French Proverbs from 1611: The (oft lamentable) status of women in French proverbs

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Cotgrave has many proverbs about women, some good, some bad. Note that in many of these, the French word for woman ("femme") is translated into less flattering terms. You might also want to look at the marriage and love categories.


[`A peine cognoist on la femme, & le Melon:] [Prov.] [(The meaning is, vntill they be broken, or cut vp; and, the outside is often the best part of them.)]


[Assez fait qui fortune passe, & plus encor qui putain chasse:] [Prov.] He does much that ill fortune misses, but he does more that quits a whore.


[Au temps passé Berthe filoit:] [Prov.] In old time the greatest women were the greatest huswiues;


[`A vieille mule frein doré:] [Pro.] [Said in derision of an old woman, that paints and prankes her selfe.]


[Beauté de femme fascheux resveille-matin:] [Prov.] A (wanton) womans beautie breeds a restlesse morning.
[Beauté de femme fascheux resveille-matin:] [Prov.] [A womans beautie reaues (fond) man of rest.]


[Belle femme mauvaise teste:] [Pro.] Faire women either curst, or cruell, be.


[Brebis trop apprivoisé e de trop d'agneaux est tetté e:] [Prov.] An ouer-kind man, or woman get more followers, than it stands with his ease, or her honestie to keepe.
[Brebis trop apprivoiseé de trop d'agneaux est tetteé:] [Prov.] The gentle Ewe is suckt by too many Lambs; (appliable to an ouer-kind, or too familiar, woman.)


[Ce n'est rien, c'est vne femme qui se noye:] [Prov.] [A woman drownes her selfe, no force.]
[Ce n'est rien, c'est vne femme qui se noye:] [Prov.] Tis no great matter though a woman drowne her selfe.


[C'est folie de se prendre aux femmes, & aux bestes:] [Pro.] [Tis a madnes to meddle with women, and beasts.]
[C'est folie de se prendre aux femmes, & aux bestes:] [Prov.] Hee's mad that quarrels (with women, or beasts.)
[C'est folie de se prendre aux femmes, & aux bestes:] [Prov.] Mad is the man that brables with women, and beasts.
[C'est folie de se prendre aux femmes, & aux bestes:] [Prov.] Hee's mad that quarrels (with women, or beasts.)


[Dame qui trop se mire peu file:] [Pro.] [She that looks too much at her selfe lookes too little to her selfe.]
[Dame qui trop se mire peu file:] [Prov.] She that heeds her beautie much, tends her benefit but little; a proud, and a good, huswife are incompatible.


[De femme volage, & friande, En tout temps bon heur nous defende:] [Pro.] From women light, and lickorous, good fortune still deliuer vs.


[De toute femme qui se farde, donne toy soigneusement garde:] [Prov.] Let no womans painting breed thy stomacks fainting.


[Deux chiens ne s'accordent point à vn os:] [Prov.] [Two dogs, and a bone, agree not in one.]
[Deux chiens ne s'accordent point à vn os:] [Prov.] Two dogs neuer agree about one bone; churles will not part, nor part with, any thing.
[Deux chiens ne s'accordent point à vn os:] [Prov.] We say, Two cats and a mouse, two wiues in one house, two dogs and a bone, neuer agree in one.


[Deux pots au feu significent la feste, & deux femmes font la tempeste:] [Prov.] Two pots oth'fire a feast, two women a storme, portend.
[Deux pots au feu signifient feste, & deux femmes font la tempeste:] [Prov.] [Two pots a feast presage, two women mickle rage.]
[Deux pots au feu signifient feste, & deux femmes font la tempeste:] [Prov.] Two pots well fild are signes of a feast; two women ill-wild of a storme.
[Deux pots au feu signifient feste, & deux femmes font la tempeste:] [Prov.] Two pots well fild are signes of a feast; two women ill-wild of a storme.


[En Moissons Dames chambrieres sont:] [Prov.] [Ladies are but drudges, or wait on themselues, as long as Haruest lasts.]
[En moissons Dames chambrieres sont:] [Pro.] While Haruest lasts, all fellowes.


[Femme, argent, & vin, ont leur bien, & leur venin:] [Prov.] Money, wine, and women, haue good and bad things in them.
[Femme, argent, & vin, ont leur bien, & leur venin:] [Prov.] [Wine, money, and the female brood haue properties both bad, and good; are (as th'are vsed) bad, or good.]
[Femme, argent, & vin, ont leur bien, & leur venin:] [Prov.] A woman, coyne, and wine haue good, and bad things in them.
[Femme, argent, & vin, ont leur bien, & leur venin:] [Prov.] [Wine, money, and the female brood haue properties both bad, and good; are (as th'are vsed) bad, or good.]


[Femme bonne vaut vne couronne:] [Prov.] A vertuous dame is worth a Diadem.


[Femme de bien vaut vn grand bien:] [Prov.] An honest woman is worth much.


[Femme fiere en toute saison veut estre maistre de sa maison:] [Pro.] The proud shroe scornes to be a subiect.


[Femme lecheresse ne fera ia poré e espaisse:] [Prov.] [The lickerous houswife seldome makes thicke pottage.]
[Femme lecheresse ne fera ja poré e espaisse:] [Prov.] [A lickorous houswife seldome makes thicke pottage.]


[Femme mauvaise qui n'empire, encore n'est elle pas la pire:] [Prov.] A bad woman that paires not is not the worst of women.
[Femme mauvaise qui n'empire encore n'est elle pas la pire:] [Prov.] An ill wife that growes not worse is not of wiues the worst.


[Femme prudente, & sage, est l'ornement de son mesnage:] [Prov.] [A woman wise, and prouident, doth beautifie her tenement.]


[Femme qui enuis file porte chemise vile:] [Pro.] Beggerie, and sluttishnesse are the fruits of ill huswiferie, and of lazinesse.
[Femme qui envis file porte chemise vile:] [Pro.] Beggerie, and nastinesse are the fruits of ill huswiuerie, and lazinesse.


[Femme qui perd sa honte est sans estime, & conte:] [Pro.] A woman that hath lost her shame, hath lost respect, esteeme, good name.
[Femme qui perd sa honte est sans estime, & conte:] [Pro.] A woman that hath lost her shame, hath lost respect, esteeme, good name.


[Femme rit quand elle peut, & pleure quand elle veut:] [Pro.] A woman laughes when she can, and weepes when she will.


[Femme safre, & yvrongnesse de son corps n'est pas maistresse:] [Prov.] [A wanton, and wine-bibbing dame, her bodie yeelds to open shame.]


[Femme sage, & de faç on de peu remplit sa maison:] [Pro.] The wife, and well-behaued woman fils her house with little; or, a woman wise, and prouident by thrift doth stocke her tenement.


[Femme se plaind, femme se deult, femme est malade quand elle veut:] [Pro.] Women lament, weepe, sicken, when they list.


[Femme sotte se cognoist à la cotte:] [Prov.] The foolish woman's by her weeds discerned; the womans garment shewes how fond she is.
[Femme sotte se cognoist à la cotte:] [Prov.] [The robes that women doe array, their priuate fooleries bewray.]


[Femme trop piteuse faict sa famille teigneuse:] [Pro.] The ouer gentle huswife marres her household.
[Femme trop piteuse fait sa famille teigneuse:] [Pro.] [A pitifull housewife makes a pitifull houshold;] [The like is]; [Mere piteuse fait sa fille roigneuse:] [Prov.]


[Fille brunette est de nature gaye, & nette:] [Prov.] The nut-browne lasse for mirth and neatnesse doth surpasse.
[Fille brunette est de nature gaye, & nette:] [Prov.] A nut-browne girle is neat, and blith, by nature.


[Fille fenestriere, & trotiere rarement bonne mesnagere:] [Pro.] A gazing, and gadding maid seld proues good houswife.
[Fille fenestriere, & trotiere rarement bonne mesnagere:] [Prov.] Seldome proues gazer, or gadder a good houswife.


[Fille honneste, & moriginé e, est assez riche, & bien doté e:] [Pro.] An honest maid of mannerlie behauiour, hath wealth ynough for any man to haue her.


[Fille oiseuse rarement vertuë use:] [Prov.] An idle maid is rarelie vertuous; or, a maid that does nought learnes to doe naught.


[Fille oisive à mal pensive:] [Pro.] The sloathfull maid still thinks of sinne; a maiden sit-still thinks on ill.


[Fille qui donne s'abandonne:] [Pro.] A maid that giues is easily gotten.


[Fille qui prend elle se rend:] [Pro.] A maid that takes (much) is as good as taken.
[Fille qui prend elle se vend:] [Prov.] [A maid by taking sels her libertie;] or, the maid that wooers profferred gifts doth take, a wanton bargaine will be drawne to make.


[Fille trop veuë, robbe trop vestuë, n'est pas chere tenue:] [Prov.] A maid oft seene, and a garment oft worne are meanely alike esteemed of.
[Fille trop veuë, Robbe trop vestuë, n'est pas chere tenuë:] [Prov.] A maid oft seene; owne too oft worne, are disesteem'd, and held in scorne.


[Fils de putain ne fit iamais bien:] [Prov.] [Neuer did sonne of a whore doe well.]


[Folles femmes n'aiment que pour pasture:] [Prov.] [Whores loue no longer then they are fed.]


[Iamais coup de iument ne fit mal à cheval:] [Prov.] [A womans blow nere hurt the man she loued.]
[Iamais coup de iument ne fit mal à cheval:] [Prov.] When women strike men it is not to hurt them; or, men seldome-times catch hurt by womens blowes.


[Iamais tigneux n'aima le pigne, ny chapon crester geline:] [Prov.] The guiltie cannot abide reproofe, nor a weake man a woman.


[Ieune chair, & vieil poisson:] [Prov.] [Old flesh, and young fish (is fit for the dish.)]
[Ieune chair, & vieil poisson:] [Prov.] Yong flesh, and old fish (are daintiest.)


[Il ne se faut fier ni à femme, ny au giron:] [Prov.] [(For neither of them keepes verie surely the things entrusted vnto them.)] {ed needs trans}


[Il n'est si bon que femme n'assotte:] [Prov.] The best man may b'asotted on a woman.
[Il n'est si bon que femme n'assotte:] [Prov.] The wisest man's assotted by a woman.
[Il n'est si bon qui femme n'assote:] [Prov.] The best man may be gulled by a woman.


[La Goutte en la hanche la fille en la pance:] [Prov.] The Gout in the hanch, a girle in the panch; [viz: If a woman feele often paine in her backe, flanke, hips, legs, & knuckles, tis a signe that she is withchild of a girle.]
[La goutte en la hanche la fille en la pance:] [Prov.] [The gowt in the haunch, a girle in the paunch (of a great bellied woman.)]


[La mere du timide ne sç ait que c'est de pleurer:] [Prov.] [The cowards dam knowes not what weeping meanes.]
[La mere du timide ne sç ait que c'est de pleurer:] [Prov.] [The dame whose sonne's a coward seldome weepes.]


[Les folles femmes n'aiment que pour pasture:] [Pro.] Whoores affect your purse, not you; or, loue you not if you feed them not.


[Les hommes donnent aux femmes ce qu'ils n'ont pas, & ne peuvent avoir:] [Pro.] [viz. Milke.] {undef}


[Les sottes filles à marier sont fascheux troupeaux à garder:] [Prov.] Wenches fond of mariage are troublesome cattell to keepe.


[L'homme fait la malencontre quand sa femme fait le dessus:] [Prov.] (Wherein there is a double meaning.) {needsdef}


[Mauvaise fille se mocque de sa mere:] [Prov.] [A wicked daughter flowts her (witlesse) mother.]
[Mauvaise fille se mocque de sa mere:] [Prov.] So does the filthie bird beray her neast.
[Mauvaise fille se mocque de sa mere:] [Prov.] [The illbred daughter mocks her sillie mother.]


[Mere piteuse fait sa fille roigneuse:] [Prov.] [A tender mother breeds a scabbie daughter.]
[Mere piteuse fait sa fille rongneuse:] [Prov.] [A tender-hearted mother breeds a short-heeld daughter.]


[Monsieur vaut bien Madame:] [Prov.] [A Lord deserues (or is worth) a Ladie at all times.]


[Necessité fait trotter les vieilles:] [Pro.] Need makes th'old wife trot [(say we.)]


[Par trop trotter la poule, & la femme se perdent facilement:] [Prov.] A gadding henne, and houswife are soone lost.
[Par trop trotter la poule, & la femme se perdent facilement:] [Prov.] [Women, and hennes, that gad oremuch, are quickly lost.]


[Plus pré s est la chair que la chemise:] [Prov.] Our women say, neere is my petticoat but neerer is my smocke.


[Putain fait comme la corneille, plus se laue, & plus noire est elle:] [Prov.] A Whoore is like a Crow; the more shee washes her the blacker shee is; [viz. the more she excuses, the more she betraies, her selfe;] or, [in striuing to iustifie, she condemnes, her selfe.]
[Putain fait comme la corneille, plus se lave & plus noire est elle:] [Pro.] [A queane and Crow alike doe fare, the more they wash the fouler they are.]


[Quand la Messe fut chanté e si fut la dame paré e:] [Prov.] [By that time Masse was done, her Ladiship was dressed.]
[Quand la Messe fut chanté e, si fut la Dame paré e:] [Prov.] By that time Prayers were done her tiers were on.
[Quand la messe fut chanté e, si fut la Dame paré e:] [Prov.] [When prayers were ended, Madame ends her pranking.]


[Qui femme a noise a:] [Prov.] [He that a wife hath strife hath.]


[Qui femme croit, & Asne meine son corps ne sera ia sans peine:] [Prov.] [(Belike because the one is (sometime) false, as the other is euer foolish.)]
[Qui femme croit, & Asne meine, son corps ne sera ia sans peine:] [Prov.] [He that beleeues a woman, and leads an Asse, hath brought his bodie (and mind) t'an euill passe.]
[Qui femme croit, & asne meine, son corps ne sera ia sans peine:] [Prov.] He that trusts a woman, and leads an Asse, is neuer without one trouble or other.
[Qui femme croit, & asne mene, son corps ne sera ia sans peine:] [Prov.] He that beleeues a woman, and leads an asse, will neuer be in quiet.


[Soleil qui luisarne au matin, femme qui parle Latin, & Enfant nourry de vin, ne viennent point à bonne fin:] [Prov.] [A glaring morne, a woman Latinist, and wine-fed child, make men crie had I wist.]
[Soleil qui luisarne au matin, femme qui parle Latin, & Enfant nourry de Vin, ne viennent point à bonne fin:] [Prov.] A learned woman seldome proues a good one.


[Tout ce que Clerc laboure folle femme devore:] [Prov.] All that the Clarke toyles for his Punke deuoures. {ed: Punke = prostitute. The French says femme: woman.}
[Tout ce que le Clerc laboure folle femme deuore:] [Pro.] All that the scholler gaines his wench consumes.
[Tout ce que le Clerc laboure folle femme devore:] [Prov.] [All that the Clerke can scrape his trull consumes.]


[Toute Chatte a son Fevrier:] [Prov.] Euerie dog hath his day (say we) or [(more properly) euerie woman hath her wanton fit.]


[Toutes les femmes se resemblent:] [Pro.] All women are (in good, or bad) alike.


[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.)


[Vuides chambres font les Dames folles:] [Pro.] The roome once voided, farewell modestie.
[Vuides chambres font les Dames folles:] [Pro.] [Womens freedome breeds their follie; when they are left alone all modestie is gone.]


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