John Heywood Quotes

John Heywood was an English writer known for his plays, poems, and collection of proverbs. Although he is best known as a playwright, he was also active as a musician and composer, though no musical works survive.

✵ 1497 – 1580
John Heywood photo
John Heywood: 139 quotes0 likes

Famous John Heywood Quotes

“I perfectly feele even at my fingers end.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 6.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Leape out of the frying pan into the fyre.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Better is halfe a lofe than no bread.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 11.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
Variant: Throw no gyft agayne at the geuers head,
For better is halfe a lofe than no bread.

“Fieldes have eies and woods have eares.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“The greatest Clerkes be not the wisest men.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

John Heywood Quotes about horses

“A short horse is soone currid.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 10.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“While the grasse groweth the horse starveth.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 11.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“A man may well bring a horse to the water,
But he cannot make him drinke without he will.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 11.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
Variant: A man may well bring a horse to the water,
But he cannot make him drinke without he will.

“Set the cart before the horse.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 7.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“No man ought to looke a given horse in the mouth.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“The grey mare is the better horse.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 4.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

John Heywood Quotes about men

“And while I at length debate and beate the bushe,
There shall steppe in other men, and catche the burdes,
And by long time lost in many vayne wurdes.”

John Heywood

And while I at length debate and beat the bush,
There shall step in other men, and catch the birds,
And by long time lost in many vain words.
Part I, chapter 3.
Proverbs (1546)

“Who waite for dead men shall goe long barefoote.”

John Heywood

Part I, ch 9.
Proverbs (1546)

“Men say, kinde will creepe where it may not goe.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 11.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Som thingis that prouoke young men to wed in haste,
Show after weddyng, that hast maketh waste.”

John Heywood

Some things that provoke young men to wed in haste,
Show after wedding, that haste makes waste.
Part I, chapter 2.
Proverbs (1546)

John Heywood: Trending quotes

“Pryde will have a fall;
For pryde goeth before and shame commeth after.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 10.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Who hopeth in Gods helpe, his helpe can not starte:
Nothing is impossible to a willyng hart,
And will maie wyn my herte, herein to consent,
To take all thinges as it cometh, and be content.”

John Heywood

Who hopes in God's help, his help can not start:
Nothing is impossible to a willing heart,
And will may win my heart, herein to consent,
To take all things as it comes, and be content.
Part I, chapter 4.
Proverbs (1546)

“I pray thee let me and my fellow have
A haire of the dog that bit us last night.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 11.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
Variant: A heare of the dog that bote vs last night.

John Heywood Quotes

“The still sowe eats up all the draffe.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 10.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“It is a foule byrd that fyleth his owne nest.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“He must needes goe whom the devill doth drive.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 7.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“God never sends th' mouth but he sendeth meat.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 4.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Rome was not built in one daie (quoth he) and yet stood
Till it was finist, as some say, full faire.”

John Heywood

Rome was not built in one day, said he, and yet stood
Till it was finished, as some say, full fair.
Part I, chapter 11.
Proverbs (1546)

“To th' end of a shot and beginning of a fray.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 7.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“All is fish that comth to net.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 11.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Ka me, ka the, one good tourne askth an other.”

John Heywood

Serve me, serve thee, one good turn asks another.
Part I, chapter 11.
Proverbs (1546)
Variant: One good turne asketh another.

“The nere to the churche, the ferther from God.”

John Heywood

The nearer to the church, the farther from God.
Part I, chapter 9.
Proverbs (1546)

“A fooles bolt is soone shot.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 3.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Who is worse shod than the shoemaker's wife?”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 11.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
Variant: Who is wurs shod, than the shoemakers wyfe,
With shops full of shoes all hir lyfe?

“Two heddis are better then one.”

John Heywood

Two heads are better than one.
Part I, chapter 9.
Proverbs (1546)

“To hold with the hare and run with the hound.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 10.
Proverbs (1546)

“Many handis make light warke.”

John Heywood

Many hands make light work.
Part II, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546)
Variant: Many hands make light work.

“Thrée maie a kepe counsayle, if two be away.”

John Heywood

Three may keep counsel, if two be away.
Part II, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546)

“And ones their hastie heate a littell controlde,
Than perceiue they well, hotte love soone colde.
And whan hasty witlesse mirth is mated weele,
Good to be mery and wise, they thinke and feele.”

John Heywood

Proverbs (1546)
Variant: And ones their hastie heate a littell controlde,
Than perceiue they well, hotte love soone colde.
And whan hasty witlesse mirth is mated weele,
Good to be mery and wise, they thinke and feele.

“A hard beginning makes a good ending.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 4.
Proverbs (1546)

“The moone is made of a greene cheese.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 7.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Time is tickell, and out of sight out of minde.
Than catche and holde while I may, fast binde fast finde.”

John Heywood

Time is fickle, and out of sight out of mind.
Than catch and hold while I may, fast bind fast find.
Part I, chapter 3.
Proverbs (1546)

“Than farewell riches, the fat is in the fire,
And neuer shall I to like riches aspire.”

John Heywood

Then farewell riches, the fat is in the fire,
And never shall I to like riches aspire.
Part I, chapter 3.
Proverbs (1546)

“She looketh as butter would not melt in her mouth.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 10.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Who is so deafe or so blinde as is hee
That wilfully will neither heare nor see?”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 9.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“The rolling stone never gathereth mosse.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 11.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Yes yes (quoth she) for all those wyse woordis vttred,
I know on which syde my bread is buttred.
But there will no butter cleaue on my breade.
And on my bread any butter to be spreade.
Euery promise that thou therin dost vtter,
Is as sure as it were sealed with butter.”

John Heywood

Yes yes, said she, for all those wise words uttered,
I know on which side my bread is buttered.
But there will no butter cleave on my bread.
And on my bread any butter to be spread.
Every promise that you therein do utter,
Is as sure as it were sealed with butter.
Part II, chapter 7.
Proverbs (1546)

“The wise man sayth, store is no sore.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“All thing is the woorse for the wearing.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 1.
Proverbs (1546)

“It will not out of the flesh that is bred in the bone.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 8.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Let the world slide, let the world go;
A fig for care, and a fig for woe!
If I can't pay, why I can owe,
And death makes equal the high and low.”

John Heywood

Be Merry Friends; reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919).

“Be the day never so long,
Evermore at last they ring to evensong.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 7.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“This wonder (as wonders last) lasted nine daies.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 1.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Better to give then to take.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Much water goeth by the mill
That the miller knoweth not of.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“… Better is to boow then breake.
It hurteth not the tounge to geue fayre wurdis.
The rough net is not the best catcher of Burdis.
Sense ye can nought wyn, if ye can not please,
Best is to suffre: For of sufferance comth ease.”

John Heywood

… Better is to bow than break.
It hurts not the tongue to give faire words.
The rough net is not the best catcher of Birds.
Since you can not win, if you can not please,
Best is to suffer: For of sufferance comes ease.
Part I, chapter 9.
Proverbs (1546)

“When the steede is stolne, shut the stable durre.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 10.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Praie and shifte eche one for him selfe, as he can.
Euery man for him selfe, and god for us all.”

John Heywood

Pray and shift each one for himself, as he can.
Every man for himself, and God for us all.
Part II, chapter 9.
Proverbs (1546)

“Enough is as good as a feast.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 11.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“For when I gave you an inch, you took an ell.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 9.
Proverbs (1546)

“Children learne to creepe ere they can learne to goe.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 11.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
Variant: Children learne to creepe ere they can learne to goe.

“When the iron is hot, strike.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 3.
Proverbs (1546)

“It is a deere collop
That is cut out of th' owne flesh.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 10.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“The cat would eate fish, and would not wet her feete.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 11.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“She speaketh as she would créepe into your bosome.
And when the meale mouth hath woon the bottome
of your stomake, than will the pickthanke it tell
To your most enmies, you to bye and fell.
To tell tales out of schoole, that is hir great lust.
Looke what she knowth, blab it wist, out it must.”

John Heywood

She speaks as she would creep into your bosom.
And when the mealy mouth has won the bottom
of your stomach, then will the pickthank it tell
To your most enemies, you to buy and sell.
To tell tales out of school, that is her great lust.
Look what she knows, blab it wist, out it must.
Part I, chapter 10.
Proverbs (1546)

“There is no fyre without some smoke.”

John Heywood

There is no fire without some smoke.
Part II, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546)
Variant: There is no fyre without some smoke.

“When all candels be out, all cats be grey,
All thingis are then of one colour, as who sey.
And this prouerbe faith, for quenching hot desyre,
Foul water as soone as fayre, will quenche hot fyre.”

John Heywood

When all candles are out, all cats are grey,
All things are then of one color, as who say.
And this proverb faith, for quenching hot desire,
Foul water as soon as faire, will quench hot fire.
Part I, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546)

“She is nether fish nor flesh, nor good red herring.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 10.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“That muche is my bowe bent to shoote at these marks,
And kyll feare, when the sky falth we shall haue larks.”

John Heywood

That much is my bow bent to shoot at these marks,
And kill fear, when the sky falls we shall have larks.
Part I, chapter 4.
Proverbs (1546)

“I know on which side my bread is buttred.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 7.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Time trieth troth in every doubt.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 5.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“All is not Gospell that thou doest speake.”

John Heywood

Part II, chapter 2.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Now for good lucke, cast an old shooe after me.”

John Heywood

Part I, chapter 9.
Proverbs (1546), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

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