Ther nis no werkman, whatsoevere he be, That may bothe werke wel and hastily.
Lat take a cat, and fostre him wel with milk, And tendre flesh, and make his couche of silk, And let him seen a mous go by the wal; Anon he weyveth milk, and flesh, and al, And every deyntee that is in that hous, Swich appetyt hath he to ete a mous.
But manly set the world on sixe and sevene; And, if thou deye a martir, go to hevene.
Fie on possession, But if a man be vertuous withal.
Mercy surpasses justice.
If were not foolish young, were foolish old.
To keep demands as much skill as to win.
Habit maketh no monk, ne wearing of gilt spurs maketh no knight.
One shouldn’t be too inquisitive in life Either about God’s secrets or one’s wife.
Full wise is he that can himselven knowe.
Women desire six things: They want their husbands to be brave, wise, rich, generous, obedient to wife, and lively in bed.
Fo lo, the gentil kind of the lioun! For when a flye offendeth him or byteth, He with his tayl awey the flye smyteth Al esily, for, of his genterye, Him deyneth net to wreke him on a flye, As cloth a curre or elles another beste.
Look up on high, and thank the God of all.
Certes, they been lye to hounds, for an hound when he cometh by the roses, or by other bushes, though he may nat pisse, yet wole he heve up his leg and make a countenance to pisse.
What’s said is said and goes upon its way Like it or not, repent it as you may.
The guilty think all talk is of themselves.
Whoso will pray, he must fast and be clean, And fat his soul, and make his body lean.
No empty handed man can lure a bird.
The smylere with the knyf under the cloke.
The devil can only destroy those who are already on their way to damnation.