbs may grow.
  In this tale, erst talked with a friend, I show
  As many of them as we could fitly find
  Falling to purpose, that might fall in mind.
  • Preface

Original orthography from the Spenser Society reprint of the 1562 edition (The Proverbs and Epigrams of John Heywood (A. D. 1562), 1867, Manchester: Charles Simms and Co.)

• Som thingis that prouoke young men to wed in haste,
  Show after weddyng, that hast maketh waste.
  • Some things that provoke young men to wed in haste,
    Show after wedding, that haste makes waste.
  • Pt. I, ch. 2

• And ones their hastie heate a littell controlde,
  Than perceiue they well, hotte love soone colde.
  And whan hasty witlesse mirth is mated weele,
  Good to be mery and wise, they thinke and feele.
• And once their hasty heat a little controlled,
  Than perceive they well, hot love soon cold.
  And when hasty witless mirth is mated well,
  Good to be merry and wise, they think and feel.
  • Pt. I, ch. 2

• The more hast the lesse speede.
  • The more haste the less speed.
  • Pt. I, ch. 2

• Looke or ye leape.
  • Look ere ye leap.
  • Look before you leap.
  • Pt. I, ch. 2

• He that will not whan he may,
  Whan he would, he shall haue nay.
  • He that will not when he may,
    When he would, he shall have nay.
  • Pt. I, ch. 3

• Than farewell riches, the fat is in the fire,
  And neuer shall I to like riches aspire.
  • Then farewell riches, the fat is in the fire,
    And never shall I to like riches aspire.
  • Pt. I, ch. 3

• Whan the sunne shinth make hay, whiche is to say,
  Take time whan time comth, lest time steale away.
  • When the sun shines make hay, which is to say,
    Take time when time comes, lest time steal away.
  • Pt. I, ch. 3

• The tide tarrieth no man.
  • Pt. I, ch. 3

• Time is tickell, and out of sight out of minde.
  Than catche and holde while I may, fast binde fast finde.
  • Time is fickle, and out of sight out of mind.
    Than catch and hold while I may, fast bind fast find.
  • Pt. I, ch. 3

• And while I at length debate and beate the bushe,
  There shall steppe in other men, and catche the burdes,
  And by long time lost in many vayne wurdes.
  • And while I at length debate and beat the bush,
    There shall step in other men, and catch the birds,
    And by long time lost in many vain words.
  • Pt. I, ch. 3

• Weddyng is desteny,
  And hangyng likewise.
  • Wedding is destiny,
    And hanging likewise.
  • Pt. I, ch. 3

• A hard beginnyng makth a good endyng.
  • A hard beginning makes a good ending.
  • Pt. I, ch. 4

• Like will to like.
  • Pt. I, ch. 4

• That muche is my bowe bent to shoote at these marks,
  And kyll feare, when the sky falth we shall haue larks.
  • That much is my bow bent to shoot at these marks,
    And kill fear, when the sky falls we shall have larks.
  • Pt. I, ch. 4

• Who hopeth in Gods helpe, his helpe can not starte:
  Nothing is impossible to a willyng hart,
  And will maie wyn my herte, herein to consent,
  To take all thinges as it cometh, and be content.
  • Who hopes in God's help, his help can not start:
    Nothing is impossible to a willing heart,
    And will may win my heart, herein to consent,
    To take all things as it comes, and be content.
  • Pt. I, ch. 4

• And also I shall to reueng former hurtis,
  Hold their noses to grinstone, and syt on theyr skurtis.
  • And also I shall to revenge former hurts,
    Hold their noses to grindstone, and sit on their skirts.
  • Pt. I, ch. 5

• When all candels be out, all cats be grey,
  All thingis are then of one colour, as who sey.
  And this prouerbe faith, for quenching hot desyre,
  Foul water as soone as fayre, will quenche hot fyre.
  • When all candles are out, all cats are grey,
    All things are then of one color, as who say.
    And this proverb faith, for quenching hot desire,
    Foul water as soon as faire, will quench hot fire.
  • Pt. I, ch. 5

• The nere to the churche, the ferther from God.
  • The nearer to the church, the farther from God.
  • Pt. I, ch. 9

• ... Better is to boow then breake.
  It hurteth not the tounge to geue fayre wurdis.
  The rough net is not the best catcher of Burdis.
  Sense ye can nought wyn, if ye can not please,
  Best is to suffre: For of sufferance comth ease.
  • ... Better is to bow than break.
    It hurts not the tongue to give faire words.
    The rough net is not the best catcher of Birds.
    Since you can not win, if you can not please,
    Best is to suffer: For of sufferance comes ease.
  • Pt. I, ch. 9

• Two heddis are better then one.
  • Two heads are better than one.
  • Pt. I, ch. 9

• Who waite for dead men shall goe long barefoote.
  • Pt. I, ch 9

• She speaketh as she would créepe into your bosome.
  And when the meale mouth hath woon the bottome
  of your stomake, than will the pickthanke it tell
  To your most enmies, you to bye and fell.
  To tell tales out of schoole, that is hir great lust.
  Looke what she knowth, blab it wist, out it must.
  • She speaks as she would creep into your bosom.
    And when the mealy mouth has won the bottom
    of your stomach, then will the pickthank it tell
    To your most enemies, you to buy and sell.
    To tell tales out of school, that is her great lust.
    Look what she knows, blab it wist, out it must.
  • Pt. I, ch. 10

• To hold with the hare and run with the hound.
  • Pt. I, ch. 10

• Well aunt (quoth Ales) all is well that endes well.
  Ye Ales, of a good begynnyng comth a good end.
  • Well aunt, said Ales, all is well that ends well.
    Yes Ales, of a good beginning comes a good end.
  • Pt. I, ch. 10

• True (quoth Ales) thinges doone can not be vndoone,
  Be they done in due tyme, to late, or to soone,
  But better late than neuer to repent this,
  To late (quoth my aunt) this repentance showd is,
  Whan the stéede is stolne shut the stable durre.
  • True, said Ales, things done can not be undone,
    Be they done in due time, too late, or too soon,
    But better late than never to repent this,
    To late, said my aunt, this repentance shown is,
    When the steed is stolen shut the stable door.
  • Pt. I, ch. 10
  • "Better late than never" is recorded earlier by Livy as Potius sero quam numquam. (book IV, sec. 23)

• Ill wéede growth fast.
  • Ill weed grows fast.
  • Pt. I, ch. 10

• ... Be they wynners or loosers,
  ... beggers should be no choosers.
  • ... Be they winners or loosers,
    ... beggars should be not choosers.
  • Pt. I, ch. 10

• Lyke a pyckpurs pilgrim, ye prie and ye proule
  At rouers, to rob Peter and paie Poule.
  • Like a pickpurse pilgrim, you pry and you prowl
    At rovers, to rob Peter and pay Paul.
  • Pt. I, ch. 11

• A man maie well bring a horse to the water,
  but he can not make him drinke without he will.
  • A man may well bring a horse to the water,
    but he can not make him drink without he will.
  • Pt. I, ch. 11

• Rome was not built in one daie (quoth he) and yet stood
  Till it was finist, as some say, full faire.
  • Rome was not built in one day, said he, and yet stood
    Till it was finished, as some say, full fair.
  • Pt. I, ch. 11

• Children learne to créepe er they can learne to go.
  • Children learn to creep ere they can learn to go.
  • Pt. I, ch. 11

• Throw no gyft agayne at the geuers head,
  For better is halfe a lofe than no bread.
  • Throw no gift again at the giver's head,
    For better is half a loaf than no bread.
  • Pt. I, ch. 11

• Nought venter nought haue. spare to speake spare to spéede.
  Vnknowne vnkyst. it is loste that is vnsought.
  As good séeke nought (quoth I) as seeke and finde nought.
  • Naught venture naught have. spare to speak spare to speed.
    Unknown unkissed. it is lost that is unsought.
    As good seek nought, said I, as seek and find naught.
  • Pt. I, ch. 11

• Children and fooles can not ly.
  • Children and fools cannot lie.
  • Pt. I, ch. 11

• Who is wurs shod, than the shoemakers wyfe,
  With shops full of shoes all hir lyfe?
  • Who is worse shod, than the shoemakers wife,
    With shops full of shoes all her life?
  • Pt. I, ch. 11

• Ka me, ka the, one good tourne askth an other.
  • Serve me, serve thee, one good turn asks another.
  • Pt. I, ch. 11

• A heare of the dog that bote vs last night.
  • A hair of the dog that bit us last night.
  • Pt. I, ch. 11

• Proue thy fréende er thou haue néede, but in déede
  A fréende is neuer knoen tyll a man haue néede.
  • Prove your friend ere you have need, but in deed
    A friend is never known till a man have need.
  • Pt. I, ch. 11

• All thing is the woorse for the wearing.
  • Pt. II, ch. 1

• A woman hath nyne lyues like a cat.
  • A woman has nine lives like a cat.
  • Pt. II, ch. 4

• A penny for your thought.
  • Pt. II, ch. 4

• Ye can not sée the wood for trées.
  • You cannot see the wood for trees.
  • Pt. II, ch. 4

• Marke ye, how she hitteth me on the thombis (quoth hée)
  And ye taunt me tyt ouer thumb (quoth shée)
  Sens tyt for tat (quoth I) on euen hand is set.
  • Mark you, how she hits me on the thumbs, said he.
    And you taunt me tit over thumb, said she.
    Since tit for tat, said I, on even hand is set.
  • Pt. II, ch. 4

• Thrée maie a kepe counsayle, if two be away.
  • Three may keep counsel, if two be away.
  • Pt. II, ch. 5

• Many handis make light warke.
  • Many hands make light work.
  • Pt. II, ch. 5

• There is no fyre without some smoke.
  • There is no fire without some smoke.
  • Pt. II, ch. 5

• Set the cart before the hors.
  • Set the cart before the horse.
  • Pt. II, ch. 7

• The mo the merier, we all daie here and sée
  Ye, but the fewer the better fare (said hée)
  • The more the merrier, we all day hear and see
    You, but the fewer the better fare, said he.
  • Pt. II, ch. 7

• It is better to be
  An olde mans derlyng, than a yong mans werlyng.
  • It is better to be
    An old man's darling than a young man's warling.
  • Pt. II, ch. 7

• Ye set circumquaques to make me beleue
  Or thinke, that the moone is made of gréene chéese.
  • You set circumstances to make me believe
    Or think, that the moon is made of green cheese.
  • Pt. II, ch. 7

• Yes yes (quoth she) for all those wyse woordis vttred,
  I know on which syde my bread is buttred.
  But there will no butter cleaue on my breade.
  And on my bread any butter to be spreade.
  Euery promise that thou therin dost vtter,
  Is as sure as it were sealed with butter.
  • Yes yes, said she, for all those wise words uttered,
    I know on which side my bread is buttered.
    But there will no butter cleave on my bread.
    And on my bread any butter to be spread.
    Every promise that you therein do utter,
    Is as sure as it were sealed with butter.
  • Pt. II, ch. 7

• What man, loue me, loue me dog.
  • What man love me, love my dog.
  • Pt. II, ch. 9
    • Recorded in the 11th century by Bernard of Clairvaux in one of his sermons as a common proverb.

• An yll wynde that blowth no man to good.
  • An ill wind that blows no man to good.
  • Pt. II, ch. 9

• For whan I gaue you an ynche, ye tooke an ell.
  • For when I gave you an inch, you took an ell.
  • Pt. II, ch. 9

• Wolde ye bothe eate your cake, and haue your cake?
  • Would you both eat your cake, and have your cake?
  • Pt. II, ch. 9

• Praie and shifte eche one for him selfe, as he can.
  Euery man for him selfe, and god for us all.
  • Pray and shift each one for himself, as he can.
    Every man for himself, and God for us all.
  • Pt. II, ch. 9

• Though ye loue not to bye the pyg in the poke,
  Yet snatche ye at the poke, that the pyg is in,
  Not for the poke, but the pyg good chepe to wyn.
  • Though you love not to buy the pig in the poke,
    Yet snatch you at the poke, that the pig is in,
    Not for the poke, but the pig good cheap to win.
  • Pt. II, ch. 9

• This hitteth the nayle on the hed.
  • This hits the nail on the head.
  • Pt. II, ch. 11