French Proverbs from 1611: War, conflict, and fighting

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[`A dure enclume marteau de plume:] [Pro.] [By gentlenesse, and patience we surmount all difficulties: So doe skilfull Enginers oppose bags of wooll, and walls of soft earth, vnto the furie of the Cannon.]
[`A dure enclume marteau de plume:] [Prov.] [By patience we quaile, or quell all harsh attempts: and now adayes we see bags of wooll, and walls of soft earth opposed to the furie of the Cannon.]


[`A jeune soldat vieil cheval:] [Prov.] [A young souldier would be fitted with an old horse; (both to temper his heat, and to helpe his ignorance.)]


[Argent faict guerre:] [Prov.] [Money makes warre:] [viz: incites men to vndertake, and enables them to vndergoe, it.
[Argent faict guerre:] [Prov.] viz. It moues men to begin, and enables them to follow, it.


[Argent faict rage, & amour mariage:] [Pro.] Money breeds rage, loue mariage.


[D'oiseaux, de chiens, d'armes, & d'amours, pour vn plaisir mille douleurs:] [Prov.] [Who fall in loue, or follow Hawkes, hounds, armes, for one delight sustain a thousand harmes.]
[D'oiseaux, de chiens, d'armes, & d'amours pour vn plaisir mille douleurs:] [Prov.] Who follow haukes, hounds, armes, or are in loue, for one delight a thousand sorrowes proue.
[D'oyseaux, de chiens, d'armes, & d'amours, pour vn plaisir mille douleurs:] [Prov.] The pleasure got by hawkes, hounds, loue, and armes, are deerely bought with millions of harmes.


[Gourmandise tue plus de gens qu'espé e en guerre trenchant:] [Prov.] [More are killed by surfeting then by the sword.]


[La guerre est la feste des morts:] [Prov.] [Warre is deathes holy-day.]


[Mieux vaut en paix vn oeuf qu'en guerre vn boeuf: &, Mieux vaut servitude en paix que seigneurie en guerre:] [Prov.] [Better a needie slaue in peace then a wealthie Lord in warre.]


[Mieux vaut l'ombre d'un sage vieillard que les armes d'un ieune coquard:] [Prov.] The shadow of an aduised grandsire is better than the sword of an aduenturous goosecap.


[Qui a terre, si, a guerre:] [Prov.] [He that hath soyle hath suits.]


[Qui combat avec armes d'argent est asseuré de vaincre:] [Prov.] Those that with siluer weapons fight are sure to ouercome.


[Qui n'a ceour ait iambes:] [Prov.] Let him that dares not fight vse flight.
[Qui n'a coeur ait iambes:] [Prov.] [Let him that hath not a heart haue heeles;] or let him that dares not vse his hands bestirre his heeles.
[Qui n'a coeur, ait jambes:] [Prov.] He that dares not trust to his hands had best trust to his heeles; or, he that dares not fight may do well to flie.


[Tant tonne qu'il pleut:] [Prov.] [Of big words come bloudwipes; after much consultation round execution.]


[Tant vente qu'il pleut: &, Tant tonne, & vente que pluye descend:] [Prov.] [This wind will haue raine; bloud-wipes often follow big words.]


[Tel cuide frapper qui tue:] [Prov.] Some kill those whom they would but strike.
[Tel cuide frapper qui tue:] [Prov.] [The wounding mind hath oft a murthering hand; a hurt intended with death is ended.]


[Tel tue qui ne pense que blesser:] [Prov.] [Some kill such as they would but hurt.]


[Tousiours ne dure guerre, ne orage:] [Prov.] [No violence, nor violent thing, lasts alwayes.]


[Vn homme de paille vaut vne femme d'or:] [Prov.] A man of straw is worth a woman of gold (for rude, or violent purposes will some say.)


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