1642, John Milton, The Reason of Church Government Urged against Prelaty, The door of grace turns upon smooth hinges wide opening to fend out, but soon shutting to recall the precious offers of mercy to a nation: which, unless watchfulness and zeal, two quicksighted and readyhanded virgins, be there in our behalf to receive, we lose: and still the oftener we lose, the straiter the door opens, and the less is offered.
1929, George Bernard Shaw, w:Three Plays for Puritans Chapter w, And mankind shuddered; but the gods laughed; for Septimius was but a knife that Pompey had sharpened; and when it turned against his own throat they said that Pompey had better have made Septimius a ploughman than so brave and readyhanded a slayer.
1938, Vicente de Bragança Cunha, Revolutionary Portugal: (1910-1936), Nor is any man alive who may not, or ought not to, see the express image of himself in this self-sufficing Vasco, with his faith in the cross, his confidence in himself and his readyhanded use of means.
