Swithe [so] mury hit is in halle, When the burdes wawen alle!
[c 1300 King Alisaunder (EETS) l. 1164]
It is mery in halle, When berds wag all.
[1546 J. Heywood Dialogue of Proverbs ii. vii. 13V]
Be merry, be merry, my wife has all. ‥'Tis merry in hall when beards wag all.
[1598 Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 2 v. iii. 35]
Come; they say, 'Tis merry in Hall, when Beards wag all.
[1738 Swift Polite Conversation ii. 170]
‘'Twas merry in the hall when the beards wagged all;’ and the clerical beards wagged merrily‥that day.
[1857 Trollope Barchester Towers III. iv.]
Presumably this is how the Treasury greybeards get their fun. Are they in fact grey-bearded. One rather assumes a great wagging of beards: 'tis merry in hall when beards wag all.
[1976 ‘J. Davey’ Treasury Alarm i.]
Related to: hospitality; merriment
Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.
