More haste, less speed

This proverbial saying is found in John Heywood’s 1546 glossary A Dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the Prouerbes in the Englishe tongue:

Moste tymes he seeth, the more haste the lesse spede.

There is a citation which appears to be earlier, in the Scottish Troy Book, which was published at some time in the first half of the 16th century. That includes:

Of fule haist cummis no speid.

Heywood’s book also includes ‘haste makes waste‘, which has much the same meaning.

See also: the List of Proverbs.