John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
2003 Thomas Middleton 1580-1627 John Bartlett
| NUMBER: | 2003 |
| AUTHOR: | Thomas Middleton (1580–1627) |
| QUOTATION: | A flat case as plain as a pack-staff. 1 |
| ATTRIBUTION: | The Family of Love. Act v. Sc. 3. |
| Note 1. Plain as a pike-staff.—Terence in English (1641). Buckingham: Speech in the House of Lords, 1675. Gil Blas (Smollett’s translation), book xii. chap. viii. John Byrom: Epistle to a Friend. [back] |