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Origin of phrase - mare's nest

Posted by Harikrishnan Menon on March 12, 2003

In Reply to: Origin of phrase - a mares nest posted by Colin R Parkin on March 12, 2003

The oldest reference I could find is from the play "Bonduca" by Beaumont and Fletcher (performed on stage circa 1614; printed 1647)

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Petillius: Why dost thou laugh? What mare's nest hast thou found?

Junius: Ha, ha, ha! I cannot laugh alone: Decius! Demetrius! Curius! Oh, my sides! ha, ha, ha, ha!

-Bonduca (Act V, Scene 2)

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