Motto: live free or die (supplementary)

[David A. Daniel]

This has always bemused me, since the motto appears on license plates that
are made by prisoners. I wonder if they have an above-average number of
prison uprisings in New Hampshire...
DAD

-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
Garson O'Toole
Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2011 11:33 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Motto: live free or die (supplementary)


Bary Popik has performed some great work tracing the famous motto of
New Hampshire: Live free or die. He has located an intriguing 1772
citation.

http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/live_free_or_die/

Here are two supplementary citations with more permissive matching:

Cite: 1732, Revelation Examin'd with Candour. Or, A Fair Enquiry Into
the Sense and Use of the Several Revelations, Volume 2, Page 147,
Printed for C. Rivington, at the Bible and Crown, London. (Google
Books full view)

It is likewise observable, that in this people, at this time, the free
spirit of their father Ishmael shone out in all its glory: so
determin'd were these sons of the wild man to be absolutely free, that
they scorn'd so much as to be redeem'd from servitude, by any thing
but their valour: - they disdain'd so much as to treat with the
emperor of the world, upon that head; - bravely resolved, or to live
free, or to die so.

http://books.google.com/books?id=T0MVAAAAQAAJ&q=%22die+so%22#v=snippet&

Cite: 1756, A New and Accurate History of South-America by Mr. Rolt
[Richar Rolt], Page 180, Printed for T. Gardner. London. (Google Books
full view)

Remember ye are descended from those who gained that renown by
resisting their enemies, and not flying from them; such as feared
neither life or fortune, to preserve their fame. Generous soldiers,
banish all fear, and either live free, or die honourably.

http://books.google.com/books?id=5N3TADuehEwC&q=banish#v=snippet&

Garson

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