“Base is the slave that pays” (“Henry V.,” ii. 1).[864]
“Bastards are born lucky.” This proverb is alluded to in “King John” (i. 1), by the Bastard, who says:
“Brother, adieu; good fortune come to thee!
For thou wast got i’ the way of honesty.”
Philip wishes his brother good fortune, because Robert was not a bastard.
“Beggars mounted run their horses to death.”[865] Quoted by York in “3 Henry VI.” (i. 4). We may also compare the proverb: “Set a beggar on horseback, he’ll ride to the devil.”
“Begone when the sport is at the best.” Mr. Halliwell-Phillipps quotes Benvolio’s words in “Romeo and Juliet” (i. 5):
“Away, be gone; the sport is at the best.”
To the same effect are Romeo’s words (i. 4):
“The game was ne’er so fair, and I am done.”
“Be off while your shoes are good.” This popular phrase, still in use, seems alluded to by Katharina in “Taming of the Shrew” (iii. 2), who says to Petruchio: