> as lemmas

a1450 (c1412) T. Hoccleve De Regimine Principum (Harl. 4866) (1897) l. 2823 (MED) The riche and myghty man, thogh he trespace, No man seith ones þat blak is his eye.

1528 Rede me & be nott Wrothe sig. eiiij^v They eate their belies full, Every man as moche as he wull, And none sayth blacke is his eye?

1589 ‘M. Marprelate’ Hay any Worke for Cooper 36 If you were my chaplains once, I trowe John Whitgift..durst not once say blacke to your eies.

1675 T. Brooks Golden Key 362 He knew that the Law could not say, black was his eye, and that the Judge upon the Bench, would pronounce him righteous.

?1720 Vade Mecum for Malt-worms 11 None can say that black's his eyebrow to him.

1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones III. ix. iv. 337 I defy any Body to say black is my Eye . View more context for this quotation

1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) at Nail ‘Thou cannot say black's my nail’..Cui tu nihil dicas vitii. Ter.

1879 E. Waugh Chimney Corner 61 I kept a shop, an' was well-to-do; an' I had frinds high an' low, an' was respected; an' divul a one could say ‘black's your nail’ to me.

1934 P. O'Donnell On Edge of Stream 191 I'd like meself to..have the pleasure of knocking down the man who'd say black was the white of his eye.