Of amendment. i.
IF euery man mende one, all shalbe mended.
Thys meane to amendment, is now intended.
For though no man loke to mend hym selfe brother:
Yet eche man lokth to control and mend other.
VVaggyng of beardes. ii.
It is mery in hal when beardes wagge al.
Husband for thys, these wordes to mynde I cal:
Thys is ment by men, in theyr mery catyng:
Not to wag theyr beardes in brawlyug and threatyng.
Wyfe, the meanyng hereof, differth no two pyns
Betwene waggyng of mens beardes and womens chyns.
Of Hast. iii.
The hastie man wanteth neuer woo.
In hastye women not euer soo.
With suffryng husbands hasty wyues,
Haue ofte we see, full mery lyues.
Breakyng of square. iiii.
An ynche breakth no square: which syns thou hast hard tel,
Thou doest assay howe to breake square by an el.
Othervvyse.
An inche breakth no square: thou breakst none, though it do.
Thou rather bryngst square thē breakst square betwene too.
Lokynge and leapynge. v.
Loke ere thou leape, nay thou canst in no wyse brooke.
To looke ere thou leape, for thou leapst ere thou looke.
VVeddyng and hangyng. vi.
Weddyng and hangyng, are desteny I see.
Weddyng or hangyng, which is best, six (quod she?)
Forsoth good wyfe, hangynge I thynke best (quod he)
So help me god, good husband, so thynketh me.
Oh howe lyke lambes, man and wyfe here agree.
Of Delay. vii.
He that wyl not when he may,
When he wold he shall haue nay.
But to that nay, nay I say:
If of my wyfe I delay,
To take shroude words: yet that stay
Stayth them not from me next day.
Of VVyttes. viii.
So many heades, so many wyttes, nay nay.
We see many heades, and no wyttes some day.
No lacke in loue. ix.
In loue is no lacke, true I dare be borowe.
In loue is neuer lacke, of ioy or sorowe.
Othervvyse.
In loue is no lacke, no in no woyng day.
But after weddyng day, lets here what ye say.
Of Homely home. x.
Home is homely, yea and to homely some tyme.
Where wyues footestoles, to their husbandes heads clyme.
Gyuyng and takyng. xi.
Better gyue then take, al say, but so thynke none:
All thynke better take. xx. poundes, then gyue one.
Iacke and Gyll. xii.
All shalbe well, Iacke shall haue Gyll:
Nay nay, Gyll is wedded to wyll.
Of the ende of a vvyt. xiii.
Thou art at thy wyts ende, which I wonder in
To se a wyt at ende before it begin.
Of bought vvyt. xiiii.
Wyt is neuer good, tyl it be bought:
Thy wyt is dere bought, and yet starke nought.
Othervvyse.
Wyt is neuer good tyl it be bought Wyll.
Iacke, to bye or sell that ware, foles can no skyll.
Of haste and vvaste. xv.
Haste maketh waste: which perceyued by slouth,
Slouth wyl make no haste, he swerth by his trouth.
Makyng of malte. xvi.
Soft fyre maketh swete malte, as malt makers tel:
Then to make swete malte, fyre is to rashe in hel.
Wherby syns in hell no good ale is to sel,
Drye drunken soules can not lyke in hell to dwel.
Of an akynge eye. xvii.
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.
VVhat thyng beggers choose. xviii.
Beggers shulde be no choosers, but yet they wyll:
Who can bryng a begger from choyse to begge styll?
Of Robbyng. xix.
Rob Peter and pay Poule, thou sayst I do:
But thou robst and poulst Peter and Poule to.
Of nede and lavve. xx.
Nede hath no lawe, in some case in very dede,
Nede hath no lawe: and yet of lawe we haue nede.
Of beginning and endyng. xxi.
Of a harde beginning, comth a good endyng:
Truth, on this terme is not alway dependyng.
Some hardely begin, by the feete to syt fast:
That ende with harde hangyng, by the neckes at last.
Of Grace. xxii.
In space comth grace, I graunt grace may come in space:
But in rule, by thy rule neuer loke for grace.
Of fore prouision. xxiii.
Who so that knewe what wolde be dere,
Shulde nede be marchaunt but one yere.
[Page] But thou hast konwen yeares, two or three:
That good condycyons wolde in the
Both dere and deintely be growen:
And yet for all thys, thus fore knowen,
To warne the of good fore prouysyon,
Thou hast not nowe one good condycyon.
Of Saying and doyng. xxiiii.
Saying and doyng, are two thynges, we say:
But thy sayinges and doynges euery way,
Ioyne iumpe in one thy wordes and dedes procede:
But thou art good, nother in worde nor dede.
Of Treadyng on a vvorme. xxv.
Treade a worme on the tayle, and it turneth agayne:
But thou tredst on the wormes head, that to restrayre.
Of Ease in an Inne. xxvi.
Thou takest thyne ease in thyne Inne, so nye the:
That no man in hys Inne, can take ease by the.
Othervvyse.
Thou takest thyne ease in thyne Inne, but I see:
Thyne Inne takth nother ease, nor profyt by the.
Hovve to proue a frende. xxvii.
Proue thy frend ere thou nede, that canst thou no way:
For without nede of thy frende thou art no day.
Vnvvyse vveddyng. xxviii.
Who wedth ere he be wyse, shal dye ere he thryue.
Then shalt not thou be wedded and ryche alyue.
Some thyng and nothyng. xxix,
Some thynge is better then nothyng.
In some thyng I graunt thys othyng:
In some I deny: for I se
As good haue nothyng, as haue the.
The slepyng dogge. xxx.
It is yl wakyng of the slepyng dogge.
So thynke many, namely the wrotyng hogge.
Of Hap. xxxi.
It hapth in an houre that hapth not in .vii. yere.
That hapth this houre wyfe, for thou makst me good chere.
Of Syght and mynde. xxxii.
Out of syght out of mynde, thys may run ryght:
For all be not in mynde, that be in syght.
Of Myrth vvyth vvysdome. xxxiii.
Tis good to be mery and wyse:
Howe shall foles folowe that aduyse.
Of Holdynge of a nose. xxxiiii.
Thou canst hold my nose to the gryndstone:
So can not I thyne, for thou hast none.
An eye sore. xxxv.
It is but an eye sore, but an eye sore, fye
That eye sore is as yl as any sore eye.
Of Recknyng. xxxvi.
Recknyng without thine hoste thou must recken twyse:
May not mine hostes disapoint that deuyse?
Settyng vp a candell. xxxvii.
To set vp a candell before the deuyll.
Dym syghted deuyls, I deeme, deeme it not euyll.
Of cloudes and vvether. xxxviii.
After clouds blake, we shall haue wether cleare:
And after wether cleare, we shall haue clouds blake:
Nowe what, nowe colde, nowe fayre, nowe foule appeare:
As wether cleerth, or cloudth, so must men take.
Of makyng and marryng. xxxix.
Make or mar I wyll, so sayest thou euer:
But thou boost euer marce, thou makste neuer.
Of byrdes and byrders. xl.
Better one byrde in hande, then ten in the wood.
Better for byrders, but for byrdes not so good.
Of Sorovves. xli.
Make not two sorowes of one, yf thou can:
Least makyng of two sorowes, marre one man.
Of f [...]dyng and teachyng. xlii.
Than arte better fed then taught, I vnder take:
And yet a [...] thou skyn and bone, leane as a rake.
Of suffrance. xliii.
Of suffrance comth ease: how shall I knowe that, wyfe:
I haue sufferd the, without ease, all my lyfe.
Of hym that set his hande on his money. xliiii.
Thy hande is on thy halfepeny, and must Iohn:
For thou hast no more coyne to set thy hande on.
Of a hors corying. xlv.
A shorte hors is soone coride, thats to weete
When short hors, and short coryers do meere.
Of shame. xlvi.
Shame take him that shame thinkth, for thou dost thinke nō
Thou art to far past shame, shame to thynke on.
A lordes harte and a beggen purse. xlvii.
There is nothyng in this worlde that agreeth wurse,
Then doth a lordes harte and a beggers purse.
And yet as yl as those two do agre,
Thou canst not brynge them a sunder to be.
Of forgettyng. xlviii.
The paryshe priest forgeth, he was paryshe clarke:
And the person forgeth, he was paryshe pryst.
But priest, clarke, and no clarke, al, who wyl marke
To forget what we were, shall se vs entyste.
Of the harte and the heele. xlix.
Shall I set at my harte, that thou setst at thy heele:
Nay, a hart in a heelde hose, can neuer do weele.
Othervvyse.
Shal I set at my harte that thou setst at thy heele?
Nay, howe euer kybd heeles do, kybd hartes do not weele.
Prayse of a man aboue a horse. l.
A man may wel leade a horse to the water:
But he can not make hym drynke withowt he lyst.
I prayse the aboue the horse, in thys matter:
For I leadyng the to drynke, thou hast not myst
Alway to be redy withowt resystens
Both to drynke, and be drunke, ere thou were led thens.
Of VVepyng. li.
Better chyldren weepe then olde men, say wyse men.
But olde men weepe when chyldren laugh, nowe and then.
Of tvvo false knaves. lii.
Two false knaues nede no broker: but it is nede
That brokers breake false knaues felowshyp with spede.
A hart in a hose. liii.
Thy hart is in thy hose, which iayle is not stronge.
Thy hose are to full of holes, to kepe it longe.
Of Crepyng and goyng. liiii.
Chyldren must learne to crepe ere they can goo.
In the spyrtil, olde knaues learne to do soo.
Of floryng and fletyng. lv.
Thou art a flote thou weenst, beyng in the fleete:
But flotyng and fleetyng agree not there meete.
A man at an ebbe. lvi:
Thou art at an ebbe in Newgate, thou hast wrong.
But thou shalt be a flore at Tyburne ere long.
Syght in a mylstone. lvii.
Thou seest far in a mylstone: thanke God therfore.
Thou seest in a mylstone, in nothyng more.
Of Throvvyng. lviii.
Throwe no gyft agayne 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. lix.
Store is no sore, yes, store may be a sore.
I thynke it a sore, of sores to haue store.
Of One in pryson. lx.
Thou art in by the weeke, nay syr I am here,
Not in by the weeke, I am in by the yere.
Sayntes and deuylles. lxi.
Yong saynte, olde deuyl: thers mo of woman kynde:
Then yong deuyles olde sayntes, in mankynd as I fynde.
Of Botchyng. lxii.
God is no botcher, but when God wrought you too.
God wrought as lyke a botcher, as God myght do.
Of a yeres fayre. lxiii.
The fayre laslth al the yere, but wyfe I tell thee,
In this yeares fayre, for fayre I can not sell thee.
I haue worse lucke (quoth she) and began to scoule
I can not sel thee there, for fayre nor for foule.
Of a cap and a hed. lxiiii.
Thy cappe is better at ease then thy hed,
Betwene which twayne, myght I at wyshe be sped.
To choose one of the twayne, which I wolde fyrst craue,
Thy whole cap before thy sicke hedde I wolde haue.
Othervvyse.
My cap is better at ease then my hed.
Thy cap is better then thy hed, tis sed.
A these that hath no felovve. lxv.
Aske my felowe whether I be a thefe,
No way, can that way, of thy theft make prefe:
Thou hast no felowe in theft, to catch the:
For there is no thefe (in thefte) can match the.
False measures. lxvi.
Thou fearst false measures, which are thynges to feare sore:
But I feare false measurers, as much and more.
Of cleane svvepyng. lxvii.
Newe broome swepeth cleane, which is thus vnderstande:
New broome swepeth cleane, in the clene swepers hande.
Turnyng of Typpe [...]tes. lxviii.
He hath turnd his typet, that turne showth pleyne
Owr typets haue ben turnd and turnd ageyne.
Othervvyse.
He hath turnd his typpet dyede it and drest it,
Vpon the right syde and feyre and pleyne prest it.
Othervvyse.
He hath turnd his typpet and prest it so close
That for a turnd typpet it hath a feyre glose.
Othervvyse.
He hath turnd his typpet, lord how he prouydes
Typpers turnd, dyed, shorne, and, worne bare on both sides.
Othervvyse.
He hath turnd his typpet, twyse in my syght:
Fyrst on the wronge syde and last on the ryght.
Othervvyse.
He hath turnd his typpet an honest turnyng,
To turne his typpet and turne rounde for burnyng.
Othervvyse.
He turnth his typpet shorne ageynst the wul ful,
And more ageynst his wyll then ageynst the wul.
Othervvyse.
He hath turnd his typper, that haue we turnd al
Sume halfe turne, sum hole turne, turnd round as a bal.
Othervvyse.
He hath turnd his typpet, ye that a whyle:
But might he turne ageynt, lord how he wold smyle.
Othervvyse.
He hath turnd his typpet, yet mo turns ye mok,
But who doth weare his typpet, a wethercok.
He hath turnd his typpet, nowe for a nouelte
And for a noueltie wolde turne streyght ageyne he.
Othervvyse.
He turnth his typpet, or his typpet turnth hym,
But which turnth which, I se not by swete saynt Sym.
Othervvyse.
He hath turnd his typpet,
For symony a syppet.
Othervvyse.
He turnth his typpet, if that turnyng turne hym:
Into the pulpet, that turnyng is turnd trym.
Of theft and receyte. lxix.
Where are no receyuers, there are no theues:
Where nought is to receyue, theues bryng no greues.
Of vvorke and play lxx.
As good to play for nought, as to worke for nought:
But thou wylt play for nought, and not worke for ought.
Of a peynted s [...]ethe. lxxi.
Thou makste much of thy peynted shethe, and wylt do,
It hauynge not one good knyfe longyng therto.
The hare and the hounde. lxxii.
Holde with the hare and run with the hounde, run thar [...]:
As wyght as the hounde, and as wyse as the hare.
Of beggers syngyng. lxxiii.
Beggers may synge before theues, but what of that?
When beggers synge so, theues se nought to syng at.
Of tvvo faces. lxxiiii.
Thou beryst two faces in one whood:
Thou hast one yl face, both be not good:
Of Beggyng. lxxv.
Thou begst at a wronge dore, and so hast begde longe:
Thy getrynge by beggyng, showth euery dore wronge.
Of nothyng. lxxvi.
Nothynge hath no sauer, which sauerles showe:
Shewth nothyng better, then sum thyng that we knowe.
Othervvyse.
Nothynge hath no sauer, as yl this othyng:
Il sauerd sumthyng, as vnsauerd nothyng.
Of Ventryng. lxxvii.
Nought venter nought haue, and ventryng of much.
May haue a lyttle, ventryng is now such.
Of shalbe and shall not be. lxxviii.
That shalbe, shalbe. but all that shulde be:
Shal not be, nor hath ben, as far as I se.
The blacke Oxe. lxxix
The blacke Oxe neuer trode on thy foote:
But the dun Asse hath trode on both thy feete.
Which Asse and thou, may seeme sprong of one roote.
For the Asses pace, and thy pace are meete.
Of Brydlyng. lxxx.
I wyll brydell the with rough byt wyfe. Quoth she,
If thou wylt brydell me, I wyll snafel the.
Mendyng and payryng. lxxxi.
I wyll mende this house, and peyre another.
Ye, but when wylt thou mend thy selfe brother▪
Of runnyng vvithout turnyng. lxxxii.
He runth far, that neuer turnth ageyne: nay nay,
Though the snayle neuer turne, he runth no far way.
Bying a Pyg. lxxxiii.
I wyll neuer bye the pyg in the poke:
Thers many a foule pyg in a feyre cloke.
Hungry flyes. lxxxiiii.
Hungry flyes byte sore, which shall byte vs euer:
For without hungry flyes, we shalbe neuer.
Of louyng a dogge. lxxxv.
Loue me, loue my dog: by loue to agree,
I loue thy dog, as well as I loue thee.
Of precious stones. lxxxvi.
Folly to cast precious stones before hogs Hewe,
Hodge, except they be precious hogs thou sayst trewe.
Othervvse.
Cast precious stones before hogs, cast stones to hogs nay,
But precious stones haue byn gyuen to hogs some say.
Of yll and good vvynde. lxxxvii.
It is an yll wynde, that blowth no man good:
And a 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. lxxxviii.
Sooth boorde, is no boorde: sooth boorde soundeth yll,
In false fayre flattryng boorde: boorde as ye wyll.
Of tales tolde in the eare. lxxxix.
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 soonder.
Of goyng. xe.
The furder we go, the furder behynde.
Meete footemen to go with crabbes, in my mynde.
Othervvyse.
The furder I go, the furder behynde.
Stande styll foole, tyl thou better fotyng fynde.
Of neede. xci.
Nede makth tholde wyfe trot: is she a trotter now?
Gallop yonge wyues, shal tholde trot, out trot yow?
Takyng harte of grasse. xcii.
Thou takest hart of grasse wyfe, not hart of grace.
Cum grasse, cum grace, syr, we grase both in one place.
Of nothyng and althyng. xciii.
Where nothyng is, a lyttle thyng doth ease.
Where althyng is, nothyng can fully please.
Couetyng and lesyng. xciiii.
All couet, all loose: this cumth oft in vre.
But nought haue, nought loose: this is euer sure.
Of the marche hare. xcv.
As mad as a marche hare: where madnes compares:
Are not mydsomer hares, as mad as march hares?
Hovve god vvyll not do for vs. xcvi.
Euery man for hym selfe, and god for vs all:
God wyll not seale that wrytyng, wryte it who shall:
Of harpyng on a strynge. xcvii.
Harpe no more on that strynge, for it standth to hye:
And soundeth as basely as a halter, wel nye.
A l [...]sse by the deuyls death. xcviii.
The deuyll is deade, then hast thou lost a frende.
In all thy doinges, the deuyll was at tone eude.
Othervvyse.
The deuyll is deade, one deuyll is deade but we se:
[...] deuyls lefte alyue, as yll or worse then he.
Othervvse.
The deuyll is deade, who shall enherite his lande:
I [...]owe, the deuyl hath left chyldren a thousand.
Othervvyse.
The deuyll is deade, who shall his land ryghtly wyn,
Thou, for thou by condyshyn, art next of kyn.
Othervvyse.
The deuyll is dede, nay the deuyll is in a sowne,
But the deuyll reuyueth ageyne, chyl ley my gowne.
Othervvyse.
The deuyll is deade, what helpth the death of the deuyll,
The deuyll hath heyres as yll as he, and more euyll.
Of a sheepes eye. xcix.
He cast a sheepes eye at her: a straunge eye spred,
To se a sheepes eye, loke out of a calues hed.
Of Rule. C.
Better rule, then be rulde: wyfe thy endeuer,
Hath shewde the to be tulde, by that rule euer.
Of blynde Bayerd. Ci.
Who so bolde as blynde bayerd▪ no beast of trouth.
Wherof my bolde blynde bayerd, perfyt profe shouth.
Both for his boldnes, and for his bolde blyndnes.
By late occasion, in a cause of kyndnes:
A cumpany of vs, rode in certayne grounde:
Where we welny, an impassibel slowgh founde.
Theyr horses, ece they entred began to stay.
Euery one horse geuyng an other way.
Of good manner as it were, and more and more,
Eche horse gaue backe, to set his better before.
[Page] Saue this rude rustie, bolde blynde bayerd of myne,
As rashely, as rudely, chopt foorth: and in fyne.
Without any curtsy, ere any man byds:
Blyndly and boldly, he lepte into the myds.
And looke howe boldly, the myds he lepte in tyll,
Euen with lyke boldnes, in the myds he lay styll:
And trow you the Iade, at the best mens wordes theare,
Wolde stur one ioynte: nay not the breede of one heare.
But starde on them, with as bolde a countenaunce:
As that hole had ben his, by euerytaunce:
He hauyng no more to do there then had I.
But streyght 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 blynde boldenes, by this admonicion:
Except he amend in some meete condicion,
Rather then ryde so, I wyll afoote take payne,
Blynde bolde bayerd, shall not thus beare me agayne.
Of the spynsters thryft. cii.
Thus rydeth the rocke, yf the rocke be rydyng.
The spynsters thryft, is set a foote stydyng.
Of defnes. ciii.
Who is so deafe, as he that wyll not heare:
Not the deuyll, tyll wyll drawe his hearyng neare.
Of a good hors. ciiii.
It is a good hors, that neuer stumbleth.
Then haue I a good hors. for my hors tumbleth.
And fauleth downe ryght. my hors stumbleth neuer.
So well am I horst, and haue byn horst euer.
And so loth to lend hym, to feelde or townes eende.
That as soone shal my fo ryde hym, as my freende.
Of vvayes to the vvood cv.
There be mo wayes to the wood then one,
Of all good wayes to wood, thou goste none.
Of one that may soone amend. cvi.
He may soone amend, for he can not apeyre.
A good euydence to proue hym the deuyls heyre:
An yll hearer. cvii.
I can not heare on that syde, no, trueth to tel:
Of any syde, thou couldst neuer yet heare wel.
Of a good face cviii.
I dyd set a good face on the matter Ione,
Thou dydst borowe it then bes, for thou hast none.
A sharpe thorne. cix.
It pryckth betymes, that shalbe a sharpe thorne.
I wene thou pryckst wyfe, ere tyme thou were borne:
Cummyng and goyng. cx.
As fast as one goth, an other cumth in bre.
Two buckets in a well, cum and go so sure.
But go or cum, who shal, whyle all come and go:
Seeldome cumth the better, practise preueth so.
The better cumth seelde. cxi.
Seeldome cumth the better, cum or go who wyll.
One nayle dryueth out; an other, we se styll.
One dryueth out an other. cxii.
One nayle dryueth out an other, with strokes so stout:
That the hammes hed which driueth them, werth quite out.
Of Burden. cxiii.
Lyght burden, far heuy: that doost thou try.
A fether borne far, wyll tyre the welny.
Othervvyse.
Lyght burden, far heuy. borne for other men:
For our selues, heuy burdens lyght inough then.
Othervvyse.
Lyght burden, far heuy, thy brayne lacketh strength:
To beare a pynte of wyne, a payre of buttes length.
Othervvyse.
Lyght burden, far heuy. thou doost fynde that lacke:
In all lyght good burdens, that lye on thy backe.
Othervvyse.
Lyght burden, far heuy. howe can lame tolke proue,
Who in all theyr lyues, theyr lengthes do not remoue,
Runnyng and goyng. cxiiii.
He may yll run, that can not go:
He that sytth by the feete, fynde so.
A lacke of tooles. cxv.
What is a workeman without his tooles.
Howe may bables be myst amonge fooles.
Tast of a mans tales. cxvi.
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. cxvii.
A cat may loke on a kynge, and what of that.
When a cat so lookth: a cat is but a cat.
One put out of a creede. cxviii.
Thou mayst be in my pater noster in deede,
But surely thou shalt neuer cum in my creede:
I care not, though I do not, what can I wyn:
To cum in a creede, which creede god is not in.
All that may be vvon of the fox cxix.
We can haue no more of the fox but the skyn:
And the foxe thynkth that, to much for vs to wyn:
The suertie of some seale. cxx.
As sure as it were sealde with butter, for sooth:
Sum butter seale lastth, as longe as some waxe dooth.
The hares goyng avvay. cxxi.
There goth the hare away, is she gone say you:
Let her go, we haue hares, and hare heds ynow.
Iudgement of colours. cxxii.
Blynde men shulde iudge no coloures: shulde they nat,
Blynde men wyll iudge all coloures, for all that.
Hap and vvyt. cxxiii.
Better be happy then wyse, heere art thou hyt:
Thy hap hath euer byn better, then thy wyt.
Othervvyse.
Better be happy then wyse, not so, sum say:
He that can be wyse, shal be happy, say thay.
Of fortune to fooles, cxxiiii.
God sendth fortune to fooles, not to euery chone:
Thou art a foole, and yet fortune thou hast none.
Othervvyse.
God sendth fortune to fooles, and to wyse men styl.
God sendth good fortune, or the deuyll sendth yl.
Of loosers vvordes. cxxv.
Let the loosers haue theyr woordes, all at on [...] ▪
Shall the loosers talke: there wyl be chat for the nouse.
Gettyng and spendyng. cxxvi.
Yll gotten yll spent: be that tale trewe to tell,
Thou art neuer lyke to spende peny well.
Matters not leyde a vvater. cxxvii.
My matter is leyde a water, thats a false tale:
Thy matters lye not in water, they lye in ale.
Measure cxxviii.
Measure is a mery meane.
Which fylde with noppy drynke.
[Page] When mery drynkers drynke of cleane:
Then merely they wynke.
Othervvyse.
Measure is a mery meane.
But I meane measures gret:
Where lyppes to lytell pytchers leane:
Those lyppes they scantly wet.
Othervvyse.
Measure is a mery meane.
But ynche, foote, yerde, or ell:
Those measures are not worth a beane:
They measure no drynke well.
Othervvyse.
Measure is a mery meane.
Be drynke deare or good cheape:
From measure no wyght, may the weane:
Thou measurst drynke by heape.
Othervvyse.
Measure is a mery meane.
Good lycker may not shrynke:
Thou takste no tryacle of Geane
So holsome as good drynke.
Othervvyse.
Measure is a mery meane.
Shewynge indyffrency:
Wolde thale wyfe, play the poulyng queane:
Yet measure wyll not lye.
Othervvyse.
Measure is a mery meane.
That doth dylygently:
Attend the tappes of stande and steane:
To moyst thy lyppes full dry.
Othervvyse.
Measure is a mery meane.
And measure is thy ma [...]e:
To be a deacon, or a deane:
Thou woldst not chaunge thestate.
Othervvyse.
Measure is a mery meane.
Who that shall enterpryse,
This measure from the, for to gleane,
Ryght erly must he ryse.
Othervvyse.
Measure is a mery meane.
In volewmes full or f [...]at,
There is no chapter, nor no seane,
That hou applyest lyke that.
Goyng beyonde the vvall. cxxix.
Furder then the wall, we can not go,
Thynt vsage showth otherwyse, then so:
Thou goste, when thou must start out of syghe:
To the wall, and ouer the wall quyght.
Of Harme. cxxx.
A man far from his good, is nye his harme,
Nye thy good, next thy harme, as chaunce may charme.
Othervvyse.
A man far from his good, is nye his harme,
For the to feare that, it were worse then woodnes.
Mouables, vnmouables, lande or farme,
Thou hast not one grotes woorth, of good or goodnes.
Othervvyse.
A man far from his good, is nye his harme.
Th [...]s shewth the nye harme▪ for hadst thou an arme
That could and wolde, reache hence to Constantyne.
That arme coulde not reache to any good of thyne.
vvyt kept by vvarmth. cxxxi.
Thou art wyse inough, yf thou kepe the warme:
But the least colde that cumth, kylth thy wyt by harme.
Lyght commyng and goyng. cxxxii.
Lyght cum, lyght go, that cumth in vre by lyght feete:
But lyght heds, make lyght feete, ly lame in the streete.
Othervvyse.
Lyght cum, lyght go, for that thou art well wrought:
For thou art as lyght, as a thynge of nought.
Othervvyse.
Lyght cum, lyght go, pas, cum and go lyghtly.
In a Iuggler, that lyghtnes is syghtly.
Othervvyse.
Lyght cum, lyght go, thy lyght goynge doth excell:
But thy lyght commyng, A lyke not halfe so well.
Of kyssyng. cxxxiii.
Vnknowen vnkyst, and beinge knowen I weene,
Thou art neuer kyst, where thou mayst be seene.
Othervvyse.
Vnknowen vnkyst, from that desyre, wyfe blys the,
For no man that seeth the, desyrth to kys the.
From kyssyng in syght husbande, such as fle me,
Let them cum kys me, where they do not se me.
Of Leaue. cxxxiiii.
Leaue is lyght, lyght inough as thou wylt make it.
If thy master gyue no leaue thou wylt take it.
Othervvyse.
Leaue is lyght, ye and leaue is axyd lyghtly,
And may be graunted lyghtly axyd ryghtly.
God in the almery. cxxxv.
There is god in thalmery, a well playde part.
Shut god in thyne almery, out of thy hart.
The deuyl in the horologe. cxxxvi.
The deuyll is in thorologe, the houres to trye,
Searche houres by the sonne, the deuyls dyall wyll lye.
Othervvyse.
The deuyll is in thorologe, nowe chere in boules:
Let the deuyl kepe our clockes, whyle god keepe our soules.
The Best. cxxxvii.
The best is behynde, the worst is before:
Betwene bothe, beware dryft to the worst shore.
Othervvyse.
The best is behynde, we go before to fast,
Byde for the best, els it wyll be lost at last.
Othervvyse.
The best is behynde, starte thou backe and fet it,
Abyde abyde, a wyser man must get it.
Othervvyse.
The best is behynde, euen so I thought it wolde:
The best lacketh feete, foote pace with vs to holde.
Othervvyse.
The best is behynde, behynde nor yet before:
Wolde I haue the best, but with vs euermore.
The VVorst. cxxxviii.
The worst is behynde.
There art thou assynde.
Othervvyse.
The worst is behynde, but the way is not tough:
The worst wyll get before ageyne, tyme ynough.
Othervvyse.
The worst is behynde, yet behynde worse euyll.
We se our fare, at next course, cumth the deuyll.
Othervvyse.
The worst is behynde, god kepe it behynde be.
Or vs before it, as it neuer fynde vs.
Lastyng of vvonder. cxxxix.
A woonder lasteth but .ix. dayes:
Yes thou dydst. [...]x. yeres gon
But one good deede, for which sum sayes,
Thou art yet wondred on.
The galde hors. cxl.
Rub a galde hors on the backe, and he wyll kycke:
But the galde asse wyll stande styl, rub, spur, or prycke.
Good begynnyng and ende. cxli.
Of a good begynnyng, there cumth a good tende:
Nay, Lucyfer began well, and nowe a feende.
But of begynnyng and endyng, trueth to tell,
The best way to ende well, is to begyn well.
The styll sovve. cxlii.
The styll sowe eath all the draffe, my sowe eath none,
The deuyll stylth not my sowe, tyll her groyne be gone.
Of stumblynge. cxliii.
Stumble at a strawe, and leape ouer a blocke,
Such stumblers are blockheads, or els they do mocke.
Othervvyse.
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. cxliiii.
The shooe wyll holde with the sole. No man knowth it.
But he that knowth, howe the shomaker sowth it.
Othervvyse.
The shooe wyl hold with the sole, what shulde the shoo doo.
But holde with the sole, the sole wyll holde with the shoo.
Myght and Ryght. cxlv.
Myght ouercumth ryght. God kepe vs from that myght,
God gyue vs that myght, that stryueth not with ryght.
Byrth and teachynge. cxlvi.
Better vnborne then vntaught, but of truth? thou,
Were as well taught afore thou were borne, as now.
Of Hangyng cxlvii.
I haue hangde vp my hatchet, and scapte thy selfe?
Thou shuldest rather be hangde, then thy hatcher, elfe.
An olde knaue. cxlviii.
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 vvhood, cxlix.
Thy heare grouth through thy whood, is thi whood torne,
Or doth thy heare perse through thy whood, lyke a horne.
Geynes and losses. cl.
Lyght geynes, make heuy purses.
Lyght losses make heuy curses.
Othervvyse.
Lyght geynes make heuy purses, and lyght purses
Make heuy hartes, and heuy harted curses.
Othervvyse.
Light geynes make heuy purses, so brag marchauntes bare,
When they take thre halfepens, for two peny worth ware.
Theues faulynge out. cli.
When theues faule out, trewe men cum to theyr goode.
Cum betymes, or els it is gone by roode.
Of a shorne face. clii.
Thy face is shorne ageynst the wool, very deepe,
Haue I wool in my face, ye, thou art a sheepe.
A benche vvhystler. cliii.
Thou art a benche whystler. a shryll whystlyng wenche.
But how long hast thou whystled in the kynges benche,
I haue whystled in the kynges benche (Gefrey)
As longe as thou hast marcht, in the Marchalsey.
VVhat god sayde to one. cliiii.
Thou art one of them, to whom god bad who,
God tooke the for a carte horse, when god bad so.
Othervvyse.
Thou art one of them, to whom god bad who,
I weene thou wentst to far, when god bad so.
Bovvyng and breakyng. clv.
Better bowe then breake, when straynyng shall strerche,
Nay, as good breake as bowe, beyonde our retche.
Othervvyse.
Better bowe then breake, I prayse this that ye speake,
But sum bend, or be bent and boude, tyll they breake.
Othervvyse.
Better bowe then breake, it is truly spoken.
Boude wands serue for sumwhat, so do not broken.
Of VVrestlyng. clvi.
The weaker hath the worse, in wrestlyng alway,
Best for the weake to leaue wrestlyng then I say.
God and the Church. clvii.
The neare to the churche, the furder from god,
Bothe one to the, a reame thence, or a rod.
Of one tale in all men tolde. clviii
It must needes be true, that euery man sayth,
Tyll all men say one thynge, the iudgement stayth.
Othervvyse.
It must needes be true that euery man sayth,
M [...]st so, then art thou a foole, in fayth.
Of Malkyn. clix.
There be mo maydes then Malkin, thou sayst truth Ione,
But how may we be sure, that Malkyn is one.
Rashe Ventryng. clx.
I wyll set all, euen at syxe and at seuen,
Ye, and repent all, betwene ten and eleuen.
A scabde hors. clxi.
A scabde hors is good inough, for a scalde squyre.
Your mastershyp, nede not care, what hors ye hyre.
Of Syttynge. clxii.
Betwene two stooles, my tayle goth to the grounde.
Better stande then syt, tyll sure seate be founde.
Ale and vvyt. clxiii.
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 Restitution. clxiiii.
Steale a goose, and stycke downe a fether.
In a fether, and such conseyence,
If I shulde stycke them downe together:
I can deuyse no great dyfference.
Eatyng of flyes. clxv.
The blynde eateth many a flye, not thou wyfe,
For though blyndnes haue banysht thyne eyes defence,
[Page] Yet when flyes in fleinge to thy mouth be ryfe,
Thy tonge is a fly flap, to flap flyes from thence.
Of the foxes preachyng. clxvi.
When the fore preacheth, then bew are our geese.
You that feare your geese, learne wyt here a peece.
Kepe foxes from pulpets, your geese to teache:
Or kepe geese from sermons, when foxes preache.
Of poore mens soules, clxvii.
Poore men haue no soules, no but poore men had soules:
Tyl the dronken soules, drownd theyr soules in ale boules.
Othervvyse.
Poore men haue no soules, yes, but we se,
Poore men soules as poore: as theyr puries be.
Othervvyse.
Poore men haue no soules, no. haue ryche men any,
I feare but fewe, for they haue lost soules many.
Othervvyse.
Poore men haue no soules. No no. the deuyll mad them.
The sots coulde not kepe theyr soules, whyle they had thē.
Promyse of sylence. clxviii.
I wyll say no more, tyll the dayes be longer,
No no, say no more tyll thy wyt be stronger.
Of lyttle sayinge. clxix.
Lyttell sayde, soone amended.
Lyttel good, soone spended.
Lyttell charge, soone attended.
Lyttle wyt, soone ended.
Of the tyde. clxx.
The tyde taryeth no man. but here to scan,
Thou art tyde so, that thou taryst euery man.
Prayse of good ende. clxxi.
All is well that endth well, a good sayinge (wyfe,)
But I wolde se it proued, by thende of thy lyfe.
Of hearyng and iudgynge. clxxii.
Here all parts, ere ye iudge any.
God sende suche hearers many.
A lesson for lookyng. clxxiii.
Sum man may better steale a horse:
Then sum may stand and looke vpone.
Where such suspicion standth in force,
Fle syght of stolne horse, looke on none.
Of a vvomans lyues. clxxiiii.
Wyfe, a woman hath .ix. lyues lyke a cat.
Syr, you haue but one lyfe, and yet inough of that.
The crovve called vvhyte. clxxv.
I wyll say the crowe is whyte. art thou so lyght,
What is thy credence, when the crowe cumth in syght.
Othervvyse.
Ye must say the crowe is whyte, in any cas [...] ▪
Not nowe, but we were made sey so a longe space.
Othervvyse.
I wyl say the crowe is whyte. wylt thou so:
When euery myn seeth her blacke: go foole go.
Of the olde foole. clxxvi.
There is no foole to the olde foole.
Go yonge fooles, to tholde fooles to scoole.
Othervvyse.
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 perceyuing plaine:
Yonge fooles, and olde fooles, eche wyll other disdayne.
Of a beane. clxxvii.
A beane in a monkes whood, very good,
Here is the beane, but where is the whood.
The gyft of a pyg. clxxviii.
Syr ye gyue me a pyg, of myne owne sowe.
Wyfe, I gyue a sowe pyg to a sowe nowe.
Chaunge and robery. clxxix.
Chaunge is no robry, that is a tale not straunge,
Chaunge is no robry, but robry maketh chaunge.
When trewe mens money, chaungth into theues purses.
Of fayre vvordes. clxxx
Fayre wordes make fooles fayne, that was by olde scooles:
But nowe we se, fayre wordes make wyse men fooles.
Othervvyse.
Fayre words make foles faine, yet fayre words are chereful
But foule wordes make all folke, Irefull or fereful.
Of Laughyng. clxxxi.
I laught in my steue, feynt laughynges there to wyn,
Sleues be to narowe, to laugh lustely in.
Of Sekyng. clxxxii.
I seeke for a thyng wyfe, that I wolde not fynde.
Good husband ye are the more foole in my mynde.
Othervvyse.
Thou sekest for a thynge, that thou woldst 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 hed vnder a gyrdell clxxxiii.
He hath thy hed vnder his gyrdell, take heede:
He hange not thy hed, in his gyrdell in deede.
Of vvyde shootyng. clxxxiiii.
He shoteth wyde the cause why, I se euen syth.
He hath not one streyght shafte, to shoote streyght with.
Othervvyse.
He shootth wyde.
On which syde.
Othervvyse.
He shoteth wyde, but he can not amende that,
For he seeth not the marke that he shoteth at.
The fooles bolte. clxxxv.
A fooles bolte is soone shot, and fleeth oftymes fer,
But the fooles bolte and the marke, cum few tymes ner.
Of a marchaunt. clxxxvi.
He is a marchaunt without money or ware.
Byd that marchaunt be couered, he is bare.
Othervvyse.
He is a marchaunt without money or ware.
He hath in sum respecte, the lesse cause of care.
Of Tounge. clxxxvii.
Tounge breaketh bone, and bone it hath none.
I wyshe (wyfe) thy tounge may haue a bone.
And I wyshe (quod she) a bone in your whood.
Wyshe that bone away (sayd he) tis not good.
Then wyshe you the tother (quoth she) away.
They dyd so, which doone: now sayd she we may.
[Page] Wytnes bothe, that yowe haue your wyshe in fyne,
But both can not wytnes that I haue myne.
Othervvyse.
Toung breaketh bone, it selfe hauynge none.
Such tounges shulde haue bones, or bokyns the tone.
Othervvyse.
Toung breaketh bone, and bone it selfe hath none.
Yes, thy tounge is full of good ale bones (I one)
Of Speeche. clxxxviii.
Spare to speake, spare to speede. Yf speche bryng speede,
Then wylt thou speede, for thou speakst more then neede.
A busy body. clxxxix.
He wyll haue an ore in euery mans barge.
Euen in cocke lorels barge, he berth that charge.
Othervvyse.
He wyll haue an ore in euery mans barge,
Then with sum of those ores, he rowth at large.
Of Tyme. cxc.
Tyme is tyckell. we may matche tyme in this,
For we be euen as tyckell, as tyme is.
Othervvyse.
Tyme is tyckell.
Chaunce is fyckell.
Man is bryckell.
Freylties pyckell.
[Page] Poudreth myckell,
Seasonyng lyckell.
Of far castyng. cxci.
He casth beyonde the moone. great diuersitie,
Betwene far castyng and wyse castyng, may be.
Othervvyse.
He casth beyonde the mone. what neede that be doone.
We haue castyng ynough, a this syde the moone.
Of Hunger. cxcii.
Hunger droppeth out of his nose,
That is the woorst kynde of the pose.
Of Feedyng. cxciii.
He hath fed tyll he is as full as a toon.
I meane an emptie toon. what foode hath he woon.
Of Mortymers sovve. cxciiii.
Backare, quoth Mortymer to his sow.
Went that sow backe, at that byddynge trowe you:
Othervvyse.
Backare quoth Mortimer to his sowe, se.
Mortimers sow speakth as good latin as he.
Othervvyse.
Backare quoth Mortimer to his sowe.
The bore shall backe fyrst (quoth she) I make a vowe.
Of fleabytyng. cxcv.
Tis but a fleabytynge, freende yf fleas byte so:
They wyll byte men to the bare bones where they go.
The brecheles master. cxcvi.
The master weareth no breeche, then I protest,
The master is a gyrle, a boy, or a best.
Of meate and sauce. cxcvii.
Sweete meate wyll haue soure sauce, to this reason feate,
Ioyne this conuersion soure sauce wyll haue sweete meate.
Thus sourenes and sweetenes, the one and thother,
In feare of the tone, we hope of the tother.
Othervvyse.
Sweete meate wyll haue soure sauce, where that is seene,
As good lacke that meate, as haue that sauce, I weene.
Of proferd seruice. cxcviii.
Proferde seruyce stynkth, thou art deceyued else,
Thy proferde seruyce stynkth not, thou stynkst thy selfe.
Othervvyse.
Proferde seruice stynkth. more foole thou to profer it,
Thou shuldest season thy seruyce ere thou offer it.
Of cowmune medlers. cxcix.
He that medleth with al thynge, may shooe the goslyng▪
If all such medlers were set to goose shoyng:
[Page] No goose nede go barfote betwene this and greese,
For so: we shulde haue as many goose shooers as geese.
Of ynough and a feast. cc.
As good ynough as a feast. ye god saue it:
Inough were euen as good. yf we myght haue it.
Othervvyse.
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 two poyntes that fewe or none,
Can learne to knowe, and stande vpon.
FINIS.