A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

Cf. medieval L. mille vie ducunt hominem per secula Romam, a thousand roads lead man
for ever towards Rome. c 1391 CHAUCER Astrolabe Prologue 1. 40 Right as diverse pathes
leden diverse folk the righte way to Rome.

1806 R. THOMSON tr. La Fontaine’s Fables IV. XII. xxiv. All roads alike conduct

to Rome. 1872 W. BLACK Strange Adventures of Phaeton vi. You know all roads lead to

Rome, and they say that Oxford is half-way to Rome. 1912 J. S. HUXLEY Individual in

Animal Kingdom vi. All roads lead to Rome: and even animal individuality throws a ray

on human problems. 2002 Spectator 16 Feb. 21 All roads, of course, led to Rome: an

expression of Rome’s control over the empire’s landscape and populace. beginnings

and endings; ways and means

roasting see there is REASON in the roasting of eggs.

robbery see a fair EXCHANGE is no robbery.

The ROBIN and the wren are God’s cock and hen; the martin and the swallow are
God’s mate and marrow

Marrow is an obsolete word (except in dialect), meaning ‘something that makes a pair
with another’. The rhyme is found in a variety of forms, as in a 1508 J. SKELTON Poems
(1969) 45 The prety wren.. is our Ladyes hen.

1787 F. GROSE Provincial Glossary (Popular Superstitions) 64 There is a particular

distich in favour of the robin and wren: A robin and wren Are God Almighty’s cock and

hen. Persons killing [them].. or destroying their nests, will infallibly, within the course of

a year, break a bone, or meet with some other dreadful misfortune. On the contrary, it is

deemed lucky to have martins and swallows build their nests in the eaves of a house.

1826 R. WILBRAHAM Cheshire Glossary (ed. 2) 105 The following metrical adage is

common in Cheshire: The Robin and the Wren Are God’s cock and hen, The Martin and

the Swallow are God’s mate and marrow. 1945 F. THOMPSON Lark Rise ix. No boy

would rob a robin’s or a wren’s nest.. for they believe that: The robin and the wrens Be

God Almighty’s friends. And the martin and the swallow Be God Almighty’s birds to

follow. bird lore

ROBIN Hood could brave all weathers but a thaw wind

A thaw wind is ‘a cold piercing wind from the S. or SE. which often accompanies the