Who coined the phrase "old-wives tales?"?

Question

Who coined the phrase "old-wives tales?"?

Answer 1

probably some guy with an old and nagging wife that would never shut up.  :o)  

I'm just guessing.

Answer 2

I don't believe any one person coined the phrase. It was started when the women and wives all got together and gossiped. So, it was a bunch of wives telling tales. ( :

Answer 3

I doubt anyone knows for sure -- it sounds like something that would have been said back in pilgrim days, especially since most of the old wives' tales are the kinds of warnings and proverbs that were popular in those days. Bits of wisdom handed down from old wives to young, new wives.