Proverbs about religion, the Church, or that mention God. Some of these are rather profane or rude.
[Abbe & convent ce n'est qu'un; mais la bourse se garde en divers lieux:] [Prov.] An Abbot and Couent though but one bodie haue seuerall mindes, ends, or meanes.
[`A grand pecheur esclandre:] [Prov.] [Great shame is the great sinners meed.]
[`A grand pecheur esclandre:] [Prov.] Great sinners euer come to shame.
[`A grand pecheur esclandre:] [Prov.] [Shame is the lot of sinne.]
[Aile d'ange, & voix de Diable:] [Prov.] An Angels wing, and deuils voice (the stile of a Peacocke.)
[A main lavé e Dieu mande la repeuë:] [Prov.] God sends his blessings to cleane hands, and hearts.
[`A main lavé e Dieu mande la repeuë:] [Prov.] [God sends th'vpright all necessarie food.]
[`A main lavé e Dieu mande la repeuë:] [Prov.] [The heauens powre downe their blessings on th'vpright.]
[`A Noel au perron, à Pasques au tison:] [Prov.] [At Christmas in the Sunne, at Easter by the fire.]
[`A Noel au perron, à Pasques au tison:] [Prov.] [At Christmas in the Sunne, at Easter by the fire (you must warme you.)]
[`A Noel au perron, à Pasques au tison:] [Prov.] [At Christmas warme thee in the Sunne, at Easter by the fire.]
[`A pere, à maistre, à Dieu tout puissant, nul ne peut rendre l'equivalent:] [Prov.] [No man can doe ynough for his father, maister, and Maker.]
[Apres la poire le vin, ou le prestre:] [Prov.] [After a (cold) Peare either drinke wine to concoct it, or send for the Priest to confesse you.]
[Apres la poire le vin, ou le prestre:] [Prov.] [After a (cold) Peare Wine, or the Priest.]
[Apres la poire le vin, ou le prestre:] [Prov.] [After a peare wine, or the Priest.]
[Apres Pasques, & Rogation, fy de Prestre; & d'oignon:] [Prov.] [After the weeke of Easter, and Rogation, a Priest, and Onyons are abhomination.]
[Apres Pasques, & Rogation, fi de prestre, & d'oignon:] [Prov.] [(Belike because in hot weather, which comes quickly after, they stinke both alike.)]
[`A qui Dieu veut aider sa femme luy meurt:] [Prov.] The wife of him whom God will helpe soone dyes.
[`A toile ordie Dieu mande le fil:] [Prov.] [God furthers their indeauors that take paines.]
[`A toile ourdie Dieu mande le fil:] [Prov.] [God helps them forward that haue well begun;] or, begin to helpe they selfe, and God will helpe thee: some expound it otherwise of helpe sent (when the vse of it is past) when a businesse is dispatched.
[`A toile ourdie dieu mande le fil:] [Prov.] God works begun enables vs to follow.
[`A toile ourdie dieu mande le fil:] [Prov.] The worke thats well begunne God helpes to end; or, beginne thy worke, and God will helpe to end it.
[Au patient demeurent les terres:] [Prov.] [The iust shall inherit the land (sayes the Psalmist.)]
[Bonne lai mort qui nous donne la vie:] [Prov.] [Good is the death which brings vs vnto life; Gods fauour's great not to repriue such as end well, and die to liue.]
[Chasque demain apporte son pain:] [Pro.] (So mercifully doth God prouide for his creatures.)
[Chasque demain apporte son pain:] [Prov.] [God so prouides for all his creatures, that they need not care much for the morrow.]
[Contre peché est vertu medecine:] [Pro.] [Vertue's a salue gainst sinne.]
[Contre peché est vertu medecine:] [Prov.] [Vertue is a salue for sinne.]
[Contre peché est vertu medecine:] [Prov.] [Vertuous must he be who of sinne cur'd will be;] or, let him, that of sinne would recouer, to vertue recourse.
[De court plaisir long repentir:] [Prov.] [For a short pleasure long repentance.]
[De jeune Angelot vieux diable:] [Prov.] We say, a young Saint an old diuell.
[De prescheur qui se recommande en tout temps bon heur nous defende:] [Prov.] [From begging Preachers fortune still defend vs.]
[De Prescheur qui se recommande en tout temps bon heur nous defende:] [Prov.] [From Preachers who themselues commend, God, and good fortune vs defend.]
[De qui ie me fie dieu me garde:] [Pro.] [(For, in trust is Treason, say we.)
[Dieu donne biens & boeuf, mais ce n'est pas par la corne:] [Prov.] God giues things plentifully and without perill.
[Dieu donne le froid selon le drap:] [Prov.] God sends his cooth according to their cloth; viz: such afflictions as he knowes them able to beare.
[Dieu sç ait qui est bon pelerin:] [Prov.] God knowes the hearts of Pilgrims.
[Dieu sç ait qui est bon pelerin:] [Prov.] [God knowes who's a good Pilgrim; the hearts of Pilgrims are best knowne to God.]
[D'un vilain refaict Dieu nous garde:] [Prov.] [From a churle growne rich good Lord deliuer vs.]
[En hyver par tout pleut; en esté là ou dieu veut:] [Prov.] In Winter it raines all ouer, in Summer but some where.
[En hyver par tout pleut, en Esté là ou Dieu veut:] [Prov.] [Raine falls in Winter euerie where, in summer onely by fauour; (somewhat like whereunto is;)] [Là ou Dieu veut il pleut:]
[En petite maison Dieu a grand part:] [Prov.] [God hath a great share in a small house.]
[En petite maison dieu a grand part:] [Prov.] In a little mansion God hath a great portion.
[En peu d'heure dieu labeure:] [Pro.] God quickly does what he will doe.
[En peu d'heure Dieu labeure:] [Prov.] [God workes his will in a small while.]
[Et plus a le diable, & plus veut avoir:] [Prov.] The more the diuell hath the more he would; [(And herein, as in most points else, the greedie scrape-good humors him.)]
[Evesque d'or crosse de bois, crosse d'or Evesque de bois:] [Prov.] The lesse a Bishops staffe, the more his vertue, shines; pompe first corrupted Prelacie.
[Fiens de chien, & marc d'argent seront tout vn au iour de iugement:] [Prov.] [All will be one at the later day (say we.)]
[Homme mort mord iusques, & par delà la mort:] [Prov.] [The bloud of the innocent cryes vnto God for vengeance, pursuing vnto, and stinging after, death the conscience of a murtherer: Howsoeuer some may flatter themselues with;] [Homme mort ne mord pas:] [Prov.] [A dead man;] [(or as we say], a dead dog) bites not.
[Homme ne cognoist mieux la malice que l'Abbé qui a esté moine:] [Prov.] [There is no knaue to the Abbot that hath beene a Monke;] or no man knowes how to play the knaue better then he.
[Il est povre qui de Dieu est hay:] [Prov.] [Wretched is he who is abhord of God.]
[Il est povre qui est de Dieu haï:] [Prov.] [Poore is the man whom God abhorres.]
[Il est riche que Dieu aime:] [Prov.] [Rich is the man whom God affects.]
[Il ne perd rien qui ne perd dieu:] [Prov.] Hee looses nothing that keepes God his friend.
[Il ne perd rien qui ne perd Dieu:] [Prov.] [Hee that keepes God to friend can nothing loose.]
[Il n'est envie que de moine:] [Prov.] [No enuie like a Monkes.]
[La guerre est la feste des morts:] [Prov.] [Warre is deathes holy-day.]
[La paix est la feste de tous Saincts:] [Prov.] [Peace is all holy mens holy-day.]
[Le diable n'est pas tousiours à vn huis:] [Prov.] The diuell is not alwaies at one dore; he tempts, and attempts, men sundrie wayes.
[Le diable n'est pas tousiours à vn huis:] [Prov.] [The diuell is not euer at one doore.]
[Le loup alla à Rome, & y laissa de son poil, mais rien de ses coustumes:] [Prov.] The Wolfe went vnto Rome, and there left part of his coat, but none of his ill conditions, behind him.
[Le loup alla à Rome, & y laissa de son poil, & rien de ses coustumes:] [Prov.] [No place can alter an inueterate lewdnesse.]
[Le regnard est devenu hermite:] [Prov.] [The Fox an Hermit is become, (beware your Geese good huswiues) appliable also, when a craftie or naughtie fellow reformes himselfe, and growes truely religious.]
[Le Regnard est devenu hermite:] [Prov.] [The Fox doth preach (beware your Geese.)]
[Le Retour de Matines:] [Prov.] [A mischiefe done in the darke, or at vnawares; (from the customes of Friers, who commonly make choyce of that obscure season, for the surprising, and thumping of their hated companions; which hath bred another Prouerbe; viz.] [Il n'y a rien tant à craindre que le retour de matines.)] {needsdef}
[Le sainct de la ville n'est point oré:] [Prov.] [Men least respect their owne, or that they are vsed to; our well-knowne patrons are the least implored.]
[Le sainct de la ville n'est point oré:] [Prov.] [The townes peculiar Saint is not prayed to; for helpe that may be had at home we care not.]
[Le Sainct de la ville n'est point oré:] [Prov.] [We seldome craue the helpe of our owne Patron.]
[Les vertus surmontent les signes:] [Prov.] [Worth exceedeth wonders; example preuailes more then a signe to the conuersion of a sinner.]
[Le vent, la tempeste, & l'orage, monstrent du nocher le courage:] [Prov.] [The wind and tempest being outragious, trie whether the Pilot be couragious.]
[Le vent, la tempeste, & l'orage monstrent du nocher la courage.] [Pro.] [Crosses are the touchstones of courage.]
[Le ventre emporte la teste:] [Prov.] [Said of Apostatoes, who in hope of ease and preferment abandon a knowne truth; said also of those, who aboue all things respect their bellies; or by an excessiue diet ruine, or dull, their vnderstandings.]
[Le ventre emporte la teste:] [Prov.] [Th'appetite often ouerrules the wit;]
[Le ventre emporte la teste:] [Prov.] [The bellie ouerbeares the head;]
[L'habit ne fait pas le moine:] [Pro.] [The Cowle makes not the Monke; euerie one is not a souldier that weares armor; nor euerie one a scholler thats clad in blacke.]
[L'habit ne fait pas le moine:] [Prov.] [Tis not the habit (but the heart) that makes a man religious.]
[Mestier n'avons d'hardi prestre:] [Prov.] [We haue no need of a couragious Priest; valour's a needlesse vertue in a Church-man.]
[On ne doit point querir brebis qui se veut perdre:] [Pro.] [The sheepe which will be lost must not be lookt for.]
[On ne doit point querir brebis qui se veut perdre:] [Prov.] [A wilfull sinner must not be reclaimd.]
[On se lasse de bien chanter:] [Prov.] The best contentments breed sacietie.
[On se saoule bien de manger tartes:] [Prov.] [A man may take too much of a good thing.]
[On se saoule bien de manger tartes:] [Prov.] [Sweets quickly breed sacietie.]
[Pasques long temps desiré es sont en vn iour tost passées:] [Prov.] [The long-desired Passeouer is in a day past ouer.]
[Pendant que les chiens s'entregrondent le loup devore la brebis:] [Prov.] [Church-mens contention is the diuels haruest.]
[Pendant que les chiens s'entregrondent le loup devore la brebis:] [Prov.] While Churchmen brabble, Satan feeds on soules.
[Peu, & paix don de Dieu:] [Prov.] [A little with peace is a great blessing.]
[Peu & paix est don de Dieu:] [Pro.] [A little with quietnesse is Gods owne gift.]
[Pour devenir bien tost riche il faut tourner le dos à Dieu:] [Prov.] [He that will soone grow rich must God renounce.]
[Pour devenir bien tost riche il faut tourner le dos à dieu:] [Prov.] The way to grow soone rich is, to forsake religion.
[Pour vn moine ne faut Convent:] [Prov.] [For one Monke needs no Monasterie.]
[Pour vn Moine ne faut convent:] [Prov.] One onely Monke deserues not an Abbey; or, one Swallow makes not a Summer.
[Pour vn poil Martin perdit son asne:] [Pro.] [The punishment, or taxation of those that vpon a small occasion enter into a great contention; as this poore man did, who laying a wager that his asse was all white, was shewed a blacke haire on him, and so, like an asse, lost his asse, which was the wager.]
[Pour vn poinct Martin perdit son asne:] [Prov.] A small omission, or error may turne a man to much preiudice;
[Pour vn poinct Martin perdit son Asne:] [Prov.] [(This Martin being Abbot of a Cloister called Asellus, and setting ouer the Gate thereof, Porta patens esto nulli claudaris honesto, was depriued of his Place for putting a Comma after the word nulli.)]
[Pres de l'Eglise est souvent loing de Dieu.] [Prov.] The neerer to the Church, the further from God; (say we.)
[Quand la Messe fut chanté e si fut la dame paré e:] [Prov.] [By that time Masse was done, her Ladiship was dressed.]
[Quand la Messe fut chanté e, si fut la Dame paré e:] [Prov.] By that time Prayers were done her tiers were on.
[Quand la messe fut chanté e, si fut la Dame paré e:] [Prov.] [When prayers were ended, Madame ends her pranking.]
[Quand tous peché s sont vieux avarice est encore ieune:] [Prov.] [When all sinnes else be old is auarice young.]
[Quand tous peché s sont vieux avarice est encores ieune:] [Prov.] The loue of wealth continues yong when all sinnes else grow old.
[Qui avec son seigneur mange poires il ne choisist pas des meilleures:] [Pro.] [He that eates peares with his Lord either cannot, or should not, pick such as he likes.]
[Qui avec son seigneur mange poires il ne choisit pas des meilleures:] [Pro.] [He that eates Peares with his Lord picks none of the best; (Therefore let him that will eat well eat with his equall.)]
[Qui bien fera bien se trouvera:] [Pro.] [We say of one that does a good and charitable deed,] He will find it in another world.
[Qui bien fera bien trouvera:] [Prov.] He that does well shall speed well.
[Qui bien fera bien trouvera:] [Prov.] Well thriues he that does well; or he that does well cheeues well.
[Qui bien se cognoist peu se prise, qui peu se prise Dieu l'avise:] [Prov.] Who knowes himselfe himselfe despises, the selfe-despiser God aduises.
[Qui bien se cognoit peu se prise, qui peu se prise Dieu l'avise.] [Pro.] [He that himselfe knowes well, himselfe despises, the selfe-despiser God heeds, and aduises.]
[Qui bien se mire bien se void; Qui bien se void bien se cognoist; Qui bien se cognoist peu se prise; Qui peu se prise Dieu l'avise:] [Prov.] {notdef}
[Qui Dieu quite est bien heureux:] [Prov.] [Happie is he whom God absolues.]
[Qui ie sois officier au moins d'un moulin:] [Prov.] [Let me be an Officer though it be but of a Mill: make the King an Officer, and he will soone grow rich; (quoth an old Preacher in Edward the sixts time.)]
[Qui langue a à Rome va:] [Prov.] [He that can speake may trauell any way.]
[Qui langue a à Rome va:] [Prov.] [He that knowes what, and when, to speake, may trauell any whither.]
[Qui n'a argent en bourse ait du moins du mel en bouche:] [Prov.] He that cannot pay let him pray.
[Qui n'a argent en bourse, ait du moins du miel en bouche:] [Prov.] [He that hath not meanes to pay, at least must frame his mouth to pray.]
[Qui n'a argent en bourse ait du moins du miel ou bouche:] [Prov.] Let him that cannot spend freely speake faire.
[Qui peut, & n'empesche, peche:] [Prov.] He sinnes, that may, and will not, hinder euill.
[Qui sert dieu il a bon maistre:] [Pro.] He that serues God, serues a good maister.
[Qui sert Dieu il a bon maistre:] [Prov.] [The seruant of God hath a good maister.]
[Qui sert le roy il a bon maistre:] [Pro.] [He that serues the King serues a good Maister;] or, he needs none else, that hath a King, to Maister.
[Qui sert le Roy il a bon maistre:] [Prov.] [No seruice to the King.]
[Qui veut apprendre à prier aille souvent sur la mer:] [Prov.] [He that will learne to pray let him goe oft to sea.]
[Qui veut apprendre à prier aille souvent sur la mer:] [Prov.] [Much danger breedes deuotion, feare of death teaches religion.]
[Qui veut la guarison du mire il luy convient tout son mal dire:] [Prov.] [He that lookes to be cur'd must all his ill discouer.]
[Qui veut la guarison du Mire, il luy convient tout son mal dire:] [Prov.] [He that would cured be must all his ill confesse.]
[Qui veut tenir nette maison, il n'y faut prestre, ny pigeon:] [Pro.] [He that in a neat house will dwell, must Priest and Pigeon thence expell.]
[Qui veut tenir nette maison il n'y faut prestre, ny pigeon:] [Pro.] [He that loues to haue a neat house must keepe neither Priest, nor Pigeon in it.]
[Qui veut tenir nette maison il n'y faut prestre ny pigeon:] [Prov.] For (we say) Priests, and Pigeons make foule houses.
[Qui voit enfant, il voit neant:] [Pro.] He that sees an infant, sees nothing (belike because it alters so quickly.)
[Qui voit enfant, il voit neant:] [Prov.] [He that an infant seeth, nothing seeth.]
[Qui voit enfant il voit neant:] [Prov.] [Man (sayes the Psalmist) being weighed vpon the balance, is lighter then nothing it selfe; what then can a child be but the nought of nothing?]
[Rien n'est bien faict que ce que Dieu parfaict:] [Prov.] & [Rien ne faict qui ne parfaict;] [Nothing's well done which God hath not a hand in.]
[Sans estre poursuivi le meschant prend la fuite:] [Prov.] [The wicked flies though no man follow him.]
[Sans estre poursuivy le meschant prend la fuite:] [Prov.] [The sinner flyes before he be pursued; selfe-guilt, though nought else, makes a sinner fly.]
[Sans estre poursuyvi le meschant prend la fuite:] [Prov.] [Selfe-guilt (if nothing else) makes sinners flie.]
[Secret de deux secret de dieu:] [Prov.] Yet wee say, that, two can keepe counsell when one is away.
[Secret de deux secret de Dieu, secret de trois secret de tous:] [Prov.] [We onely say, that three may keep counsell when two are away.]
[Secret de trois secret de tous:] [Prov.] [As good let all, as three, men know a thing.]
[Table d'Abbé; ou de Prelat:] [Pro.] [A plentifull, or well-furnished boord.]
[Tant crie on Noel qu'il vient:] [Prov.] [So long is Christmas called for that it comes; a constant importunitie at length preuailes.]
[Tant crie on Noel qu'il vient:] [Prov.] [So long is Christmas cried that at length it comes;]
[Tant crie on Noel qu'il vient:] [Prov.] We call so oft on Christmas, that at length it comes.
[Tel pot tel couvercle:] [Pro.] [Such pot such couer; like will to like, quoth the Diuell to the Collier.]
[Tel pot tel couvercle:] [Prov.] Such pot such pot-lid, like maister like man.
[Veau mal cuict, & poulets cruds font les cimitieres bossus:] [Prov.] [Young meat raw-drest makes churchyards grow hulch-backt.]
[Veau mal cuict, & poules creuds font les cemetieres bossus:] [Prov.] Raw veale, and chickens make fat churchyards.
[Veau mal cuict, & poules cruds font les cimitieres bossus:] [Pro.] Raw Veale, and Chickens make fat churchyards.
[Veau mal cuict, & poulets cruds, font les cimitieres bossus:] [Prov.] [Raw veale, and chickens, make swelling Churchyards.]
[Veau mal cuit, & poulets cruds font les cimitieres bossus:] [Prov.] [Raw veale, and chickens fill churchyards.]
[Vieil peché fait nouvelle honte:] [Prov.] [Old sinne inflicts new shame.]
[Vieux peché fait nouvelle honte:] [Prov.] [Old sinne begets new shame.]
[Vn bon pape est vn meschant homme:] [Pro.] [A good Pope is a wicked man.]
[Vn Espagnol sans Iesuite est vne perdris sans orange:] [Prov.] A Spaniard without a Jesuite is (wee may say) cheese without mustard.
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