[Canterbury Tales continued. That he is gentil that doth gentil dedis. The Wif of Bathes Tale. Line 6752. This flour of wifly patience. The Clerkes Tale. Pars v. Line 8797. Fie on possession, But if a man be vertuous withal. The Frankeleines Prologue. Line 10998. Mordre wol out, that see we day by day. The Nonnes Preestes Tale. Line 15058. The firste vertue, sone, if thou wilt lere, For of fortunes sharpe adversite, Troilus and Creseide. Book iii. Line 1625. One eare it heard, at the other out it went. Ibid. Book iv. Line 435. The lyfe so short, the craft so long to lerne, Th' assay so hard, so sharpe the conquering. The Assembly of Foules. Line 1. For out of the old fieldes, as men saithe, Canterbury Tales continued.] Nature, the vicar of the almightie Lord. Ibid. Line 379. Of all the floures in the mede, Than love I most these floures white and rede, Soch that men callen daisies in our toun. The Legend of Good Women. Line 41. That well by reason men it call may The emprise, and floure of floures all. Ibid. Line 184. THOMAS À KEMPIS. 1380-1471. Man proposes, but God disposes.1 Imitation of Christ. Book i. Ch. 19. And when he is out of sight, quickly also is he Ibid. Book i. Ch. 23. out of mind. Of two evils, the less is always to be chosen. Ibid. Book iii. Ch. 12. 1 This expression is of much greater antiquity; it appears in the Chronicle of Battel Abbey, page 27 (Lower's Translation), and in Piers Ploughman's Vision, line 13,994. A man's heart deviseth his way; but the Lord directeth his steps. Proverbs xvi. 9. FRANCIS RABELAIS. 1495 - 1553. I am just going to leap into the dark.1 To return to our wethers.2 Motteux's Life. Book i. Ch. i. note 2. I drink no more than a sponge. Ibid. Ch. 5. Appetite comes with eating, says Angeston. Ibid. By robbing Peter he paid Paul, . . . . and hoped to catch larks if ever the heavens should fall. Book i. Ch. II. I'll go his halves. Book iv. Ch. 23. The Devil was sick, the Devil a monk would be; The Devil was well, the Devil a monk was he. Book iv. Ch. 24. THOMAS TUSSER. 1523-1580. FIVE HUNDRED POINTS OF GOOD HUSBANDRY. Time tries the troth in everything. The Author's Epistle. Ch. 1. God sendeth and giveth, both mouth and the Good Husbandry Lessons. The stone that is rolling can gather no moss. meat. Ibid. 1 Je m'en vay chercher un grand peut-estre. 2 Revenons à nos moutons, a proverb taken from the old French farce of Pierre Patelin (ed. 1762, p. 90). Better late than never.1 An Habitation Enforced. At Christmas play, and make good cheer, The Farmer's Daily Diet. Except wind stands as never it stood, A Description of the Properties of Winds. All's fish they get That cometh to net. February's Abstract. Such mistress, such Nan, Such master, such man.2 April's Abstract. 'Tis merry in hall Where beards wag all.3 August's Abstract. Look ere thou leap, see ere thou go.1 Of Wiving and Thriving. Dry sun, dry wind, Safe bind, safe find. Washing. 1 See Proverbs, page 603. 2 On the authority of M. Cimber, of the Bibliothèque Royale, we owe this proverb to Chevalier Bayard, 8 Tel maître, tel valet. Merry swithe it is in halle, When the beards waveth alle. Adam Davie, 1312, Life of Alexander. SIR EDWARD COKE. 1549-1634. The gladsome light of jurisprudence. First Institute. For a man's house is his castle, et domus sua cuique tutissimum refugium.1 Third Institute. Page 162. The house of every one is to him as his castle and fortress, as well for his defence against injury and violence, as for his repose. Semayne's Case, 5 Rep. 91. They (corporations) cannot commit treason, nor be outlawed nor excommunicate, for they have no souls. Case of Sutton's Hospital, 10 Rep. 32. MIGUEL DE CERVANTES. He had a face like a benediction. 1547-1616. Don Quixote. Part i. Book ii. Ch. 4. Every one is the son of his own works. Ibid. Book iv. Ch. 20. I would do what I pleased, and doing what I pleased, I should have my will, and having my will, I should be contented; and when one is contented, there is no more to be desired; and when there is no more to be desired, there is an end of it. Ibid. Ch. 23. 1 From the Pandects, Lib. ii. tit. iv. De in Jus vocando. |