The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (357 page)
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MARRY in May, rue for aye
Some earlier related proverbs are also illustrated below. There are a number of old beliefs about the malign influence of this month, e.g.
MAY chickens come cheeping.
Cf. OVID
Fasti
v. 489
si te proverbia tangunt
,
mense malum Maio nubere volgus ait
, if proverbs influence you, the common people say it is bad luck to marry in May.
1675
Poor Robin's Almanack
May, The Proverb saies .. Of all the Moneths 'tis worst to Wed in May.
1821
Annals of Parish
vi.
We were married on the 29th day of April .. on account of the dread that we had of being married in May, for it is said, ‘Of the marriages in May, The bairns die of a decay’.
1879
Notes on Folk-Lore of Northern Counties
(rev. ed.) i.
The ancient proverb still lives on the lips of the people of Scotland and the Borders—Marry in May, Rue for aye.
1913
Rustic Speech
xiii.
May .. is an evil month for marriage … Marry in May, you'll rue it for aye, is a Devonshire saying.
1981
Observer Magazine
28 June 27
On weddings and engagements we are told that May is an unlucky month for getting married, ‘Marry in May, rue for aye.’
calendar lore
;
marriage
;
regrets
MAY chickens come cheeping.
Cf. OVID
Fasti
v. 489
si te proverbia tangunt
,
mense malum Maio nubere volgus ait
, if proverbs influence you, the common people say it is bad luck to marry in May.
1675Poor Robin's Almanack
May, The Proverb saies .. Of all the Moneths 'tis worst to Wed in May.
1821
Annals of Parish
vi.
We were married on the 29th day of April .. on account of the dread that we had of being married in May, for it is said, ‘Of the marriages in May, The bairns die of a decay’.
1879
Notes on Folk-Lore of Northern Counties
(rev. ed.) i.
The ancient proverb still lives on the lips of the people of Scotland and the Borders—Marry in May, Rue for aye.
1913
Rustic Speech
xiii.
May .. is an evil month for marriage … Marry in May, you'll rue it for aye, is a Devonshire saying.
1981
Observer Magazine
28 June 27
On weddings and engagements we are told that May is an unlucky month for getting married, ‘Marry in May, rue for aye.’
calendar lore;
marriage
;
regrets
Like MASTER, like man
Man
here is in the sense of ‘servant’. Cf. PETRONIUS
Satyricon
lviii.
qualis dominus
,
talis et servus
, as is the master, so is the servant; early 14th-cent. Fr.
lon dit a tel seigneur tel varlet
, it is said, for such a lord such a manservant.
1530
L'éclaircissement de la Langue Française
120
V
Suche maystre suche man.
1538
Dict.
s.v. Similes,
A lewde [foolish] servaunt with an yll master … Lyke master lyke man.
1620
tr.
Cervantes' Don Quixote
II
. x.
The Prouerbe be true that sayes, ‘like master, like man’, and I may add, ‘like lady, like maid’. Lady Hercules was fine, but her maid was still finer.
1979
Bayou Road
iv.
‘Like master, like man,’ Marcy's father had said bitterly .. of the disappearance of an entire set of Dresden plates.
employers and employees
here is in the sense of ‘servant’. Cf. PETRONIUS
Satyricon
lviii.
qualis dominus
,
talis et servus
, as is the master, so is the servant; early 14th-cent. Fr.
lon dit a tel seigneur tel varlet
, it is said, for such a lord such a manservant.
1530L'éclaircissement de la Langue Française
120
V
Suche maystre suche man.
1538
Dict.
s.v. Similes,
A lewde [foolish] servaunt with an yll master … Lyke master lyke man.
1620
tr.
Cervantes' Don Quixote
II
. x.
The Prouerbe be true that sayes, ‘like master, like man’, and I may add, ‘like lady, like maid’. Lady Hercules was fine, but her maid was still finer.
1979
Bayou Road
iv.
‘Like master, like man,’ Marcy's father had said bitterly .. of the disappearance of an entire set of Dresden plates.
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