[E52] "The proverb says, and who'd a proverb cross?
That stones, when rolling, gather little moss."
—Vade Mecum for Malt Worms, 1720, p. 6 (part 2).
See also Ray's Proverbs. Cf.
"On the stone that styll doth turne about,
There groweth no mosse."
—Sir T. Wiat, "How to use the Court," l. 4.
A similar proverb occurs in Piers Plowman, A Text, Passus x. l. 101: "Selden moseth the marbelston that men ofte treden." Cf. also, "Syldon mossyth the stone þat oftyn ys tornyd and wende."—"How the good wife taught her daughter," pr. in Q. Elizabeth's Achademy, ed. Furnivall, p. 39. In the Verses on Lord Burghley's Crest (printed in Thynne's Animaduersions, Chaucer Soc. ed. Furnivall), stanza 32, we read:
"And prouerbe olde was not deuis'd in veyne,
That 'roolinge stone doth neuer gather mosse';
Who lightly leaves in myddest of all his peine,
His former labor frustrates with his losse;
But who continues as he did begynne,
Withe equall course the pointed goale doth wynne."
See also [chapt. 77 st. 20], p. 170.
[E53] "Of all [the lawyers] that euer I knew in Essex, Denis and Mainford excelled, till John of Ludlow, alias Mason, came in place, vnto whome in comparison they two were but children: for this last in lesse than three or foure yeares, did bring one man (among manie else-where in other places) almost to extreame miserie (if beggerie be the vttermost) that before he had the shauing of his beard, was valued at two hundred pounds (I speake with the least) and finallie feeling that he had not sufficient wherwith to susteine himselfe and his familie, and also to satisfie that greedie rauenour, which still called vpon him for new fees, he went to bed, and within foure daies made an end of his wofull life, euen with care and pensiuenesse. After his death also he so handled his sonne, that there was neuer sheepe shorne in Maie, so neere clipped of his fleece present, as he was of manie to come: so that he was compelled to let awaie his land, bicause his cattell and stocke were consumed, and he no longer able to occupie the ground."—Harrison, Descript. of Eng. part i. pp. 206-7.
"Daw" = a chattering fool. See Peacock's Glossary (Eng. Dial. Soc.).
[E54] From this stanza it would seem that sportsmen did not hesitate to trespass on the lands of others in former days any more than at present, but in such cases Tusser recommends the "mild answer which turneth away wrath," and sets out the advantages of courteousness and respect to one's superiors.
[E55] "That flesh might be more plentifull and better cheaper, two daies in the weeke, that is Fryday and Saturday, are specially appointed to fish, and now of late yeares, by the prouidence of our prudent Princesse, Elizabeth, the Wednesday also is in a manner restrained to the same order, not for any religion or holinesse supposed to be in the eating of fish rather than of flesh, but onely for the ciuill policie as I haue said. That as God hath created both for man's use, so both being used or refrained at certaine seasons, might by that entercourse be more abundant. And no doubt, if all daies appointed for that purpose were duly obserued, but that flesh and fish both would be much more plentifull, and beare lesse price than they doe. For accounting the Lent season, and all fasting daies in the yeare together with Wednesday and Friday and Saturday, you shall see that the one halfe of the yeare is ordeined to eate fish in."—Cogan's Haven of Health, ed. 1612, p. 138.