John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
75 John Heywood 1497?-1580? John Bartlett
| NUMBER: | 75 |
| AUTHOR: | John Heywood (1497?–1580?) |
| QUOTATION: | Beware of, Had I wist. 1 |
| ATTRIBUTION: | Proverbes. Part i. Chap. ii. |
| Note 1. A common exclamation of regret occurring in Spenser, Harrington, and the older writers. An earlier instance of the phrase occurs in the Towneley Mysteries. [back] |