What’s the origin of the phrase ‘Good men and true’?
From Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, 1599:
DOGBERRY: Are you good men and true?
VERGES: Yea, or else it were pity but they should suffer salvation, body and soul.
Meaning
Good men and true
The meaning of the phrase
Dependable men, of rank and honour. The phrase was adapted later to 'twelve good men and true', indicating the twelve (originally all men, now both sexes) of a criminal jury.
Historical trend
“Good men and true” in printed material over time
Source: Google Books Ngrams (1800–2020).
- Good men and true