saying

[loiswacey]

What does the saying mean better to be hung for a sheep than a lamb?

[woofgang]

sheepstealing used to be punished by hanging. The thought behind it is that if the punishment is going to be the same for a large crime (stealing a sheep) as for a small one (stealing a lamb) then you might as well commit the bigger crime

[Loosehead]

It's "might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb"

[loiswacey]

Thanks.may as well steal a lamb then!

[shaneystar2]

The origin lies in the brutal history of English law. At one time, a great many crimes automatically attracted the death penalty: you could be hanged, for example, for stealing goods worth more than a shilling. Sheep stealing was among these capital crimes. So if you were going to steal a sheep, you might as well take a full-grown one rather than a lamb, because the penalty was going to be the same either way.
Since the law was reformed in the 1820s to end the death penalty for the crime, the proverb must be older
In fact the earliest example known is from John Ray's English proverbs of 1678: "As good be hang'd for an old sheep as a young lamb.

[Octavius]

As said above, at one time, a great many crimes automatically attracted the death penalty: you could be hanged, for example, for stealing goods worth more than a shilling. Sheep stealing was among these capital crimes.

Since the law was reformed in the 1820s to end the death penalty for the crime, the proverb must be older; in fact the earliest example known is from John Ray�s English Proverbs of 1678: �As good be hang�d for an old sheep as a young lamb�.

[Octavius]

touche

[jno]

hmmm... has anyone ever seen Octavius and shaneystar in the same room together?

[Octavius]

I doubt it, but we appear to be looking out of the same window.

[shaneystar2]

I wondered whose reflection it was in the glass!!