no cash, no Swiss, phr. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

no cash, no Swiss phr.

also no money, no Swiss

[the trad. role of the Swiss as mercenary soldiers; note 17C whores’ demand: ‘No money, no cony’ (lit. vagina) and the proverbial no penny, no paternoster, i.e. no pay, no prayers offered]

no help without payment in advance.

1865		Daily Tel. 1 Nov. 5/3: Point d’argent, point de Suisse—a saying applicable alike to every contingent, from the Franco-Belgian down to the ‘greenfinches’ of Old Ireland .
1979		Maledicta III:2 173: Swiss, no money no phr No assistance, especially of a military nature; from the tradition of Swiss mercenaries.