Herbert collected and edited rural sayings before his death in 1632/3. He did not create them although he may have improved the wording to make them clearer. 1,032 sayings were published in 1640 as Outlandish Proverbs ["outlandish" as you would say "outbuilding" meaning outside the main sources of knowledge]. Proverb #499. is "For want of a naile the shoe is lost, for want of a shoe the horse is lost, for want of a horse the rider is lost." In 1651 the edition was enlarged to 1,184 proverbs and published as Jacula Prudentum. Both editions were widely circulated. Benjamin Franklin edited many of these sayings and printed them in Poor Richard's Almanac. #499 was improved to read "For want of a naile the shoe is lost, for want of a shoe the horse is lost, for want of a horse the rider is lost, for want of a rider the battle is lost, for want of a battle the kingdom is lost. All for the loss of a horseshoe nail." [Link to: Herbert's Outlandish Proverbs by Paul Moon] Apologia: I like the Proverbs in the original. Try ignoring the translation, and come to your own enlightment. If you have an Outlandish Proverb that you are having trouble with,  Many things are lost for want of asking. Outlandish Proverb #968.