L.

Labour has a bitter root, but a sweet taste, 347

Labour warms, sloth harms, 299

“Ladies have ladies’ whims,” said crazy Ann, when she draggled her cloak in the gutter, 369

Lambs don’t run into the mouth of the sleeping wolf, 384

Large thongs of another man’s leather (_See_ Good thongs), 211

Large trees give more shade than fruit, 99, 120

Lasses and glasses are always in danger, 99

Late fruit keeps well, 169

Late repentance is seldom worth much, 397

Laughter makes good blood, 103

Law helps the waking, luck may come to the sleeping, 385

Laws go the way kings direct, 196

Laws go where dollars please, 280

Laws have wax noses, 35

Laws were made for rogues, 108

Lawyers and painters can soon change white to black, 385

Lawyers are bad Christians, 156

Lawyers’ houses are built of fools’ heads, 35

Lawyers’ robes are lined with the obstinacy of suitors, 109

Lay your hand on your bosom and you will not speak ill of another, 283

Lean meat from a fat pig, 272

Learn thou of learned men, th’ unlearned of thee; for thus must knowledge propagated be, 332

Learned fools are the greatest of all fools, 140, 149

Leave no nail unclenched, 113

Leave the jest at its best, 195

Leave the minster where it is, 29

Lend to your friend, and ask payment of your enemy, 383

Lent, which seems so long, is short at other men’s tables, 107

Less advice and more hands, 177

Let a child have its will and it will not cry, 383

Let a dog get at a dish of honey, and he will jump in with both legs, 384

Let a saint be ever so humble, he will have his wax taper, 381

Let every bird sing its own note, 366

Let every fox take care of his own tail, 117

Let every man carry his own sack to the mill, 170, 366 (_See_ Every man must carry)

Let every man look to the bread upon which he must depend, 271

Let every man mind his own business, and leave others to theirs, 271

Let every man mind his own business, and the cows will be well tended, 12

Let every one be content with what God has given him, 271

Let every one keep off the flies with his own tail, 117

Let every one look to himself, and no one will be lost, 317

Let every one sweep before his own door, 155

Let every sheep hang by its own leg (Every man should support himself, and not hang upon another), 207, 270

Let God’s waters run over God’s acres, 319

Let him eat the tough morsel who eat the tender, 272

Let him not be a lover who has no courage, 70

Let him not complain of being cheated who buys cloth by the pattern, 237

Let him play the instrument who knows how, 249

Let him stay at the oar who has learnt to row, 383

Let him that has a mouth not say to another, Blow, 233

Let him that itches scratch himself, 53, 177

Let him who does not know you buy you, 251

Let him who feels he has a dirty nose wipe it, 53

Let him who is cold blow the fire, 48

Let him who is well off hold his tongue, 177

Let him who is well off stay where he is, 86

Let him who would reach another a brand, beware that he do not burn his own hand, 378

Let it be a husband, though it be but a log, 256

Let lie what is too heavy to lift, 303

Let me get over the lake, and I have no fear of the brook, 330

Let me go warm, and folks may laugh, 199, 266

Let no one say, “Of this water I will not drink,”, 235

Let no one take a pawn that eats, 242

Let no shovel-beaked bird ever enter your yard, 204

Let not him who has a mouth ask another to blow, 299

Let not the tongue utter what the head must pay for, 235, 284

Let not thy right hand know what thy left hand doeth, 158

Let not your shirt know all your thoughts (or your secret), 48, 117, 129

Let people talk and dogs bark, 158

Let the blood be ever so thin, it is always thicker than water, 351

Let the dead rest, 158

Let the devil get into the church, and he will mount the altar, 158

Let the dog bark so he don’t bite me, 226, 280

Let the giver be silent and the receiver speak, 271

Let the guest go before the storm bursts, 158

Let the guts be full, for it is they that carry the legs, 228, 268

Let the injurer not forget, 84

Let the miracle be wrought, though it be by the devil, 223

Let the sun shine on me, for I care not for the moon, 220

Let them talk of me, and beg of me, 212

Let them whip me in the market-place, provided it be not known at home, 204

Let there be food in the pigeon-house, and the pigeons will come to it, 204, 235

Let there be writing before you pay, and receipt before you write, 222

Let those pater-nosters be for your own soul (Ironical against swearing), 242

Let us first catch the bear and then sell its skin, 120

Let us have florins and we shall find cousins, 65

Let what is lost go for God’s sake, 229

Liars should have good memories, 101, 159

Liberal hands make many friends, 396

Lies and gossip have a wretched offspring, 385

Lies and Latin go round the world, 385

Lies have short legs, 75, 159

Lies melt like snow, 159

Life at court is often a short cut to hell, 374

Life is half spent before one knows what life is, 31

Light burdens borne far become heavy, 6, 158

Light gains make a heavy purse, 332

Light is bad for sore eyes, 3

Light is light, though the blind man see it not, 158

Lightly come, lightly go, 332

Like a collier’s sack, bad without and worse within, 209

Like blood, like means, and like age, make the happiest marriage, 150

Like box-makers, more noise than work, 55

Like father, like son, 292

Like king, like law; like law, like people, 292

Like King Petaud’s court, where every one is master, 11

Like lips, like lettuce, 73, 187

Like master, like man, 58, 127, 187, 345

Like plays best with like, 384

Like pot, like cover, 345

Like saint, like incense (or offering), 56, 73

Like to like, Jack to Gill, a penny a pair, 319

Like well like bucket, 73

Like will to like, 53, 126

Like will to like—a scabbed horse and a sandy dike, 397

“Like will to like,” as the devil said to the coal-burner, 150

Like will to like, be they poor or rich, 317

Link by link the coat of mail is made, 37

Lion-skins were never had cheap, 26

Lip courtesy avails (or pleases) much and costs little, 118, 209

Listeners hear no good of themselves, 248

Little and often makes a heap in time, 177

Little beard, little modesty, 200, 240

Little bird, little nest, 194

Little brooks make great rivers, 35

Little by little one goes far, 240

Little by little the bird builds its nest, 45

Little children and headaches, great children and heartaches, 98

Little children, little sorrows; big children, great sorrows, 398

Little chips kindle the fire, and big logs sustain it, 291

Little enemies and little wounds are not to be despised, 157

Little fish are sweet (All is fish that comes to the net), 330

Little folks are fond of talking about what great folks do, 141

Little is done where many command, 296

Little pitchers have long ears, 45

Little pots soon run (or boil) over, 157, 330

Little presents maintain friendship, 35

Little saints also perform miracles, 398

Little sorrows are loud, great ones silent, 398

Little strokes fell great oaks, 330

Little thieves are hanged by the neck, great ones by the purse, 105, 330

Little thieves have iron chains, and great thieves gold ones, 330

Little wood, much fruit, 343

Live according to your means, 389

Live and learn, 132

Live and let live, 132, 158, 333

Loaves put awry into the oven come out awry, 3

Locks and keys are not made for honest fingers, 167

Long absence changes friends, 37

Long borrowed is not given, 158

Long choosing and cheapening ends in buying nothing, or bad wares, 183

Long fasting is no bread sparing, 158, 331

Long is not for ever, 158

Long life to the conqueror, 262

Long talk makes short days, 37

Long-talked-of (or looked-for) comes at last, 159

Long tongue, short hand, 37, 109

Longer than a day without bread, 120

Look before you leap, 100, 145

Look for the hog at the oak, 72

Look not a gift horse in the mouth, 2, 66, 149, 194, 313, 389

Look with suspicion on the flight of an enemy, 106

Lords and fools speak freely, 374

Lose no rights and commit no extortions, 230

Love, a cough, smoke, and money, cannot long be hid (or are hard to hide), 4, 4, 71, 159

Love and faith are seen in works, 216, 287

Love and lordship like no fellowship, 4, 71, 265

Love and poverty are hard to conceal, 347

Love begins at home, 158

Love Bertrand love his dog, 48

Love demands faith, and faith firmness, 71

Love does much, money everything, 4, 158, 199

Love does wonders, but money makes marriage, 30

Love expels jealousy, 30

Love, fire, a cough, the itch, and gout, are hard to conceal, 158

Love, grief, and money cannot be kept secret, 199

Love grows with obstacles (A wall between increases love), 158

Love has no law, 265

Love is an excuse for its own faults, 91

Love is blind, but sees afar, 71

Love is master of all arts, 93

Love is the true price at which love is bought, 71

Love knows hidden paths, 158

Love knows no law, 287

Love knows not labour, 71

Love levels all inequalities, 116

Love makes labour light, 332

Love makes time pass away, and time makes love pass away, 30

Love me little and love me long, 2, 70, 365

Love me, love my dog, 78 (_See_ Love Bertrand)

Love one that does not love you, answer one that does not call you, and you will run a fruitless race, 198

Love others well, but love thyself the most; give good for good, but not to thine own cost, 300

Love rules his kingdom without a sword, 71

Love rules without law, 71

Love subdues everything except the felon heart, 4

Love teaches asses to dance, 30

Love, thieves, and fear, make ghosts, 158

Love without return is like a question without an answer, 158

Love your friend with his faults, 70

Love your neighbour, but don’t pull down the fence, 158

Lovers’ purses are tied with cobwebs, 105

Lovers’ quarrels are love redoubled, 267

Lovers think others are blind (or have no eyes), 119, 240

Love’s anger is fuel to love, 159

Love’s merchandise is jealousy and broken faith, 71

Love’s plant must be watered with tears and tendered with care, 383

Loving and singing are not to be forced, 159

Luck comes to those who look after it, 261

Luck has but a slender anchorage, 385

Luck has much for many, but enough for no one, 385

Luck is better than a hundred marks, 350

Luck (or Fortune) taps at the door and inquires whether prudence is within, 385 (_See_ Fortune)

Luck will carry a man across a brook if he is not too lazy to leap, 385

Lying and gossiping go hand in hand, 219

Lying is the first step to the gallows, 159

Lying pays no tax, 289