The compleat book of knowledge: treating of the wisdom of the antients and shewing the various and wonderful operations of the signs and planets, and other celestial constellations, on the bodies of men, women and children; and the mighty influences they have upon those that are born under them. Compiled by the learned Albubetes, Benesaphan, Erra Pater, and other of the antients. To which is added, the country man's kalendar; with his daily practice, and perpetual prognostication for weather, according to Albumazar, Ptolomy, and others. Together with a catalogue of all the market-towns, fairs, and roads in England and Wales. All those who peruse this book, must own, that it the knowledge gives of things unknown.

XXII. A Catalogue of Proverbs, with the Names of the Countries wherein they are particularly used.

A Proverb is a wise Saying, verified b•• long Experience; and the Wisdom o•• the Antients in all Nations, is to be seen no••¦thing more evidently, than in their Prover••¦bial Sentences. I have therefore for the be••¦nefit of the Reader set down those Prover••¦bial Sentences which are peculiar to ever•• County in England, in an Alphabetical Or••¦der. And these Proverbial, or Wise Say••¦ings, are so essential to a Book of Know••¦ledge, that this had not been complea•• thout it.

Barkshire.

The Vicar of Bray, will be Vicar of Bray still.

Bedfordshire.

As plain as Dunstable Road. As crooked as Crawley Brook. The Bayliff of Bedford is coming.

Buckinghamshire.

Buckinghamshire Bread and Beef: Here, if you beat a Bush, it's odds you'll start a Thief.

Cambridgeshire.

Cambridgshire Camels.

An Henry Sophister

Cheshire chief of Cheshire Men.

Better wed over the Mixon, than over the Moor.

Cornwal.

By Tre, Pol, and Pen, You shall know the Cornish Men. To give one a Cornish hug. Hengsten-town well is wrought, Is worth London-town dear bought. He is to be summon'd before the Mayor of Halgaver. When Dudman and Ram-head meet He doth Sail into Cornwal without a Bark.

Cumberland.

If Skiddaw hath a Cap, Scrussel wots full well of that. Skiddaw, Lauvellin, and Casticand, Are the highest Hills in all England. Ingleborough, Pendle, and Penrigent, Are the highest Hills between Scotland and Trent.

Devonshire.

To Devonshire, or Denshire Land A Plimouth Cloak; [i. e. a Cane or Stick] He may remove Mort Stone. First hang and draw, Then hear the Cause by Lidford Law.

Dorsetshire.

As much a Kin as Lenson-hill to Pilson-pen. Stabb'd with a Byrdport Dagger; [that is hang'd.] Dorsetshire Dorsers.

Essex.

Essex Stiles, Kentish Miles, and Norfolk Wiles many a Man beguiles. Essex Calves. The Weavers Beef of Colchester; [that is, Sprats, brought thither in vast quantities.] Jeering Cogshal. Braintree for the Pure, and Bo••king for the Poor; Cogshal for the Jeering Town, and Kelvedon for the Whore.

Gloucestershire.

As sure as God's in Gloucestershire. You are a Man of Daresby, It's as long in coming as Cotswald Barley. He looks as if he had liv'd on Tewksbury Mustard. The Tracy's have always the Wind in their Faces. As fierce as a Lion of Cotswald; [i. e. a Sheep.]

Hampshire.

Manners maketh Man, Quoth William of Wickham. Canterbury is the higher Rack, but Winchester is the better Manger. The Isle of Wight hath no Monks, Lawyers, nor Foxes.

Hartfordshire.

Hartfordshire Clubs, and clouted Shoon. Hartfordshire Hedge-hogs. Ware and Wade's Mill, are worth all London. Hartfordshire Kindness.

Herefordshire.

Blessed is the Eye That is between Severn and Wye. Lemster Bread and Weably Ale.

Huntingdonshire.

This is the way to Beggers-Bush. Ramsey the Rich.

Kent.

A Knight of Cales, a Gentleman of Wales, And a Laird of the North Countree; A Yeoman of Kent with his yearly Rent, Will buy them out all three. Kentish Long-tails. The Father to the bough, the son to the plough. Dover Court, all Speakers and no Hearers. A Jack of Dover. Some part of Kent hath Health and no Wealth, viz. East Kent Some Wealth and no Health, viz. the Weald of Kent. Some hath both Wealth and Health, viz. the middle of the County, Parts near London.

Lancashire.

Lancashire fair Women. It is written upon a Wall in Rome, Ribchester was as rich as any Town in Chri∣stendom. As old as Pendle-hill. If Riving-pike do wear a Hood, Be sure that Day will ne'er be good.

Leicestershire.

Bean-belly Leicestershire. If Bever hath a Cap, You Churles of the Vale look to that.

Lincolnshire.

Lincolnshire where Hogs shite Soap, and Cows shite Fire.

Lincolnshire Bag-pipes. As loud as Tom of Lincoln. All the Carts that come to Crowland, are shod with Silver. As Mad as the Baiting-Bull of Stamford. He was born at Little Wittham. Grantham-Gruel, nine Grits, and a Gallon of Water. They hold together as the Men of Marham when they lost their Common.

Middlesex.

Middlesex Clowns. He that is at a low Ebb at Newgate, may soon be aflote at Tyburn. When Tottenham-Wood is all on Fire, Then Tottenham-Street is nought but Mire. Tottenham is turn'd French.

London.

A London Jury, hang half, and save half. London Lick-penny. A London-Co••kney. Billings-gate-Language. Kirby's Castle and Megse's Glory, Spinala's Pleasure and Fishers Folly. He was born within the sound of Bow-bell. St. Peter's in the Poor, Where's no Tavern, nor Ale-house, nor Sign at the Door.

Good Manners to except my Lord Mayor of London. I have din'd as well as my Lord-Mayor of London. As old as Paul's or Paul's Steeple. You make Paul's (Vulgarly call'd Powl's Work on it, He is only fit for Ruffians Hall; [Stow in his Annals tells us West-Smithfield was for∣merly so called, where Ruffians met to try Masteries.] A Loyal Heart may be Landed under Trai∣tor's Bridge. To cast Water into the Thames. He must take a House in Turn-again-lane He may Whet his Knife on the Threshold of the Fleet; [or at the Counter-gate.] All goes down Gutter-lane. As lame as St. Giles's Cripple-gate. You are all for the Hoistings, [or Hustings.]

Westminster.

There's no Redemption from Hell. As long as Meg of Westminster. A Westminster Wedding; [i. e. a Whore and a Rogue.]

Norfolk.

Norfolk Dumplings. A Yarmouth Capon, [i. e. a Red-herring.] He is arrested by the Bayliff of Mershland; [i. e. an Ague.

Gimmingham, Trimmingham, Knapton and Trunch, North Repps and South Repps, are all of a Bunch.

Northamptonshire.

The Mayor of Northampton opens Oysters with his Dagger. He that would eat a butter'd Faggot, let him go to Northamtnon. Brackly-Breed, better to hang than to feed.

Northumberland.

From Berwick to Dover, Three hundred Miles over. To take Hector's Cloak, We will not lose a Scot. A Scottish Man, and a New-castle Grind∣stone travels all the World over. If they come, they come not: And if they come not, they come.

Nottinghamshire.

As wise as a Man of ••otham. The little Smith of Nottingham, Who doth the Work that no Man can.

Oxfordshire.

You were born at Hogs Norton. To take a Burford Bait. Banbury Veal, Cheese, and Cakes Testons are gone to Oxford to study in Bra∣zen-n••se

Send Verdingales to Broad-gates in Oxford.

Rutlandshire.

Rutland Ruddleman.

Shropshire.

He that fetches a Wife from Shrewsbury, must carry her into Staffordshire, or else he shall live in Cumberland.

Somersetshire.

'Ch was bore at Taunton-dean, where shou'd I be bore else? The Beggars of Bath. Bristol Milk.

Staffordshire.

In April, Dove's Flood, Is Worth a King's Good. Watton under Weaver Where God came never.

Suffolk.

Suffolk Milk. Suffolk fair Maids. You are in the High-way to Needham. Bettles for a Puritan, Bungey for the Poor, Haselworth for a Drunkard, and Bliborough for a Whore. Between Cowhithe and merry Caffingland, The Devil shit Benacre, look where it stands.

Surry.

The vale of Holins-dale Was never won, we ever Stall.

Twittle twattle, drink up your Posset-drink.

Sussex.

A Sesley Cockle, an Arundal Mullet, a Pul∣borough Eel, an Amberly Trout, a Rye Herring, a Bourn Wheat-ear.

Westmoreland.

Let Ʋter-Pendragon do what he can, The River Eden will run as it ran As Crafty as a Kendal Fox.

Westshire.

It is done Secundum usum Sarum. Salisbury Plain Is seldom without a Thief or twain.

York-shire.

From Hell, Hull, and Hallifax,—deliver us. A Scarborough Warning As true Steel as Rippen-rowels. A Yorkshire Way-bit, or Wee-bit; that is, a small-bit.] Merry Wakefield. Pendles, Ingleborough, and Penigent Are the three highest Hills betweet Scotland and Trent. Pendle, Penigent, and Ingleborough, Are the three highest Hills all England tho∣row. If Brayton bargh, and Hambleton hoagh, and Durton bream, Were all in thy Belly, 'twould never be team.

When Bighton is pull'd down, Hull shall become a great Town. Cleaveland in the clay, Bring in two Soles, and carry one away.

Proverbs Omitted.

Every Day of the Week, a shower of Rain, And on Sunday twain. Oxford Knives, and London Wives. Who goes to Westminster for a Wife, to Paul's for a Man, and to Smithfield for a Horse, may meet with a Whore, a Knave, and a Jade. Grays-Inn for Walks, Lincolns-Inn for a Hall; The Inner-Temple for a Garden, and the middle for a Hall. Dunmow Bacon, and Doncaster Daggers, Monmouth Caps, and Lemster Wool, Darby-Ale, and London Beer. Like Banbury Tinkers, who in mending one hole, make three. You may sip up the Severn, and swallow Mavorn as soon. Little England beyond Wales; [that is Pem∣brookshire.] Little London beyond Wales; [i. e. Beaumaris in the Isle of Anglesey, where most of the Inhabitants speak good English, and many can speak no Welsh.