Brother Thomas,
I would have thought that this to be the antecedent/inspiration of a similar saying
in medieval vernaculars. To give simply the French examples -- as I am fortunate
enough to have before me Giuseppe Di Stefano's amazing *Dictionnaire des locutions en
moyen francais* (Montreal: CERES, 1991) -- we find on p. 421, under 'L'habit ne fait
pas le moine ne le cuverchief la beguine', no fewer than nine different citations
(interestingly, none of them deal with the 'beguine' bit; I wonder why?), including
the *Roman de la Rose* (v. 11028: La robe ne fet pas le moine), Rutebeuf and Charles
d'Orleans.
All the best,
George
George Ferzoco tel ++ 44 (0)116 252 2654
Director of Italian Studies fax ++ 44 (0)116 252 3633
University of Leicester e-mail [log in to unmask]
School of Modern Languages
LEICESTER LE1 7RH
UNITED KINGDOM
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|