Scottish proverbs:

SCOTTISH PROVERBS.

A

• ALl things hath a beginning (God excepted)
• A good beginning makes a good ending.
• A sloathfull man is a beggers brother.
• A vaunter and a lier is both one thing. —
• All is not tint that is in perrell.
• All is not in hand that helps.
• A toome purse makes a bleat merchant.
• As long runs the fox as he feet hath.
• A hastie man never wanted woe.
• A wight man wanted never a weapon.
• A fooles bolt is soon shot.
• A given horse should not be lookt in the teeth.
• A good asker should have a good naysay.
• A dear ship stands long in the haven.
• An ole it mother makes a sweir daughter.
• A racklesse hussie makes monie thieves.
• A lyer should have a good memorie.

• A black shoe makes a blythe heart.
• A hungrie man sees far.
• A sillie bairne is eith to lear.
• A half pennie cat may look to the King.
• A greedie man God hates.
• A proud heart in a poore breast, hes meikle dollour to dree
• A skade mans head is soon broken
• A skabbit sheep flees all the flock.
• A burnt bairne, fire dreads.
• Auld men are twise bairnes.
• A tratler is worse then a thief.
• A borrowed len should come laughing hame.
• A blythe heart makes a blomeand visage.
• A year a nurish, seven years a da.
• An unhappie mans cairt is eith to tumble.
• An old hound bytes sair.
• A fair bryde is soon buskt, and a short horse soone wispt.
• As good had as draw.
• A man that is warned, is half armed.
• An ill win pennie will cast down a pound.
• All the corne in the countrey, is not shorne by kempers.
• Ane begger is wae that another be the gate gae.
• A travelled man hath leave to lie.
• Ane ill word meets another, and it were at the bridge of London.
• A hungrie louse bytes fair.
• A gentle horse would not be over sair spurred.
• A friends dinner is soon dight.
• An ill hooke wald have a good claver.
• A good fellow tint never, but at an ill fellows hand.
• At open doores, dogs comes in.
• A word before, is worth two behinde.
• A still sow eats all the draff.

• A dumme man holds all.
• All failes that fooles thinks.
• A woole seller kens a woole buyer.
• All fellows, Jock and the Laird.
• As the sow fils, the draffe soures.
• A full heart lied never.
• As good merchant tynes as wins.
• All the speid is in the spurres.
• As sair greits the bairne that is dung afternoon, as he that is dung before noon.
• An ill life, an ill end.
• Anes wood, never wise.
• Anes pay it never cravit.
• A good ruser, was never a good rider.
• All the keys of the countrey hangs not at ane belt.
• A dum man wan never land.
• As soone comes the lambeskin to the market, as the old sheeps.
• As many heads, as many wits.
• A blinde man should not judge of colours:
• As the old cocke crawes, the young cock leares
• A skabbed horse is good enough for a skald squir
• A mirk mirrour is a mans minde.
• As meikle upwith, as meikle down with.
• An ill shearer gat never a good hook.
• A tarrowing bairn was never fat.
• A good cow may have an ill calf.
• A cock is crouse in his own midding.
• A new bissome soupes clean.
• As sair fights wranes as cranes.
• A yeeld sow was never good to gryses.
• As the carle riches he wretches,
• A foole when he hes spoken hes all done.

• An old seck craves meikle clouting.
• An old seck is ay skailing.
• A fair fire makes a roome flet
• An old knave is na bairne.
• A good yeaman makes a good woman.
• A man hath no more good then he hath good of.
• A foole may give a wise man a counsel.
• A man may speir the gate to Rome.
• As long lives the merrie man as the wretch for all the craft hee can.
• All wald have all, all wald forgive.
• Ane may lead a horse to the water, but foure and twentie cannot gar him drink.
• A bleat cat makes a proud mouse.
• An ill willy kow should have short hornes.
• A good peice steil is worth a pennie.
• A shored tree stands lang.
• A gloved cat was never a good hunter.
• A gangand fit is ay getting.
• All is not gold that glitters.
• A swallow makes not summer or spring time.
• A man may spit on his hand and do full ill.
• An ill servant will never be a good maister.
• An hyred horse tyred never.
• All the winning is in the first buying.
• Anuch is a feast (of bread and cheise.)
• A horse may snapper on foure feet.
• All thing wytes that well not faires.
• All things thrives but thrice.
• Absence is a shroe.
• Auld sinne new shame.
• A man cannot thrive except his wife le•• ••••m.
• A bairne mon creep or he ga••g.

• As long as ye serve the tod, ye man bear up his tail.
• All overs are ill.
• A man may wooe where he will, but hee will wed where his hap is.
• A mean pot plaid never evin.
• Among 24 fooles not ane wise man.
• Ane mans meat, is another mans poyson.
• A foole will not give his bable for the tower of Lun.
• A foule foot makes a full wombe.
• A man is a lyon in his own cause.
• A heartie hand to give a hungrie meltith.
• A cumbersome cur in companie, is hated for his misscariage
• A poore man is fain of little.
• An answer in a word.
• A beltlesse bairn cannot lie.
• A Zule feast may be quat at Pasche.
• A good dog never barket but a bone.
• A full seck will take a clout on the side
• An ill hound comes halting home.
• All things helps (quod the Wran) when she pished in the sea.
• All crakes, all beares.
• A houndlesse man comes to the best hunting.
• All things hes an end, and a pudding hes twa.
• All is well that ends well.
• As good hads the stirrep, as he that loups on,
• A begun work is half ended.
• A Scottish man is wise behinde the hand.
• A new tout in an old horne.
• As broken a ship hes come to land.
• As the foole thinkes, ay the bell clinks.
• A man may see his friend need, but he will not see him bleed
• A friend is not known but in need.
• A friend in court, is better nor a pennie in the purse.

• All things is good unseyit
• A good goose indeed, but she hes an ill gansell.
• All are not maidens that wears bair hair.
• A mache and a horse shoe are both alike.
• Airlie crooks the tree, that good cammok should be.
• An ounce of mothers wit is worth a pound of clergie.
• An inch of a nage is worth the span of an aver.

B

• BEtter sit idle nor work for nought.
• Better learn by your neighbors skaith nor by your own.
• Better half egge nor toome doupe.
• Better apple given nor eaten.
• Better a dog fan nor bark on you.
• Bodin geir stinkes.
• Bourd neither with me, nor with my honour:
• Buy when I bid you.
• Better late thrive then never.
• Better hand louse nor bound to an ill baikine.
• Better lang little nor soon right nought:
• Better give nor take.
• Better bide the the cookes nor the mediciners.
• Better saucht with little aucht, nor care with many kow.
• Bring a kow to the hall, and she will to the byre a gain.
• Bear wealth, povertie will bear it self.

• Better goodseal nor good eall.
• Better wooe over midding nor over mosse.
• Blaw the winde never so fast it will lowne at the last.
• Bind fast, finde fast.
• Better auld debts nor auld saires.
• Better a fowle in hand nor two flying.
• Better spaire at the breird nor at the bottome.
• Binde the seck or it be full.
• Better be well loved nor ill won geir.
• Better finger off nor ay warkin.
• Better rew sit, nor rew flit.
• Bourd not with bawtie.
• Better say, Here it is, nor here it was.
• Better playes a full wombe, nor a new coat.
• Better be happie nor wise.
• Better happie to court, nor good service.
• Better a wit coft, nor twa for nought.
• Better bow nor break.
• Better two seils, nor ane sorrow.
• Better bairnes greit nor bearded men.
• Betwixt twa stooles, the arse falls down.
• Better na ring nor the ring of a rashe.
• Better hold out nor put out.
• Better sit still, nor rise and get a fall.
• Better leave nor want.
• Better unborne nor untaught.
• Better be envyed nor pittied.
• Better a little fire that warmes, nor a meikle that burnes.
• Be the same thing that thou wald be cald,
• Black will be no other hew.
• Beautie but bountie availes nought.
• Beware of had I wist.

• Better be alone, nor in ill companie.
• Better a thigging mother, nor a ryding father.
• Before I wein and now I wat.
• Bonie silver is soon spendit.
• Better never begun nor never endit.
• Byting and scarting is Scots folks wooing.
• Breads house skaild never.
• Bairns mother burst never.
• Bannoks is better nor na kin bread.
• Better a laying hen nor a lyin crown
• Better be dead as out of the fashion.
• Better buy as borrow.
• Better have a mouse in the pot as no flesh.

C

• COurt to the towne, and whoore to the window
• Cadgers speaks of leadsadles.
• Changing of works is lighting of hearts:
• Charge your friend or you need.
• Cats eats that hussies spares.
• Cast not forth the old water while the new come in.
• Crabbit was, and cause had.
• Comparisons are odious.
• Come not to the counsel uncalled.

• Condition makes, and condition breaks.
• Cut duelles in every town.
• Cold cooles the love that kindles over hot.
• Cease your snowballes casting.
• Come it aire, come it late, in May comes the cowquake.
• Courtesie is cumbersome to them that knowes it not.
• Calke is na sheares.

D

• DO in hill as ye wald do in hall.
• Do as ye wald be done to.
• Do weill and have weill.
• Dame deim warilie.
• Dead and marriage makes tearm-day.
• Draff is good enough for swine.
• Do the likliest, and God will do the best.
• Drive out the inch as thou hast done the span.
• Dead men bytes not.
• Daffing dow nothing.
• Dogs will red swine.
• Dirt parts companie.
• Drink and drouth comes sindle together.
• Daft talk dow not.
• Do well and doubt na man, and do weill and doubt all men.

• Dead at the one dore, and hership at the other.
• Dummie cannot lie.

E

• EArlie maister, lang knave
• Eaten meat is good to pay.
• Eeild wald have honour.
• Evening ortes is good morning fodder.
• Every land hes the lauch, and everie corne hes the casse.
• Every man wishes the water to his own mylne.
• Everie man can rule an ill wise but he that hes her.
• Eat measurelie and defye the mediciners.
• Everie man for himself (quoth the Merteine)
• Everie man flames the fat sowes arse.
• Experience may teach a fool.
• Every man wates best where his own shoe bindes him.
• Efter lang mint, never dint.
• Efter word comes weird.
• Efter delay comes a lette.

F

• FAr fowles hes fair feathears.
• Fair heghts makes fooles fain.
• Fooles are fain of flitting.
• Falshood made never a fair hinderend.
• Freedome is a faire thing.
• For tint thing care not.
• Foole haste is no speed.
• Fooles sets far trystes.
• For love of the nourish, monie kisses the bairne.
• Follie is a bonnie dog.
• Faire words brake never bane, foule words breaks many ane
• Foul water slokens fire.
• Far sought, and dear bought, is good for Ladies.
• For fault of wise men, fooles sits on binks.
• Fooles makes feasts, and wise men eats them.
• Fooles are fain of right nought.
• Forbid a thing, and that we will do.
• Follow love and it will flee thee, flee love and it will fo∣low thee
• Fegges after peace.
• Fooles should have no chappin sticks.
• Friendship stands not in one side.
• Few words sufficeth to a wiseman.
• Fire is good for the farcie.
• Fidlers dogs and flies comes to feasts uncalled.
• Fill fow and had fow makes a stark man.

G

• GRace is best for the man.
• Giff gaff makes good friends.
• Good wine needs not a wispe.
• Good cheir and good cheap garres many haunt the house.
• God sends men cauld as they have clothes to
• Gods help is neirer nor the fair evin.
• Give never the wolfe the wedder to keep.
• Good will should be tane in part of paiment.
• God sends never the mouth but the meat with it
• Girne when ye knit, and lauch when ye louse.
• Go to the Devil and bishop you.
• Go shoe the geese.
• God sends meat, and the devil sends cookes.

H

• HUnger is good kitchine meat.
• He that is far from his geir, is neir his skaith.
• Had I fish, was never good with garlick.
• He mon have leave to speak that cannot had his tongue.
• He that lippins to bon plowes, his land will ly ley.
• He rides sicker that fell never.
• He that wil not hear motherhead, shal hear stepmotherhead
• He that crabbes without cause, should mease without mends

• He that may not as he would, mon do as he may.
• He that spares to speak, spares to speed.
• He is well easit that hes ought of his own, when others goes to the meat.
• He that is welcome, faires weil.
• He that does ill hates the light.
• He that speakes the thing he should not, hears the things hee would not.
• He that is evil deemd, is half hanged.
• Help thy self, and God will help thee.
• He that spends his geir on a whoore, hes both shame and skaith.
• He that forsakes missour, missour forsakes him.
• Half a tale is enough to a wise man.
• He that hewes over hie, the spaill will fall into his eye.
• He that eats while he last, will be the war while he die.
• He is a weak horse that may not bear the saidle.
• He that borrows and bigs, makes feasts and thigs, drinkes and is not dry, these three are not thirstie.
• He is a proud Tod that will not scrape his own hole.
• He is wise when he is well, can had him sa.
• He is poore that God hates.
• He is wise that is ware in time.
• He is wis that can make a friend of a foe.
• Hair and hair, makes the cairles head baire:
• Hear all parties:
• He that is redd for windlestrawes, should not sleep in lees.
• He rises over earlie that is hangit or noone.
• He is not the foole that the foole is, but he that with the foole deals.
• He that tholes overcomes.
• He loves me for little, that hates me for nought.
• He that hes twa huirds, is able to get the third.

• He is a sairie begger that may not gae by ane mans doore.
• Hall binkes are sliddrie.
• He is not the best wright that hewes the maniest speals.
• He that evil does, never good weines.
• Hooredome and grace, can never byde in one place.
• Hee that compts all costes, will never put plough in the eard.
• He that slayes, shall be slain.
• He that is ill of his harberie, is good of his way kenning.
• He that will not when he may, shall not when he wald.
• Hanging ganges be hap.
• He is a foole that forgets himself.
• Happie man, happie cavil.
• He that comes uncald, sits unservd.
• He that comes first to the hill, may sit where he will,
• He that shames, shall be shent.
• He gangs earlie to steal, that cannot say na.
• He should have a long shafted spoon that sups kail with the devil.
• He sits above that deals aikers.
• He that ought the cow, goes nearest her tail.
• He is worth na weill that may not byde na wae,
• He should have a hail pow, that cals his neighbour nikkie∣now.
• He that hes gold may buy land.
• He that counts but his hoste, counts twise.
• He that looks not or he loup, will fall or he wit of himself
• Haste makes waste,
• Hulie and fair, men rides far journeys:
• He that marries a daw, eats meikle dirt.
• He that marries or he be wise, will die or he thrive.
• Hunting, hawking, and paramours, for ane joy, a hundred displeasures.

• Hald in geir, helps well.
• He is twise fain, that sits on a staine.
• He that does his turne in time, sits half idel.
• He plaints early that plaints on his kail.
• He is good that faild never.
• Half aunch, is half fill.
• He is a fairie cook that may not lick his own finger.
• Hunger is hard in a hail maw.
• He should wear iron shone that bydes his neighbours deed.
• Hame, is hamelie.
• He that is hated of his subjects, cannot be counted a king.
• Hap and a half-pennie, is warlds geir enough.
• He cals me skabbed, because I will not call him skade.
• He is blinde that eats his marrow, but far blinder that lets him.
• Have God, and have all.
• Honestie is na pride.
• He that fishes afore the net, lang or he fish get.
• He tint never a cow, that grate for a needle.
• He that hes na geir to tyne, hes shins to pine.
• He that takes all his geir fra himself, and gives to his bairns, it were weill ward to take a mell and knock out his harnes.
• He sits full still that hes a riven breik.
• He that does bidding, serves na dinging.
• He that blaws best bears away the horne,
• He is weill staikit thereben, that will neither borrow nor len
• Hea will gar a deaf man hear.
• He is sairest dung when his awn wand dings him.
• He hes wit at will, that with angrie heart can hold him stil.

Proverbiall speeches of persons given to such vices or vertues as follows.

Of greedie persons it is said,

• HE can hide his meat and seek more.
• He will see day light at a little hole.
• He comes for drink, though draff be his erand.

Of well skilled persons.

• He was born in August.
• He sees an inch before his nose.

Of wilfull persons.

• He is at his wits end.
• He hears not at that ear.
• He wald fain be fordwart if he wist how.
• He will not give an inch of his will, for a span of his thrift.

Of vousters or new upstarts.

• His winde shakes no corne.
• He thinks himself na payes peir,
• He counts himself worthie meikle myce dirt.
• Henrie Cheike never slew a man while he came to him:

Of sleyit persons.

• His heart is in his hos••:
• He is war fleyit nor he is hurt.
• He looks as the wood were full of theeves.
• He lookes like the laird of pitie.
• He looks like a Lochwhaber axe.

Of false persons.

• He will get credit of a house full of unbored milstones.
• He lookes up with the one eye, and down with the other.
• He can lie as weill as a dog can lick a dish.
• He lies never but when the holen is green.
• He bydes as fast as a cat bound with a sacer.
• He wald gar a man trow that the moon is made of green cheis, or the cat took the heron.

Of misnortured persons.

• He hes a brasen face.
• He knowes not the doore be the doore bar.
• He spits on his own blanket.

Of unprofitable foolish persons.

• He harpes ay on ane string.
• He robs Peter to pay Paul.
• He rives the kirk to theik the quier
• He wags a wand in the water.
• He that rides or he be ready, wants some of his geir.

Of weillie persons.

• He can hald the cat to the sun,
• He kens his groats among other folks kail.
• He neiffers for the better.
• He is not so daft as he lets him.

Of angrie persons.

• He hes pisht on a nettle.
• He hes not gotten the first seat of the midding the day.
• He takes pepper in the nose.

Of unconstant persons.

• He is like a widder cock.
• He hes changed his tippet, or his cloak on the other shoulder
• He is like a dog on a cat.
• His evening song and morning song are not both alike.
• He is an Aberdeens man, taking his word again.

Of persons speaking pertinently.

• He hes hit the nail on the head.
• He hes touched him in the quick.

Of weasters and divers.

• He hes not a heal nail to claw him with.
• He he hes not a pennie to buy his dog a leaf
• He is as poore as Joh.
• He is as bair as the birk at Zule evin.
• He begs at them that borrowit at him.
• He hes brought his pack to a fit spead.
• He is on the ground.
• His hair grows through his hood.
• He hes cryed himself diver.

Of proud persons.

• He counts his half pennie good sliver.
• He makes meikle of his painted sheits.
• He goes away with born head.
• He spils unspoken to.
• He hes not that bachell to swear by.

Of untymous persons.

• He is as welcome as water in a rivin ship.
• He is as welcome as snaw in harvest.

Of rash persons.

• He sets all on sex or sevin.
• He stumbles at a strea and loupes at a brea.

Of ignorant persons.

• He does as the blind man when he casts his staff.
• He brings a staff to his own head.
• He gars his awn wand ding him.
• He breads of the gate that casts all down at evin.
• He hes good skill of rosted wool, when it stinkes it is enough.

Of effeminate persons.

• He is John Thomsones man, coutching carle.
• He wears short hose.

Of drankards.

• His head is full of bees.
• He may write to his friends.
• His hand is in the creill.
• He is better fed nor nortured.
• He needs not a cake of bread at all his kin.

Of hypocrites.

• He hes meikle prayer, but little devction.
• He runs with the hound and holds with the hair.
• He hes a face to God, and another to the devill.
• He is a wolfe in a lambs skin.
• He breaks my head, and syn puts on my how.
• He can say, My jo, and think it not.
• He sleeps as dogs does, when wives sifts meal.
• He will go to hell for the house profit.

I

• IT is a sairie brewing, that is not good in the newing.
• It is tint that is done to childe and auld men.
• Ill weids waxes weill.
• In some mens aught mon the auld horse die.
• It is a soothe bourd that men sees wakin.
• In space comes grace.
• It is ill to bring out of the flesh that is bred in the bane.
• Ill win, ill warit.
• It is a sillie flock where the zowe bears the bell.
• It is a sin to lye on the devil.
• It is eith till, that the awn self will.
• It is good mowes that fils the wombe.
• It is na time to stoup when the head is aff.
• It is fair in hall, where beards wags all.
• It will come in an houre that will not come in a year.
• If thou do na ill, do na ill like.
• If thou steal not my kail, break not my dyke.
• If ye may spend meikle, put the more to the fire.
• If I can get his cairt at a walter, I shall lend it a put.
• If I may not keep goose, I shall keep gesline.
• It is kindlie that the poke sare of the hearine.
• It is eith to cry zule on another mans cost.
• Ilke a man as he loves, let him send to the cooks.
• It is eith to swimme where the head is holden up.
• It is well warit they have sorrow that buys with their silver
• If ane will not, another will.
• It is ill to take a breik off a bairarse.
• It is dear bought honey that is lickt off a thorne.
• If God be with us, wha will be against us.
• It is weill warit that wasters want geir,
• It is ill to bring butte the thing that is not there benne.
• It that lyes not in your gate, breaks not your shinnes.

• It is na play where ane greits, and another laughs.
• If a man knew what wald be dear, he wald be but merchant for a year.
• It is true that all men sayes.
• I have a good bow, but it is in the castle.
• It is hard to fling at the brod, or kick at the prick.
• Ilk man mend ane, and all will be mendit.
• It is a sairie collope that is tain off a Capone.
• Ill bairnes are best heard at home.
• It is ill to wakin sleeping dogs,
• Ill hirds makes fat wolffs.
• It is hard to wife, and thrive in a year.
• It is good sleeping in a heal skin.
• It is not tint that is done to friends.
• It is ill to draw a strea before an auld cat.
• It is a paine both to pay and pray.
• It is good fishing in drumling waters.
• It is little of Gods might, to make a poore man a knight.
• It is good baking beside meal.
• It is a good goose that drops ay.
• It is not the habite that makes the monk.
• It is not good to want and to have.
• It hes neither arse nor elbow.
• I shall sit on his skirt.
• It is a bair moore that he goes over and gets not a cow.
• I shall hold his nose on the grindstone.
• It goes as meikle in his heart as in his heel.
• It goes in at the one ear, and out at the other.
• It is na mair pittie to see a woman greit, nor to see a goose go bair fit.
• It is weill said, but wha will bell the cat.
• It is short while seen the louse boore the langelt.
• I have a sliddrie eill by the tail.

• It is as me it as a sow to bear a sadle.
• It is as meet as a thief for the widdie.
• I wald I had as meikle pepper as he compts himself worthy myse dirt.
• It will be an ill web to bleitch.
• I cannot finde you baith tailes and eares.
• It is ill to make a blowen horne of a tods tail.
• If ever ye make a luckie pudding I shall eat the prick.
• It that God will give, the devil can not reave.
• In a good time I say it, in a better I leave it.
• Its a sillie pack that may not pay the custome.
• I have seen as light green.
• Its a cold coal to blow at.
• Its a sair field where all are dung down.
• Its a sair dung birn that dare not greit.
• I wat where my awn shoe bindes me.
• If ye wanted me and your meat, ye wald want ane good friend.

K

• KAme single, kame sair.
• Kindnesse comes of will.
• Kindnesse will creep where it may not gang.
• Kindnesse cannot be bought for geir.
• Kail spaires bread.
• Kamesters are ay creeshie.
• Knowledge is eith born about.
• Kings are out of play.
• Kings and Bares oft worries their keepers.
• Kings hes long ears.
• Kings caff is worth other mens corne.
• Kindnesse lyes not ay in ane syde of the house.

L

• LIttle intermerting makes good friends.
• Long tarrying takes all the thank away.
• Little good is soon spendit.
• Lang lean makes hameald cattel.
• Little wit makes meikle travell.
• Lcar young, lear fair.
• Like drawes to like, and a skabbed horse to an ald dyke.
• Laith to the bed, laith out of the bed.
• Little may an ald horse do, if he may not nye.
• Let them that are cold blow at the coal.
• Lang standing, and little offering makes a poore prise.
• Love hes na lack.
• Leave the court, or the court leave thee.

• Light supper makes long life.
• Lykit geir is half bought.
• Lordships changes manners.
• Light winning makes a heavie purse.
• Live and let live,
• Livelesse, faultlesse.
• Little said, soon mendit.
• Laith to the drink, and leath fra it.
• Lightlie comes, lightly goes.
• Last in the bed, best heard.
• Lata is lang and dreich.
• Little waits an ill hussie what a dinner holds in.
• Laddes will be men.
• Lauch and lay down again.
• Likelie lies in the myre, and unliklie goes by it.
• Let him drink as he hes browin.
• Like to die, mends not the kirk yard.
• Luck and a bone voyage.
• Lang or ye cut Falkland wood with a pen knife.
• Love me little, and love me lang.
• Let alone makes mony lurdon.
• Little troubles the eye, but far lesse the soul.
• Little kens the wife that sits by the fire, how the winde blowes cold in hurle burle swyre.

M

• MOny yrons in the fire part mon coole.
• Maidens should be meek while they be married.
• Men may buy gold over dear.
• Mony purses holds friends together
• Meat and cloath makes the man.
• Mony hands makes light work.
• Make not twa mews of an daughter
• Meat is good, but mense is better.
• Mony masters, quoth the poddock to the harrow when eve∣rie tind took her a knock,
• Mint or ye strike.
• Measure, is treasure.
• Mony men does lack, that yat wald fain have in their pack.
• Misterfull folk mon not be mensfull.
• Many smals makes a great.
• Maisterie mawes the meadows down.
• Mony speaks of Robin Hood, that never shot in his bow.
• Mister makes men of craft.
• Meikle water runs where the millar sleeps
• Meikle mon a good heart tholl.
• Mony cares for meal that hes bakin bread enough.
• Meikle spoken, part mon spill.
• Messengers should neither be headed nor hanged.
• Men are blinde in their own cause.
• Mony words wald have meikle drink.
• Man propons, but God dispons.
• Mony man serves a thanklesse master.
• Mony words fils not the furlot.
• Mony kinsfolk, but few friends.
• Men goes over the dyke at the laichest.

• Might, often times overcomes right.
• Mends is worth misdeeds.
• Meikle head, little wit.
• Mustard after meat.
• Millers takes ay the best multar with their own hand.
• Monie man speirs the gate he knowes full well.
• Mussell not the oxens mouth.
• Meikle hes, wald ay have mair.
• Monie tynes the halfe marke whinger, for the halfe pennie whange.
• Make not meikle of little.
• Mony man makes an erand to the hall, to bid the Ladie good-day.
• Mony brings the raike but few the shovell.
• Make no balkes of good bear land.
• March whisquer was never a good fisher.
• Meat and masse never hindred no man.

N

• NAture passes norture.
• Na man can baith sup and blaw at once.
• Nothing enters in a close hand.
• Need makes vertue.
• Need hes na law.
• Neirest the Kirk, farrest fra God.
• Neirest the King, neirest the widdie.

• New lords, new laws.
• Na man may puind for unkindnesse.
• Neirest the heart, neirest the mouth.
• Never rade, never fell.
• Need gars naked men run, and sorrow gars websters spin.
• Neir is the kirtle, but neirer is the sark:
• Nothing is difficile to a well willit man.
• Na man makes his awn hap.
• Na plie is best.
• Nothing comes sooner to light, then that which is long hid.
• Na man can play the fool sa weill as the wise man.
• Na pennie, na pardon.
• Na man can seek his marrow in the kirne, sa weill as hee that hes been in it himself.

O

• OVer fast, over louse.
• Of anuch men leaves.
• Over great familiaritie genders despite.
• Oft compting makes good friends.
• Over narrow compting culzies na kindnesse.
• Out of sight, out of langer.
• Of twa ills choose the least.
• Of other mens lether, men takes large whanges.
• Over jollie dow not.
• Of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks
• Of all war, peace is the finall end.

• Of ill debtours men takes eattes,
• Of need make vertue.
• Of the earth mon the dyke be biggit.
• Of ane ill, comes many.
• Over hote over cold.
• Over heigh, over laich.
• Over meikle of ane thing, is good for nathing.

P

• PEnnie wise, pound foole,
• Priests and doves makes foule houses.
• Pride and sweirnesse wald have meikle uphald.
• Put your hand na farder nor your sleive may reeke.
• Poore men are fain of little thing.
• Play with your peirs.
• Pith is good in all playes.
• Put twa half pennies in a purse, and they will draw together
• Painters and poets have leave to lie.
• Possession is worth an ill chartour.
• Pryde will have a fall.
• Povertie parts good company, and is an enemie to vertue.
• Put not your hand betwixt the rind and the tree.
• Poore men they say hes na souls.
• Patience perforce.
• Provision in season, makes a rich meason.

• Put that in the next few,
• Peter in, and Paul out.
• plentie is na daintie:
• puddings and paramours wald be hotelie handlit.

Q

• Quhair the Deer is slain, some bloud will lye.
• Quhen the eye sees it saw not, the heart will think it thought not.
• Quhen wine is in, wit is out.
• Quhen the steed is stowne, steik the stable doore.
• Quhen the Tod preaches, beware of the hens.
• Quhen the cup is fullest, bear it evinest.
• Quhat better is the house that the da rises in the morning.
• Quhen theeves reckons, leall men comes to their geir.
• Quhen I am dead, make me caddell.
• Quhiles the hawk hes, and whiles he hunger hes.
• Quhen the craw flees, her tail follows.
• Quhen the play is best, it is best to leave.
• Quha may wooe but cost.
• Quhiles thou, whiles I, so goes the bailleri.
• Quhen a man is full of lust, his womb is full of leesings
• Quha may hold that will away.
• Quhen taylours are true, there little good to shew.
• Quhen thy neighbours house is on fire, take tent to thy awn
• Quhen the iron is hot, it is time to strike.
• Quhen the bellie is full, the bones wald have rest.
• Quhom God will help, na man can hinder.

• Quhen all men speaks, na man hears.
• Quhen the good man is fra hame, the boardcleaths tint,
• Quhair stands your great horse.
• Quhair the pig breaks, let the shells ly.
• Quhen friends meets, hearts warmes.
• Quhen the well is full, it will run over.

R

• REason band the man.
• Ruse the foord as ye finde it.
• Ruse the fair day at evin.
• Racklesse youth, makes a goustie age.
• Ryme spares na man.
• Reavers should not be rewers:
• Rule youth weill, and eild will rule the sell.
• Rome was not biggit on the first day.

S

• Sike man, sike master.
• Seldome rides, tynes the spurres.
• Shod in the cradle, bairfoot in the stubble,
• Sike lippes, sike latace.
• Sike a man as thou wald be, draw thee to sik companie.
• Soothe bourd is na bourd.
• Seldome lyes the devil dead by the dyke side
• Saying goes good cheap-
• Spit on the stane, it will be wet at the last.
• Soft fire makes sweet malt.
• Sorrows gars websters spin.
• Sturt payes na debt.
• Sillie bairns are eith to lear.
• Saw thin, and maw thin.
• Soon rype, soon rotten.
• Send and fetch.
• Self deed, self fa.
• Shame shall fall them that shame thinks, to do themselves a good turn.
• Sike father, sike son, &c.
• Seill comes not while sorrow be gone.
• Shees a foule bird that fyles her own nest.
• Speir at Jock thief my marrow, if I be a leal man.
• Soon gotren, soon spendit.
• Sike priest, sike offering.
• Shee is a sairie mouse that hes but ane hole.
• Surfeit slayes ma•• nor the sword.
• Seik your sauce where you get your ail.
• Sokand seall is best.
• Sike answer as a man gives, sike will he get.

• Small winning makes a heavie purse.
• Shame is past the shedd of your haire.
• Send him to the sea and he will not get water.
• Saine you weill fra the devill and the Lairds bairns.
• She that takes gifts her self, she sels, and shee that gives, does not ells.
• Shroe the ghast that the house is the war of.
• Shew me the man, and I shall shew you the law.
• Swear by your burnt shines.
• Sairie be your meil poke, and ay your neive in the nook of it.

T

• THe mair haste, the war speid.
• Tyde bydes na man.
• Twa daughters and a back door, are three stark theeves
• There was never a cake, but it had a make.
• There came never a large fart forth of a Wrans arse.
• Toome bagges rattles.
• The thing that is fristed, is not forgiven.
• Take part of the pelf, when the pack is a dealing.
• Tread on a worme, and she will steir her tail.
• They are lightlie herrite that hes their awn.
• The Craw thinks her awn bird fairest.
• There is little to the rake to get after the bissome.
• They buy good cheap that brings nathing hame.
• Thraw the wand while it is green.
• The Sowters wife is worst shod.
• The worst warld that ever was, some man wan.

• They will know by a half pennie if a priest wil take offering
• Tyme tryes the truth.
• The weeds overgaes the corne.
• Take tyme while time is, for time will away.
• The piper wants meikle that wants the nether chafts.
• They are welcome that brings.
• The langer we live, the mae farlies we see.
• There are many soothe words spoken in bourding.
• There is na thief without a resetter.
• There is many fair thing full false.
• There came never ill of a good advisement.
• There is na man sa deaf, as he that will not hear.
• There was never a fair word in flyting.
• The mouth that lyes, slayes the soul.
• Trot mother, trot father, how can the foal amble.
• They were never fain that fidgit.
• Twa wolfs may worrie ane sheep.
• Twa fooles in ane house is over many.
• The day hes eyne, the night hes ears.
• The tree fals not at the first straike.
• The mair ye tramp in a turde, it growes the breader.
• There is none without a fault.
• The devil is a busie bishop in his awn diocie.
• There is no friend to a friend in mister.
• There is na foole to an auld fool.
• Touch a good horse in the back, and he will fling.
• There is remeid for all things but stark deid.
• There is na medicine for fear.
• The weakest goes to the wals.
• That which hussies spares, cats eats.
• Thou wilt get na mair of the cat but the skin,
• There mae madines nor makine.
• They laugh ay that winnes,

• Twa wits is better nor ane.
• They put at the cairt that is ay gangand.
• Three may keep counsel if twa be away.
• They are good willie of their horse that hes nane.
• The mae the merrier, the fewer the better chear.
• The blinde horse is hardiest.
• There mae wayes to the wood nor ane
• There is meikle between word and deed.
• They that speirs meikle, will get wot of part.
• The lesse play the better.
• The mair cost, the mair honour.
• There is nothing more precious nor time.
• True love kyths in time of need.
• There are many fair words in the marriage making, but few in the tochergood paying.
• The higher up, the greater fall.
• The mother of mischief is na mair nor a midge wing.
• Tarrowing bairns were never fat.
• There little sap in dry peis hooles:
• This bolt came never out of your bag.
• Thy tongue is na slander.
• Take him up there with his 5 eggs, and 4 of them rotten.
• The next time ye daunce, wit whom ye take by the hand.
• The goose pan is above the rost.
• Thy thumbe is under my belt.
• There is a dog in the well.
• The malt is above the beir.
• Touch me not on the sair heel.
• The shots overgaes the ald swine,
• Take a man by his word, and a cow by her horne.
• There meikle hid meat in a goose eye.
• They had never an ill day that had a good evening.
• There belongs mair to a bed nor foure buir legs.

• The greatest clarks are not the wisest men.
• Thou should not tell thy foe when thy fit slides
• the grace of God is geir enough.
• Twa hungrie mel••its makes the third a glutton
• This warld will not last ay.
• The Devil and the Dean begins with a letter, when the De∣vil hes the Dean, the kirk will be the better.
• They are as wise that speir not.
• There is nothing so crouse as a new washen louce.

W

• VVRang hes nea warrand.
• Will hes that weill is.
• Well done, soon done.
• Weapons bodes peace.
• Wiles helps weak folk.
• Wishers, and walders are poore househalders,
• Words are but wind, but dunts are the devil.
• Wark bears witnesse wha weill does.
• Wealth gars wit waver.
• Weill bydes, weill betydes,
• Wrang compt, is na paiment.
• Wrang hears, wrang answer gives.
• With emptie hand, na man should hawkes allure
• Weill wats the mouse, the cats out of the house.

• We ill worth aw, that gars the plough draw.
• We hounds slew the hair, quoth the messoun.
• Wonder lasts but nine nights in a town,
• Women and bairns keeps counsel of that they know not.
• Wont beguilt the Ladie.
• Waken not sleeping dogs.
• We have a craw to pluck.
• Well good mother daughter.
• Wood in wildernesse, and strength in a fool.
• Wit in a poore mans head, mosse in a mountain availes no∣thing.
• VVeils him and wooes him that hes a bishop in his kin.
• Vse makes perfectnesse.
• Unskild mediciners, and horsemarshels, slayes both man and beast.
• VVhatrax of the feed, where the friendship dow nought.

Y

• YE will break your neck and your fast alike in his house
• Ye strive against the stream
• Youth never casts tor perrill.
• Ye seek hot water under cold y••e••
• Ye drive a snail to Rome.
• Ye ride a bootlesse erand.

• Ye seek grace at a gracelesse face.
• Ye learn your father to get bairns.
• Ye may not sit in Rome and strive with the Pope.
• Youth and age will never agree.
• Ye may puind for debt, but not for unkindnesse.
• Ye breid of the cat, ye wald fain eat fish, but yee have n•• will to weet your feet,
• We breid of the gouk, ye have not a ryme but ane.
• Ye should be a king of your word.
• Ye will get war bods or Belten.
• Ye may drink of the burn, but not byte of the brae:
• Ye wald do little for God an the devil were dead:
• Ye have a readie mouth for a ripe cherrie.
• Ye breed of the millers dog, ye lick your mouth or the po•• be open.

FINIS.