John Heywood (1497 – 1580)
English writer known for his plays, poems, and collection of proverbs.
The nere to the churche, the ferther from God.
Who hopeth in Gods helpe, his helpe can not starte:
Nothing is impossible to a willyng hart,
And will maie wyn my herte, herein to consent,
To take all thinges as it cometh, and be content.
Marke ye, how she hitteth me on the thombis (quoth hée)
And ye taunt me tyt ouer thumb (quoth shée)
Sens tyt for tat (quoth I) on euen hand is set.
Som thingis that prouoke young men to wed in haste,
Show after weddyng, that hast maketh waste.
... Better is to boow then breake.
It hurteth not the tounge to geue fayre wurdis.
The rough net is not the best catcher of Burdis.
Sense ye can nought wyn, if ye can not please,
Best is to suffre: For of sufferance comth ease.
She speaketh as she would créepe into your bosome.
And when the meale mouth hath woon the bottome
of your stomake, than will the pickthanke it tell
To your most enmies, you to bye and fell.
To tell tales out of schoole, that is hir great lust.
Looke what she knowth, blab it wist, out it must.
Ye set circumquaques to make me beleue
Or thinke, that the moone is made of gréene chéese.
Nought venter nought haue. spare to speake spare to spéede.
Vnknowne vnkyst. it is loste that is vnsought.
As good séeke nought (quoth I) as seeke and finde nought.
Two heddis are better then one.
Time is tickell, and out of sight out of minde.
Than catche and holde while I may, fast binde fast finde.
And also I shall to reueng former hurtis,
Hold their noses to grinstone, and syt on theyr skurtis.
Set the cart before the hors.
Children and fooles can not ly.
Ye can not sée the wood for trées.
The loss of wealth is loss of dirt,
As sages in all times assert;
The happy man's without a shirt.
This hitteth the nayle on the hed.
For whan I gaue you an ynche, ye tooke an ell.
Ka me, ka the, one good tourne askth an other.