What’s the origin of the phrase ‘More haste, less speed’?
This proverbial saying is found in John Heywood’s 1546 glossary A Dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the Prouerbes in the Englishe tongue:
Moste tymes he seeth, the more haste the lesse spede.
There is a citation which appears to be earlier, in the Scottish Troy Book, which was published at some time in the first half of the 16th century. That includes:
Of fule haist cummis no speid.
Heywood’s book also includes ‘haste makes waste’, which has much the same meaning.
See also: the List of Proverbs.