Select Observations of Roman Emperors 2, Part 2
Select and Choyce French Proverbs, some of which were collected out of Gruterus, de la Noue, and other Authors, divers observed by my self when I was in France, Alphabetically disposed and englished, and compared also sometimes with the Refranes or Spanish.
A.
ALler où le Roy va à pied.
To go where the King goes a foot.1. To the Stool.
Aller sur la Hacquen…e des Cordeliers.
To go upon the Franciscans Hackney, 1. to go a foot.
Aimer n'est pas sans amer.
Love is not without bitternesse▪Love is foreign a bitter sweet.
Ainsi va le monde.
So the world goeth.
Amasser en saison, despencer par raison, font la bonne maison.
A seasonable gathering, and a reasonable spending make a good house-keeping.
Amiens fut priuse en Renard, repriuse en Lion.
Amiens was taken by the*Because the Arch-Duke took it by a stratagem, and Henry the fourth regained it by force. Fox, retaken by the Lion.
Amour peut moult, argent peut tout.
Love can do much, silver can do all.
Amour, toux, fumée & argent, on ne peut cacher longuement.
Love,The Italian Proverb is: Love, the Itch, and the Cough cannot be hid. the cough, the smoak and money, can not long be hidden by any.
A Pere, à Maistre, à Dieu tout puissant,
Nul ne peut rendre l'equivalent.
To Father, Master, and God, Al-sufficient,
None can render equivalent.
A petit Mercier, petit panier.
A little Pedler, a little pack.
Apres*We say, After Eecf Mustard. disner de la moustarde.Paroum parva decent.
After dinner mustard.
Apres la mort le Medecin.
After death the Doctor.
Apres la pluye*Post nubil… Phoebus. After a storm comes a calm. vient le beau temps.
After rain comes fair weather.
A quoi pensez vous, quand vous nepensiez rien?
A vous respondre, quand vouy me demandez rien.
On what think you when you think on nothing?
To answer you when you ask me nothing.
Argent content porte medicine.
Ready money is a ready medicine.
A rude Chien faut dur lien.
A curst Dogge must be tyed short.
Attente tourmente.
Expectation torments.
Au jourdhuy marriè, demain marri.
Married to day sad to morrow.
A un bon Entendeur ne faut que demy mot.
Half a word is enough*Verbum s…t sapienti. to an understanding Hearer.
Autant de Pais, autant de coustumes.
So many Countries so many customes.
B.
BEau parler n'escorche pas la language.We say, Good words cost nothing.
Good speech flees not the tongue.
Beauté sans bonté est comme vin esventè.The Spaniards say, It is much worth and costs little, to give to evil words a good answer. Refra…es …'Oudin.
Beauty without goodnesse is like wine that hath taken wind.
Belles filles se trovent au bourdeau, & les beaux hommes es mains du Bourreau.
The fairest woman in the St…wes, and the hansom'st man at the Gallowes.
Bon marché tire l'argent de la bourse.
Good cheap commodities are not able pickpurses.
Bon sang ne peut mentir.A worthy nature cannot conceal it self.
Good blood cannot lye.
Bonne renommée vaut mieux que ceniture dorée.See Prov. 22. 1.
A good renown is better then a golden girdle.This Proverb is well explained by E…din de Reaub. l 5. c. 3. and Pasqui…r de Recherches de la France, l. 6. c. 11. Some make it all one with that Proverb, The hood or habit makes not the Monk, others say that onelyonly women of a good name and not whores were suffered to wear a golden girdle. The Spanish Proverb is, He that hath lost his renown, is dead in the world. The English is, He who hath an ill name is half hanged.
Bonne Terre mauvais Chemin.
Bon Advocat mauvais Voisin.
Bonne Mule mauvaise beste.
Bonne Femme mauvaise teste.
Good Country and bad Way.
Good Lawyer and bad Neighbour.
Good Mule and a bad beast.
Good Woman and a bad head.
Borgne est Roy entre les aveugles.
He that hath one eye is a King among the blinde.See l'E…ymòlogie des Proverbes Francois. l. 1. c. 9.
C.
CEqu'on apprend au bers, dure jusques au vers.
That which one learnes in youth will continue till old age.Quo semel est imbu…a re…ens servabit odarem Testa ….
Cela est la Philosophie de Quenoville.
It is the Philosophy of the Distaff.
C'est un mouton*It is the custome of the Shepherds of that Province in France so to mark their Sheep, therefore if in brabling or otherwise one hath received a blow on the nose and it appears, the… men merrily say so. de Berri, il est marqué sur le nez.
It is a Sheep of Berrie it is marked upon the nose.
C'est un bon harquebusier,See l' E…imologie des Proverbe Francois. l. 3. c. 25. il vise aux talons & frappe le nez.
*They speak merrily of a fa…r.It is a good Harquebusier, it aims at the heels and hits the nose.
Chair du Mouton manger de Glouton.
Flesh of Mutton is meat for a Glutton.
Chascun a son tour,
Le devise du Mounsieur de Guise.
Every one hath his turn,
The devise of the Duke of Guise.
Chascun est Roy en sa maison.
Every one is King in his own house.
Commun n'est pas comme un.
The Publick is not as private.
Courte messe & long disner.
Short Masse, and long dinner.
D.
D'Eau benite le moius suffis.
Of holy-water the lesse sufficeth.
De fol Juge brieve sentence.
From a foolish Judge a quick sentence.We say, A fooles bol… is s…n shot.
De la pance vient la dance.
Dancing followes a full belly.
De mauvais payeur il faut prendre paille.
Of an ill pay-master take any thing.
Desjuner de chasseurs, disner d'Advocats,
Souper de Marchands, & collation de Moines.
The Huntsmans break fast, the Lawyers dinner,
The Merchants supper, and the Monkes drinking.
De trois choses Dieu dous garde,
De Beuf salé sans Moutarde,
D'un Valet qui se regarde,
D'une Femme qui se farde.
From three things God keep us,
From powderd Beef without Mustard,
From a Servant which vieweth himself,
From a Woman which painteth.*Tollere nodosam niscit medicina podagram. Ovidius.
Du cuir d'autruy large courroye.
A large-thong of anothers leather.
E.
EN gouttes Medicin ne voit Goutte.
The Physician sees but littie in the Gout.
En Orenge il n' ya point d'Oranges.
In Orange*The Prince of Orange his Countryis fertill of all fruits save Oranges, whence came this Proverb, saith Iodo… Sincerus in his T…i…erarium Galli…. there are no Oranges.
En Pont, en Planche, & en Riviere,
Valet devant Maistre derriere.
On Bridge, on Plank, and on River,
The Servant before, and Master after.*Like to this is the Spanish Proverb, Algran arroyo, passar postrero. At a great River one should passe last. Multa cadunt inter calicem. supremaque lab…a.
Entre deux selles le cul à terre.
Between two stooles the tail to the ground.
Entre la bouche & le verre,
Le vin souvent tombe à terre.
Between the lip and the cup.
The wine is often spilt.
Eschorhcer le*To spue, cast, vomit, (especially upon excessive drinking) either because then one makes a noise like a Fox which barkes, or because the flaying of so unsavory a beast will make any man vomit. See l'Etymologie de… Proverbe, Francois. l. 2. c. 33. Renard.
To flea the Fox.
Estre sur la bord de▪ la fosse.
To be upon the brink of the pii.
Alterum pedem in cymba charonti habere.
F.
FAire de Chasteaux en Espagne.
To build Castles in Spain.
We say, to build Castles in the air.
Faire de son Medecin son heritier.
To make his Phisician his heir.
Faire grond cas de peu de chose.
To make great account of a little thing.
Femme, argent & vin on leur bien & leur venin.
Women, money, and wine, have their good and their evil.
Femme rit quand elle peut & pleure quand elle veut.
A Woman laughes when she can, and weeps when she will.
Fille fenestriere & trotiere,
Rarement bonne mesnagere.Beneficium accepisti, libertatem vendid isti, Terence.
A gazing and gadding maid seldome proves good House-wife.
Fille qui donne s'abandonne.
A Maid which giveth is easily gotten.
Fille qui prend son Corps vend.
A Maid which takes sels her body.
Fille trope veuë, robbe trop vestuë, n'est past chere tenue.
A maid often seen, a garment often worn,
Are disesteem'd, and held in scorn.
The Italian Proverb is: A woman that taketh is easily yielding.
Formage, poir, & pain,
Est repas de vilain.
Cheese, bread, and pear,
Is the Husbandmans fare.
Les plus courtes folies sont les mellieures.
The shortest follies are the best.
Fols sont sages quond ils se taisent.
Fools are wise men when they hold their *Prov. 17. 28. Si sapiens stultus, si stultus sapiens. Pitissando dolium ex…auritur. Terence.peace.
G.
GOutte à goutte la Mer s'esgoute.
By drop and drop the Sea runs out.
Homme chiche, jamais riche.
A covetous man is never rich.Semper au…rus eget.
Homme roux & femme barbue,
De trente pas loin le salūe,
Avecques trois pierres au poing,
Pour t'en aider à ton besoing.
Salute no red hair'd man, nor bearded woman nearer then thirty foot off, with three stones in thy fist to defend thee in thy need.
I.
JEunesse oiseuse, vie illesse disetteuse.
An idle youth makes a needy old age.
The Italian Proverb is, A young man idle, an old man needy.
Il a tousiours une*This is spoken of one that hath a great appetite, the second small gut is named, Iki…num because it is alwaies void, whence springeth this Proverb. aulne de boyaux vuides, pour festoyer ses amis.
He hath alwayes an ell * of empty guts to feast his friends withal.
Il est bien avancé qui a bien commencé.
He is well advanced who hath begun well.
Dimidium facti qui bene caepit, habet.
Il a beau mentir qui vient de loin.
A Traveller may lye by authority.
Il gaste comme le fange de Paris.
It staineth like the dirt of Paris, Lutetia à luto.
Il a la conscience large, comme la manche d'un Cordelier.
He hath a conscience as large as a Franciscans sleeve.
Il joüe de moy à la pelotte.Me quasi pilam hab…t Plautu….
He playes at foot-bal with me.
Il ment comme un Aracheur de dents.
He lyeth like a Tooth-drawer.
Il n'est eschappé qui traine son lien.
He is not quite got away who drags his chain after him.
Il n'est jamais feu sans fumé.
There is never fire without some smoak.
Il n'y a pire sourd que celuy qui ne veut o…ir.
There is none so deaf as that will not hear.
Il ny a tant des Moutons en Berry
There be not so many Sheep in*There i… such store of Sheep in that Province, that they have this by word when th…y would taxe a fellow for his notable lying, and telling a greater number then the truth. Berry.
Il ni a que la premiere pinte chere.
The first pint is the dearest.
Il vaut mieux tard que jamais.
It is better late then never.
Jeu, putain, & vin friand
Font l'homme panure en riand.
Play a whore, and brisk wine make a man poor laughing.
The Italian Proverb (whence this seems to be borrowed) is, Play, woman, and wine c…nsume a ma… laughing.
L.
LAbelle plume fait le bel oyseau.
The fair feathers make a fair fowl.*See l'Etymologie des Proverbes Francois. l. 1. c. 4.
L'appetit vient en mangeant, est la soifs'en va en beuvant.
The stomack comes by eating, the thirst is quencht by drinking.
L'asne du common est tousjours malbasté
The common Asse is alwayes ill sadled.
La soye esteiut la feu de la Cuisine.
Silk*sumptuousnesse of apparel destroyes Hospitality and good Housekeeping. doth quench the fire of this Kitchin.
La trop longue demeurer fait changer l'amy.
Too long abiding causeth a friend to change.
L'eau qui dort est pire qui celle quid court.
The standing water is worse then that which runnes.
Le coust en fait perdre le goust.
The cost takes away the desire to the thing.
Le desir nous tormente & l'espoir nous contente.
Desire torments us, and hope comforts us.
L'habit ne fait pas le Moyne.
The habit makes not the Monk.…
Le maison est malheureuse & mechante,
O… le Poul plus haute que le coq chante.
The house is unhappy and wicked where the hen croweth louder than the cock.
Le mari veut (& doit) estre maistre, la femme veut (& doit) estre maistresse, mais non pas de son mari.
The husband will and ought to be master, the wi…e will and ought to be mistris, but not of her husband.
Les mots termines en ique font au Medecin la nique.
The words ending in*Such be Hectique, paralitique Apoplectique, Lathargique, because they are hardly or never cured. ique do mock the Phisician.
Le plaisir engendre l'autre.
One good turn requires another.
Le Royaume du France ne tombe point en quenouille.Lex salica Gallorum imperii successor masculus esto.
The Kingdome of France falls not to the distaffe.
Les Apprentifs ne sont pas incontinent maistres.
The Prentises are not presently masters.
Les bons r…deurs font les bons presteurs.
Good restorers make good lenders.
Le Soleil qui se leve matin,
La Femme qui parle latin,
L'enfant qui boit du vin,
Font rarement bonne fin.
The Sun which shineth early in the morning,
A Woman which speaketh Latin,
A Child that drinketh wine,
Seldome make a good end.
Le teste d'une Femme,
La corps d'un Serjeant,
Les jambes d'un Lacquai▪
C'est un Diable parfaict.
The head of a Woman,
The body of a Serjeant,
The leggs of a Lackey
Make a Devil perfect.
Le vin se cognoist à la saveur, & le drap à la coleur.
Wine is known by its smell, and cloth by its colour.
Lire beaucoup & rien n'entendre,
C'est beaucoup chasser & rien prendre.
To read much and understand and nothing,
Is to hunt much and catch nothing,
M.
MA chemise chascun blanche
Baise mon cû châque dimanche.
My fair shirt kisse me behinde once a week.
Manger*It is spoken of those who in their youth have all prosperity, but in the end sorrow and care. son pain blanc le premier.
To eat his white bread first.
Mars venteux, & Auril pluvieux font le May gay & gracieux.
A windy March, and rainy April make a May trim and gay.
N.
N'irrit ez point les chiens, au paravant que vos soies aux pierres.
Provoke not the Dogs before you beat the stones.
Nouer l'esguillette.
To tye the*A Charm which they use to hinder a man from accompanying with his wife. point.
Nourriture passe nature.
Nature surpasseth nature.
Nul bien sans peine.
No good without pain and labour.
This Proverb is meant principally of vertue, it comes not without labour.
O.
OI, voy, & te tais, si tu veux veure en pais.
Hear, see, and be silent, if thou wilt live in peace.
Audi, vide, tace, si vis vivere in pace.
Oignez vilain, il vous poindra, poignez vilain il vous oindra.
Sooth a Clown and he will deal roughly with you, deal roughly with him, and he will speak you fair.
The Italian Proverb is, Do good to a Clown, he wisheth thee evil for it, do him an evil turn and he wisheth thee good for it.
On n… doit parler Latin devant les Clercs.
One must take heed to speaking of Latin before Schollars.
On ne prend pas le lieure au son de Ta… bour.
Men catch not a Hare with the sound of a Drum.
On ne scait, que la chose vaut, jusqu' à tant qu'on l'ait perdue.
One knows not what a thing is worth till he have lost it.
The Spanish Proverb is, Buen perdido ay conocido. A good thing lost is known.
Bonum magis carendo quàm fruendo cognoscimus.
Oûi dire va par ville.
Hear-say goes throughout the town.
P.
PApe par voix, Roy par nature, Empereur per force.
The Pope comes by voices, the King by nature, the Emperour by force.
Pardon, on a pardon.
By a gift on obtains a pardon.
Par l'eschantillon on cognoist la piece.
By a pattern on knoweth the whole piece.
Petite pluye abbat grand vent.
A small rain all aies a great wind.
Poisson sans vin est poison.
Fish without wine is poison.
Pour un plaisir mille douleurs.
For one pleasure a thousand sorrowes.
Q.
QUand Italie sera sans poison, France sans trahison, Angleterre sans guerre, lors sera la mond… sans terre.
When Italy shall be without poison, France without treason, England without war, the World shall be without earth.
Quand le danger est passé, le Sainct eff oubilé.
When the danger is past the Saint is forgotten.
Quand le soleil est couché tons les bestes sont à l'ombre.
When the Sun is set all the beasts are in the shade.
Quatres bonnes meres engendrent quatre mauvaises filles, Grande familiarité mespris, verité haine, vertu envie, richesse ignorance.
Four good mothers beget four bad daughters, great familiarity contempt, truth hatred, vertue envie, riches ignorance.
Qui a bon voisin, il a bon matin.
He that hath a good neighbour hath a good morrow.Est aliquod bonum propter vicinum bonum
Qui a le bruit de se lever matin peut dormir jusques à disner.
He that hath the same of rising early may sleep till dinner.
Qui a terre il a guerre.
He that hath land hath also strife.
Qui monte plus haut qu'il ne doit, descend plus bas qu'il ne voudroit.
He that mounteth higher then he ought, shall descend lower then he would.
Qui naist de geline il ayme a gratter.
He that comes from a Hen loves to be scrat…ng.Matrem proles sequitur See I' Etymologie des Proverbes Francois, l. 2. c. 15.
Qui parle du loup, il en void la queue.
He that speaks of the*Like to which is both the Latine Proverb; Lupus in fabula, See Erasm. Ad…g. and the Arabick, Quando mention…m feceris lupi, praepara illi …aculnm. Wolf, sees his tail.
While the Shepherds talk of the Wolf he comes sometimes, so doth he often of whom we speak.
Qui regimbe contre l'aiguillon, merite d'en estre picqué deux fois.
He that kicks against the pricks, deserves to be pricked twice.
Qui veut jeune chair & vieux poisson, se trove repugner la raison.
He that loves young flesh and old fish, loves contrary to reason.
Qui veult manger de noiau, qu'il casse la noix.
He that will eat the kirnel,Qui vult …ucleum, nucem frangat oporte…. let him break the nut.
R.
REmede contre la Peste par art,
Fuir tost & loing▪ retourner tard.
An Artificial remedy against the Plague,Ci…ò longè …ard…. P…r p…ri r… …erre. t… flie swift and farre, and return slowly.
Rendre la pareille.
To render the like.
Retournons a nous moutons.
Let us return to our Sheep.
This Proverb is used when in some long discourse, one having made some digression from the matter, will return to the thing he first spake of.
The original of it is taken from Shepherds which sometimes leave their Sheep to solace themselves while they feed, but fearing danger to them, after say, Let us returne to our Sheep.
Rouge soir & blanc matin,
C…est le plaisir du Pelerin,
The evening red and the morning gray,
Are hopeful …ignes of a fair day.
The Italian saith, See of the French Proverb, l' Ety…logi… des Proverbes Francois▪ l. 1. c. ….The evening red, and the morning d…skie joyeth the Traveller.
S.
SI l'espine non picque quand nai,
A peine que picque jamai.
A thorn unlesse at first it prick,
Will hardly ever pierce to the quick.
Souvent & peu manger,
Ce faict l'homme engraisser.
Often and little eating makes a man fat.
T.
TEL refuse qui apres muse.
He refuseth who after bethinks himself.
Tout se qui reluist n'est pas or,
All is not gold that glistereth.
Tost ou tard, prezau loing,
Le fort du foible à besoign.
Soon or late, near or far, the strong hath need of the weak.
Trois choses sont d'un accord,
L'Eglise, la Court, & la Mort,
L'Eglise prend de vif & mort,
La Court prend le droict & le tort,
La Mort prend le foible & le fort,
Three things agree in the world; The Church the Court and Death, the Court right and wrong, Death the weak and strong.
The Italians have the like Proverb,
Three things are much of nature:
A Priest, an Atturney, and Death;
The Priest taketh from the living and the dead;
The Atturny right and wrong,
And death taketh along with it both weak and strong.
Trop grater cuist, trop paller nuist.
To much scratching smarts, too much speaking hurts.Rem acutetigisti.
Tu as frappé au blanc.
Thou hast hit the white.The Cony by reason of his fear is very forgetful, whence came this Proverb.
Tu as memoire du Lieure ou Lapin, tu la pers en courant.
Thou hast as much memory as a Hare or Coney▪ thou hast lost it in running.
V.
UN coup de langue nuist plus qu…un coup de lance.
A word hurts more then a wound.
Un grand Seigneur,
Un grand Clochier,
Une grande Riviére sont trois mauvais Voisins.
A great Lord,
A great Bell,
A great River are three ill Neighbours.
Une bonne femme est une mauvaise beste.
A good wife is an ill beast.
Oftentimes in the contracted inscriptions of ancient Tombes these 2 capital letters, M. B. have been found which signify Mulier Bona in French Bonne Femme. Some Drollers finding that these 2 letters M. B. signifie as well Mala bestia as Mulier bona; thrice used this Proverb.
Un homme de paille vaut une femme d…or.
A man of straw is worth a woman of gold.
Un Ministre ne doit scavoir que sa Bible.That is, to teach or professe no more▪ 1 Cor. 22▪
A Minister ought to know no more then his Bible.
Vouz mangez vostre chemie, par ou retournerez vous.
You eat your way,Mocking those that eat by the way. which way will you return.
FINIS.
End of the text · Edward Leigh, Select Observations of Roman Emperors 2 (1657)