❧ Two hundred Epigrams, upon two hundred proverbs, with a third hundred newly added and made by john Heywood.  
Anno Christi. M.D.L.U.   

The table of this book.  

Of amendment. i.  
Wagging of beards. two.  
Of haste. iii.  
Breaking of square. iiii.  
Looking and leaping. v.  
Wedding and hanging. vi.  
Of delay. seven.  
Of wits. viii.  
No lack in love. ix.  
Of homely home. x.  
giving and taking. xi.  
jacke and Gyl. xii.  
Of the end of a wit. xiii.  
Of bought wit. xiiii.  
Of haste and waste. xv.  
Making of malt. xvi.  
Of an aching eye. xvii.  
What thing beggars choose. xviii.  
Of robbing. nineteen.  
Of need and law. xx.  
Of beginning and ending xxi.  
Of grace. xxii.  
Of fore provision. xxiii.  
Of saying and doing. xxiiii.  
Of treading on a worm. xxv.  
Of ease in an Inn. xxvi.  
How to prove a friend. xxvii.  
Unwise wedding. xxviii.  
something and nothing. xxix.  
The sleeping dog. thirty.  
Of hap. xxxi.  
Of sight and mind. xxxii.  
Of mirth with wisdom. xxxiii.  
Of holding of a nose. xxxiiii.  
An eye sore. xxxv.  
Of reckoning. xxxvi.  
Setting up a candle. xxxvii  
Of clouds and wether xxxviii.  
Of making and marring. xxxix.  
Of birds and byrders. xl.  
Of sorrows. xli.  
Of feeding and teaching. xlii.  
Of sufferance. xliii.  
Of him that set his hand on his money. xliiii.  
Of a horse coryinge. xlv.  
Of shame. xlvi.  
A lords heart and a beggars purse. xlvii.  
Of forgetting. xlviii.  
Of the heart and the heel. xlix.  
Praise of a man above a horse. l.  
Of weeping. li.  
Of two false knaves. lii.  
A heart in a hose. liii.  
Of creeping and going. liv.  
Of floating and fleeting. lv.  
A man at an ebb. lvi.  
Sight in a millstone, lvii.  
Of throwing. lviii.  
Of store. lix.  
Of one in prison. lx.  
Saints and devyiss. lxi.  
Of botching. lxii.  
Of a years fair. lxiii.  
Of a cap and a head. lxiiii.  
A thief that hath no fellow. lxv.  
False measures. lxvi.  
Of clean sweping lxvii.  
Turning of typpe●●es. lxviii.  
Of theft and receit. lxix.  
Of work and play. lxx.  
Of a painted sheath, lxxi.  
The hare and the hound. lxxii,  
Of beggars singing. lxxiii.  
Of two faces. lxxiiii.  
Of begging. lxxv.  
Of nothing. lxxvi.  
Of venturing lxxvii.  
Of shallbe and shall not be. lxxviii.  
The black ox. lxxix.  
Of brydiing. lxxx.  
Mending and pairing. lxxxi.  
Of running without turning. lxxxii.  
buying a pig. lxxxiii.  
Hungry flies. lxxxiiii.  
Of loving a dog. lxxxv.  
Of precious stones. lxxxvi.  
Of ill and good wind. lxxxvii.  
Of sooth board, lxxxviii.  
Of tales told in the ear. lxxxix.  
Of going. xc.  
Of need. xci.  
Taking heart of grass. xcii.  
Of nothing and allthing. xciii.  
Coveting and losing. xciiii.  
Of the march hare. xcv.  
How god will not do for us. xcvi.  
Of harping on a string. xcvii.  
A loss by the devils death. xcviii  
Of a sheeps eye. xcix.  
Of rule. C.  
Of blind bayerde. Ci.  
Of the spinters' thrift. Cii.  
Of deines. Ciii.  
Of a good bo●s. Ciiii  
Of ways to the wood. Cv.  
Of one that may soon amend. Cvi  
An ill hearer. Cvii.  
Of a good face. Cviii  
A sharp thorn. Cix.  
Coming and going. Cx.  
The better cometh seld. Cxi.  
One driveth out an other. Cxii.  
Of burden. Cxiii.  
running and going. Cxiiii.  
A lack of tools. Cxv.  
Taste of a man's tales. Cxvi.  
Of a cats look. Cxvii.  
Of matters not le●● a way. cxviii  
One put out of a creed. Cxix.  
All that may be won of the fox. Cxx.  
The surety of some seal. Cxxi.  
The hares going away. Cxxii.  
judgement of colours. Cxxiii.  
Hap and wyr. Cxxiiii.  
Fortune to fools. Cxxv.  
Of losers words. Cxcvi.  
Getting and spending. Cxxvii.  
Measure. Cxxviii.  
Going beyond the wall. Cxxix.  
Of harm. Cxxx.  
Wit kept by warmth. Cxxxi.  
Light coming and going. Cxxxii  
Of kissing. Cxxxiii.  
Of leave. Cxxxiiii.  
God in the almery. Cxxxv.  
The devil in the horologe. Cxxxvi  
The best. Cxxxvii.  
The worst. Cxxxviii.  
Lasting of wonder. Cxxxix.  
The galled horse. Cxl.  
Good beginning and end. Cxli  
The still sow. Cxlii  
Of stumbling. Cxliii.  
Of the shoe and the sole. Cxliiii.  
Might and right. Cxlv.  
Birth and teaching. Cxlvi.  
Of hanging. Cxlvii.  
An old knave. Cxlviii.  
A man's hear and his hod. Cxlix.  
gains and losses. Cl.  
thieves falling out. Cli.  
Of a shorn face. Clii.  
A bench whystler. cliii.  
What god said to one. Cliiii.  
Bowing and breaking. clu  
Of wrestling. Clvi.  
God and the church Clvii.  
Of one tale in all men told. clviii.  
Of Malkyn. Clix.  
Rash venturing. Clx.  
A scaud horse. Clxi  
Of sitting. Clxii.  
Ale and wit. Clciii.  
Of restitution. Clxiiii.  
Eating of flies. Clxu.  
Of the fox's preaching. Clxvi.  
Of poor men's souls. Clxvii.  
Promise of silence. Clxviii.  
Of little saying. clxix.  
Of the tide. clxx.  
Praise of good end. clxxi.  
Of hearing and judging. clxxii.  
A lesson for looking. clxxiii.  
Of a woman's lives. clxxiiii.  
The crow called white. clxxv.  
Of the old fool. clxxvi.  
Of a bean. clxxvii.  
The gift of a pig. clxxviii.  
Change and robbery. clxxix.  
Of fair words. clxxx.  
Of laughing. clxxxi.  
Of seeking. clxxxii.  
Bf a head under a girdle. clxxxiii  
Of wide shoring. clxxxiiii.  
The fool's bolt. clxxxv.  
Of a merchant clxxxvi.  
Of tongue. clxxxvii.  
Of speech. clxxxviii.  
A busy body. clxxxix.  
Of time. cxc.  
Of far casting. cxci.  
Of hunger. cxcii.  
Of feeding. cxciii.  
Of Mortemers sow. cxciiii.  
Of flea by ting. cxcv.  
The brechlesse master. cxcvi.  
Meat and sauce. cxcvii.  
Of proferde service. cxcviii.  
Of common meddlers. cxcix.  
Of enough and a feast. CC.   
¶ The end of this table.   


Of amendment. i.  

IF every man mend one, all shallbe mended.  
This mean to amendment, is now intended.  
For though no man look to mend himself brother:  
Yet each man lokth to control and mend other.    

Wagging of beards. two.  

It is merry in hall when beards wag al.  
Husband for this, these words to mind I call:  
This is meant by men, in their merry cating:  
Not to wag their beards in brawlyug and threating.  
Wife, the meaning hereof, differth no two pin's  
Between wagging of men's beards and women's chyns.    

Of Hast. iii.  

The hasty man wanteth never woe.  
In hasty women not ever so.  
With suffering husbands hasty wives,  
Have oft we see, full merry lives.    

Breaking of square. iiii.  

An inch breakth no square: which sins thou hast hard tell,  
Thou dost assay how to break square by an el.   

Otherwise.  
An inch breakth no square: thou breakest none, though it do.  
Thou rather bryngst square than breakest square between too.    

Looking and leaping. v.  

Look ere thou leap, nay thou canst in no wise brook.  
To look ere thou leap, for thou leap'st ere thou look.    

Wedding and hanging. vi.  

Wedding and hanging, are destiny I see.  
Wedding or hanging, which is best, six (quoth she?)  
Forsooth good wife, hanging I think best (quoth he)  
So help me god, good husband, so thinketh me.  
Oh how like lambs, man and wife here agree.    

Of Delay. seven.  

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

Of wits. viii.  

So many heads, so many wits, nay nay.  
We see many heads, and no wits some day.    

No lack in love. ix.  

In love is no lack, true I dare be borrow.  
In love is never lack, of joy or sorrow.   

Otherwise.  
In love is no lack, no in no wooing day.  
But after wedding day, lets here what ye say.    

Of Homely home. x.  

Home is homely, yea and to homely some time.  
Where wives footestoles, to their husbands heads climb.    

giving and taking. xi.  

Better give then take, all say, but so think none:  
All think better take. xx. pounds, then give one.    

jacke and Gyll. xii.  

All shallbe well, jacke shall have Gyll:  
Nay nay, Gyll is wedded to will.    

Of the end of a wit. xiii.  

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

Of bought wit. xiiii.  

Wit is never good, till it be bought:  
Thy wit is dear bought, and yet stark nought.   

Otherwise.  
Wit is never good till it be bought Will.  
jacke, to buy or sell that ware, fools can no skill.    

Of haste and waste. xv.  

Haste maketh waste: which perceived by sloth,  
Sloth will make no haste, he swerth by his troth.    

Making of malt. xvi.  

Soft fire maketh sweet malt, as malt makers tell:  
Then to make sweet malt, fire is to rash in hell.  
Whereby sins in hell no good ale is to sell,  
Dry drunken souls can not like in hell to dwell.    

Of an aching eye. xvii.  

Better eye out, then always ache:  
In rage of ache, true as I spoke:  
But in mean ache, meanly to moon,  
Better an aching eye than none.    

What thing beggars choose. xviii.  

beggars should be no choosers, but yet they will:  
Who can bring a beggar from choice to beg still?    

Of Robbing. nineteen.  

Rob Peter and pay Poule, thou sayest I do:  
But thou robbest and poulst Peter and Poule to.    

Of need and law. xx.  

Need hath no law, in some case in very deed,  
Need hath no law: and yet of law we have need.    

Of beginning and ending. xxi.  

Of a hard beginning, cometh a good ending:  
Truth, on this term is not always depending.  
Some hardly begin, by the feet to sit fast:  
That end with hard hanging, by the necks at last.    

Of Grace. xxii.  

In space cometh grace, I grant grace may come in space:  
But in rule, by thy rule never look for grace.    

Of fore provision. xxiii.  

Who so that knew what would be dear,  
Should need be merchant but one year.  
But thou hast konwen years, two or three:  
That good conditions would in the  
Both dear and daintily be grown:  
And yet for all this, thus foreknown,  
To warn the of good fore provision,  
Thou hast not now one good condition.    

Of Saying and doing. xxiiii.  

Saying and doing, are two things, we say:  
But thy sayings and doings every way,  
join jump in one thy words and deeds proceed:  
But thou art good, neither in word nor deed.    

Of Treading on a worm. xxv.  

Tread a worm on the tail, and it turneth again:  
But thou tredst on the worms head, that to restrayre.    

Of Ease in an Inn. xxvi.  

Thou takest thine ease in thine Inn, so nigh thee:  
That no man in his Inn, can take ease by the.   

Otherwise.  
Thou takest thine ease in thine Inn, but I see:  
Thine Inn taketh neither ease, nor profit by the.    

How to prove a friend. xxvii.  

Prove thy friend ere thou need, that canst thou no way:  
For without need of thy friend thou art no day.    

Unwise wedding. xxviii.  

Who wedth ere he be wise, shall die ere he thrive.  
Then shalt not thou be wedded and rich alive.    

Some thing and nothing. xxix,  

Some thing is better than nothing.  
In some thing I grant this othing:  
In some I deny: for I see  
As good have nothing, as have the.    

The sleeping dog. thirty.  

It is ill waking of the sleeping dog.  
So think many, namely the wroting hog.    

Of Hap. xxxi.  

It hapth in an hour that hapth not in vii year.  
That hapth this hour wife, for thou mak'st me good cheer.    

Of Sight and mind. xxxii.  

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

Of Mirth with wisdom. xxxiii.  

Tis good to be merry and wise:  
How shall fools follow that advise.    

Of Holding of a nose. xxxiiii.  

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

An eye sore. xxxv.  

It is but an eye sore, but an eye sore, fie  
That eye sore is as ill as any sore eye.    

Of Reckoning. xxxvi.  

Reckoning without thine host thou must reckon twice:  
May not mine hosts disappoint that devise?    

Setting up a candle. xxxvii.  

To set up a candle before the devil.  
Dim syghted devils, I deem, deem it not evil.    

Of clouds and wether. xxxviii.  

After clouds black, we shall have wether clear:  
And after wether clear, we shall have clouds black:  
Now what, now cold, now fair, now foul appear:  
As weather cleerth, or cloudth, so must men take.    

Of making and marring. xxxix.  

Make or mar I will, so sayest thou ever:  
But thou boast ever marce, thou mak'st never.    

Of birds and byrders. xl.  

Better one bird in hand, than ten in the wood.  
Better for byrders, but for birds not so good.    

Of Sorrows. xli.  

Make not two sorrows of one, if thou can:  
Lest making of two sorrows, mar one man.    

Of f●dyng and teaching. xlii.  

Than art better fed then taught, I under take:  
And yet a●● thou skin and bone, lean as a rake.    

Of sufferance. xliii.  

Of sufferance cometh ease: how shall I know that, wife:  
I have suffered thee, without ease, all my life.    

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

Thy hand is on thy halfpenny, and must john:  
For thou hast no more coin to set thy hand on.    

Of a horse corying. xlv.  

A short horse is soon coride, that's to weet  
When short horse, and short coryers do mere.    

Of shame. xlvi.  

Shame take him that shame thinketh, for thou dost think none  
Thou art to far past shame, shame to think on.    

A lords heart and a beggen purse. xlvii.  

There is nothing in this world that agreeth worse,  
Then doth a lords heart and a beggars purse.  
And yet as ill as those two do agree,  
Thou canst not bring them a sunder to be.    

Of forgetting. xlviii.  

The parish priest forgeth, he was parish clerk:  
And the person forgeth, he was parish priest.  
But priest, clerk, and no clerk, all, who will mark  
To forget what we were, shall see us enticed.    

Of the heart and the heel. xlix.  

Shall I set at my heart, that thou setst at thy heel:  
Nay, a heart in a hold hose, can never do weele.   

Otherwise.  
Shall I set at my heart that thou setst at thy heel?  
Nay, how ever kybd heels do, kybd hearts do not weal.    

Praise of a man above a horse. l.  

A man may well lead a horse to the water:  
But he can not make him drink without he list.  
I praise the above the horse, in this matter:  
For I leading the to drink, thou hast not mist  
Always to be ready without resistance  
Both to drink, and be drunk, ere thou were led thence.    

Of Weeping. li.  

Better children weep then old men, say wise men.  
But old men weep when children laugh, now and then.    

Of two false knaves. lii.  

Two false knaves need no broker: but it is need  
That brokers break false knaves fellowship with speed.    

A heart in a hose. liii.  

Thy heart is in thy hose, which jail is not strong.  
Thy hose are to full of holes, to keep it long.    

Of Creeping and going. liv.  

Children must learn to creep ere they can go.  
In the spyrtil, old knaves learn to do so.    

Of floring and fleeting. lv.  

Thou art a float thou weenst, being in the fleet:  
But floating and fleeting agree not there meet.    

A man at an ebb. lvi:  

Thou art at an ebb in Newgate, thou hast wrong.  
But thou shalt be a flore at Tyburn ere long.    

Sight in a millstone. lvii.  

Thou seest far in a millstone: thank God therefore.  
Thou seest in a millstone, in nothing more.    

Of Throwing. lviii.  

Throw no gift again at the givers head:  
Namely no gift of thy wife, given in check.  
If thou do, the rebound may be so red,  
That the red blood, may run down in thy neck.    

Of Store. lix.  

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

Of One in prison. lx.  

Thou art in by the week, nay sir I am here,  
Not in by the week, I am in by the year.    

Saints and devils. lxi.  

Young saint, old devil: there's more of woman kind:  
Then young devils old saints, in mankind as I find.    

Of Botching. lxii.  

God is no butcher, but when God wrought you too.  
God wrought as like a butcher, as God might do.    

Of a years fair. lxiii.  

The fair laslth all the year, but wife I tell thee,  
In this years fair, for fair I can not sell thee.  
I have worse luck (quoth she) and began to scowl  
I can not sell thee there, for fair nor for foul.    

Of a cap and a head. lxiiii.  

Thy cap is better at ease then thy head,  
Between which twain, might I at wish be sped.  
To choose one of the twain, which I would first crave,  
Thy whole cap before thy sick head I would have.   

Otherwise.  
My cap is better at ease then my head.  
Thy cap is better than thy head, 'tis said.    

A these that hath no fellow. lxv.  

Ask my fellow whether I be a thief,  
No way, can that way, of thy theft make proof:  
Thou hast no fellow in theft, to catch thee:  
For there is no thief (in theft) can match the.    

False measures. lxvi.  

Thou fearest false measures, which are things to fear sore:  
But I fear false measurers, as much and more.    

Of clean sweping. lxvii.  

New broom sweepeth clean, which is thus understand:  
New broom sweepeth clean, in the clean swepers' hand.    

Turning of Typpe●tes. lxviii.  

He hath turned his typet, that turn showth plain  
our typets have been turned and turned again.   

Otherwise.  
He hath turned his tippet dyede it and dressed it,  
Upon the right side and feyre and plain priest it.   

Otherwise.  
He hath turned his tippet and priest it so close  
That for a turned tippet it hath a feyre gloze.   

Otherwise.  
He hath turned his tippet, lord how he provydes  
Typpers turned, died, shorn, and, worn bare on both sides.   

Otherwise.  
He hath turned his tippet, twice in my sight:  
first on the wrong side and last on the right.   

Otherwise.  
He hath turned his tippet an honest turning,  
To turn his tippet and turn round for burning.   

Otherwise.  
He turneth his tippet shorn against the wool full,  
And more against his will than against the wool.   

Otherwise.  
He hath turned his typper, that have we turned all  
some half turn, sum hole turn, turned round as a bal.   

Otherwise.  
He hath turned his tippet, ye that a while:  
But might he turn ageynt, lord how he would smile.   

Otherwise.  
He hath turned his tippet, yet more turns ye mok,  
But who doth wear his tippet, a wethercok.  
He hath turned his tippet, now for a novelty  
And for a novelty would turn straight again he.   

Otherwise.  
He turneth his tippet, or his tippet turneth him,  
But which turneth which, I see not by sweet saint Sym.   

Otherwise.  
He hath turned his tippet,  
For simony a syppet.   

Otherwise.  
He turneth his tippet, if that turning turn him:  
Into the pulpit, that turning is turned trim.    

Of theft and receit. lxix.  

Where are no receivers, there are no thieves:  
Where nought is to receive, thieves bring no griefs.    

Of work and play lxx.  

As good to play for nought, as to work for nought:  
But thou wilt play for nought, and not work for aught.    

Of a painted s●ethe. lxxi.  

Thou mak'st much of thy painted sheathes, and wilt do,  
It having not one good knife longing thereto.    

The hare and the hound. lxxii.  

Hold with the hare and run with the hound, run thar●:  
As wight as the hound, and as wise as the hare.    

Of beggars singing. lxxiii.  

beggars may sing before thieves, but what of that?  
When beggars sing so, thieves see nought to sing at.    

Of two faces. lxxiiii.  

Thou beryst two faces in one hood:  
Thou hast one ill face, both be not good:    

Of Begging. lxxv.  

Thou beg'st at a wrong door, and so hast begged long:  
Thy getring by begging, showth every door wrong.    

Of nothing. lxxvi.  

Nothing hath no saver, which saverles show:  
showeth nothing better, than sum thing that we know.   

Otherwise.  
Nothing hath no saver, as ill this othing:  
ill saverd something, as unsaverd nothing.    

Of Venturing. lxxvii.  

Nought venture nought have, and venturing of much.  
May have a little, venturing is now such.    

Of shallbe and shall not be. lxxviii.  

That Shallbe, Shallbe. but all that should be:  
Shall not be, nor hath been, as far as I see.    

The black Ox. lxxix  

The black Ox never trod on thy foot:  
But the dun Ass hath trod on both thy feet.  
Which Ass and thou, may seem sprung of one root.  
For the Ass' pace, and thy pace are meet.    

Of Bridling. lxxx.  

I will bridle the with rough bit wife. Quoth she,  
If thou wilt bridle me, I will snafel the.    

Mending and pairing. lxxxi.  

I will mend this house, and peyre another.  
Ye, but when wilt thou mend thyself brother▪    

Of running without turning. lxxxii.  

He runth far, that never turneth again: nay nay,  
Though the snail never turn, he runth no far way.    

Buying a Pig. lxxxiii.  

I will never buy the pig in the poke:  
there's many a foul pig in a feyre cloak.    

Hungry flies. lxxxiiii.  

Hungry flies bite sore, which shall bite us ever:  
For without hungry flies, we shallbe never.    

Of loving a dog. lxxxv.  

Love me, love my dog: by love to agree,  
I love thy dog, as well as I love thee.    

Of precious stones. lxxxvi.  

Folly to cast precious stones before hogs Hew,  
Hodge, except they be precious hogs thou sayest true.   

Otherwse.  
Cast precious stones before hogs, cast stones to hogs nay,  
But precious stones have been given to hogs some say.    

Of ill and good wind. lxxxvii.  

It is an ill wind, that blowth no man good:  
And a like good wind, that blowth no man ill.  
But fearing ill winds, old men most times stood.  
Out of all extreme winds under the hill.    

Of sooth board. lxxxviii.  

Sooth board, is no board: sooth board soundeth ill,  
In false fair flattering board: board as ye will.    

Of tales told in the ear. lxxxix.  

In at the tone ear and out at the t'other,  
If tales told thee, go in and out so brother,  
Then the travel of those tales show much wonder:  
Thy two ears be two hundred mile a soonder.    

Of going. xe.  

The further we go, the further behind.  
Meet footmen to go with crabs, in my mind.   

Otherwise.  
The further I go, the further behind.  
Stand still fool, till thou better foting find.    

Of need. xci.  

Need maketh th'old wife troth: is she a trotter now?  
Gallop young wives, shall th'old trot, out troth you?    

Taking heart of grass. xcii.  

Thou takest heart of grass wife, not heart of grace.  
Cum grass, cum grace, sir, we graze both in one place.    

Of nothing and allthing. xciii.  

Where nothing is, a little thing doth ease.  
Where allthing is, nothing can fully please.    

Coveting and losing. xciiii.  

All covet, all lose: this cometh oft in ure.  
But nought have, nought lose: this is ever sure.    

Of the march hare. xcv.  

As mad as a march hare: where madness compares:  
Are not midsummer hares, as mad as march hares?    

How god will not do for us. xcvi.  

Every man for himself, and god for us all:  
God will not seal that writing, write it who shall:    

Of harping on a string. xcvii.  

Harp no more on that string, for it standth to high:  
And soundeth as basely as a halter, well nigh.    

A l●sse by the devils death. xcviii.  

The devil is dead, than hast thou lost a friend.  
In all thy doings, the devil was at tone eude.   

Otherwise.  
The devil is dead, one devil is dead but we see:  
〈◊〉 devils left alive, as ill or worse than he.   

Otherwse.  
The devil is dead, who shall inherit his land:  
Enough, the devil hath left children a thousand.   

Otherwise.  
The devil is dead, who shall his land rightly win,  
Thou, for thou by condyshyn, art next of kin.   

Otherwise.  
The devil is deed, nay the devil is in a sown,  
But the devil reviveth again, chill ley my gown.   

Otherwise.  
The devil is dead, what helpth the death of the devil,  
The devil hath heirs as ill as he, and more evil.    

Of a sheeps eye. xcix.  

He cast a sheeps eye at her: a strange eye spread,  
To see a sheeps eye, look out of a calves head.    

Of Rule. C.  

Better rule, then be ruled: wife thy endeavour,  
Hath showed the to be tulde, by that rule ever.    

Of blind Bayerd. Ci.  

Who so bold as blind bayard▪ no beast of troth.  
Whereof my bold blind bayard, perfit proof shouth.  
Both for his boldness, and for his bold blindness.  
By late occasion, in a cause of kindness:  
A company of us, road in certain ground:  
Where we wellnigh, an impassibel slowgh found.  
Their horses, ece they entered began to stay.  
Every one horse giving an other way.  
Of good manner as it were, and more and more,  
Each horse gave back, to set his better before.  
Save this rude rusty, bold blind bayard of mine,  
As rashly, as rudely, chopped forth: and in fine.  
Without any curtsy, ere any man bids:  
Blyndly and boldly, he leapt into the mids.  
And look how boldly, the mids he leapt in till,  
Even with like boldness, in the mids he lay still:  
And trow you the jade, at the best men's words there,  
Would stur one joint: nay not the breed of one hear.  
But stared on them, with as bold a countenance:  
As that hole had been his, by everytaunce:  
He having no more to do there then had I.  
But straight there cometh, a carteweare, of good horse by:  
By force whereof, and help of all that rout,  
Blind bayard and I, were drawn together out.  
Which blind boldness, by this admonition:  
Except he amend in some meet condition,  
Rather than ride so, I will afoot take pain,  
Blind bold bayard, shall not thus bear me again.    

Of the spynsters' thrift. cii.  

Thus rideth the rock, if the rock be riding.  
The spynsters' thrift, is set a foot styding.    

Of deafness. ciii.  

Who is so deaf, as he that will not hear:  
Not the devil, till will draw his hearing near.    

Of a good horse. ciiii.  

It is a good horse, that never stumbleth.  
Then have I a good horse. for my horse tumbleth.  
And falleth down right. my horse stumbleth never.  
So well am I horsed, and have been horsed ever.  
And so loath to lend him, to field or towns eende.  
That as soon shall my foe ride him, as my friend.    

Of ways to the wood cv.  

There be more ways to the wood than one,  
Of all good ways to wood, thou ghost none.    

Of one that may soon amend. cvi.  

He may soon amend, for he can not apeyre.  
A good evidence to prove him the devils heir:    

An ill hearer. cvii  

I can not hear on that side, no, truth to tell:  
Of any side, thou couldst never yet hear well.    

Of a good face cviii.  

I did set a good face on the matter jone,  
Thou didst borrow it then bes, for thou hast none.    

A sharp thorn. cix.  

It pryckth betimes, that shallbe a sharp thorn.  
I ween thou pryckst wife, ere time thou were borne:    

Coming and going. cx.  

As fast as one goth, an other cometh in bre.  
Two buckets in a well, cum and go so sure.  
But go or cum, who shall, while all come and go:  
Seldom cometh the better, practice proveth so.    

The better cometh seld. cxi.  

Seldom cometh the better, cum or go who will.  
One nail driveth out; an other, we see still.    

One driveth out an other. cxii.  

One nail driveth out an other, with strokes so stout:  
That the hams head which driveth them, werth quite out.    

Of Burden. cxiii.  

Light burden, far heavy: that dost thou try.  
A feather borne far, will tire the wellnigh.   

Otherwise.  
Light burden, far heavy. borne for other men:  
For ourselves, heavy burdens light enough then.   

Otherwise.  
Light burden, far heavy, thy brain lacketh strength:  
To bear a pint of wine, a pair of butts length.   

Otherwise.  
Light burden, far heavy. thou dost find that lack:  
In all light good burdens, that lie on thy back.   

Otherwise.  
Light burden, far heavy. how can lame tolke prove,  
Who in all their lives, their lengths do not remove,    

Running and going. cxiiii.  

He may ill run, that can not go:  
He that sytth by the feet, find so.    

A lack of tools. cxv.  

What is a workman without his tools.  
How may babbles be mist among fools.    

Taste of a man's tales. cxvi.  

A tale of a tub, thy tales taste all of ale.  
Not of peascod ale, sir, my tales are not stolen.    

Of a cats look. cxvii.  

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

One put out of a creed. cxviii.  

Thou mayst be in my pater noster in deed,  
But surely thou shalt never come in my creed:  
I care not, though I do not, what can I win:  
To come in a creed, which creed god is not in.    

All that may be wined of the fox cxix.  

We can have no more of the fox but the skin:  
And the fox thinketh that, to much for us to win:    

The surety of some seal. cxx.  

As sure as it were sealed with butter, for sooth:  
Sum butter seal lastth, as long as some wax doth.    

The hares going away. cxxi.  

There goth the hare away, is she gone say you:  
Let her go, we have hares, and hare heads enough.    

judgement of colours. cxxii.  

Blind men should judge no colours: should they not,  
Blind men will judge all colours, for all that.    

Hap and wit. cxxiii.  

Better be happy then wise, here art thou it:  
Thy hap hath ever been better, than thy wit.   

Otherwise.  
Better be happy then wise, not so, sum say:  
He that can be wise, shall be happy, say they.    

Of fortune to fools, cxxiiii.  

God sendth fortune to fools, not to every eachone:  
Thou art a fool, and yet fortune thou hast none.   

Otherwise.  
God sendth fortune to fools, and to wise men still.  
God sendth good fortune, or the devil sendth ill.    

Of losers words. cxxv.  

Let the losers have their words, all at on●●▪  
Shall the losers talk: there will be chat for the noose.    

Getting and spending. cxxvi.  

Ill gotten ill spent: be that tale true to tell,  
Thou art never like to spend penny well.    

Matters not laid a water. cxxvii.  

My matter is laid a water, that's a false tale:  
Thy matters lie not in water, they lie in ale.    

Measure cxxviii.  

Measure is a merry mean.  
Which field with noppy drink.  
When merry drinkers drink of clean:  
Then merely they wink.   

Otherwise.  
Measure is a merry mean.  
But I mean measures great:  
Where lips to little pitchers lean:  
Those lips they scantly wet.   

Otherwise.  
Measure is a merry mean.  
But inch, foot, yard, or ell:  
Those measures are not worth a bean:  
They measure no drink well.   

Otherwise.  
Measure is a merry mean.  
Be drink dear or good cheap:  
From measure no wight, may the wean:  
Thou measurst drink by heap.   

Otherwise.  
Measure is a merry mean.  
Good lycker may not shrink:  
Thou tak'st no treacle of Geane  
So wholesome as good drink.   

Otherwise.  
Measure is a merry mean.  
Showing indyffrency:  
Would thale wife, play the pouling quean:  
Yet measure will not lie.   

Otherwise.  
Measure is a merry mean.  
That doth diligently:  
Attend the taps of stand and steane:  
To moist thy lips full dry.   

Otherwise.  
Measure is a merry mean.  
And measure is thy ma●e:  
To be a deacon, or a dean:  
Thou wouldst not change thestate.   

Otherwise.  
Measure is a merry mean.  
Who that shall enterprise,  
This measure from thee, for to glean,  
Right early must he rise.   

Otherwise.  
Measure is a merry mean.  
In volewmes full or f●at,  
There is no chapter, nor no scene,  
That thou appliest like that.    

Going beyond the wall. cxxix.  

further than the wall, we can not go,  
Thynt usage showth otherwise, then so:  
Thou ghost, when thou must start out of sigh:  
To the wall, and over the wall quyght.    

Of Harm. cxxx.  

A man far from his good, is nigh his harm,  
nigh thy good, next thy harm, as chance may charm.   

Otherwise.  
A man far from his good, is nigh his harm,  
For the to fear that, it were worse than woodness.  
Movables, unmovables, land or farm,  
Thou hast not one groats worth, of good or goodness.   

Otherwise.  
A man far from his good, is nigh his harm.  
Th●s showeth the nigh harm▪ for hadst thou an arm  
That could and would, reach hence to Constantyne.  
That arm could not reach to any good of thine.    

wit kept by warmth. cxxxi.  

Thou art wise enough, if thou keep the warm:  
But the least cold that cometh, kylth thy wit by harm.    

Light coming and going. cxxxii.  

Light cum, light go, that cometh in ure by light feet:  
But light heads, make light feet, lie lame in the street.   

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

Otherwise.  
Light cum, light go, pas, cum and go lightly.  
In a juggler, that lightness is syghtly.   

Otherwise.  
Light cum, light go, thy light going doth excel:  
But thy light coming, A like not half so well.    

Of kissing. cxxxiii.  

Unknown unkyst, and being known I ween,  
Thou art never kissed, where thou mayst be seen.   

Otherwise.  
Unknown unkyst, from that desire, wife bliss thee,  
For no man that seeth thee, desyrth to kiss the.  
From kissing in sight husband, such as i'll me,  
Let them cum kiss me, where they do not see me.    

Of Leave. cxxxiiii.  

Leave is light, light enough as thou wilt make it.  
If thy master give no leave thou wilt take it.   

Otherwise.  
Leave is light, ye and leave is axed lightly,  
And may be granted lightly axed rightly.    

God in the almery. cxxxv.  

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

The devil in the horologe. cxxxvi.  

The devil is in thorologe, the hours to try,  
Search hours by the son, the devils dial will lie.   

Otherwise.  
The devil is in thorologe, now cheer in bowls:  
Let the devil keep our clocks, while god keep our souls.    

The Best. cxxxvii.  

The best is behind, the worst is before:  
Between both, beware drift to the worst shore.   

Otherwise.  
The best is behind, we go before to fast,  
Bide for the best, else it will be lost at last.   

Otherwise.  
The best is behind, start thou back and fet it,  
Abide abide, a wiser man must get it.   

Otherwise.  
The best is behind, even so I thought it would:  
The best lacketh feet, foot pace with us to hold.   

Otherwise.  
The best is behind, behind nor yet before:  
Would I have the best, but with us evermore.    

The Worst. cxxxviii.  

The worst is behind.  
There art thou assigned.   

Otherwise.  
The worst is behind, but the way is not tough:  
The worst will get before again, time enough.   

Otherwise.  
The worst is behind, yet behind worse evil.  
We see our fare, at next course, cometh the devil.   

Otherwise.  
The worst is behind, god keep it behind be.  
Or us before it, as it never find us.    

Lasting of wonder. cxxxix.  

A wonder lasteth but ix days:  
Yes thou didst. ●x. years gone  
But one good deed, for which sum says,  
Thou art yet wondered on.    

The galled horse. cxl.  

Rub a galled horse on the back, and he will kick:  
But the galled ass will stand still, rub, spur, or prick.    

Good beginning and end. cxli  

Of a good beginning, there cometh a good tend:  
Nay, lucifer began well, and now a fiend.  
But of beginning and ending, truth to tell,  
The best way to end well, is to begin well.    

The still sow. cxlii.  

The still sow eath all the draff, my sow eath none,  
The devil stylth not my sow, till her groin be gone.    

Of stumbling. cxliii.  

Stumble at a straw, and leap over a block,  
Such stumblers are blockheads, or else they do mock.   

Otherwise.  
Stumble at a straw, and leap over a block,  
The Ass and the Ape, seem here joined in one stock.    

Of the shoe and the sole. cxliiii.  

The shoe will hold with the sole. No man knoweth it.  
But he that knoweth, how the shoemaker sowth it.   

Otherwise.  
The shoe will hold with the sole, what should the shoe do.  
But hold with the sole, the sole will hold with the shoe.    

Might and Right. cxlv.  

Might overcumth right. God keep us from that might,  
God give us that might, that striveth not with right.    

Birth and teaching. cxlvi.  

Better unborn than untaught, but of truth? thou,  
Were as well taught afore thou were borne, as now.    

Of Hanging cxlvii.  

I have hanged up my hatchet, and scaped thyself?  
Thou shouldest rather be hanged, than thy hatcher, elf.    

An old knave. cxlviii.  

An old knave is no babe, no. but we know,  
Of an old knaves babe, an old knave may grow.    

A man's hear and his who'd, cxlix.  

Thy hear growth through thy hood, is thy hood torn,  
Or doth thy hear pierce through thy hood, like a horn.    

gains and losses. cl.  

Light gains, make heavy purses.  
Light losses make heavy curses.   

Otherwise.  
Light gains make heavy purses, and light purses  
Make heavy hearts, and heavy hearted curses.   

Otherwise.  
Light gains make heavy purses, so brag merchants bare,  
When they take three halfepens, for two penny worth ware.    

thieves falling out. cli.  

When thieves faule out, true men come to their good.  
Cum betimes, or else it is gone by rood.    

Of a shorn face. clii.  

Thy face is shorn against the wool, very deep,  
Have I wool in my face, ye, thou art a sheep.    

A bench whystler. cliii.  

Thou art a bench whystler. a shrill whistling wench.  
But how long hast thou whystled in the kings bench,  
I have whystled in the kings bench (Gefrey)  
As long as thou hast marched, in the Marchalsey.    

What god said to one. cliiii.  

Thou art one of them, to whom god bade who,  
God took the for a cart horse, when god bade so.   

Otherwise.  
Thou art one of them, to whom god bade who,  
I ween thou went'st to far, when god bade so.    

Bowing and breaking. clu  

Better bow than break, when straining shall strerche,  
Nay, as good break as bow, beyond our retch.   

Otherwise.  
Better bow than break, I praise this that ye speak,  
But sum bend, or be bend and boude, till they break.   

Otherwise.  
Better bow than break, it is truly spoken.  
Boude wands serve for somewhat, so do not broken.    

Of Wrestling. clvi.  

The weaker hath the worse, in wrestling always,  
Best for the weak to leave wrestling then I say.    

God and the Church. clvii.  

The near to the church, the further from god,  
Both one to thee, a ream thence, or a rod.    

Of one tale in all men told. clviii  

It must needs be true, that every man saith,  
Till all men say one thing, the judgement stayeth.   

Otherwise.  
It must needs be true that every man saith,  
M●st so, then art thou a fool, in faith.    

Of Malkyn. clix.  

There be more maids than Malkin, thou sayest truth jone,  
But how may we be sure, that Malkyn is one.    

Rash Venturing. clx.  

I will set all, even at six and at seven,  
Ye, and repent all, between ten and eleven.    

A scabde horse. clxi.  

A scabde horse is good enough, for a scald squire.  
Your mastership, need not care, what horse ye hire.    

Of sitting. clxii.  

Between two stools, my tail goth to the ground.  
Better stand then sit, till sure seat be found.    

Ale and wit. clxiii.  

When ale is in, wit is out.  
When ale is out, wit is in.  
The first thou showst, out of doubt,  
The last in thee, hath not been.    

Of Restitution. clxiiii.  

Steal a goose, and stick down a feather.  
In a feather, and such conscience,  
If I should stick them down together:  
I can devise no great difference.    

Eating of flies. clxv.  

The blind eateth many a fly, not thou wife,  
For though blindness have banished thine eyes defence,  
Yet when flies in fleinge to thy mouth be rife,  
Thy tongue is a fly flap, to flap flies from thence.    

Of the foxes preaching. clxvi.  

When the fore preacheth, then bew are our geese.  
You that fear your geese, learn wit here a piece.  
Keep foxes from pulpits, your geese to teach:  
Or keep geese from sermons, when foxes preach.    

Of poor men's souls, clxvii.  

Poor men have no souls, no but poor men had souls:  
Till the drunken souls, drowned their souls in ale bowls.   

Otherwise.  
Poor men have no souls, yes, but we see,  
Poor men souls as poor: as their puries be.   

Otherwise.  
Poor men have no souls, no. have rich men any,  
I fear but few, for they have lost souls many.   

Otherwise.  
Poor men have no souls. No no. the devil mad them.  
The sots could not keep their souls, while they had them.    

Promise of silence. clxviii.  

I will say no more, till the days be longer,  
No no, say no more till thy wit be stronger.    

Of little saying. clxix.  

Little said, soon amended.  
little good, soon spended.  
Little charge, soon attended.  
little wit, soon ended.    

Of the tide. clxx.  

The tide tarrieth no man. but here to scan,  
Thou art tied so, that thou taryst every man.    

Praise of good end. clxxi.  

All is well that endth well, a good saying (wife,)  
But I would see it proved, by th'end of thy life.    

Of hearing and judging. clxxii.  

Here all parts, ere ye judge any.  
God send such hearers many.    

A lesson for looking. clxxiii.  

Sum man may better steal a horse:  
Then sum may stand and look upon.  
Where such suspicion standth in force,  
flee sight of stolen horse, look on none.    

Of a woman's lives. clxxiiii.  

Wife, a woman hath ix lives like a cat.  
Sir, you have but one life, and yet enough of that.    

The crow called white. clxxv.  

I will say the crow is white. art thou so light,  
What is thy credence, when the crow cometh in sight.   

Otherwise.  
Ye must say the crow is white, in any cas●▪  
Not now, but we were made say so a long space.   

Otherwise.  
I will say the crow is white. wilt thou so:  
When every mine seeth her black: go fool go.    

Of the old fool. clxxvi.  

There is no fool to the old fool.  
Go young fools, to th'old fools to school.   

Otherwise.  
There is no fool to th'old fool. speak not that loud,  
That praise will make old fools vengeable proud.  
Which praise of old fools, young fools perceiving plain:  
Young fools, and old fools, each will other disdain.    

Of a bean. clxxvii.  

A bean in a monks hood, very good,  
Here is the bean, but where is the hood.    

The gift of a pig. clxxviii.  

Sir ye give me a pig, of mine own sow.  
Wife, I give a sow pig to a sow now.    

Change and robbery. clxxix.  

Change is no robbery, that is a tale not strange,  
Change is no robbery, but robbery maketh change.  
Ma●●●we●e blessings change to bitter curses.  
When true men's money, chaungth into thieves purses.    

Of fair words. clxxx  

Fair words make fools feign, that was by old schools:  
But now we see, fair words make wise men fools.   

Otherwise.  
Fair words make fools feign, yet fair words are cheerful  
But foul words make all folk, Ireful or fearful.    

Of Laughing. clxxxi.  

I laughed in my steve, faint laughings there to win,  
sleeves be to narrow, to laugh lustily in.    

Of Seeking. clxxxii.  

I seek for a thing wife, that I would not find.  
Good husband ye are the more fool in my mind.   

Otherwise.  
Thou seekest for a thing, that thou wouldst not find.  
And I find all things, that I do not seek:  
In my hap, and thy wit, what dyffrence assind,  
I ween not the value of a good green leek.    

Of a head under a girdle clxxxiii.  

He hath thy head under his girdle, take heed:  
He hang not thy head, in his girdle in deed.    

Of wide shooting. clxxxiiii.  

He shooteth wide the cause why, I see even sith.  
He hath not one straight shaft, to shoot straight with.   

Otherwise.  
He shootth wide.  
On which side.   

Otherwise.  
He shooteth wide, but he can not amend that,  
For he seeth not the mark that he shooteth at.    

The fools bolt. clxxxv.  

A fools bolt is soon shot, and fleeth oft-times far,  
But the fools bolt and the mark, come few times ner.    

Of a merchant. clxxxvi.  

He is a merchant without money or ware.  
Bid that merchant be covered, he is bare.   

Otherwise.  
He is a merchant without money or ware.  
He hath in sum respect, the less cause of care.    

Of Tongue. clxxxvii.  

Tongue breaketh bone, and bone it hath none.  
I wish (wife) thy tongue may have a bone.  
And I wish (quoth she) a bone in your hood.  
Wish that bone away (said he) 'tis not good.  
Then wish you the t'other (quoth she) away.  
They did so, which done: now said she we may.  
witness both, that you have your wish in fine,  
But both can not witness that I have mine.   

Otherwise.  
Tongue breaketh bone, itself having none.  
Such tongues should have bones, or bokyns the tone.   

Otherwise.  
Tongue breaketh bone, and bone itself hath none.  
Yes, thy tongue is full of good ale bones (I one)    

Of Speech. clxxxviii.  

Spare to speak, spare to speed. If speech bring speed,  
Then wilt thou speed, for thou speak'st more than need.    

A busy body. clxxxix.  

He will have an ore in every man's barge.  
Even in cock lorels barge, he birth that charge.   

Otherwise.  
He will have an ore in every man's barge,  
Then with sum of those oars, he rowth at large.    

Of Time. cxc.  

Time is tyckell. we may match time in this,  
For we be even as tyckell, as time is.   

Otherwise.  
Time is tyckell.  
Chance is fyckell.  
Man is bryckell.  
Freylties pyckell.  
Poudreth myckell,  
Seasoning lyckell.    

Of far casting. cxci.  

He casth beyond the moon. great diversity,  
Between far casting and wise casting, may be.   

Otherwise.  
He casth beyond the moan. what need that be done.  
We have casting enough, a this side the moon.    

Of Hunger. cxcii.  

Hunger droppeth out of his nose,  
That is the worst kind of the pose.    

Of Feeding. cxciii.  

He hath fed till he is as full as a toon.  
I mean an empty toon. what food hath he won.    

Of Mortymers sow. cxciiii.  

Backare, quoth Mortymer to his sow.  
Went that sow back, at that bidding trow you:   

Otherwise.  
Backare quoth Mortimer to his sow, se.  
Mortimer's sow speakth as good latin as he.   

Otherwise.  
Backare quoth Mortimer to his sow.  
The boar shall back first (quoth she) I make a vow.    

Of fleabiting. cxcv.  

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

The brecheles master. cxcvi.  

The master weareth no breech, than I protest,  
The master is a girl, a boy, or a best.    

Of meat and sauce. cxcvii.  

Sweet meat will have sour sauce, to this reason feat,  
join this conversion sour sauce will have sweet meat.  
Thus sourness and sweetness, the one and tother,  
In fear of the tone, we hope of the t'other.   

Otherwise.  
Sweet meat will have sour sauce, where that is seen,  
As good lack that meat, as have that sauce, I ween.    

Of proffered service. cxcviii.  

Proferde service stynkth, thou art deceived else,  
Thy proferde service stynkth not, thou stynkst thyself.   

Otherwise.  
Proferde service stynkth. more fool thou to proffer it,  
Thou shouldest season thy service ere thou offer it.    

Of cowmune meddlers. cxcix.  

He that meddleth with all thing, may shoe the gosling▪  
If all such meddlers were set to goose shoeing:  
No goose need go barfote between this and grease,  
For so: we should have as many goose shooers as geese.    

Of enough and a feast. cc.  

As good enough as a feast. ye god save it:  
Enough were even as good. if we might have it.   

Otherwise.  
As good enough as a feast.  
This for a truth say most and least.  
But what enough is justly meant,  
And with enough to be content,  
Those are two points that few or none,  
Can learn to know, and stand upon.   
FINIS.    

¶ THE TABLE OF THE third hundredth.  

Of plain fashyn. i.  
Of him that cometh last. two.  
Of striving. iii.  
Of sitting. iiii.  
Of writing to friends. v.  
Of great clerks. vi.  
Of killing. seven.  
Of falsehood. viii.  
Of bleeding. ix.  
Of seeing. x.  
Of ills. xi.  
Of pepper. xii.  
Of an ill stake. ciii.  
Of soff●ans. xiiii.  
Of mysreckning. xv.  
Of even reckoning. xvi.  
Of taking. xvii.  
Of mum. xviii.  
Of stopping a mouth. nineteen.  
Of casting. two.  
Of Jack. xxi.  
Of the winking cat. xxii.  
Of saying nay. xxiii.  
Of the pie and crow. xxiiii.  
Of saying nowght but mum. xxv.  
Of tongue and wit. xxvi.  
Of own. xxvii.  
Of spinning. xxviii.  
Of laughing. xxix.  
Of playing. thirty.  
Of the wind blowing. xxxi.  
Of far and nigh. xxxii.  
Of thynstep. xxxiii.  
Of small and great. xxxiiii.  
Of the keys. xxxv.  
Of provender. xxxvi.  
Of sum here and there. xxxvii.  
Of the parson's leman. xxxviii.  
Of ill weed. xxxix.  
Of sinking. xl.  
Of good silver. xli.  
Of the proud cock. xlii.  
Of fat in the fire. xliii.  
Of bow bend. xliiii.  
Of gods being. xlv.  
Of kynsfolk. xlvi.  
Of friendship. xlvii.  
Of nothing. xlviii.  
Of poverty. xlix.  
Of ears glowing. l.  
Of post and pillar. li.  
Of may be. lii.  
Of use. liii.  
Of spurning. liv.  
Of the tying the bell. lv.  
Of had I wist. lvi.  
Of dawneing. lvii.  
Of the cats eating fish. lviii.  
Of the blind. lix.  
Of the worst and vest. lx.  
Of .v. eggs. lxi.  
Of climbing. lxii.  
Of the weigh. lxiii.  
Of waiting. lxiiii.  
Of Rhyme. lxv.  
Of fishing. lxvi.  
Of good. lxvii.  
Of the hot Irons. lxviii.  
Of the purse. liix.  
Of many hands. lxx.  
Of the loath stake. lxxi.  
Of having. lxxii.  
Of counsel. lxxiii.  
Of Rome. lxxiiii.  
Of speech. lxxv.  
Of one had in the wind. lxxvi.  
Of one ill shod. lxxvii.  
Of all and nought. lxxviii.  
Of warning. lxxix.  
Of birds flown. lxxx.  
Of leavyage. lxxxi.  
Of settyn●e in fo●e. lxxxii.  
Of fast binding. lxxxiii.  
Of kap. lxxxiiii.  
Of time. lxxxv.  
Of the fat hog. lxxxvi.  
Of bale and boot. lxxxvii.  
Of sows. lxxxviii.  
Of making a cross. lxxxix.  
Of a pad. xc.  
Of long standing. cci.  
Of the weak. xcii.  
Of catching. xciii.  
Of holding. xciiii.  
Of knowledge. xcv.  
Of smelling. xcvi.  
Of nowght layed down. xcvii.  
Of sight of face. xcviii.  
Of the pot not broken. xcix.  
Of late and never. C.   
FINIS. I. H.   


Of plain fashyn. i.  

THe plain fashyn is best, what plain without pleates  
That fashyn commendth the calf when it bleats.   

Otherwise.  
The plain fashyn in best, and accepted best  
In things that please hearers but not in the rest.   

Otrhewyse.  
The plain fashyn is best, that's truly expressed  
Where fashyners of plain fashyns are honest.    

Of him that cometh last. two.  

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

Otherwise.  
He that cometh last make all fast  
Who shall make him fast that cometh last.    

Of striving. iii.  

He striveth against the stream, by custums school  
That striver is either a fish or a fool.    

Of sitting. iiii.  

Better sit still then rise and fall  
If all fail ye may hang when ye shall.    

Of writing to friends. v.  

Ye may write to your friends that ye are in health  
Who may write to his friends that he is in wealth.    

Of great Clerks: vi.  

The greatest clerks be not the wisest men  
Be smaule lernd or unlernd fools wisest then.    

Of killing. seven.  

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

Of Falsehood. viii.  

There is falsehood in fellowship, there is so  
The fellowship is small else as the world doth go:   

Otherwise.  
There is falsehood in fellowship, no wander  
Falsehood and fellowship are ceil a sunder.    

Of Bleeding. ix.  

Here lieth all and bleadth, all, that's false and foolish,  
Thou never sawst blood bleed out of a stokfysh.    

Of saying. x.  

Seest me and seest me not, both one thing for sooth  
As good unseen as seen whose sight no good doth.    

Of Ils. xi.  

Of two Ills chose the least, of ills many  
The least is to great to choose any.   

Otherwise.  
Of two Ills choose the least, may we choose ills now,  
Thoose on choosers the like choice never had you.    

Of Pepper. xii.  

Thou tak'st pepper in the nose, and yet thy nose,  
Lookth not black like pepper, but red like the rose.   

Otherwise.  
Thou tak'st pepper in the nose which needeth not,  
Thy nose without pepper is fiery red what.   

Otherwise.  
Thou tak'st pepper in the nose which so sesend  
Shewth thy nose better sesond then thy head reson●d.    

Of An ill stake. xiii.  

An ill stake that can not stand one year in a hege  
If the stake self fail, the stake is as ye allege  
But if stake stoobbers will not let staks stand  
Blame not the stake, blame the stake stoobers' hand.    

Of suffrance. xiiii.  

Suffrans is no quyrtans, but suffering to long,  
Showth much like a quyttans in sustring of wrong.    

Of Mysreckning. xv.  

Mysrekning is no payment, yes as doth fall  
In sum reckners, mysreckning is payment all.   

Otherwise.  
Mysreckning is no payment, to avoid that,  
Sum decters with their creditors reckon nat.    

Of Even Reckoning. xvi.  

even reckoning maketh long friends  
Do reckoning maketh many fiends.    

Of Taking. xvii.  

I will take as falleth in the sheaf, where ever it fall  
In the sheaf or out of the sheaf thou tak'st all.    

Of Mum. xviii.  

Mum is council in every man we see  
But mum except, nothing is council in thee.    

Of stopping a mouth. nineteen.  

He shall not stop my mouth, no Nan I think that  
I believe all the devils in hell stopth it nat.    

Of Casting. xx.  

He is cast in his own turn, that is likely  
And yet in all turns he turneth wonders quikly.    

Of jack. xxi.  

He is jack out of office, curtsy withdraw  
jack once out of office all hail jack daw.    

Of the wynking Cat. xxii.  

Let the cat wink and let the mouse run, run mice  
Or else the cat's claws will catch you at a tryse.   

Otherwise.  
Let the cat wink and let the mouse run, run rats  
Smaule holes heap smaule mice from wily winking cats.   

Otherwise.  
Let the cat wink and let the mouse run, creep mouse creep  
Run not before cats that wink more than they stepe.    

Of saying Nay. xxiii.  

Say nay and take it, ye say nay and take it  
But say nay or say ye never forsake it.   

Otherwise.  
Say nay and take it, here me say this othing  
Say neither ye nor nay, take't and say nothing.    

Of the pie and crow. xxiiii.  

Not to high for the pie nor to low for the crow  
high pies made low crows we have juowe I trow.    

Of saying nought but mum. xxv.  

I will say nought but mum  
Thou show'st the more wit sum.   

Otherwise.  
I will say nought but mum, that I beseech.  
Mum hath a grace in the far more than speech.    

Of Tongue and wit. xxvi.  

Thy tongue runth before thy wit, that's no rash race  
For so may it run, running but a snail pace.    

Of Own. xxvii.  

Own is own  
where's own known.   

Otherwise.  
Own is own, these words I speak with eyes weeping:  
For all mine own is in other men's keeping.  
But good is that eyches where it is heap  
That from thowner by no means can be keep.    

Of spinning. xxviii.  

She hath spun a fair thread, which showth in deed  
That a fowl spinner may spin a fair thread.    

Of laughing. xxix.  

They lawgh that win, falsely to win and keep  
Wynners' may lawgh when they have cause to weep.   

Otherwise.  
They lawgh that win, by theft to win and keep  
thieves at stealing lawgh, thieves at hanging weep.    

Of Pleyinge. thirty.  

He pleyth best that wyns, that deny I will  
Many pleyers win much that play very ill.   

Otherwise.  
Be pleyth best that wyns, there is a lie running  
Many win much, much more by hap then cunning.    

Of the wind blowing. xxxi.  

Let this wind over blow, when over blow  
This wind will over blow us first I crow.    

Of for and nigh. xxxii.  

I have seen as far come as ny, come no near  
The serder thou art hence the bectyr is it here.    

Of thynstep. xxxiii.  

He is high in thynstep, his steps may be high,  
But to step in good steps he stepth nothing nigh.    

Of smaule and great, xxxiiii.  

Many small make a great, and sum great made small,  
Thou hadst great good manners, and thou haste none at all.    

Of the keys. xxxv.  

The keyse hang not all by one man's girdle, no  
Every hey hath a clog, who would be clogged so.    

Of provender. xxxvi.  

His provender prykth him, prick him godsforbod  
What is his provender, pins by lykesyhod.   

Otherwise.  
His provender prykth him, where grew that corn.  
Pryking provender as ill as boats borne.   

Otherwise.  
His provender prykth him, that horse must need stur  
Prikt, with in with provender, without with spur.    

Of sum here and there. xxxvii.  

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

Of the Persons leman. xxxviii.  

She is as tendyr as a persons leman,  
Pations lemons are tough enough now and than.    

Of ill weed. xxxix.  

Ill weed growth fast, it groweth fast in deed  
The corn can scantly grow for the weed.   

Otherwise.  
Ill weed growth fast, that is showing  
In the show of thy fast growing.    

Of Syncking. xl.  

He shall sink in his own sin, ye when he synkth  
But he steetth in his own sin yet me thinketh.    

Of good silver. xli.  

She thinketh her farthing good fyluer. but trust me  
She is quick silver what ever her farthing be.    

Of the proud Cock. xlii.  

Every cock is proud on his own dounghyll  
The hen is proud enough there mark who will.    

Of fat in the fire. xliii.  

The fat is in the fire, that is a shroud turn  
Cast the lean after, fat and lean let all burn.    

Of bow bend. xliiii.  

I have the bent of his bow, that I know  
What bolts shoot'st thou from that bow, fools bolts I trow    

Of gods being. xlv.  

God is where he was. ye but so art not thou  
Thou were abroad late and art in newgate now.    

Of kinsfolk. xlvi.  

Many kinsfolk few friends  
Few friends and many fiends.    

Of Friendship, xlvii.  

A friend is never known till a man have need  
Nor then neither for any I know in deed.    

Of Nothing. xlviii.  

Where nothing is the king must lose his right  
Where allthing is there right is lost by might.    

Of Poverty. xlix.  

poverty partth fellowship, that's not true ever  
Poverty in beggars partth fellowship never.    

Of Ears glowing. l.  

Thine ears may glow, lets see whether they glow jon  
I lie thine ears can not glow for thou hast non.    

Of Post and Pillar. li.  

Tossed from post to pillar, thou art a pillar strong  
And thou hast been a pillar sum say to louge.    

Of may be. lii.  

Be as be may is no baning  
But be as be shall hath much scanning.    

Of Use. liii.  

Use maketh mastery, that is a true tale to tell  
In that use hath made the pick a purse so well.    

Of Spurning. liv.  

Folly to spurn or kyck against the hard wall  
Being shod with eakebread, that spurner march all.   

Otherwise.  
Folly to spurn or kyck against the hard wall  
But against soft walls spucuers spurn and kyck all.    

Of tying the bell. lv.  

Who shall tie the bell about the cat's neck how,  
Not I quoth the mouse, for a thing that I know.    

Of had I wist. lvi.  

Beware of had I wist wife, oh man 'tis to late  
To beware thereof syus thou were my wedded mate.    

Of Dauncying. lvii.  

He dauncth atendaunce, are atendantes dancing,  
Then have we much dancing with small avaunsing.    

Of the eat eating fish. lviii.  

The cat would eat fish: but she will not wet her feet  
She thinketh flesh with day feet more sweet than fish with weet.    

Of the blind. lix.  

The blind eath many a fly, that we find  
The●ly where carvers to the blind are blind.    

Of the worst and best. lx.  

provide for the worst, the best will save itself  
For that saving side thou art a suetyll elf.  
Of all kinds of things thou hast proushin priest  
For thy neighbour the worst, for thyself the best.    

Of. v. eggs. lxi.  

He cometh in with his .v. eggs, what egg to call  
Hen eggs, goose eggs, or duck eggs, nay daws eggs al.    

Of dyming. lxii.  

He that never clymbd never fell, sum men climb  
For dovys nests and find daws nests sum time.    

Of the weigh. lxiii.  

It is out of my weigh, so it lightly mey  
To all good things thy weigh is owce of the weigh.    

Of waiting, lxiiii.  

He waytyth for the moan shine in the water  
Such waiting such wykning that's a meet matter.    

Of Rhyme. lxv  

It may rhyme but it acordth not, cordth not will  
Beware of 'cording rhymes those rhymes agree ill.    

Of fishing. lxvi.  

It is ill fishing before the net  
Wurs fishing behind as nets are set.    

Of good, lxvii.  

He knoweth none end of his good, mark his winning  
He knoweth of his good none end, nor beginning.    

Of the hot Iron. lxviii.  

When the Iron is hot strike, strike hot Iron and steel.  
But gold or silver to strike we have no deal.    

Of the Purse, lxix.  

Thy purse is thread bare, we see on the out side  
And more bare on the in side when both sides are tried.    

Of many Hands, lxx.  

Many hands make light work, many hands ye mark  
Ye must say thus. many light hands make light work.   

Otherwise.  
Many hands make light work, no work is find the  
Thou canst not work thy hands be bound behind the.    

Of the loath flake. lxxi,  

The loath stake standth long, we have many loath stakes  
Each stake wellnigh to other itself, loath makes.   

Otherwise.  
The loath stake standth long, in some place, but some hand  
Pluckth up all stakes, suffering no stake long to stand.    

Of Having, lxxii.  

Better to have then wish, nay ye may so crave,  
That better to wish ten times then once to have.   

Otherwise.  
Better to have then wish, not always cousin  
What if ye rashly wysht stripes now a dosyn.   

Otherwise.  
Better to have then wish. better have as we have  
Then to have at wish all that wyshers would crave.    

Of Council. lxxiii.  

Three may keep council if twain be away  
But one fool doth oft his own council bewray.   

Otherwise.  
Three may keep council if twain be away  
Sum women I here say, that saying denay.    

Of Rome. lxxiiii.  

Rome was not built on one day, that is well known  
Nor in one day Rome will not be overthrown.  
For where Rome semd pulled down in one day brother  
There is Rome set up again in an other.    

Of Speech. lxxv.  

Spare to speak spare to speed  
Doom men win nought in deed  
And speech as speech may fall  
May win nought, and leesde all.    

Of one had in the wind. lxxvi.  

I have him in the wind, well sir is it your mind  
To have him in the wind, or hang him in the wind.    

Of one ill shod. lxxvii.  

Who is worse shod than is the shoemakers wife  
The devils wife, she was never shod in her life.    

Of all and nought. lxxviii.  

He would all have and nought for go, no,  
He may all forego and nought have so,    

Of warning. lxxix.  

I gave him scarborow warning, scarborow  
That warning ca●● short to bring good harborough.    

Of birds flown. lxxx.  

The birds are flown, that birds nest was ill watched  
Birds wings ons full summed birds will hardly he cache   

Otherwise.  
The birds are flown, flown that flight no wonder brings  
Birds may soon ●e where byrders clip no birds wings.    

Of leaving. lxxxi.  

Leave it or it leave you, leave what folly,  
He can never leave it nor it him wholly.    

Of setting in foot. lxxxii.  

He hath set in foot, things by wit to be sped  
His foot shall do secuyce as good as his head.   

Otherwise.  
I will set in foot, friend thou mayst set in fit  
Foot hand & head but thou canst set in no wit.    

Of fast binding. lxxxiii.  

Fast bind fast find, nay thou wear prentice fast bound  
And yet ranst thou a way where thou couldst not be found.    

Of Hap. lxxxiiii.  

Happy man happy dolt, so say sick and hole,  
But good hap is dainty, most men have field good dole.   

Otherwise.  
Happy man happy dolt, hap is full of holes,  
Hap catcheth and holdeth very few doles.    

Of Time. lxxxv.  

Take time when time cometh, we are oft-times told of it,  
But when time cometh yet can we take no hold of it.   

Otherwise.  
Take time when time cometh, asay to be hold of it,  
But slipper as an eels tail is the hold of it.   

Otherwise.  
Take time when time cometh are we set time to take?  
Beware time, in mean time, take not us in brake,   

Otherwise.  
Take time when time cometh, when time cometh thou sayst well  
But when cometh good time to take, I can not tell.    

Of the fat hog. lxxxvi.  

Every man basteth the fat hog, nay friend nay,  
Mast faylth sore this year fat hogs pine away.   

Otherwise.  
Every man bastyth the fat hog, 'tis agreed  
That those hogs shall have most help that have least need.    

Of the bale and boot. lxxxvii.  

When bale is hekst, boot is next, though boot be nigh.  
What helpeth boot, where bale is ever most high.    

Of Sows. lxxxviii.  

As meet as asowe to bear a saddle john.  
A sow to bear a saddle, we have seen none,  
But though sows bear no saddles yet may we say  
We see saddles bear sows well nigh every day.    

Of making a Cross. lxxxix.  

I will make a cross upon this gate, ye cross on  
Thy crosses be one gates all, in thy purse none.    

Of a pad. xc.  

It will breed apad in the straw, very weele,  
Beware it breed not a padlock on thy heel.    

Of long standing. xci.  

Long standing and small offering maketh poor parsons,  
Long wayghting and small wages maketh poor garsons.    

Of the weaker. xcii.  

The weaker goth to the pot, ye, and god wots,  
Sum the weaker for oft going to the pot.    

Of catching. xciii.  

Catch that catch may, after catching and snatching,  
pilling and polling, we fall now to patching.    

Of Holding. xciiii.  

Hold fast when ye have it, if it be not thine,  
Hold fast and run fast when thou hast it friend mine.    

Of Knowledge. xcv.  

I know him as well as the beggar knoweth his bag.  
Thou know'st him, but when wilt thou know thyself wag.    

Of Smelling. xcvi.  

I smelled him out, further than he might smell thee.  
The smeller of smellers then, thou art even he.    

Of nought laid down. xcvii.  

Nought lay down nought take up. well said,  
Nought lie down nought rise up. well weighed.    

Of sight and fare. xcviii.  

Ye see your fare, a very strange fare to see,  
A blind man may see our fare as well as we.    

Of the Pot not broken. xcix,  

Neither pot broken nor water spylt, water  
Thou spilst none, but thou spylst all other matter.    

Of late and never. C.  

Better late than never, ye mate,  
But as good never as to late.   

Otherwise.  
Better late than never.  
That is not true ever,  
Sum things to rule in rate.  
Better never then late.   
FINIS.