Date: w. c. 1210

"As a prudent workman, construct the whole fabric within the mind's citadel; let it exist in the mind before it is on the lips."

— Vinsauf, Geoffrey of [called Galfridus Anglicus] (fl. 1208-1213)

Date: 1384

"O Thought, that wroot al that I mette, / And in the tresorie hit shette / Of my brayn!"

— Chaucer, Geoffrey (c. 1340-1400)

Date: 1389

"The innere witte is departed a þre by þre regiouns of þe brayn, for in þe brayne beþ þre smale celles."

— Trevisa, John (b. c. 1342, d. in or before 1402); Bartholomeus (1203-1272)

Date: 1604

"How are the Soule and Body, Spirite and Flesh coupled together, what chaynes, what fetters imprison a spirituall Substance, an immortal Spirit in so base, stinking; and corruptible a carkasse?"

— Wright, Thomas (c. 1561-1623)

Date: 1698

"Nay, such Gentlemen would be much offended their Houses should not be clean Swept, and Garnish'd; yet, they are not, in the least, concern'd, that Cobwebs should hang in the Windows of their Intellect, and Dusty Ignorance dim and blear the Sight of the Noble Inhabitant."

— Sergeant, John (1622-1707)

Date: 1698

"Your Bulwarks, Entrenchments and Redoubts lay so cunningly hid in your Way of Ideas, that they were altogether Invisible; so that the most quick-sighted Engineer living could not discern them, or take any sure Aim at them: Much less such a Dull Eye as mine; who, tho' I bend my Sight as strongly ...

— Sergeant, John (1622-1707)

Date: 1698

"For, in case those Impressions on our Mind could have been made by means of the Senses, as aforesaid; then those Impressions, or Notions, being the Immediate Foundation, on which is built all our Knowledge, could not be call'd, or resembl'd to Rubbish; nor compar'd to a Hole, to lay the Foundati...

— Sergeant, John (1622-1707)

Date: 1712, 1715, 1719

The "mysterious Turnings of human Cogitations" compose "Labyrinths for Reason to lose her Way, unless conducted by the Line of Vertue"

— Barker, Jane (1675-1743)

Date: 1712, 1715, 1719

"I was in this Labyrinth of Thoughts when one brought me a Letter from Exiilus"

— Barker, Jane (1675-1743)

Date: 1714 [1712, 1717]

"They shift the moving Toyshop of their Heart; / Where Wigs with Wigs, with Sword-knots Sword-knots strive, / Beaus banish Beaus, and Coaches Coaches drive"

— Pope, Alexander (1688-1744)