The meaning and origin of the expression: Fair exchange is no robbery

Fair exchange is no robbery

What's the origin of the phrase 'Fair exchange is no robbery'?

The proverbial saying 'fair exchange is no robbery' is first found in a place we might expect to find it, that is, an early and comprehensive collection of English proverbs. There are a few of such but, in this case, it is John Heywood's 1546 glossary A Dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the Prouerbes in the Englishe tongue:

Though chaunge be no robbry for the changed case.

Apart from what it means and where it originated, there's not a great deal more to be said about this proverb.

See also: the List of Proverbs.