John Heywood (1497 – 1580)
English writer known for his plays, poems, and collection of proverbs.
Lyke a pyckpurs pilgrim, ye prie and ye proule
At rouers, to rob Peter and paie Poule.
And while I at length debate and beate the bushe,
There shall steppe in other men, and catche the burdes,
And by long time lost in many vayne wurdes.
He that will not whan he may,
Whan he would, he shall haue nay.
Wolde ye bothe eate your cake, and haue your cake?
All thing is the woorse for the wearing.
It is better to be
An olde mans derlyng, than a yong mans werlyng.
A hard beginnyng makth a good endyng.
A man maie well bring a horse to the water,
but he can not make him drinke without he will.
... Be they wynners or loosers,
... beggers should be no choosers.
Throw no gyft agayne at the geuers head,
For better is halfe a lofe than no bread.
An yll wynde that blowth no man to good.
Beaten with his owne rod.
When the iron is hot, strike.
Whan the sunne shinth make hay, whiche is to say,
Take time whan time comth, lest time steale away.
Who is wurs shod, than the shoemakers wyfe,
With shops full of shoes all hir lyfe?
True (quoth Ales) thinges doone can not be vndoone,
Be they done in due tyme, to late, or to soone,
But better late than neuer to repent this,
To late (quoth my aunt) this repentance showd is,
Whan the stéede is stolne shut the stable durre.
That muche is my bowe bent to shoote at these marks,
And kyll feare, when the sky falth we shall haue larks.
The more hast the lesse speede.
All a green willow, willow,
All a green willow is my garland.
So many heads so many wits.