The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (218 page)

1894
Notes & Queries
8th Ser. VI. 155
Another saying among boys is—Give a thing and take a thing, To wear the devil's gold ring.
1959
Lore & Language of Schoolchildren
viii.
It is a cardinal rule amongst the young that a thing which has been given must not be asked for again … [Somerset] Give a thing, take a thing, Dirty man's plaything … [Cheshire] Give a thing, take a thing, Never go to God again.
giving and receiving

 
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Also in the phrase
to give the Devil his due
.
1589
Pap with Hatchet
III. 407
Giue them their due though they were diuels .. and excuse them for taking anie money at interest.
1596
Saffron Walden
III. 36
Giue the diuell his due. 1642
Prince Rupert's Declaration
2 The Cavaliers (to give the Divell his due) fought very valiantly.
1751
Peregrine Pickle
I. xvii.
You always used me in an officer-like manner, that I must own, to give the devil his due.
1936
Murder of Matriarch
xxiii.
To give the devil his due .. I don't think that Irvin planned to incriminate anyone else.
1978
Evil that Men Do
vi.
Giving the devil his due will always jostle the angels.
fair dealing

 
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see also
it is BETTER to give than to receive
;
give CREDIT where credit is due
;
give a DOG a bad name and hang him
;
give a man ROPE enough and he will hang himself
;
never give a SUCKER an even break
.

 
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Cf. PUBLILIUS SYRUS
Sententia
ccxxxv.
inopi beneficium bis dat
,
qui dat celeriter
, he gives twice who gives quickly to the needy; mid-14th-cent. Fr.
qui tost donne
,
deus fois donne
. Also
c
1385
CHAUCER
Legend of Good Women
Prologue l. 451 For whoso yeveth a yifte, or dooth a grace. Do it by tyme [in good time], his thanks ys wel the more. The Latin
bis dat qui cito dat
is perhaps better known than the Publilius Syrus version, and was quoted in this form by Francis Bacon in a speech on 17 May 1617, upon taking his seat as Keeper of the Great Seal.
1553
Art of Rhetoric
65
^V
He geueth twise, that geueth sone and chearefully.
1612
tr.
Cervantes' Don Quixote
I. iv.
It is an old proverbe, that hee that gives quickly, gives twice.
1775
Life of Johnson
I. 443
I did really ask the favour twice; but you have been even with me by granting it so speedily.
Bis dat qui cito dat
.
1907
Spectator
22 June 979
The Union Jack Club .. needs £16,000 … He gives twice who gives quickly.
1980
Times
17 Oct. 13
‘He gives twice who gives quickly.’.. We have everything to gain by generous action at once.
charity
;
giving and receiving

 
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