Fools and foolishness seem to be a pretty popular topic for Cotgrave.
[`A barbe de fol hardi rasoir:] [Prov.] The razor may boldly graze on a fooles beard.
[`A barbe de fol le rasoir est mol:] [Prov.] A foole brookes any disgrace; A foole's not sensible of any wrong.
[`A barbe de fol on apprend à raire:] [Prov.] By shauing a foole one learnes to shaue.
[`A barbe de fol on apprend à raire:] [Prov.] [By trimming fooles about the gill, a Barbers prentise learns his skill; or, by doing a thing ill one learns to doe much better; vnseemelie presidents are warnings to the wise.]
[`A bon entendeur ne faut qu'une parole:] [Pro.] The wise vnderstand a man by one word.
[`A bon entend tu ne faut qu'un demy mot:] [Prov.] [A good wit's well inform'd by halfe a Word.]
[`A bon enten-tu il ne fault qu'un demy mot:] [Prov.] A good wit needs but one word to informe it; or, a wise man pickes whole sence from halfe a word.
[A conseil de fol cloche de bois:] [Prov.] Call fooles to counsell by a woodden bell.
[`A conseil de fol cloche de bois:] [Prov.] For woodcocks counsels woodden bells.
[`A conseil de fol cloche de bois:] [Prov.] For woodden consultations woodden bells.
[`A conseil de fol cloche de bois:] [Prov.] When loggarheads consult logs serue for bells.
[`A fol avantureux n'est mestier d'avoir sens:] [Prov.] An enterprizing foole needs little wit.
[`A fol conteur sage escouteur:] [Prov.] A foolish talker had need to find a wise hearer; or, let him talke neuer so foolishly, they are wise enough that heare him.
[`A fol conteur sage escouteur:] [Prov.] While fooles doe speake wise men had need to heare.
[`A fol ne faut point de sonnette:] [Prov.] [A foole needs neither bell nor bable; his words, and actions quickly will discouer him.]
[`A fol ne faut point de sonnette:] [Prov.] (So quickly his words, and gesture tell you what he is.)
[`A la quenouille le fol s'agenouille:] [Prov.] [Fooles kneele to distaues, weake men vnto women.]
[Apres besongne faitte le fol barguigne:] [Prov.] The foole beginnes to wrangle when his worke is ended; or, When worke is ended fooles fall out about it; [(viz. for want of agreeing before hand.)]
[Apres besongne faitte le fol barguigne:] [Pro.] Wise men doe the worke, and fooles agree for it.
[Au fol la marotte:] [Prov.] [The foole would haue a bable.]
[Au fol la marotte:] [Prov.] We say also, Giue the foole his bable; or, whats a foole without a bable?
[Aux Receveurs les honneurs, & aux femmes leurs douleurs:] [Prov.] Receiuers get preferment, foolish women paine; or [(as truly for the matter)] womens paine brings them honour, Receiuers honour breedes their paine.
[`A vn fol avantureux n'est mestier d'avoir sens:] [Prov.] [A foole that is aduenturous needes not to looke about him.]
[Belle promesse fol lie:] [Prov.] [Faire promises oblige the foole; or, are no better then fopperies; (for the words fol lie equiuocate vnto folie.)]
[Bonne iourné e fait qui de fol se delivre:] [Pro.] he does an excellent dayes work that rids himselfe of a foole.
[Bonne iourné e fait qui de fol se delivre:] [Prov.] He does a good dayes worke that gets cleere of a foole.
[Bonne iourné e fait qui de fol se delivre:] [Prov.] [He does a good dayes worke that rids his hands of a foole.]
[C'est folie de manger cerises avec son seigneur:] [Prov.] No wise man will be very familier with one that is much better, or mightier than himselfe; besides, hee that eates cherries with his master gets not many good ones.
[Chasque oü eille cerche sa pareille:] [Prov.] [Euerie sheepe her mate doth seeke; fooles take no comfort but in companie.]
[Chasque oü eille cerche sa pareille:] [Prov.] [Euerie sheepe will haue his fellow; fooles hold there is no comfort but in companie.]
[Courtes folies sont les meilleures:] [Prov.] Short follies are the best; or, the best of a fond act is the shortnesse of it; or, follies the lesse while they last the more they are to be borne with.
[Courtes folies sont les meilleures:] [Prov.] [The shortest follies are the best; (and thereof may the next Prouerbe be vnderstood;)] [Le plus bref est le meilleur:] [Prov.] [The shorter the better.]
[De ce que fol pense souvent en demeure:] [Prov.] A foole comes often short of his intentions.
[De ce que fol pense souvent en demeure:] [Prov.] A foole oft finds himselfe short of his reckonings.
[De fol iuge breve sentence:] [Prov.] [A fooles boult is soone shot.]
[De fol Iuge breve sentence:] [Prov.] [The foole hath quickly vttered his thoughts;] or, the fooles award is giuen in few words.
[De sot homme sot songe:] [Prov.] [A foolish man hath foolish dreames.]
[De sot homme sot songe:] [Prov.] [The dreames of fops are but meere fopperies.]
[Deux loups mangent bien vne brebis:] [Prov.] [Two knaues with ease deuoure (or deceiue) one sillie foole.]
[Deux loups mangent bien vne brebis:] [Prov.] Two wolues can make good shift with one poore sheepe.
[Deux loups mangent bien vne brebis:] [Prov.] Two wolues deuour one sheepe with ease.
[Douces promesses obligent les fols:] [Pro.] Faire promises oblige th'improuident.
[Douces promesses obligent les fols:] [Prov.] Faire promises oblige fools; or (as our) faire words make fools faine.
[En defaut de sage le fol monte en chaire:] [Prov.] A foole, for want of wiser, steps into the roome.
[En defaut de sage monte vn fol en chaire:] [Prov.] [A foole, for want of better, doth step vp and preach; vndertakes the businesse; vndergoes the charge.]
[En larmes de fol ne se doit on fier:] [Pro.] The teares of a foole are not to be trusted.
[En larmes de fol ne se doit on fier:] [Prov.] [A fooles teares are not to be trusted.]
[Es petis sacs sont les fines espiceries:] [Pro.] [The little head a daintie wit containes.]
[Es petis sacs sont les fines espiceries:] [Prov.] The finest Spices are in little bags.
[Femme sotte se cognoist à la cotte:] [Prov.] The foolish woman's by her weeds discerned; the womans garment shewes how fond she is.
[Femme sotte se cognoist à la cotte:] [Prov.] [The robes that women doe array, their priuate fooleries bewray.]
[Fol & avoir ne se peuvent entr'avoir:] [Pro.] A foole and wealth cannot possesse each other.
[Fol est qui de son poing faict coing:] [Prov.] He is a foole that makes a wedge of his fist; [as did strong Milo; who attempting to riue assunder a great tree which lay in a forest halfe clouen, and held open with wedges, they slipping downe it closed, and inclosed his hands so fast, that he could not pull them out, but quickly became a pray vnto wild beasts; whereupon this prouerb calls any man foole, that presumes too much on his owne strength, or knowes not the right vse of his owne things.)]
[Fol est qui de son poing fait coing:] [Prov.] He is an asse that presumes too much on his owne strength, or knowes not the right vse of his owne things.
[Fol est qui est à table, & n'ose manger:] [Prov.] He is an asse that hauing wealth enough dares not vse it; or being where tis to be had, dares not put for it.
[Fol est qui est esperonné, & à cheval dit hai:] [Prov.] He is an asse that hauing sufficient, doth vse insufficient helpes.
[Fol est qui est esperonné & à cheval dit hay:] [Prov.] [The asse hauing spurres on, cries On to his horse; or he is an asse, who furnished with sound meanes, makes vse of sleight ones.]
[Fol est qui iette à ses pieds ce qu'il tient en ses mains:] [Prov.] He is an asse that throwes at his heeles what hee holds in his hands; viz. that neglects his own (whatsoeuer.)
[Fol est qui perd la chair pour les os:] [Prov.] He is an asse that looses flesh for bones; viz. that leaues important, to follow paultrie, matters.
[Fol est qui sa marotte ne cognoist, & ne la maine comme il doit:] [Prov.] [He is an asse that knowes not, and cannot rule, his owne (familie, or affections.)]
[Fol est qui se coupe de son propre cousteau:] [Pro.] He is an asse that hurts himself with his own helps; or, abuses his owne good parts to his owne destruction.
[Fol est qui se fie en eau endormie:] [Prov.] Men of a still, sad, sleepie, melancholicke disposition are not to be relyed on; for either they can doe little, or that which they doe is full of trecherie, and dissimulation.
[Fol est qui s'enyvre de sa propre bouteille:] [Prov.] Of the same sence; or, he is an asse thats besotted on his owne good parts.
[Fol ne croit iusques à tant qu'il reç oit:] [Prov.] The foole beleeues not till he do receiue (the whole fruit of his owne hopes, or of other mens promises.)
[Fol qui beaucoup desire choisit, & prend le pire:] [Prov.] The greedie foole that all would purse, by hastie choise lights on the worse.
[Fol quiert iusques au crever ce qui ne se peut trouver:] [Pro.] [(Meant especially of the Alchymist.)]
[Fol se doit nommer en face qui bien assis se desplace:] [Prov.] He should be call'd a foole to his face, that being well doth quit his place.
[Fols sont sages quand ils se taisent:] [Pro.] [Fooles are held wise as long as they are silent.]
[Fols sont sages quand ils se taisent:] [Prov.] Fooles are wise vntill they speake.
[Fols sont sages quand ils se taisent:] [Prov.] [Fooles passe for wise men while they silent are.]
[Grand besoing a de fol qui de soy mesme le fait:] [Prov.] He needs a foole too much that will needes play the foole.
[Grosse teste & prim col, c'est le commencement d'un fol:] [Prov.] [Call him a foole, and feare no checke, whose great head stands on slender necke.]
[Hier vachier huy chevalier:] [Prov.] [Hee's now a Knight who last day was but a clowne.]
[Il est bien fol qui à fol sens demande:] [Pro.] [He that expects a wise part from a foole, is the more foole of the two.]
[Il est bien fol qui à fol sens demande:] [Prov.] Hee's a true asse that lookes for wit in an asse.
[Il est bien fol qui à fol sens demande:] [Prov.] He is a verie foole that lookes for wit from a foole.
[Il est bien fol qui cuide tousiours vivre:] [Prov.] He is a verie asse that thinkes he shall liue euer.
[Il est bien fol qui cuide tousiours vivre:] [Prov.] [He that thinkes to liue euer is an Asse.]
[Il est bien fol qui s'oublie:] [Prov.] He is a right foole that forgets himselfe.
[Il est bien fol qui s'oublie:] [Prov.] [He that forgets himselfe's a verie goose.]
[Il ne faut pas lier les asnes auec les cheuaux:] [Pro.] Churles are not to be matcht, or sorted, with gentlemen.
[Il ne faut pas lier les asnes avec les chevaux:] [Pro.] Asses must not be tied vp among horses; nor vnworthie people consorted with the worthie.
[Il n'est danger que de vilain:] [Pro.] [A clowne (inraged) is most dangerous.]
[Il n'est danger que de vilain:] [Prov.] [The (incensed) churle is a most dangerous beast.]
[Il n'est si sage qui ne folie aucunes-fois:] [Prov.] [The wisest man doth sometimes play the foole.]
[Il n'est si sage qui ne folie aucunes fois:] [Prov.] The wisest man is foolish now and then.
[Le Chanteau part le vilain:] [Pro.] [When villeines by birth or estate (who for the most part are tenants in common) doe meane to part their possessions, they diuide a lumpe of bread, and giue each to other a peece thereof; Hence is this Prouerb applyable to those base fooles, that fall out with their best friends for trifles, or victualls.]
[Le fol cerche son malheur:] [Prov.] The foole indeuors to make himselfe vnhappie; or, the foole studies his owne mishap.
[Le fol est sot quant & quant, mais tout sot n'est pas fol:] [Prov.] All fooles be sots, but all sots be not fooles.
[Le fol est sot quant & quant, mais tout sot n'est pas fol:] [Prov.] All fooles be sots, but all sots be not fooles.
[Le fol est sot quant & quant, mais tout sot n'est pas fol:] [Prov.] [The foole is sure ynough a sot, but euery sot's no foole.]
[Le fol reste apres la feste:] [Prov.] The foole doth rest after a feast; or (more properly) after a feast once made a foole for euer.
[Le pourpre au soc mort d'egal poix balance:] [Prov.] [Death matches the poore clowne with purple Gallants.]
[Les belles robbes pleurent sur des espaules indignes:] [Pro.] [Great pitie tis to see faire clothes an a clowns backe.]
[Les belles robbes pleurent sur des espaules indignes:] [Prov.] [Faire garments weepe vpon vnworthie shoulders.]
[Les belles robbes pleurent sur des espaules indignes:] [Prov.] Good clothes weepe on vnworthie shoulders.
[Les grillons gastent la feste:] [Prov.] [Loud bablers are euer offensiue at feasts; a Prouerbe taxing Buffoones, and Sycophants, who with their idle chat are troublesome to all that heare them.]
[Les vilains s'entretiennent, les nobles s'embrassent:] [Pro.] [Clownes are but cold, the gentle kind, in mutuall conuersation.]
[Les vilains s'entretiennent, les Nobles s'embrassent:] [Prov.] [Clownes intertaine one another coldly, Gentlemen courteously.]
[Le vilain ne sç ait qu'esperons valent:] [Prov.] [Base people know not the worth of good things.]
[Le vilain ne sç ait qu'esperons valent:] [Prov.] Full little knowes the clowne what spurres can doe; base people know not, or cannot vse, braue helpes.
[Mettez fol à par soy il pensera:] [Prov.] Leaue a foole alone, and he will bethinke himselfe (what he hath to doe.)
[Mettez fol à par soy, il pensera:] [Prov.] Leaue a foole to himselfe, and he will thinke, or (perhaps) make an end of the matter.
[Mieux vaut coü ard que trop hardi:] [Prov.] [Better no heart then too much hardinesse.]
[Mieux vaut coü ard que trop hardi:] [Prov.] Tis better to be a coward than foole-hardie.
[Oncques vieil singe ne fit belle mouë:] [Pro.] [Th'old Monkey neuer made well-fauored mowe.]
[Oncques vieil Singe ne fit belle mouë:] [Prov.] [An old-bred clowne was neuer mannerlie.]
[Oncques vieil singe ne fit belle mouë:] [Prov.] [Old age cannot be gracious, comelie, louelie.]
[On croit d'un fol bien souvent qu'il soit Clerc, pour ses vestemens:] [Pro.] Graue clothes make dunces often seeme great Clarkes.
[On croit d'un fol bien souvent qu'il soit clerc pour ses vestemens:] [Prov.] [Discreet cloathes often passe a foole for a wise man.]
[On croit d'un fol bien souvent, qu'il soit Clerc pour ses vestemens:] [Prov.] Handsome, or decent apparrell makes fooles oft passe for wise men.
[On ne peut faire de hibou esparvier:] [Prov.] [One cannot make a Hawke of an Owle.]
[On ne peut faire d'hibou esparvier:] [Prov.] He thats a clowne by nature, cannot be gentilized by nurture; The like is; [On ne peut d'vn Pigeon faire vn vif esparvier:] [Prov.]
[On revient sage des iours:] [Pro.] [In time one gets experience.]
[On revient sage des iours:] [Prov.] [In time fooles get experience.]
[Orgueilleuse semblance monstre folle cuidance:] [Prov.] [A prowd looke shewes the heart's possest with follie.]
[Orgueilleuse semblance monstre folle euidance:] [Prov.] [An hautie looke argues a fond presumption.]
[Parez l'herisson il semblera Baron:] [Prov.] [Good clothes hide much deformitie;] or, a clowne well cloathed seemes a Gentleman.
[Parez vn herisson il semblera Baron:] [Prov.] Good, (or gay) clothes will make a Monkie seeme a Monsieur.
[Parez vn herisson il semblera baron:] [Prov.] [Tricke vp an Vrchin he will seeme a Baron; good apparrell (as Loue) couers many a fault.]
[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.)]
[Priez vilain, moins il fera:] [Pro.] [The more y'intreat a clowne the lesse heele doe.]
[Priez vilain moins il fera:] [Pro.] [The more you pray a slaue the lesse you preuaile.]
[Promettre sans donner est fol recomforter:] [Prov.] Faire words make fooles faine.
[Promettre sans donner est fol reconforter:] [Prov.] Fruitlesse promises appease none but fooles.
[Promettre sans donner est fol reconforter:] [Prov.] [To promise and giue nought contents the foole.]
[Promettre sans donner est fol reconforter:] [Prov.] [To promise onely does a foole much good;] or the foole is fully satisfied with bare promises.
[Quand les febves sont flories, les sots commencent leurs folies:] [Prov.] [In Cuckoe-time when Beanes doe flower, the cracke-braind fooles build vp their bower.]
[Quand les febves sont flories les sots commencent leurs folies:] [Prov.] When Beanes doe flower youth enters into follie.
[Qui a le vilain il a sa proye:] [Pro.] [He that can seize a churle, commaunds all that he hath.]
[Qui bien void, & mal prend fait folie en bon escient:] [Prov.] [He that discernes well, and chuses ill, is a true coxcombe.]
[Qui commet affaire à vn fol s'appreste à le suyvre:] [Prov.] (Least hee wish hee had gone about it himselfe; also), he that imployes a foole may follow him for companie; for wise men vse to imploy wise men.
[Qui de mastin fait son compere plus de baston ne doit porter:] [Pro.] [He that will conuerse with clowns, must passe by rudenesse without frownes.]
[Qui de mastin fait son compere plus de baston ne doit porter:] [Prov.] [He that makes a mastiue his gossip need not carrie a cudgell about him.]
[Qui de mastin fait son compere plus de baston ne doit porter:] [Prov.] He thats in league with a churle hath no need of a cudgell.
[Qui femme croit, & Asne meine son corps ne sera ia sans peine:] [Prov.] [(Belike because the one is (sometime) false, as the other is euer foolish.)]
[Qui femme croit, & Asne meine, son corps ne sera ia sans peine:] [Prov.] [He that beleeues a woman, and leads an Asse, hath brought his bodie (and mind) t'an euill passe.]
[Qui femme croit, & asne meine, son corps ne sera ia sans peine:] [Prov.] He that trusts a woman, and leads an Asse, is neuer without one trouble or other.
[Qui femme croit, & asne mene, son corps ne sera ia sans peine:] [Prov.] He that beleeues a woman, and leads an asse, will neuer be in quiet.
[Qui fol envoye fol attend:] [Pro.] [He that imployes a foole, expects a foole.]
[Qui fol envoye fol attend:] [Prov.] He that sends a foole, staies (either) for (or as) a foole.
[Qui fol va à Rome fol en retourne:] [Prov.] Let no foole hope to become wise by trauelling (at least, we vse to say of some of our giddie Trauellers) he is come home as verie a foole as he went.
[Qui ne parle n'erre:] [Prov.] [He that speakes not, erres not.]
[Qui ne parle n'erre:] [Prov.] He that speaks not, erres not (in speech.)
[Qui ne sç ait l'art serre la boutique:] [Pro.] [The bungler, to seeme cunning, makes it daintie.]
[Qui ne sç ait l'art serre la boutique:] [Prov.] [(Imperatiuely) let him that hath no skill shut vp his shop; (so vnfit, and vnsafe a thing it is for a man to deale in a trade which he knoweth not;)]
[Quoy que fol tarde iour ne tarde:] [Prov.] [Though the foole tarrie day-light tarries not.]
[Quoy que fol tarde iour ne tarde:] [Prov.] [Time stayeth not on fools;] or, though the foole stay, time staies not.
[Quoy que fol tarde, iour ne tarde:] [Prov.] While fooles doe pause the day is spent; time stayes not the fooles leisure.
[Robin a trouvé Marion:] [Prov.] [A notorious knaue hath found a notable queane.]
[Si le fol n'alloit au marché on ne vendroit pas la mauvaise denrée:] [Prov.] If fooles went not to Market ill wares would be kept.
[Si le fol n'alloit au marché on ne vendroit pas la mauvaise denrée:] [Prov.] [If fooles went not to Markets bad wares would not be sold; (So fooles are sometimes good for something.)]
[Si le fol ne folie il perd sa saison:] [Prov.] A foole is most absurd when he playes not the foole.
[Si le fol ne folie il perd sa saison:] [Prov.] [A foole not fooling is much out of date;] or, a foole is most, when he playes least, the foole.
[Si le fol ne folie il perd sa saison:] [Prov.] A foole that would seeme wise is most vnseasonable; or, the foole is most fustie when he is least foolish.
[Si tous les fols portoient marotte, on ne sç ait pas de quel bois on se chaufferoit:] [Prov.] If all fooles bables bore, wood would be verie deere.
[Si tous les fols portoient marotte, on ne sç ait pas de quel bois on se chaufferoit:] [Prov.] [If all that fooles are bables wore, of wood we should haue but small store.]
[Si tu veux cognoistre vn vilain baille luy la baguette en main:] [Prov.] [If thou a knaue, or churle wouldst faine bewray, giue him authoritie, let him beare sway.]
[Tout est perdu ce qu'on donne à fol:] [Pro.] All that is giuen to a foole is cast away; [(whereupon some Critick will perhaps conclude, that all the labour bestowed on this word hath been misbestowed.)]
[Tout est perdu ce qu'on donne à fol:] [Prov.] [All thats bestowed on fooles is cast away.]
[Tout est perdu ce qu'on donne à fol:] [Prov.] Whatsoeuer is giuen to fooles is lost: for either they are simple and cannot, or vngratefull and will not, requite it.
[Vilain affamé demi enragé:] [Pro.] [A starued clowne is halfe a mad man; when victualls faile, all temper failes, him.]
[Vilain affamé, demy enragé:] [Prov.] Barre a clowne of his victualls, you halfe madde him.
[Vilain enrichi ne cognoist parent, ny ami:] [Pro.] [The base clowne that hath got a little pelfe, knowes neither friend, nor kinsman, (nor himselfe.)]
[Vn fol advise bien vn sage:] [Pro.] [A foole may sometimes giue the wise aduise.]
[Vn fol advise bien vn sage:] [Prov.] A foole may sometimes giue a wise man counsaile.
[Vn fol cerche son malheur:] [Prov.] A foole doth seeke his owne mishap; the curious searcher finds himselfe vnfortunate.
[Vn fol cerche son malheur:] [Prov.] [The foole by prying finds himselfe vnhappie;] or, The prying foole meets with his owne mishap.
[Vn fol dessus vn pont c'est vn tambour en la Riviere:] [Prov.] [A foole on a bridge is a Drumme in the riuer; viz. makes it resound by his madde thumping, leaping, or dauncing ouer it.]
[Vn fol fait tousiours le commencement:] [Pro.] The foole begins, but neuer ends, a businesse.
[Vn fol fait tousiours le commencement:] [Prov.] The foole begins, but perfects not, a worke; when hee hath begun, he hath done.
[Vn fol vn enragé:] [Prov.] Once a foole, euer a mad man; or, he that hath played the foole once, will, ere he leaue, play the mad man.
[Vn fol vn enragé:] [Prov.] Once a foole euer madde; or there's little difference between a foole & a madde man.
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