"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."

"Throw no gyft agayne at the geuers head, For better is halfe a lofe than no bread."

"Children learne to créepe er they can learne to go."

"Rome was not built in one daie (quoth he) and yet stood Till it was finist, as some say, full faire."

"A man maie well bring a horse to the water, but he can not make him drinke without he will."

"Lyke a pyckpurs pilgrim, ye prie and ye proule At rouers, to rob Peter and paie Poule."

"... Be they wynners or loosers, … beggers should be no choosers."

"Ill wéede growth fast."

"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."

"Well aunt (quoth Ales) all is well that endes well. Ye Ales, of a good begynnyng comth a good end."

"To hold with the hare and run with the hound."

"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."

"Who waite for dead men shall goe long barefoote."

"Two heddis are better then one."

"... 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."

"The nere to the churche, the ferther from God."

"When all candels be out, all cats be grey, All thingis are then of one colour, as who sey. And this prouerbe faith, for quenching hot desyre, Foul water as soone as fayre, will quenche hot fyre."

"And also I shall to reueng former hurtis, Hold their noses to grinstone, and syt on theyr skurtis."

"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."

"That muche is my bowe bent to shoote at these marks, And kyll feare, when the sky falth we shall haue larks."

"Like will to like."

"A hard beginnyng makth a good endyng."

"Happy man, happy dole."

"So many heads so many wits."

"While betweene two stooles my taile goe to the ground."

"When the iron is hot, strike."

"Weddyng is desteny, And hangyng likewise."

"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."

"Time is tickell, and out of sight out of minde. Than catche and holde while I may, fast binde fast finde."

"The tide tarrieth no man."

"Whan the sunne shinth make hay, whiche is to say, Take time whan time comth, lest time steale away."

"Than farewell riches, the fat is in the fire, And neuer shall I to like riches aspire."

"He that will not whan he may, Whan he would, he shall haue nay."

"Looke or ye leape."

"Beaten with his owne rod."

"And once their hasty heat a little controlled, Than perceive they well, hot love soon cold. And when hasty witless mirth is mated well, Good to be merry and wise, they think and feel."

"And ones their hastie heate a littell controlde, Than perceiue they well, hotte love soone colde. And whan hasty witlesse mirth is mated weele, Good to be mery and wise, they thinke and feele."

"Som thingis that prouoke young men to wed in haste, Show after weddyng, that hast maketh waste."

"Beware of, Had I wist."

"All a green willow, willow, All a green willow is my garland."

"Let the world slide, let the world go; A fig for care, and a fig for woe! If I can't pay, why I can owe, And death makes equal the high and low."

"The loss of wealth is loss of dirt, As sages in all times assert; The happy man's without a shirt."