This is as thei saie in English, better a badde excuse, then none at all.
[1551 T. Wilson Rule of Reason S6]
A bad excuse is better, they say, then none at all.
[1579 S. Gosson School of Abuse 24]
The old fellow's look had a glimpse of passing cunning as much as to say, ‘A bad excuse is better than none.’
[1821 W. Wirt Letter 29 Aug. in J. P. Kennedy Memoirs (1849) II. vii.]
What excuse is better than none?
[1981 P. Van greenaway ‘Cassandra’ Bill xiii.]
Related to: excuses
Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.
