Brewer, E. Cobham. Dictionary of Phrase & Fable. What we Gave we Have, What we Spent we Had, What we Had we Lost.

Reference > Brewer’s Dictionary > What we Gave we Have, What we Spent we Had, What we Had we Lost.

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CONTENTS · BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.

What we Gave we Have, What we Spent we Had, What we Had we Lost.

Epitaph of the Good Earl of Courtenay. (Gibbon: History of the Courtenay Family.)

The epitaph in St. George’s church, Doncaster, runs thus:

“How now, who is here?

I, Robin of Doncastere

And Margaret, my feere.

That I spent, that I had;

That I gave, that I have;

That I left, that I lost.”

This is a free translation of Martial’s distich—

“Extra fortunam est quidquid donatur amicis Quas dederis, solas semper habebis opes.”

Wharton.

What’s What.

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