a full and true account of the proceedings at the sessions of oyer and terminer, holden for the city of london, county of middlesex, and goal-delivery of newgate; which began at the sessions-house in the old-bayly, on wednesday, april . and ended on fryday, april , where were many remarkable proceedings, but more especially the tryal of james boucher, and walter archer, for killing the bayliff of westminster. as also, in relation to the person accused for getting his daughter with child: together, with the names of those that received sentence of death, the number of those burn'd in the hand, transported, and vvhip'd. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing f estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a full and true account of the proceedings at the sessions of oyer and terminer, holden for the city of london, county of middlesex, and goal-delivery of newgate; which began at the sessions-house in the old-bayly, on wednesday, april . and ended on fryday, april , where were many remarkable proceedings, but more especially the tryal of james boucher, and walter archer, for killing the bayliff of westminster. as also, in relation to the person accused for getting his daughter with child: together, with the names of those that received sentence of death, the number of those burn'd in the hand, transported, and vvhip'd. england and wales. court of quarter sessions of the peace (london) [ ], p. printed for t. benskin, [[london] : ] caption title. place of publication from wing; printer's name and publication date from colophon. some print show-through. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng crime -- england -- early works to . criminals -- england -- early works to . trials -- england -- early works to . trials (murder) -- england -- early works to . trials (adultery) -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a full and true accovnt of the proceedings at the sessions of oyer and terminer , holden for the city of london , county of middlesex , and goal-delivery of newgate ; which began at the sessions-house in the old-bayly , on wednesday , april . and ended on fryday , april , . where were many remarkable proceedings , but more especially the tryal of iames boucher , and walter archer , for killing the bayliff at westminster . as also , in relation to the person accused for getting his daughter with child : together , with the names of those that received sentence of death , the number of those burn'd in the hand , transported , and vvhip'd , at the sessions which began at the sessions-house it s the old-bayly , on the th of april , and was there continued till the th of the same instant : the proceedings were as followeth . edward odery was indicted and tryed , for that he on the th of december last , robbed the house of ambrose saunders , and took thence wearing apparel , sheets , pewter , brass , and other things , to a great value ; upon the tryal , although he pleaded not guilty , yet the witnesses swore that several of the goods were found in the prisoners house , and that he employed a woman to sell the same ; whereupon the jury ( after receiving their charge ) brought him in guilty . iohn belther , william best , and one butler , were indicted for picking the pocket of margaret king , on the th of february , of nine pounds , fifteen shillings ; the two former , upon their being apprehended , confessing the same , although one of them was not judged to be above years old , but there being no evidence against the third , only the confession of the accessaries , he was acquitted . richard osborn was indicted for stealing a tankard from one griffith iones in soaper-lane , but he not being able to charge him any otherwise than that he came and offered to help him to it again for a summ of money he was acquitted . mary sharp and mary motley were indicted and tryed for a burglary and fellony , in breaking the house of one mr. sadler , on st. thomas's eve last , and taking thence two farrendine gowns , six silk petticoats , several shifts , table-cloath , napkins , a hundred yards of ribbonds , and other things , to the value of fifty pounds , most of which they pawned at one smiths a broker ; but their plea was their husbands stole them , and compelled them to sell 'um ; the husband of the latter having been executed last surrey-assizes , upon which the jury so far commiserated them as not to find them guilty . william griffith and william hall were indicted for stealing a hundred and four gold rings from mr. william chapman goldsmith in barkin-parish , on the th of february , the manner thus ; a person comming into the shop to buy a ring , whilst the apprentice opened the shutter , the box was drawn out by reaching over out of the street , and the former of the prisoners some time after going to sell one of the rings , was apprehended , warning being given as is usual upon the like occasion , and upon further search , another ring was found about him , he having put it into his knife-sheath , but he alledged he found them , till coming before sir william turner , he confessed they were given him , and declared several of his accomplices ; but there being no other evidence than his against hall , he was acquitted , but griffith found guilty of the fellony . mary iones and margaeret shuter , having an indictment preferr'd against them for stealing a piece of crape from one mr. smith , a coat-seller in great st. bartholomews , under pretence of buying several yards ; but being pursued , the former was taken with it about her , but the latter at that time made her escape , but was soon after taken ; upon their tryal , they pleaded not guilty , alledging they found it , and that they were never in the shop ; but the proof being plain that it was taken upon them , they were found guilty of the fellony . mary harris was indicted for stealing two silver tankards , valued at twelve pounds , on the th of this instant , from iohn southey in thames-street , but there being no positive proof that she had them , the jury would not find her guilty upon circumstantial evidence . elizabeth cooper being arraigned upon an indictment for stealing ribbonds and silks , she confessed the fellony . uriah helder had an indictment preferred against him by one mr. benson of st. dunstans-in-the-east , for stealing about fifty pounds worth of brass-wyre , the evidence proving the sale of some parcels of wyre by the prisoner , but not being able to swear it was any part of that which was lost , he was acquitted . ioseph rudwell took his tryal upon an indictment for stealing about five hundred weight of lead and iron , the which he sold to a broker-woman near holbourn-bridge , and she disposing of them to stilliard-makers , they were owned ; to his indictment , he pleaded not guilty , and endeavoured to deny that he ever had or sold any such weights , but that being plainly proved , he layed it upon a porter , that , as he said , brought them thither , but the porter not being to be found , he was found guilty . george pain a pot-stealer was tryed for stealing near a hundred of all sorts , viz. pewter-pots , but for want of the brokers evidence that had purchased his stolen ware , he was acquitted . iames smithe was indicted for a fellony committed in st. martins in the fields , taking about three pounds worth of silks and stuffs , but there not being sufficient evidence against him , he was acquitted . two women for stealing tape , lace and stuffs , were indicted , and several of the said goods being found about one of them , she impeached the other , but there being no proof against her otherwise , she was acquitted , and she on whom the goods were taken , found guilty . george wallis was indicted for robbing his lodging , on the th of march , and conveying thence sheets , blankets , shifts , pillow-beers , and other things , to a considerable value ; which he disposed of to several brokers in long-lane , and other places , which being there found , and he upon the same apprehended , he pleaded he borrowed them , but that shift availed him not , for the jury brought him in guilty . a fellow that was chamberlain to an inn in st. giles's in the fields , entring a gentlemans lodging on the th of march , took thence a suit of cloaths , a sword , and other riding furniture , and conveyed them to a carriers , directing them to be sent after him to worcester ; but upon search for the goods , they were seized in the inn before they were packed up to be sent to him , so that by that means having notice where he was , the owner sent and had him apprehended ; who being committed to prison , and an indictment preferred against him , he confessed the takeing of them , but alledged that he only designed to ride a journey with them , and so to restore them ; but the excuse being looked upon as frivilous , he was found guilty . edward vvillmore was indicted for the murtherer of christopher todd , the manner , as it appearing upon evidence , thus ; the deceased drinking in the celler under the exchange in the strand , on the th of decemb. last , the prisoner came in , whereupon a quarrel happened about drinking , which in the end caused a scuffle , so that the deceased falling , his left thigh being infirm by reason of the perishing and splintering the bone for many years before , it either broke , or the splinters of the bones cut the arteries so , that by reason of the great effusion of blood , he dyed within weeks afterwards , but no former malice being proved , and it being plain that the deceased gave the first abuse , the prisoner was acquitted . hester bird was indicted for robbing alderman sturt of a gold-watch , silver-lace , and several parcels of money , which she did by the conveniency of a false key , he being a lodger in her house ; but she pleaded he gave her what she had , and made many slight pretences that he offered to force her , &c. but the evidence being plaid against her , she was found guilty . vvalter archer , iames boucher , and elizabeth fitz-patrick were indicted for the murther of vvilliam iones a bayliffs follower , the manner thus ; several officers having arrested the mother of vvalter archer , carryed her to an adjacent house in vvestminster , where under pretence of sending for bail , two persons came up , and after them four more with drawn swords , and forcing into the room , run the deceased through , and afterward stabbed him in several places , so that within half an hour after he dyed , the rest of the bayliffs hardly escaping ; the prisoners pleaded they were not the parties that killed him ; but the proof being plain , as likewise against elizabeth fitz-patrick , that she was aiding and assisting , they were all three found guilty of wilfull murther . iohn dicher , ann dicher , and elizabeth stocker , were indicted for robbing a house at deptford , and bringing the goods into middlesex ; as likewise another indictment for robbing the house of captain fosby ; of which fellonies the former was found guilty , but the latter was acquitted . iohn bant , a french-man , and late cook to his grace the duke of buckingham , was indicted for the murther of philip gilbert , cook to the right honourable the earl of feversham , the circumstances as they appeared upon evidence , being these , the prisoner going to a tavern at charing-cross , and sending a porter for the deceased , in the name of two french gentlemen , but he no sooner came , but they sell to quarrel , and the prisoner drawing upon the deceased , they fought , where after a pass or two , the prisoner swearing he should kill him , was as good as his word , for running him into the body , he instantly dyed ; the prisoner pretended the deceased owed him money , and that was the occasion of the quarrel , but not being able to prove it , he was found guilty of wilful murther . gilbert stock-dale , the person who was imprisoned for getting his daughter vrsula stockdale , a girl about years of age , with-child , was called to the barr , where he appeared to be years of age , and there being no indictment preferred against him , he was inlarged . at this remarkable sessions , eight persons received sentence of death , men and women , viz. john bants , iames boucher , walter archer , and elizabeth fitz-patrick , for murther , iohn belcher , william west , ann stubbs alias ditcher , and ann stacy , for fellony and robbery . hester bird , and iane freeman , were reprieved before judgement , and ordered to be transported . william griffith , iohn dicher , iohn smith , ioseph rudwell , katherine smith , elizabeth cooper , mary shorter , mary iones , ione hull , were burnt in the hand ; ordered to be whipt , and so ended this remarkable sessions . printed for t. benskin , . the true narrative of the proceedings at the assizes holden at kingstone-upon-thames, for the county of surry which began on monday the th of this instant march, and ended on thursday the th following. giving an account of the most remarkable trials there, viz. for murder, felonies and burglaries, &c. with a particular relation to their names, and the places of their committing their facts, with the number of those condemned to die, burn'd in the hand, transported, and to be whipt. but more particular of the trial and condemnation of margaret osgood of the parish of st. olives southwark, for the horrid murther of her husband, on the th of july last, for which horrid fact she was found guilty of treason and murther. proceedings. . great britain. assizes (surrey, england) approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ; : ) the true narrative of the proceedings at the assizes holden at kingstone-upon-thames, for the county of surry which began on monday the th of this instant march, and ended on thursday the th following. giving an account of the most remarkable trials there, viz. for murder, felonies and burglaries, &c. with a particular relation to their names, and the places of their committing their facts, with the number of those condemned to die, burn'd in the hand, transported, and to be whipt. but more particular of the trial and condemnation of margaret osgood of the parish of st. olives southwark, for the horrid murther of her husband, on the th of july last, for which horrid fact she was found guilty of treason and murther. proceedings. . great britain. assizes (surrey, england) p. printed by d. mallet, [london : ] caption title. imprint from colophon. reproduction of the original in the harvard university library (reel ) and the bodleian library (reel ). created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng executions and executioners -- england -- early works to . crime -- england -- early works to . criminals -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the true narrative of the proceedings at the assizes holden at kingstone-upon-thames , for the county of surry . which began on monday the th of this instant march , and ended on thursday the th following . giving an account of most of the remarkable trials there , viz. for murder , fellonies and burglaries , &c. with a particular relation of their names , and the places of their committing their facts , with the number of those condemned to die , burn'd in the hand , transported and to be whipt . but more particular of the trial and condemnation of margaret osgood of the parish of st. olives southwark , for the horrid murther of her husband , on the th of july last , for which horrid fact she was found guilty of treason and murther . the first we shall here give you an account of , is the aforementioned ma●garet osgood , for the horrid and bloody murther of her husband , commited in st olives parish in the burrough of southwark the th of july last . the defence she made was thus , that by his extravagancy he had brought her to distraction , and so desperate she was under that sence , that she had several times attempted her own en● by violence and was not capable of her actions when she did commit that horrid murther on him ; but her confession and the evidence against her contradicting that apology she was brought in guilty of treason and murther . the next was one john ashlock , for stealing a watch and three pieces of gold , a meddal and other things from his master who lives at stoake near guilford , and by a favourable prosecution found not guilty . the next were abraham priverly and robert mason , who were found guilty of petty larceny only . after those one robert hood was arraigned for the felloniously taking away of some pieces of ribband out of the shop of one mr. wallis in southwark , in october last ; of which he was convicted , the said goods being valued at l. then richard wilson took his trial for a burglary , he was committed in february last , three witnesses were possitive that the ●d of february last , he had broke into the house of one turner in bandy-legg-walk in the park in southwark , and carried thereout several suits of apparel which were found upon him for which he stands convicted . four or five former convicted criminals were brought to the bar , and produced the kings pardon for all former crimes . the next was edw. bowmar , charged for the killing one collins in kent-street january last , the evidence against the prisoner was , that a quarrel happening betwixt him and the party deceased , the prisoner took up stones and coles , which he did throw at the party deceased , one of which having hit him on the head , did mortally wound him and was the occasion of his death ; the prisoner did not deny the fact , and was brought in guilty of chance-medley . james steward , and ann james , were arraigned for a fellony , the proof against them was , that on the th of august last , one andrew brittle living in bermondsey , leaving his dore fast locked when he went out , did in short time return , and found the same open and several clothes to the vallue of shillings and five shillings in money stollen thereout , and making enquiry of the neighbours , the prisoners were described to him , and upon pursuit about nine days after did apprehend them , and found some of the goods that were stolen upon them . their defence was , that they being washer women , the linnen he challenged , was brought them to be washed , but failing , in produceing the parties that brought it , they were found guilty . the next were the said ann james , jane steward , together with one edward turner , who on the first of september last , were charged upon suspicion to have broke into the dwelling house of one thomas stainton in barnaby-street , and stealing thence several wearing apparel , and linnen to a considerable vallue . the proof was thus , that the same day the said edward turner had broke into the house of one john moulsworth , for which he was also indicted , and convicted , the evidence being , that he was actually taken in the fact , he for his defence only offerred , that he had money due to him from one john simons that lived there , and that this simons told him , he then should have it , if he would go with him home and stay there , till he had carried some goods to the pawn-brokers , to raise monies on , and going with him accordingly , the said simons left him in that house where he was apprehended , but this being but only a pretence , and one silver cup , of shillings vallue , one amber necklace , and other things belonging to the said moulsworth , were found upon him , as also several picklock-keys , who with one of them , did open the door of that house after locked and upon evidence that all three were seen together at the said staintons house , they were all convicted for the former , and turner alone for the latter fellony . william trickler a whelewright , surrendred himself to iustice , and took his trial for the suspected murther of his wife . the evidence against the prisoner was , that on the ninth day of september last , he being in drink , w●s heard to quarrel with her , and also assaulted her with a spade , in so violent a manner , that some of the blowes were heard to a neighbours house near to them , of which bruise in two days time she died , yet the coroner endeavouring to stifle the matter , attributed her death rather to her infirmness ( being of a weak constitution ) than her husbands stroaks , although the contrary appeared very fully by those who saw them , for which return the choroner was fined ten pound , the prisoner made small defence for himself , yet meeting with a merciful jury , he was brought in guilty of manslaughter only . william ablo ; who had been formerly in newgate , abel hammersly , alice his wife , and thomas savioury , were arraigned for a robbery committed on the th of november last , the proof was absolute , that the said abbot , abel hammersly , thomas savioury , did rob a waggon on the day beforementioned , and carried away several parcels of silk , to the vallue of pounds , for which they were convicted , they not being able to offer any thing material for their defence , only abbot refused to plead , produceing the kings pardon for all offences and therefore prayed the judg would not take away his life since the king had saved him , but the judg told him , the king knew not of this crime , therefore if he would not plead , he should be press'd to death , whereupon the statute being read , he then pleaded not guilty . jo. price was arraigned for breaking into the house of one thomas rowland , and stealing thence , a campaign-coat and other things to the vallue of shillings , the evidence was very full , and his defence little , the goods being found upon him , yet brought in guilty to the vallue of ten pence . michael dixon a vintner in greenwich , and one henry pits , were both indicted upon suspicion of a robbery , the evidence was thus , that one thomas aldersey on the of june last , was robbed between greenwitck and kent-street , of a watch , ring , sword , and about . shillings in money , and other things of a considerable vallue , by one fowler , since deceased , and that soon after , this robbery , the said dixon and pits were seen in fowlers company , dixon using several compliments to him , as if of great acquaintance ; the said dixon for defence said , that fowler was his acquaintance , and lodged often at his house , but never knew of any wrong he had done to any one person , also affirmed , that after this robbery the said aldersey had , or might have often seen fowler and have apprehended him if he would , and also produced several neighbours to satisfy the judg and jury , of his conversation and honest demeanour , and thereupon were both acquitted . william wyer and john bradshaw were arraigned for a felony , the proof was , that they in september last , did break into the dwelling house of one william tanner , in the day time , and stealing thence several parcels of woollen-cloth , which they disposed of , and afterwards were apprehended , and it being now proved against them , they were both found guilty of the fellony . there were in all eleven persons received sentance of death . margaret osgood sentensed , to be burn'd alive . richard wilson , ann james , jane steward , edward turner , william wyer , john bradshaw , william abbot , abel hamersly , thomas savioury , and one mary trot formerly reprieved , condemned to be hang'd . london , printed by d. mallet . . the belman of london bringing to light the most notorious villanies that are now practised in the kingdome. profitable for gentlemen, lawyers, merchants, citizens, farmers, masters of housholdes, and all sorts of seruants to mark, and delightfull for all men to reade. dekker, thomas, ca. - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the belman of london bringing to light the most notorious villanies that are now practised in the kingdome. profitable for gentlemen, lawyers, merchants, citizens, farmers, masters of housholdes, and all sorts of seruants to mark, and delightfull for all men to reade. dekker, thomas, ca. - . the third impression, with new additions. [ ] p. [by e. allde] for nathaniell butter, printed at london : . by thomas dekker. with a title-page woodcut. signatures: a-i⁴. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect 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review (qc) and xml conversion the belman of london . bringing to light the most notoriovs villanies that are now practised in the kingdome . profitable for gentlemen , lawyers , merchants , cittizens , farmers , masters of housholdes , and all sorts of seruants to mark , and delightfull for all men to reade . lege , perlege , relege . the third impression , with new aditions . printed at london for nathaniell butter . . a table of the principall matters contained in this booke . a discouerie of all the idle vagabonds in england : their conditions : their lawes amongst themselues : their degrees and orders : their meetings and their maners of liuing , both men and women . a discouerie of certaine secret villanies , which borrowe to themselues the names of lawes . as cheating law. vincents law. courbing law. lifting law. sacking law. fiue iumpes at leap-frog . bernards lawe . the black art. prigging law. high law. figging law. the poore belman of london , to all those that either by office are sworne to punish , or in their owne loue to vertue , wish to haue the disorders of a state amended , humbly dedicateth these his discoueries . at your gates the belman of london beateth , to awaken your eies , to looke back after certaine grand and common abuses , that daily walke by you , keeping aloofe ( in corners ) out of the reach of law. it must be the hand of your a●thoritie that must fetch in these rebels to the weale-publike , and your arme that must strike them : i chuse you as patrons , ( not to my booke ) but to defend me from those monsters , whose dennes i breake open in this my discouery . more dangerous they are to a state , then a ciuill warre , because their vilanies are more subtill and more endu●ing . the belman not withstanding hath plaide the owle ( who is the embleme of wisdome ) for sleeping in the day , as abhorring to behold the impie●ies of this last and worst age of the world : in the night therefore hath hee stolne foorth , and with the help of his lanthorne and candle ( by which is figured circumspection ) hath he brought to light , that broode of mischiefe , which is ingendered in the wombe of darkenesse . amonstrous birth is it , and therefore worthy to be looked at : from monstrous parents doth it proceede , and therefore the sight of it to be fearefull . but of such rare temper are your eyes , that ( as if they had sunne-beames in them ) they are able to exhale vp all these contagious breaths which poyson a kingdome , & so to spe●se them into thin aire , that they shall vtterly vanish , and be no more offensiue . in this blacke shore of mischiefe haue i sayled along , and bene a faithfull discouerer of all the creekes , rockes , gulfes and quick-sands , in and about it : be you therefore as second aduenturers , and furnish men armed with iustice , and well furnished in all points , with a desire to conquer these sauages , & send them to set strong and fearfull footing amongst them . it shall be honour to your felues , and them , and a rich benefit to the republik wherein you liue . for my own part i vow , that as i dedicate these my labours to your hands , so will i deuote my life to the safety of my countrie , in defending her from these serpents : i will waste out mine eies with my candles , and watch from midnight till the rysing vp of the morning : my bell shall euer be ringing , and that faithfull seruant of mine ( the dog that follows me ) be euer biting of these wilde beastes , till they be all driuen into one heard , and so hun●ed into the toiles of the lawe . accept therefore of this night-prize ( my graue and worthy patrons ) drawne rudely , and presented bouldly , because i know the colours layde vppon it , are not counterfeite as those of borrowd beauties : but this is a picture of villanie , drawen to the life , of purpose that life might be d●awne from it . none can be offended with it but such as are guiltie to themselues , that they are such as are inrold in this muster booke , for whose anger , or whose stab , i care not . at no mans bosome doe i particularly strike , but onely at the body of vice in generall : if my manner of fight ( with these dangerous masters of the ignoblest science that euer was in any kingdome ) do get but plau●e , the belman shall shortly bid you to another prize , where you shall see him play at other kinde of weapons . deuoted night and day yours , the belman of london . the bel-man of london . discoueing the most notable villanies now in the kingdome . the world at the first was made of nothing and shal a the last bee cousumed to nothing . the fashion of it is round , for as a circle is the most perfit figure , so this , the rarest and most absolute frame , that euer the creator made . it was indeed ( excepting that which was like himselfe ) his maister peice . in this great world did he place a little world ( and as the lesser wheeles in a clock being set a going , giue motion to the greatest , and serue them as guides ) so that little world ( called man ) doth by his art , office and power , controule the greater : yet is there such a harmony in both their motions , that though in quantitie they differ farre , they agree in qualitie : and though the one was made somewhat before the other , yet are they so like , that they seeme to be instruments belonging to one engine . for man is made vp by the mixture of foure complections , bloud , flegme , choller , and melancholly ▪ the world is a ball made vp of foure elements , water , ayre , earth , and fire , yea these very elements haue likewise parts in him . the world is circular , so is man , for let him stand vpright and extend forth his armes to the length , a line drawen from his nauell to all the vtmost limits of his body , makes his body orbiculer . and as man hath foure ages , infancie , child-hood , youth and olde age : so hath the world , in which foure measures of time are filled out , the risinges and fallings , the growings vp and the witherings both of the one and the other . the infancy of the world was the golden age ( not so called because men had at that time more golde then they haue now , ( for not to deceiue you , there was ( then ) not a peece of golde stirring ) but as this sacred mettall is the purest that the earth can bring foorth , so the golden age was the best of all the foure and the most blessed : for then all the earth was but one garden , where ( without planting ) grew all sorts of trees , which ( without grafting ) carryed all sortes of fruites : the ground was not wrinckled with ●urrowes , for there were then no plough-men to misuse her beauty : the sea was not rugged , for there were then no ships to bruse her body : there were no countries , for there were no kinges : all the world was but one land , and all the people in it but one nation : who knew not how to obey any , because none amongst them had a desire to commaūd : their houses were y● shadowy couerings of trees , & their statelyest buildings were grauen bowes , iustice in those daies had eyes , and pittie eares , for none could complain of wrong and not be reléeued , nor any crie out for want , who were not satisfied : oppression was either then not borne , or if shee were in the world she had no handes to strike , or if shee did strike , the blowes were no other then such as when with a sword wee cut the water , they did no harme . the law ( in this golden time ) got no golde : there were neither counsellors to pleade , nor atturneys to plodde vp and downe : the name of a fee-taking was not knowne : there were no clyents , and therefore no courts kept , neither tearme nor uacations : what a merrie world was this ? the frozen nailes of winter , nor the pestilent scorching breath of summer did not then destroy the fruites of the earth : there was no autumne , for there was no yeare ; the whole year● was but one month , and that month was euer , nay , it was a continuall spring , so that man ( the emperour of earth ) grew proud , insolent , and sawcie : the fulnesse of this happinesse making him swell into such a disdaine of the gods , that hee preferred the vizeroy-ship of this lower kingdom ( bestowed vpon him by them ) and the pleasures vppon which he surfeted heere , before those felicities which they enioy'd aboue . whereuppon as men in these dayes , so did the gods in those , hould vp to themselues that golden age : they tooke it away from mortals , because they were vnworthy of it , and on a sudden changed it into white mony , so that the golden age became the siluer . as those two mettalls ( of gold and siluer ) are in dgrees of basenes one to another , so were those two ages in degrees of badnes . the siluer age was worse then the former : the change of mettalls brought in the change of maners : for now men pluckd feathers from the winges of ambition , and with those plumes laboured to flie one aboue another : their braines now wrought day and night how to frame tooles to cut downe trees , of those trees to build houses , of those houses to set vp citties , of those citties to raise kingdomes , and from those kingdomes to deriue souerainties . in this siluer-cradle of the world , arts were borne , and trades put to nursse time hauing now got siluer haires on his head ( but as yet it was not balde ) prouided himselfe of a sickle and a glasse full●of sand : with the one did he teach men how to deuide the seasons , into quarters , moneths , weekes , dayes and houres : with the other , how to cutte downe corne : for foure princes did now by course rule the year : two of them milde , two of them cruell : two of them were liberall , full of mirth , full of maiestie , full of beautie : the other two were hard fauour'd , dogged , addicted to melancholly , to diseases , to hate mankinde , to hurt the earth , and to rob both of all , that the former two had giuen to them . this siluer-age of the worlde , was the worlds childehood , and therfore like a childe it grew wayward and inconstant : it was apt to fall out , and soone to be pleased : as you may see the whel●s of lions wanton at first and ready to playe euen with infants , and not to harme them , with whome afterwardes armed men dare not encounter , so in this second playe vppon the great theater of the worlde , men shewed like shepheards ( simple ) they had power to doe hurt , but not a will to doe it : a care they had more to prouide for them-selues , then to iniurie others . if this siluerthred of mans life had still bene spun , man had liued in a reasonable happines , but the fates ( enuious euer of his good ) cut it off : and at the last , instead of this siluer maske which the world wore , did she ( being turnd strumpet ) put on a brazen-face . hauing that on , she grew impudent lasciuious and lustfull , yet was she not altogether past modestie , but fell into the company of vices , and so at length into a loue of them , beeing rather deceiued with the goodly shapes they carryed , then delighted with their dooings . this was the lustie age of the world , when men knewe their strengthes , and had desire to trie them : their veines were full of blood and itched to be let out : but warre was not yet begotten , and as in a ciuill kingdome ▪ when sedition is deuising plots how to set the state in an vprore , shee looketh wildely , walkes distractedly , and speakes ambiguouslie : her verie face seruing as a calender , wherein men may reade what stormes shall followe , the time when they shal fall , or how , or where , is not set down . so at this brazen & third roūd table of the world ( who in her bosom was hatching vs countries ) did men sit with countenances , wherein were ingrauen the pictures of troubled thoughts , which tolde that mischiefes were apt to breede there , though to be borne in another age. the windes did now but begin to shake the earth : the shipwracke which it should suffer , was to be afterwards : so long therfore as the world rested vpon this brazen pillar , men did but whet their swords : there was an yron gate to be opened , at which warre should yssue ●oorth , and then was the time to strike . quickly there●ore was this circle of brasse broken in peeces , the glasse of this third age was soone runne out , and in the place of it was the yron age turnd vp , the yron age is that wherin we liue : it is the olde age of the world that must bring the world to a graue : it is the last of foure , and the worst of foure : it is the ba●est , yet the prowdest . in this yron bed of tyme what vnnaturall ingenderings , what preposterous birthes haue there bene ? deuotion hath lyen with hipocrisie , zeale with coldnesse , ●ustice with par●ialitie , valor with furie , learning with pride , pride with ambition , ambition with treason , and treason with murder . in this bed was auarice borne , monstrous in shape , and diuelish in conditions : her fingars are hookes , which usurers still are fyling to keepe more sharpe then taylors needles . in one hād shee holdes a lime-bush , in the other a net , a company of olde rednosd fellowes ( of all trades some ) spredding birdlime continually vpon the one , and with strōg cordes still peecing vp the other . she whispers euerie morning in a lawyeres eare , what shee saies none knowes , but some thinke shee teaches him his prayers : she goes attired like a brokers wife , for her apparell is made of seuerall parcells , which by violence she hath torne frō sundrie backes : shee féedes vppon golde as the estredge dooth vppon iron , and drinks siluer faster downe her crane-like throat than an english cockatrice doth hipocras . with this ill-fauoured hag came enuie into the worlde : they both are twins , and both looke like staruelings : in bodies they somewhat resemble one another , but differ in mindes , for the one couets to haue all to herselfe , the other cares for nothing : but pines away to the bare bones , with very griefe and madnesse , to see another inioy any thing . the last of these two furies ( enuie ) was begotten by a player , & that makes her so lean : the other by a dutch burger , and that makes her haue such a belly . now was the time ( whilst this yron-milles of mischiefe were going ) for warre to set at the anuile , whilst swords , billes , pole-axes , partizans , guns &c. were forged to destroy mankinde : for till this rustie iron world came vp , there was not an armorer to be had for loue or money . presently vpon this , priuate quarels were first pickt , which afterwards burst out into open maine battailes , those battailes haus drawne whole kingdomes into faction , and those factions like so many fyres , haue set the whole world in a combustion , but because nations were so deuided one from another by the seas ( which lay like barres betweene them ) couetousnes and ambition laide their handes together , and inuented shippes : now was the reuerend oake ( the king of the forrest ) who had stood so many yeares vnshaken and vndishonoured , laide groueling on the ground : the mountaines that before were glad to be his foot-stooles , and were euen proud when hee stood vpright on their backes , did now send foorth groanes at the report of his fall . his oaken browes must notwithstanding bee vncrownd : his aged body dismantled of his roabes , yea his very heart cleft spitefully in sunder , whilst his strong and tough ribs be puld from his sides , to make a pageam that shall dance on the waters . and not the o●ke alone felt the misery of these great stroaks , but the tal firrhe tree was compeld likewise to leaue the woo●s , where proudly he had stood so many yeares , and like a slaue to followe a saile , which w●y soeuer it should lead him . with these woodden castles ( which ●loated vp and downe like so many townes , or rather like so many little citties full of people ) was the kingdome of the waues bes●eged , her christal walles batterd , and her treasury rif●ed : the scaly citizens being terrif●ed with this boldnes of mankinde , as hauing neuer seene any creatures but themselues to venture into their dominions , complayned to the mona●ch of the deeps , who in reuenge of this presumption , did not onely sticke rockes in the playnest paths of his kingdome , to make those inuadors stumble at them and so to fall headlong into hell , but also consulted and conspired with the windes ▪ to be euer working their ouerthrow . neither was the earth ( which neuer before felt bruises ) free from the blowes and wounds euen of tho●e to whome she gaue nourishment . the world being all turnd thus to yron , mens hearts were made of the same mettall , and like vnnaturall children misusde the mother of vs all , mangling her bosome , cutting open her veines , and ripping vp her very bowels , compelling her not onely to giue them common foode to sustaine them , and fruits and flowers to satisfie their lust and pleas●res , but thinking that the golden and siluer worldes were hid in her e●trals , euen amongst those do they barbarously rake to finde riches : for this cause the earth that at the beginning was vnto vs as a mother , shewes herselfe now as a stepd●me , her bre●●s out o● which flowed ( once ) nothing but milk and hony to nourish vs , swelleth now with rank poyson to destroy vs. but ( alas ) these moales are but small warts on the cheekes of this yron world , the great blemishes that make it seeme vgly are not yet discouered . entring ther●ore into a con●emplation of y● changes of time , how all things that are vnder the moone are as variable as her lookes are : how goodnes growes crooked , and hath almost lost her shape : how vertue goes poorely and is not regarded : how villany●ettes ●ettes in silks , and like a god adorde : and when i consider how al y● pleasures of this life are but as childrēs dreames , how all the glories of the world are but artificiall fire-works that keepe a blazing for a time , and yet dye in stinking smoakes and how all the labours of man are like the toyling of the windes , which striue to cast vp heaps of dust , that in the end are not worth the gathering . then euen then do i grow weary of my selfe ▪ then am i neither in loue with the beautie of the sunne , neither stand i gazing at the ●auncing of the starres : i neither wonder at the 〈◊〉 measures of the cloudes , the nimb●é galliards of the water , 〈◊〉 the wanton trippings of the winde 〈◊〉 delighted when the earth dresses vp her h●ad with flowers , i wish my selfe a bea●t , because men are so bad that beastes do excell them in goodnes , & abhor all company , because the best is but tedious , the worser loathsome , both are the destroyers of time , and both must be maintained with cost . since then , that in the noblest streames there are such whirlepooles to swallow vs vp , such rockes that threaten daunger ( if not ship-wracke , ) and such q●icke-s●nds to make vs sinke : who would not willingly take downe all the sailes of his ambition , and cast anchor on a safe and retired shore , which is to be found in no place , if not in the country : o blessed li●e i patterne of that which our first parents ledde , the state of kinges ( now ) being but a sla●erie to that of theirs . o schoole of contemplation ! o thou picture of the whole world . drawn in a little compasse ! o thou prospectiue glasse , in whome we may behold vpon earth , all the frame and wonders of heauen● now happy ( 〈◊〉 thrice happy ) is he that not playing with his winges in the golden flames of the court , nor setting his foote into the busie throngs of the cittie , nor ●unning vp and downe in the intricate mazes of the law , can be content in the winter ●o sit by a country fier , and in the sommer to lay his head on the greene pillowes of the earth , where his sleepe shall be soft slumbers , and his wakings pleasant as golden dreames . hast thou a desire to rule , get vp to the mountaines , and thou shalt see the greatest trees stand trembling before thee to doe thee reuerence , those maist thou call thy nobles : thou shalt haue ranckes of oakes on each side of thee , which thou maist call thy guard : thou shalt see willowes bending at euerie blast , whome thou maiest cal thy flatterers : thou shalt see vallies humbled at thy feete , whome thou maiest tearme thy slaues . wouldst thou beholde battailes ? step into the fieldes , there shalt thou see excellent combats betweene the standing corne and the windes . art thou a tyrant and delightest in the fall of great ones ? muster then thy haruesters together , and downe with those proud summer lordes , when they are at the highest . wouldst thou haue subsidies paid thee ? the plow sends thee in corne , the m●dow giues thee her pasture , the trees pay custome with their fruit , the oxe bestowes vpon thée his labour , the shéep his wooll . dost thou call for musick ? no prince in the world keepes more skilful mus●tians : the birds are thy consort , and the wind instruments they play vpon , yeeld ten thousand tunes . art thou addicted to studdie , heauen is thy lybrarie , the sunne , moone and stars are thy bookes , and teach thee astronomy : by obseruing them , thou makest almanackes to thy self , that serue for all seasons . that great uolumne is thine ephem●●ides , out of which thou maist calculate the predictions of times to f●llowe : yea , in the verie clowds are written lessons of diuinitie for thée , to instruct thee in wisdome : the turning ouer their leaues , teach thée the variations of seasons , and how to dispose thy businesse for all weathers . if the practise of phisicke delight thee what aphorismes can all the doctours in the world set downe more certaine ? what rules for good dyet can they draw out more singuler ? what medicines for health can they compound more restoratiue ? what vertues can all their extracted quintessens●s instil into our bodies more soueraign , than those which the earth of her owne bountie bestowes for our preseruation , and whose working powers are dayly experimented in beastes for our example ? o you plants of the fields , and you flowers of the garden ( natur●s apothecaries , & earths chirurgians ! ) your stalkes are slender , yet you your selues are the chiefest pillars that vphold mans life : what clearnes doth the sight receiue onely in beholding you ? what comfort does the sence of smelling finde onely in your sauors ? and how many that haue had halfe their bodies in their graues , haue bene brought backe againe onely by your sacred i●ces ? who therefore would not consume his youth in the company of these creatures , that haue power in them to keep off olde age longer then it would , or when old age doth come , are able to giue it the liuelihood and vigour of youth ? who would not rather sit at the foote of a hill tending a flock of sheepe , then at the heline of authoritie controuling the stubborn and vnruly multitude ? better● it is in the solitarie woods , and in the wilde fieldes , to be a man among beastes then in the midest of a people● citie , to be a beast among men . in the homely village art thou more safe , then in a fortified castel : the stings of enuy , or the bullets of treason , are neuer shot through those thin walles : sound healths are drunke out of the wholsome woodden dish , when the cup of golde boyles ouer with poyson . the countrie cottage is neither battred downe with cannon in time of warre , nor pestred with clamorous suits in time of peace . the fall of cedars that tumble from the tops of kingdomes , the ruine of great houses , that bury families in their ouerthrowe , and the noise of shipwracks , that beget euen shrikes in the hearts of citties , neuer send their terrors thither : that place stands as safe from the shocke of such violent stormes , as the bay-tree does from lightning . the admiration of these bewties made me so enamoured , and so really in loue with the inheritor of them , that the flames of my affection were ( in their burning ) onely carried thither . so that in stead of paued streetes , i trod the vnbeaten pathes of the fields , the rankes of the trees were to me as great buildings , lambes and skipping kids , were as my merry companions , the cleare fountaine as my cups of wine , rootes and hearbes as the table of an ordinarie , the dialogues of birds as the sceanes of a play , and the open emptie medowes as the proud and populous cittie . thus did i wish to liue , thus to dye : and h●uing wandred long ( like a timonist ) hating men because they dishonoured their creation . at length fortune led me by the hand into a place so curiou●lie built by nature , as if it had beene the pallace where shee purposed none should lie but her selfe : it was a groue set thicke with trees , which grew in such order , that they made a perfect circle , insomuch that i 〈◊〉 in feare , it was kept by fayries , and that i was brought into it by e●chantment . the branches of the trees ( like so many●handes ) reached ouer one to another and in their embracements held so fast together , that their boughes made a goodly greene roo●e , which being touched by the winde , it was 〈◊〉 to beh●ld so large a see●ing to mooue : vpon euerie branch sat a consort of singers , so that euerie tree shewed like a musick room . the floore of this summer-house was pa●ed al ouer with yelow-field ●lowers , and with white and red dazies , vpon which the 〈◊〉 casting but a wanton eye , you would haue sworne the one had bene nailes of golde , the other studdes of enamel●ed s●●uer . amazed i was when i did but looke into this little paradice , and afraid to enter , doubting whether it were some hallowed ground or no , for i could finde no path that dyrected me to it : neither the foot of any man , nor the hoofe of any beast had beaten down the grasse : for the blades of it stood so hie and so euen , as if their lengthes had beene giuen them by one measure . the melodye which the birds made , and the varieties of all sorts of fruites which the trees promised , with the prettie and harmelesse murmuring of a shallow streame , running in windings through the middest of it ( whose noise went like a chime of bels , charming the eyes to sléepe ) put me in minde of that garden whereof our great grandsire was the kéeper , i e●en wept for sorrow to think he should be so soolish , as to be driuen from a place of such happines , & blamed him in my mind for leauing such a president behind him because by his fall wée lost his felicitie , and by his frailtie all men are now apt to vndoe themselues and their posterity throgh the inticements of women . into this gro●e therefore at last i did venter , resoluing ●o make it the temple where my thoughts shold spend themselues i● fruitefull contemplati●n : i purposed to deuide the day into acts , as if the ground had beene a stage , and that the life which there i ment to leade , should haue bene but as a play . some of my houres should haue runne out in speculation of the admirall workemanshippe of heauen and of the orders which the celestiall bodies are gouerned by : some of my houres should haue carried me vp and downe the earth , and haue shewen vnto me the qualities and proportions of the creatures that breede vpon it : at another time would i haue written satyres against the imp●etie of the world : at another i would haue chaunted roundelayes , in honour of the countrie life . the rest of my time should haue fetched in prouision for my bodie . these were appointed to be my actes in this goodly the●ter : the musicke betw●ene were the singers of the wood , the audience such as orphe●s plaide vnto , and those were mountaines and trees who ( vnlesse the whispering windes troubled them with their noise ) would haue beene v●ris attentiue . but whilst i setting foorth to runne this goale , beholde , ●asting vp mine eye , i espyed a farre off certaine cloudes of smoake ▪ whose vapors ascended vp so blacke and thicke into the element , as if the sighes of hell had burst the bowels of the earth , and were flying vp toward heauen , to pull downe more vengeance . before i saw this , i belee●ed that this place had beene fr●e from all resort , desirous therefore to learne who they were that neighboured so nie and in a solitari● wood , ( that stood so far from inhabited buildings ) i stept forward & came to the place which ( what by nature and what by art ) was so fenced about with trees , quick set hedges and bushes , which were growne so high ( that but for the sm●ak ) it was not possible to imagin how a house could there be builded , there was but o●path leading to it , which ( after much searching & many turnings ) being foūd , boldly we●● i on , & arriued at a homely cottage : the verie doore of it put me in minde of that poore 〈◊〉 of good ba●cis & philaemon , where a god was a guest ▪ for it was so lowe , that euen a dwarf might haue seemed a tall man , entring into it , so much would it haue made him s●oope . this house stood not like great mens places , alwaies shut , but wide open , as if bounty had beene the porter , & being within , it 〈◊〉 hospitality dwelt there , and had giuen you welcome . for there was a table ready couered , with faire linnen , nut-browne round trenchers lay in good order , with bread and salt , keeping their state in the middle of the board . the roome it selfe was not sumptuous but hansome , of indifferent bignes , but not very large : the windowes were spread with hearbs , the chimney drest vp with greene boughes , and the floore strewed with bulrushes , as if some lasse were that morne to be married : but neither saw i any bride or bride-groome , nor heard i any musicke , onely the next roome ( which was the kitchen , and into which i went ) was there as much stirring , as commonly is to be seene in a booth , vppon the first day of the opening of a faire . some sate turning of spits , and the place being all smoaky , made me thinke on hell , for the ioynts of meat lay as if they had bene broyling in the infernall fier : the turne●spits ( who were poore tott●red greasie fellowes ) looking like so many heedeuills , some were basting and seemed like fiends powring scalding oyle vppon the damned : others were myncing of pye-meat , and shewed like hangmen cutting vp of quarters , whilst another whose eies glowed with the heat of the fier , stood poaking in at the mouth of an ouen , torturing soules as it were in the ●urnace of lucifer . there was such chopping of hearbes , such tossing of ladles , such plucking of geese , such scalding of pigges , such singing , such scolding , such laughing , such swearing , and such running too and fro , as if pluto had that day bidden all his friendes to a feast ▪ and that these had bene the cookes that drest the dinner . at the last espying an old nimble-tongd beldam who seemed to haue the commaund of the place , to her i stepped , and in faire tearmes requested to know the name of the dwelling , why this great cheere was prouided , and who were the guests , for as yet i saw no bodie but this baud of the blacke guard. instead of her tongue , her eies ( that had started backe a good way into her head , as if they durst not looke out ) made me an answere . i perceiued by her verie countenance , that i was not welcome , which afterward she confirmed in words , telling me the place was not for mée , the feast was for others , and that i must instantly bée gone , for that a strange kinde of people were that day to bee merry there . no rhethoricke that i could vse , had power to win her to discouer who these guests should be , till at the length a bribe preuailing more then a parlee , she tolde me i should be a spectator of the comedy in hand , and in a priuate gallerie beholde all the actors , vppon condition i would sit quietly and say nothing . and for that purpose was i conuaied into an vpper loft , where ( vnseene ) i might ( through a woodden latice that had the prospect of the dining roome ) both see and here all that was to be done or spoken . there lay i like a scoute to discouer the comming of the expected enimie , who was to set vppon this good chear● , and to batter downe the walles of hot pies and pasties . mine eies euen aked with staring towardes the doore , to spie when these states shold enter , ducking downe with their heads like so many geese going into a barne . at length ( with bagge and baggage ) they came dropping in one after another , sometimes thrée in a company , sometimes fiue , now more , now lesse , till in the end the great hall was so full that it swarmed with them . i know you wonder , and haue longing thoughts to know what generation this is , that liued in this hospitable familiarity : but let me tel you they are a people for whom the world cares not , neither care they for the world : they are all freemen , yet scorne to liue in cities : great trauellers they are and yet neuer from home , poore they are , and yet haue their dyet from the best mens tables : they are neyther olde seruingmen ( for all i say they are poore ) that haue bene courtiers , and are now past carrying of cloake-bags : nor yong gallants that haue serued in the low countries , ( albeit many of them go vppon wodden legs ) nor hungry schollers , that all their life time haue kept a wrangling in the schooles , and in the end are glad to teach children their horne-bookes : neither are they decayed poets , whose wits like a fooles land , holde out but a twelue month , and then they liue ppon the scraps of other mens inuention : no nor players they be , who out of an ambition to weare the best ierkin ( in a strow●ing company ) or to act great partes , forsake the stately and our more then romaine cittie stages , to trauell vpon the hard hoofe , from village to village for cheese and butter-milk : neither are they any of those terrible noises ( with thrid bare cloakes ) that liue by red lattises and iuy-bushes , hauing authoritie to thrust into any mans roome , onely speaking but this , will you haue any musique ? neither are they cittizens that haue bene blowne vp ( without gunpowder ) and by that meanes haue bene free of the grate at ludgate , some fiue times : no , no , this is a ging of goodfellowes in whome there is more brother-hood : this is a crew that is not the damned crew ( for they walke in sattin ) but this is the ragged regiment : uillaines they are by birth , varlets by education , knaues by profession , beg gars by the stattute and rogues by act of parliament . they are the idle drones of a countrie , the caterpillers of a common wealth , and the aegiptian lice of a kingdome . and albeit that at othertimes their attire was sitting to their trade of liuing , yet now were they all in hansome cleane linnen , because this was one of their quarter dinners : for you must vnderstand , that ( as afterward i learnt by intelligence ) they holde these solemne meetings in foure seuerall seasons of the yeare at least , and in seuerall places to auoyde discouerie . the whole assembly being thus gathered togither , one amongst the rest , who tooke vppon him a seniority ouer the rest , charg●d euery man to answere to his name , to see if the iury were full : the bill by which he meant to call them being a double iug of ale ( that had the spirit of aqua vitae in it , it smelt so strōg ) and that he held in his hand : another standing by with a toast , nutmeg and ginger , ready to crie vous auez as they were cald , and all that were in the roome hauing single pots by the eares which like pistolls were charged to go off so soone as euer they heard their names . this ceremony being set abroach , an o-yes was made : but he that was rector chory ( the captain of the tatterdemalions ) spying one to march vnder his cullors , that had neuer before serued in those lowsie warres , pawsed awhile ( after he had taken his first draught , to taste the dexteritie of the liquor ) and then began ( iustice like ) to examine this yonger brother vppon interrogatories ? the first question he demaunded , was , if he were stalled to the rogue or no ? the poore h●ngarin answered yes , he was : then was he asked by whom he was stalled , and where , and in what manner of complement it was done ? to which question the nouice hauing not so much beggerly knowledge as might make a learned reply , forthwith did the wicked elder o●●maund the young slauonians that stood about him , to 〈◊〉 him that was so vnskilfull in the rudiments of rogerie ) of his best garment , and to carry it presently to the bows●ng ken ( that was to say to the tap-house ) and there to pawn it for so much strong ale , as could be ventur'd vppon it . thus the cheife rag●a-muffen gaue in charge , the rest obayed and did so , whilst the other suffered himselfe to be stript , and durst not resist their base authority . this done , the grand signior called for a gage of bowse , which belike signified a quart of drink , for presently a pot of ale being put into his hand , he made the young squier knéele downe , and powring the full pot on his pate , vttered these wordes . i doe stall thee to the rogue , by vertue of this soueraigne english liquor , so that hence forth it shall be lawfull for thee to cant ( that is to say ) to be a vagabond and beg , and to speake that pedlers french , or that canting language , which is to be found among none but beggers : with that , the stalled gentleman rose , all the rest in the roome hanging vppon him for ioy , like so many dogs about a beare , and leaping about him with shoutes like so many mad men . but a scilence being proclaimed , all were hushed , whilst hee that playde the maister deuills part amongst these hell-hounds , after a shrug or two giuen , thus began to speake to him that was new entred into the damned f●aterniti● . brother begger ( quoth he ) because thou art yet but a meere freshman in our colledge , i charge thee to hang thine eares to my lips , and to learne the orders of our house , which thou must obserue , vpon paine either to be beaten with our cudgels the next time thou art met , or else to be stript out of any garments that are worth the taking from thee . first therefore ( being no better then a plaine ordinarie rogue , marry in time thou maiest rise to more preferment amongst vs ) thou art not to wander vp and downe all countries , but to walke onely like an vnder-keeper of a forrest , in that quarter which is allotted vnto thee : thou art likewise to giue way vnto any of vs that haue borne all the offices of the wallet before thee , and vppon holding vp a finger to auoide any towne or countrie uillage , where thou 〈◊〉 wee are forraging to victuall our armye that ma●ch along with vs. for ( my poore villiaco ) thou must know , that there are degrees of superioritie and inferioritie in our societie , as there are in the proudest cōpany . we haue amongst vs some eighteene or nineteene seuerall offices for men , and about seauen or eight for women : the cheefest of vs are called vpright-men ( o my deere sun-burnt-brother , if all those that are the cheifest men in other companies were vpright-men too , what good dealing would there be in all occupations ? the next are rufflers : then haue we anglers , but they sildome catch fish till they go vp westward for flounders : then are there rogues ( which liuerie thou thy selfe wearest ) next are wilde rogues , then priggers , then palliards , then fraters , then tome of bedlams band of mad caps , otherwise called poore toms flocke of wilde-geese ( whom heere thou seest by his black and blew naked arms to be a man beaten to the world ) and those wilde geese or hairebraines are called abraham-men : in the next squadron march our braue whip-iacks , at the taile of them come crawling our counterfeit crankes : in another troop are gabling domerers then curtals follow at their heeles , and they bring along with them strange enginers , called iri●h-toyles : after whome followe the swigmen , the iarkmen , the patricoes , and last the kinchincoes . these are the totterd regiments , that make vp our maine armie . the victuallers to the campe are women , and of those some are glymerers , some bawdy-baskets , some autem-morts : others walking-morts : some doxies , lothers are dels , the last and least are called kinchin-morts , with all which comrades , thou shalt in thy beggerly perregrination , meete , conuerse , and be drunke , and in a short time knowe their natures and roguish conditions without the helpe of a tutor . at these words the victualls came smoaking into the hall to be set vppon the boord , whereupon the whole swarme squatted downe , being as vnciuill in manners . as vnhansome in apparell , onely the vhrightmen and rufflers had the graine of the board giuen them , and sat at vpper end of the table : the rest took ther trenchers as they happened into their hands , yet so , that euery knaue had his quean close by his side . the table being thus furnished both with guests and meat● , instead of grace , euery one drew out a knife , rapt out a round oath , and cried proface you mad rogues , and so fell to . they fed more hungerly , then if they had come from the seege of ierusalem : not a word was heard amongst them for a long time , onely their teeth made a noyse , as if so many mils had bene grinding . rats going to the assault of a holland cheese could not more valiantly lay about them : nay my lord maiors hounds at the dog-house being bidden to the funerall banquet of a dead horse , could not picke the bones cleaner . at length when the platters began to looke leane , and their bellies grew plumpe , then went their tongues : but such a noyse made they , such a confusion was there of beggerly tales , some gabling in their canting language , others in their owne , that the scoulding at ten conduits , and the gossipping of fifteene bake-houses was delicate musicke to it . at the length , drunken healths reeled vp and downe the table , and then it would haue made a phisitian himselfe s●cke , but to haue looked vppon the waters that came from them . the whole roome shewed a farre off ( but that there was heard such a noise ) like a dutch peece of drollery , for they sate at table as if they had bene so many antickes : a painters prentice could not draw worse faces then they themselues made , besides those which god gaue them : no , nor a painter himselfe varie a picture into more strange and more ill-fauourd gestures , than were to bee seene in the action of their bodies : for some did nothing but weepe and protest loue to their morts , another swore daggers and kniues to cut the throate of his doxye , if he found her tripping : some slept being drowned so deepe in ale-drags , that they slauered againe : others sung bawdie songs , another crew deuised curses vppon iustices of peace , head-boroughs and constables , grinning their teeth so hard together for anger , that the grating of a saw in a stone-cutters yard , when it files in sunder the ribs of marble , makes not a more horrible noyse , in y● end , one who tooke vppon him to be speaker to the whole house ( bidding the french and english pox on their yelping throates ) cried out for silence , telling them it was his turne ( according to the customes of their meeting ) to make an oration in praise of beggerie , & of those that professe the trade : héereupon ( as i● an owle had happened amongst so many birds ) all their eyes did presently stare vppon him : who thus began . my noble hearts , olde weather-beaten fellowes , and braue english spirits , i am to giue you that which all the land knowes you iustly deserue ( a roguish commendation ) and you shall haue it , i am to giue beggars their due praise , yet what neede i doe that , sithence no man ( i think ) will take any thing from them that is their due . to be a begger is to bée a braue man , because t is now in fashion for verie braue men to beg : but what a rogue am i to build vp your honours vpon examples ? doe wée not all come into the world like arrant beggers , without a rag vpon vs ? doe wée not all goe out of the world like beggers , sauing onely an olde sheete to couer vs ? and shall we not walke vp and downe in the world like beggers , with olde blankets pind about vs ? yes , yes , wee will , roared al the kennell as though it had beene the dogs of paris garden : peace cries the penilesse orator , and with a hem proceedes . what though there bee statutes to burne vs i th eares for rogues ? to ●indge vs i th hand for pilferers ? to whip vs at post● for being beggers , and to shackle our heeles i th stockes for being idle uagabonds ? what of this ? are there no other statutes more sharpe then these to punish the rest of the subiects , that scorne to bee our companions ? what though a prating constable or a red nosde beadle say to one of vs , sirra goodman rogue , if i serud you wel i should sée you whipped through the towne : alas , alas , silly animalles , if all men should haue that which they deserue , wee should doe nothing but play the executioners and tormenters one of an other . a number of taylors would be damnd for keeping a hel vnder their shop bord : all the brokers would make thier willes at tyborne , if the searching for stolne goods which they haue receiued , should like a plague but once come amongst them : yea if all were serued in their right kinde , two partes of the land should bee whipped at bridewell for letcherie , and three parts ( at least ) be set i th stockes for drunkennes . the life of a begger is the life of a souldier : he suffers hunger and colde in winter , and heate and thirst in summer he goes lowūe , he goes lame , hee 's not rega●ded , hee 's not rewarded : heere onely shines his glorie , the whole kingdome is but his walke , a whole cittie is but his parish in euerie mans kitchin is his meate drest , in euery mans seller lyes his beere , and the best mens pursses keepe a penye for him to spend . since then the profession is ancient ( as hauing beene from the beginning ) and so generall , that all sortes of people make it their last refuge : since a number of artificers maintaine their houses by it , since we and many a thousand more liue merrilie with it , let vs my bra●e tawny-faces , not giue vp our patched cloaks , nor chāge our coppies , but as we came beggers out of our mothers belties , so resolue and set vp your staues vppon this , to returne like beggers into the bowels of the earth . dixi. scarce was the word dixi belch'd out of his rotten alylnnges , but all the bench-whistlers from one end to the other , gaue a ringing plaudite to the epilogue of his speech , in s●nge of approbation : wherupon they rose vp as confusedly as they sat down , & hauing paid so farre as their purses would stretch for what they had deuoured , making oes in chalke for the rest when they met there next , and euerie man with his mor● being assigned to their quarter , with order giuen , at what following faires to shake hands , and what ale-bush to tipple , with items like wise giuen where , to strike downe geese , where to steale hens , and from what hedges to fetch sheetes , that may serue as pawnes , away they departed . turba grauis paci , placidaeque inimica quieti . no sooner were their backes turned , but i that all this while had stood in a corner ( like a watching candle ) to see all their vilanies , appeared in my likenes ; and finding the coast to bee perfectly cleere , none remaining in the house but the hostesse to these guestes , her did i summon to a second parlee . the spirit of her owne mault walk● in her brain-pan , so that what with the sweetenesse of gaines which shee had gotten by her merchāt uenturers , and what with the fumes of drinke , which ( like a lustie gale to a wind-mill ) set her tongue in going , i found her apt for talke , and taking holde of this opportunitie , after some intreatie to discouer to mee what these vpright-men , rufflers and the rest were , with their seuerall quallities and manners of life . thus she began . an vpright-man . you shall vnderstand then ( quoth she ) that the chiefest of those that were my table-men to day , are called vpright-men , whose picture i will drawe to the life before you : an vpright-man is a sturdie big-bonde knaue , that neuer walkes but ( like a comaunder ) with a short trunche●n in his hand , which he cals his filchman . at markets , faires , & other méetings , his voyce among beggars is of the same sound that a constables is of : it is not to be contrould , he is free of all the shires in england , but neuer stayes in any place long , the reason is , his profession is to be idle , which being looked into , he knowes is punishable , and therefore to auoid the whip he wanders . if he come to a farmers doore , the almes he begges is neither meat nor drinke , but onely money : if any thing else be offered to him , he takes it with disdaine and laies it vnder a hedge for any that comes next : but in reuenge of this , if he spie any geese , hennes , duckes , or such like walking spirrits haunting the house , with them he coniures about midnight , vsing them the next morning like traytors , either behedding them or quartering them in pieces : for which purpose , this band of vpright-men sildome march without fiue or sixe in a company , so that country people rather giue them mony for feare then out of any deuotion . after this bloudy massacre of the poore innocent pullen , the actors in their bloody tragedie , repaire to their stalling-kennes , and those are tipling houses , which will lend money vppon any stollen goods , and vnto which none but such guests as these resort : there the spits goe round , and the cannes walke vp and downe : there haue they their morts and their doxies , with whom ( after they haue bowsed profoundly ) they lye ( in stead of featherbeds vppon litters of cleane st●aw ) to encrease the generations of rogues and beggers : for these vpright men stand so much vppon their reputation , that they scorne any mor● or doxie should be séene to walke with them ; and indeede what need they care for them , when he may commaund any doxie to leaue another man and to lye with him ; the other not daring to murmure against it . an vpright man will seldome complaine of want , for whatsoeuer any one of his profession doth steale , he may challenge a share in it , yea and may commaund any inferiour rogue to fetch in booty to serue his turne . these carry the shapes of soldiers , and can talke of the low-countries , though they neuer were beyond douer . a ruffler . the next in degrée to him is cal'd a ruffler : the ruffler and the vp-right-man are so like in cōidtions , that you would sweare them brothers : they walke with cudgels alike , they professe armes alike , though they be both out at elboowes , and will sweare they lost their limbes in their countries quarrell , when either they are lame by diseases , or haue bene mangled in some drunken quarrell : these commonly are fellowes that haue stood aloofe in the warres , and whilst others fought , they tooke their heeles and ran away from their captaine , or else they haue bene ser●ingmen , whome for their behauiour , no man would trust with a liuery : if they cannot spend their daies to their mindes by their own begging or robbing of countrie people that come late from markets ( for vppon those they most vsually excersise their trade ) then do they compell the inferior subiects of their common wealth ( as rogues , palliards , morts , doxies &c ) to pay tribute vnto them . a ruffler after a yeare or two takes state vpon him , and becomes an vpright-man ( but no honest man. ) an angler . an angler is a limb of an vpright-man , as being deriued from him : their apparell in which they walke is commonly freize ierkins and gally flops : in the day time they beg from house to house , not so much for releefe , as to spye what lyes fit for their ne t s , which in the night following they fish for . the rod they angle with , is a staffe of fiue or sixe foote in length , in which within one inch of the top is a little hol● boared quite through , into which hole they put an yron hooke , and with the same do they angle at windowes about midnight : the draught they pluck vp , being apparel , shéets , couerlets , or whatsoeuer their yron hookes can lay hould of : which prize when they haue gotten , they do not presently make sale of it , but after foure or fiue daies , or according as they suspect inquirie will be made after it , do they bring such goods to a broaker ( traded vp for the purpose ) who lends vppon them halfe so much money as they be worth , which notwithstanding serues the angler a while for spending money , and enritehes him that buyes it for a long time after . a rogue . a rogue is knowne to all men by his name , but not to all men by his conditions : no puritane can dissemble more then hee , for he will speake in a lamentable tune , and crawle along the streetes , ( supporting his bodye by a staffe ) as if there were not life enough in him to put strength into his legs : his head shall be bound about with linnen , loathsome to beholde , and as filthie in colour as the compl●xion of his face : his apparrell is all tattered , his bosome naked , and moste commonly no shirt on : not that they are driuen to this miserie by meere want , but that if they had better cloathes giuen them , they would rather sell them to some of their owne fraternitie then weare them , and wa●der vp and downe in that pitteous maner , onely to moue people to compassion , and to be relieued with money , which being gotten , at night is spent as merily and as lewdely , as in the day it was ●onne by coūterfeit villany . another sect there be of these , and they are called sturdy rogues : these walke from country to country vnder ●ol●ur of trauelling to their friendes , or to finde out some kinsman , or else to deliuer some letter to one gentleman or other , whose name he will haue fairely endorsed on paper , folded vp for that purpose , and hansomely sealed : others vse this shift , to carrie a certificate or pasport about them , with the hand and seale of some iustice to it , giuing notice how he hath bin whipped for a uacabond , according to the lawes of the realme , and that he is now to returne to such a place where he was borne , or dwelt last , by a certain day limited , which is sure to be set down long enough , for all these writings are but counter●eit , they hauing amonst them ( of their owne rancke ) ▪ that can write and reade , who are their secretaries in this businesse . these fellowes haue fingers as nimble as the vpright-man , and haue their wenches and meeting places , where whatsoeuer they get , they spend , and whatsoeuer they spend is to satisfie their lust : some of this ●roode are called curtalls , because they weare short cloakes : their company is dangerous , their liues detestable , and their ends miserable . a wilde rogue . the tame rogue begets a wilde rogue , and this is a spirit that cares not in what circle he rises , nor into the company of what diuels he falles : in his swadling clouts is he marked to be a villaine , and in his breeding is instructed to bee so : the mother of him ( who was deliuered of her burden vnder a hedge , ) either trauelling with him at her backe , or else leading him in her hand , and wil rather indure to see his braines beaten out , than to haue him taken from her , to be put to an honest course of life , so enuious they are & so much doe they scorne any professiō but their ownet : hey haue bene rogues themselues and ▪ disdaine that their children should be otherwise . these wilde-rogues ( like wilde geese ) keepe in flockes , and all the day loyter in the fieldes , ( if the weather be warme ) and at brick-killes , or else disperse themselues in colde weather , to rich-mens doores , and at night haue their méetings in barnes or other out-places , where ( twentie or more in a company ) they engender male and female , euerie one catching her whome he doth best fancy , the stronger and more sturdie kéeping the weaker in subiection : their language is bawdy talk , damned othes , and plots where to filtch the next morning , which they perform betimes : rising as earely as the sunne , and enioyning their punckes to looke out for cheates , to make their meeting at night the merrier . a prigger of prancers . a prigger of prancers is a horse-stealer , for to prig , signifies in the canting language to steale , & prancer signifies a horse . these walke ( in frieze or leather ierkins ) with a wand in their hands , watching in what pasture any horses are fit for their turne , and those within three or foure nights after are cōueyd away at the least . miles from the place : if they meete the owners in their ground , they haue shifts to auoide his suspition by feyning they haue lost their way to such a towne . these hackney men that let out horses , will request seruice at gentlemens houses , ●heir skill being to keepe a gelding wel , and if they get entertainment , they stand to their word , for they keepe the gelding so well , that his maister shall neuer finde fault with any disease he hath , vnlesse it be that he had the dizzinesse in his head , which made him reele out of his stable to be solde fortie miles off at a fayre . these haue their female spies that suruey medowes and closes , and long onelye for horse●flesh . a palliard . a palliard comes next into my minde , & he likewise is cal'd a clapperdugeon : his vpper garment is an olde cloake made of as many peeces patchd together , as there bee villanies in him : this palliard neuer goes without a mort at his héeles whome he calles his wife . being either in the streete of a citie or in a countrie village ▪ they deuide themselues , and beg alms at seuerall doores , but whatsoeuer is gotten ( be it bread , cheese , malt or wooll ) they sell it to some rogue or other , and with the money are merrie at a bowsing ken. a palliard carries about him ( for feare of the worst ) a certificate ( vnder a ministers hand , with the parishes name , which shall bee sure to stand farre enough ) where this mort and he were married , when all is but forged : many irishmen are of this lowsie regiment , & some welchmen : and the better either to draw pittie from men , as also to giue cullor to their lame wandring , with sperewort or arsenick will they in one night poyson their leg , be it neuer so sound , and raise a blister , which at their pleasure they can take off againe . a frater . a frater is a brother of as damn'd a broode as the rest : his office is to trauell with a long wallet at his backe , and a blacke boxe at his girdle , wherein is a pattent to beg for some hospitall or spittle house : many of which pattens ( especially if they be in paper or parchment without the great seale ) are counterfeit , and those that are not so , serue the bearers of them but as instruments to play the knaues by : for though they get neuer so much , the poore creatures for whome they beg , receiue little of it , they lie soaking with a doxie in a tippling house , whilst the spittle wretches are ready to starue for sustenance at home : let countrie women returning from markets if they be alone , and in a dangerous place , take heede of these proctors , for they haue the art to vnhorse them , and a conscience to send them packing without any penny in their purses . a quire-bird . your quire-birds are such as haue sung in such cages as newga●e , or a countrie gaole , and hauing their belles giuen them to flye , they seeke presently to build their nests vnder some honest mans roofe , not with intent to bring him in anye profit , but onely to put themselues into money or apparell ( though it be by fitching ) and then they take their flight . an abraham-man . of all the mad rascalls ( that are of this wing ) the abraham-man is the most fantasticke ; the fellow ( quoth this olde lady of the lake vnto mee ) that sat halfe naked ( at table to day ) from the girdle vpward , is the best abraham-man that euer came to my house , and the notablest villaine : he sweares hee hath beene in bedlam , and will talke frantickly of purpose : you see pinnes ●●uck in sundrie places of his naked flesh , especially in his armes , which paine he gladly puts himselfe too ( being indeed no torment at all , his skin is either so deade with some foule disease , or so hardned with weather : onely to make you beléeue hee is out of his wits , ) he calles himselfe by the name of poore tom , and comming neere any body cries out poore tom is a colde . of these abraham-men , some bee excéeding merrie , and doe nothing but sing songs , fashioned out of their owne braines , some will dance , others will doe nothing but either laugh or weepe , others are dogged , and so sullen both in looke and speech that spying but a smal company in a house , they boldly and bluntly enter , compelling the seruants through feare to giue them what they demaund , which is commonly bacon , or something that will yeeld ready money . the vpright-man , and the rogue are not terribler enemies to pou●trie ware , then poore tom is : neither does any man shift cleane linnen oftner then he does his wenches . a whipiack . then there is another sort of nimble fingred knaues , and they are called whipiacks : who talke of nothing but fights at sea , piracies , drownings and shipwracks , trauelling both in the shapes and names of mariners , with a counter●eit licence to beg from towne to towne , which licence they call a gybe , and the seales to it iarkes . their cullour of wandring from shire to shire ( especially along the sea ●oastes ) is to harken after their ship that was ouerthrowne , or for the marchandize stolen out of her , but the end of their land voyages is to rob booths at faires , which they call heauing of the booth ▪ these whipiacks will talke of the indies , and of all countries that lye vnder heauen , but are indeed no more but fresh-water souldiers . a counterfeit crank . baser in habit , and more vile in condition then the whipiacke , is the counterfeit crancke : who in all kinde of weather going halfe naked , staring wildely with his eyes , and appearing distracted by his lookes , complayning onely that he is troubled with the falling sicknesse : albeit you giue them cloaths they wil wear none , but rather wish those rags which they haue hanging about them should be made loathsome by myre , or their naked bosome and armes to appeare full of bruses , and to be bloudy with falling , thereby to kindle in men the greater compassion : to cause that foaming in their mouthes ( which is fearfull to beholde by the standers by ) they haue this trick priuily to conuay a péece of white soape into one corner of their iawes , which causeth the froth to come boyling forth . these crancks haue likewise their meetings , and their wenches at commaund . a dummerar . equall to the cranke in dissembling is the dummerar , for as the other takes vppon him to haue the falling sickenesse , so this , counterfeits dumbnes , but let him be whipped well , and his tongue ( which he doubles in his mouth and so makes a horred and strange noyse instead of speech ) will walke as fast as his handes doe , when he comes where any booty is . a iacke-man and a patrico . and because no common wealth can stand without some learning in it . therefore are there some in this schoole of beggers , that practise writing and reading , and those are called iackmen : yea , the iackman is so cunning sometimes that he can speake latin : which learning of his liftes him vp to aduancment , for by that meanes he becomes clark of their hall , and his office is to make counterfeit licences , which are called gybes , to which he puts seales , and those are ●earmed iarkes . this iack-man ( for his knowledge ) is haile fellowe well met with a patrico , who amongst beggers is their preist , euerie hedge being his parish , euerie wandring harlof and rogue his parishioners : the seruice he saies , is onely the marrying of couples , which he does in a wood vnder a tree , or in the open field , and the solemnitie of it is thus : the parties to be wedded , finde out a dead horse , or any other beast , and standing one on the one side , and the other on the other , the patrico bids them to liue togethe till death them part , and so shaking hands , the wedding dinner is kept at the next ale house they stumble into , where the musicke is nothing but knocking with cannes , and their dances none but druncken brawles . an irish toyle . in this ●orrest of wilde men , the safest toyles to pitch is the irish toyle , which is a net so strougly and cunningly wouen togither , that they who goe a hunting with it , catch the common-wealth , and connycatch the subiects : for an irish toyle is a sturdy vagabond , who scorning to take paines that may make him sweate , stalkes onely vp and downe the countrie with a wallet at his backe , in which he carries , laces , pins , points and such like , and vnder collour of selling such wares , both passeth to and fro quietly , and so commits many villanies as it were by warrant . a swigman . like vnto him in conditions is a swigman or pedler , carrying a packe behinde him in stead of a wallet : their trades are all one , sauing that the swigman is somewhat better in behauiour , though little differing in honestie . they both stand in feare of the vpright-man , and are forced oftentimes to pay him toale out of their packes . a kinchin coe . the last rank of these run-agates is fild vp with kinchin coes ; and they are little boyes , whose parents ( hauing béene beggars ) are dead , or else such as haue runne away from their maisters and in stead of a trade to liue by , followe this kinde of life to be lows●e by . these kinchins , the first thing they doe is to learne how to cant , and the onely thing they practise is to creep in at windowes or celler doores . thus haue i opened vnto you halfe the nest of this generation of uipers , now will i discouer the other halfe , wherein ●its a broode of serpents , as dangerous and as loathsome as these : of which the young ones and the least are called kinchin-mor● ▪ and those are girles of a yeare or two old , which the morts ( their mothers ) carrie at their backes in their slates ( which in the canting tongue are sheetes ) if they haue no children of their owne they will steale them from others , and by some meanes disfigure them , that by their parents they shall neuer be known . the second bird of this feather is a del , and that is a yong wench , ripe for the act of generation , but as yet not spoyled of her maiden-head : these dels are reserued as dishes for the vpright-mē , for none but they must haue y● first tast of them , & after the vpright-men haue defloored them , ( which commonly is when they are verie yong ) then are they free for any of the brother-hood ▪ & are called dels no more , but doxies . of these dels some are tearmed wilde-dels , and those are such as are borne and begotten vnder a hedge : the other are yong wenches that either by death of parents , the villanie of executors , or the crueltie of maisters or mistresses fall into this infamous and damnable course of life . when they haue gotten the title of doxies , then are they common for any , and walke for the moste part with their betters , ( who are a degree aboue them ) called morts ▪ but whensoeuer an vprightman is in presence , ● the doxie is onely at his commaund . these doxies will for good victualls or a small peece of money , prostitute their bodies to seruingmen if they can get into any conuenient corner about their masters houses , & to ploughmen in barnes , haylo●ts or stables : they are common pick-pockets , familiars with the baser sorts of cut-purses , and oftentimes secret murtherers of those infants which are begotten of their bodies . these doxies haue one speciall badge to bee knowne by , for most of them goe working of laces and ●hirt strings , or such like stuffe , onely to giue colour to their idle wandring . of morts there be two kinds , that is to say , a vvalking mort and an autem mort : the walking mort is of more antiquitie than a doxie , and therefore of more knauerie : they both are vnmarried , but the doxie professes herselfe to be a maide , ( if it come to examination ) and the walking mort saies shee is a widow , whose husband dyed either in the portugal voyage , was slaine in ireland or the low countries , or came to his end by some other misfortune , leauing her so many smal infants on her hand in debt , whome not being able by her honest labour to maintaine , she is compelled to beg . these walking morts trauell from countrie to countrie , making laces vpon staues , & small purses , and now and then white vallance for beds : subtill queanes they are , hard hearted , light fingerd , cunning in dissembling , and dangerous to be met if any ruffler or rogue be in their cōpany . they fear neither god nor good lawes , but onely are kept in awe by the vpright-men , who often times spoile them of al they haue , which to preuent , the walking morts vse this pollicie , they leaue their money ( sometime fiue shillings , sometimes ten shillings ) in seuerall shires , with some honest farmers wife or others , whome they knowe they may trust , and when they trauell that way againe , at halfe yeares end , or a quarters , fetch it to serue their turnes , but dare ●euer goe in good cloathes , least the vpright-men either strip them into rags , or else starke naked , as they vse to doe . an autem mort , is a woman maried , for autem in the beggr● language is a church : these morts seldome keep with their husbands , but are from them sometimes a moneth or two , yet neuer walke they without aman in their company , and boyes and girles at their heeles of ten or twelue yeres old , whome they imploye at windowes of houses in the night time , or early in the mornings , to pilfer any thing that is worth the carying away ( which in their tongue ) they call nilling of the ken. these autem morts walke with wallets on their shoulders , and slates ( or sheetes at their backes , in which they vse to lie . their husbands commonly are rufflers , vpright-men , or wilde rog●es , and their companions of the same bréed . there is another parrot ( in this bird-cage ) whose feathers are more ●leeke , and tongue more smoothe than the rest , and she is called a baudy basket , these baudy baskets are women that walke with baskets or cap-cases on their armes , wherein they haue laces , pinnes , needles , white inckle , tape , round white silke girdles , and such like : these will buy cony skins , and in the meane time steale linnen or pewter : they are faire spoken , and will seldome sweare whilst they are selling their wares , but lye with any man that hath a mind to their commodities the vpright-men and these hold such league together , that whatsoeuer they haue is common to them both , and oftentimes will they with money releeue one another . the selfe same truce is taken betweene the vpright-men and the damaunders of glimmer , that is to say , those who trauell vp & downe with licences to begge , because their houses haue beene consumed with fire , for glimmer ( in canting ) signifies fire . these glimmering morts are so tender harted , y● they shed teares if they make but mention of their losses , & tell a lamentable storie how the fire destroyed their barnes , stables &c. all that they speak being meer lyes : they likewise carrie wallets at their ●ackes , and are onely attended vpon and defended by the vpright-men , who neuer walke along with them through any towne , but keepe aloofe . and these ( quoth the hostesse of the beggers ) are al or the cheefest ( both he-deuils and shee-deuils ) that dance in this large circle . i haue brought you acquainted with their names , their natures , their tradings , and their traf●●cke : if you haue a desire to know more of them , you shall finde whole congregations of them at saint quintens , y● three-cranes in the vintry , saint tibs and at knapsbury , which foure places are foure seueral barnes within one miles cōpasse néere london , being but nick●names giuen to them by the vpright-men , in those innes do they lodge euery night ; in those doe vpright-men lie with morts , and turne dells in doxies ( that is to say rauish young wenches ) whilst the rogue is glad to stand at reuersion and to take the others leauings . in midlesex likewise stand foure other harbours for them , namely , draw the pudding out of the fire ( which is in the parish of harrow on the hil ) the crosse keyes ( which is in cranford parish ( saint iulians ( which is in thistleworth parish ) and the house of pittie in northall parish . the kings barne neere darford , and ketbrooke neare blackheath , are likewise houses of good receit for them : in all shiers haue they such innes as these ; and in all of them and these recited , shall you finde some times . vpright men togither , ingendring beggers with their morts . no sinne but is heere committed without shame , adulterie is common amongst them , incest but laughed at , sodomy made a iest : at these hauens do they cast anchor boldly because none are by to barre their entrance ; yea those that are owners of these barnes and backhouses , dare not but giue welcome to these vnruly guestes ; for if they should not , they would at one time or other set fire of their houses , or by bloudy and trecherous practises take away their liues . for this cause sir ( quoth she ) am i glad to looke smilingly vppon them , and to play y● hostesse because my abiding stands so farre from company ; yet i protest ( quoth she ) i hate y● sight of them as knowing them to be hell hounds , and haue made discouerie of their deuilish cōditions , because you may teach others how to auoyd them : and howsoeuer you may be drawn peraduenture to publish these abuses to the world ( saide she ) yet i pray you conceale my name , the publishing of which may cost me my life . by this time , the fumes of ale which had distempered her braines , and set her tongue a going were dispersed ; so that both her lookes and speech shewing that she did not now dlssemble , but vttered these thinges vnfainedly , i gaue her many thanks for her discouerie , counselled her to change her discomfortable lodging , and to dwell in a place more inhabited ( which she promised to doe ) and away i went. a thousand cogitations kept me company as i trauelled alone by my selfe : sorry i was to heare that in those places where innocence and simplicity should be borne , so much and such vgly villany should be nourished , yet was i glad that i came to the knowledge of their euils , because the dressing of such wounds in a common wealth , is the curing of them . looking therefore with more pearcing eies into the country-life , i began to hate it worse then ( before ) i loued it , i fell to dispraise it faster then euer i did cōmend it . for i found it full of care , and full of craft : full of labour , and yet full of penurie ; i saw the poore husbandman made a slaue to the rich farmer , the farmer racked by his landlord : i saw that couetousnesse made deere yeares when she had fullest barnes ; and to curse plentie for being liberal of her blessings . i had heard of no sinne in the cittie but i met it in the village ; nor any vice in the tradesman , which was not in the ploughman . all places therefore being haunted with euill spirrits , i forsooke the fields & the mountaines ▪ and tooke my iourney back again to the citie whose customes ( both good and bad ) i desired to be acquainted with . it was my fortune to trauell so late , that the moone had climed vp to the very top of midnight , before i had entrance into the gates of the citie , which made me make the more hast to my lodging , but in my passage i first heard ( in some good distance before me ( the sound of a bell , and then of a mans voice , both whose tunes seemed at that dead houre of the night very dolefull : on i hastened to know what noyse it should be ▪ and in the end found it to be the belman of london . the sound of his voyce at the first put me in mind of the day of iudgement ; men ( me thought ) starting out of their sleepes , at the ringing of his bel , as when they are to rise from their graues at y● cal of a trumpet : but when i approched neare vnto him and beheld a men with a lanthorne and can●le in his hand , a long staffe on his neck , and a dog at his taile , i supposed verily , because the moone shone somewhat dimly , that the man in the moone had lept downe from heauen , & ( for hast ) had left his bush of thornes behinde him . but these imaginations vanishing , as fast as they were begotten , i began to talke to my bel-man , and to aske him why with such a iangling and balling , and beating at mens doores , he went about to waken either poore men that were ouer-wearied with labour , or sick men that had most need of rest ? he made answere vnto mee , that the ringing of his bell , was not ( like an allarum in a town of garrison ) to fright the ●●habitants , but rather it was musiqu● to charme them faster with sleepe : the bearing at their doores assured those within , that no théeues were entred , nor that false seruants had wilfully or negligently suffered the dores to stād open , to haue their masters robd , & that his crying out so loud , was but like the shrill good morrow of a cock , to put men ( that had wealth enough ) in minde of the time how it slideth away , and to bid those that are full of bustnesse to be watchfull for their due houres when they were to rise . he cald himselfe therefore the centinell of the cittie , the watchman for euerie ward , the honest spy that discouered the prentizes of the night , and that as a lanthorne in the poope of a ship , was a guide or comfort to sea-men in most pitchy darknesse , so was his walking vp and downe in the night time , a preuention to the cittie oftentimes of much and many dangerous fires . i liked wel that thus he praised himselfe , because in those praises lay the commendation of an honourable , ciuill , and politicke gouerment . and so farre delt i with him that in the end he brought me acquainted with his office , aswell as he knew it himselfe , and discouered vnto me the properties of his walkes , as how farre his bounds reached ; what mad hobgoblings he oftentimes encountred with , what mischiefs he now and then preuented , what knaueries he was now and then an eye witnesse to , and to what secret villanies ( brought to bed in darknesse ) he was compeld to be ( though not the midwife ) yet a gossip , present at the labour● and deliuerie . of all which i hauing a longing desire to get the true pictures , and perswading him that he was bound by his place , by his conscience ▪ and by the lawes of common humanity to lay open such plots as were so dangerous to the common wealth whereof the was a member , he yeelded at the length to discouer all that he knew , and for that purpose not only carried me home to his lodging where he gaue me the notes and names of sundrie abuses begotten in the dead of night , but also went vp and downe the citty with me all the next day , shewing me the very doores and signes at which they dwelt , and the very faces of those that are the deuills factors in those lowe country commodities of hell : i learnt much by the bell-mans intelligence , but more afterwards by my owne obseruation and experience ; what merchandize i stored my selfe with by both voyages , heere doe i vnlade , and what profit soeuer arises by the traficke of them , shall if you please be wholly yours . and for that the lading was of sundry commodities , i will deliuer them forth in their seuerall parcells , as i receiued them . of cheating lawe . all vices maske themselues with the vizards of vertue : they borrowe their names , the better and more currantly to passe without suspition : for murder wil be called manhood , drunkennesse is now held to be phisicke , impudence is audacitie , riot good fellowship &c. so are these villaines ( whose faces i mean to discouer ) painted●ouer with fresh orient colours , because their lookes may be more pleasing , and lesse suspected to haue craft vnderneath them . and for that purpose haue their k●aueries gotten the names of arts or lawes , as the act of such a thing or such a lawe , not that they are institutions set downe by lawe for the good of men , or of a common-wealth : but as the lawe is grounded vppon reason , and hath maximes of iustices , vpon which she buildeth al her policies whereby she gouerns kingdomes : so these new-found lawes of the deuils inuention , are grounded vpon mischeife and are nothing else but certaine acts and rules drawne into heades ( in an assembly of damned wretches ) for the vtter vndoing of men , and confusion of a weale-publike . of all which lawes , the highest in place , and the highest in perdition is the cheating law , or the art of winning mony by false dyce : those that practise this study cal themselues cheaters , the dice cheaters , and the money which they purchase cheates : borrowing the tearme from our common lawyers , with whom all such casuals as fal to the lord at the holding of his leetes , as waifes , straies , & such like , are said to be escheated to the lords vse , and are called cheates . this sorte of gamsters , were at first a few in number , ( the art being odious ) they were poore ( as being hated and driuen from all good mens company . ) but now , there are so many profest cheaters , and so many that giue countenance to their occupacion , that they might make an armie sufficient to giue the turke a battaile : now are they not hungry thread bare knaues , but gallants that ruffle in silkes , and are whorried through the streetes in coaches , their purses being full of crownes , and their fingers being held vp able to commaund the proudest curtizan . yea , to such a rancknes hath custome brought this vice , and to such a boldnes , that in the moste noble assemblies , at the best ordinaries where your onely gallants spend afternoones , and in your most ciuill meetings of merchants , your welthiest cittizens , if they fall to play with dice for any round summes of money , it is now growne to a fashion to haue some one or other to take vp the cheaters weapons , and ( without all respect of honestie , friendship or societie ) to beate all commers . a cheater plaies his maisters prize at . seueral weapons , and those weapons are these . the names of false dice . a bale of bard sincke dewces . a bale of flat sin●ke dewces . a bale of flat sice aces . a bale of bard sice aces . a bale of bard cater-treas . a bale of flat-cater-tre as . a bale of fullams . a bale of light graniers . a bale of langrets , contrarie to the vantage . a bale of gordes , with as many high-men as low-men for passage . a bale of demies . a bale of long-dice for euen andod . a bale of bristles . a bale of direct contraries . these are the diuelish hookes , by which the cheater angl●s for other mens money , hee cares not in what riuer , hee makes no conscience with what baite , so hee may haue good draughes to maintaine himselfe in ryots , and his whore in rich apparrell , that 's the white hee shootes at neither doth he let all these arrowes flie at one marke nor in all weathers , but some he shootes in one game , some in another , and as he findes what fooles are in his company , so does he bestowe his bolts . to set downe all the legierdemai●●e of this handy-craft , would peraduenture instruct some il minded persons in y● villany , which is published onely to haue others shun it : i will therfore shew you a few of their iugling tricks ( tha● are graduates in the art ) and by the shape of them , iudge the rest , for all are alike . a langret is a die which simple men haue seldome heard of , and hapily neuer seene ( but to their cost ) it is ( to the eye of him that is but a nouice ) a good and square die , yet it is cut longer vpon the cater and trea , then vpon any other point , & is for that cause called a langret : these langrets are also called bard cater treas , because in the running , the longer end will commonly ( of his own sway ) draw downewards , & turne either sice , sink , dewce or ace vpwards on the board ; y● principall vse of them is at nouum . for so long as a paire of bard cater treas be walking , so long can you cast neitheir . nor . vnles it be by great chance , that the roughnes of the table , or some other stoppe force them to stay , and to runne against their kinde ; for without cater trea , . or . you know can neuer come . here some may imagine , that by this meanes he y● hath the first dice in his hand , may strip all that play at the table of their money ; but this must be their helpe . an odde diecalled a flat cater trea , ( and no other number ) is to be ready at hand , for granting the trea and cater to be alwaies vpon the one die , then is there no chance vpon the other die , but may serue to make or . and so cast forth and lose all . the cheater therefore marketh well the flat , and bendeth a great part of his studie to learne when he is abroad , for so lōg as that is stirring , he will neuer cast at much : the shift which a cheater is driuen to , in conueying the flat in and out , is a notable cunning , and in their trade is calld foysting ; which is nothing else but a fleight to carry dice easily in the hand so often as the foyster listeth ; so that when either he or his partner casteth the dice , the flat comes not abroad till he hath made a great hand , otherwise the flat is still sure to be one , vnlesse the cheater of purpose suffers the silly nouices , with whome he playes , to cast in a hand or two to giue them courage and to liue in hope of winning . the damnable oaths and quarrells that waite at the table of gamesters , are occasion that many men forbeareto venture mony in those sports , who otherwise would play ▪ the cheater therefore ( being a cunning obseruer in all fashions ) wil seldome sweare ( if he haue gotten a gul into his company whome he is loath to anger for feare he loose him ) and as seldome swagger , but wil rather put vp an open wrong , then by a foolish braule to breake off the cōpany and so hinder himselfe and his consort of purchase : but if he sweare , you would take him for a puritane , for his oaths are of honestie , of troth , by saint martin . &c. and take this note , that when he sweares affirmatiuely , he means alwaies the contrary . as for example , if i say vnto you when the dice come to your hands , of honestie cast at al , my meaning is , you shall cast at the table , or else at very little : or if when one being stript out of all his mony , offer to pawne a ring or a iewell , and i sweare by saint martin i thinke it is fine gold , then do i mean that it is pure copper , and so of the rest : he that is drawne in to venture his money , is ( amongst this cursed brotherhood of cheaters ) tearmed a cosen , and is handled so kindly , as if he were a cosen indeed : if he once set in a foote , and that they fall to hunt him ▪ then al the craft is to make the cony sweate , that is to say , so wisely to handle him , that he may haue a desire more and more to play and to keepe company ; yet so warily to increase this appetite in him that he smoake not the cheater , which is , that he smell not what knauerie is bent against him and so slip the coller like a hoūd , and shake off the company for euer . at the taking vp of a cosen , the first veny that a cheater giues him , is to learne before he play what store of bit he hath in his bay , that is , what mony he hath in his purse , and whether it be in great cogges or small : that is in gold or siluer , and at what game he will soonest stoope ; for that being knowne , his humor is fed , and he is choked with the meat he loues best . for some that will not play a groat at nouum , will loose a hundred pound at hazard , and he that will not loose a shilling at dice , will play away his patrimony at cardes : for which cause the cheater furnisheth himselfe for all voyages , but especially prouides for fine cheates , and to atchieue which with more ease , he acquaints himselfe with dice-makers , that worke in corners , ( u●rlets they are that are factors to the deuill , and for money will exchange their soules in a bale of dice ) these dice makers , arme the cheater with the foresaide weapons , and then he is a cheater compleat . one notable policy is ( as a rule ) set downe in this schoole of cheating , & that is , a cheater neuer discouereth the secrets of his art to any , vnlesse it be to such a one who being left by his parents rich in money and possessions , hath to the musicke of square rafling bones danced so long , that he hath danced himselfe into the company of beggers , and is brought to such want and misery , that he would leaue no stone vnturned to finde a pennie vnder it . such a wretch is instructed in those villanies , by which he himselfe hath bene wrought to infamy : the poyson y● once he swallowed doth he now cast vp to kill others with it . neither doth the cheater bestow this learning vpon his yong scholler , out of a commiseration of his low estate , but onely to make vse of him , euen in the height of his extremitie . his lorny man therefore doth he make him , and because the cheater is happily a man so noted in al companies , that few or none wil venture money where he playes , the nouice is taught to play his schollers prize , whilst the other stands by and lookes on , yet so , that the cheater hath the swéetnes of the gaines . the nouices imployments then , are amongst his rich kinred , countrymen , or acquaintance to finde out cosens ; whome he must by one trick or other get to a tauerne , or inuite them to ● supper , at the end of which , the cheater layes about him to draw them to play , & secretly lends his pupill mony to maintaine game , both their wits working how to cheate those that are in the company . we haue bene to long at dice , lét vs now fall to cardes . of barnards law. dice and cardes are twins , idlenesse was the father of them , desire of gaines the mother , honest recreation saies she was their nursse , and ought to haue the bringing of them vp : but howsoeuer , the deuil makes them now his adopted children : and no wonder , for they are like in conditions , as being both ( like him ) full of deceipt : if there be cousnage in tripping of a die , there is the like craft in shufling and sorting of a paire of ●ardes : insomuch , that what game soeuer is on foote , he that is marked out to be the looser ( by the synodycall assembly and fathers othe barnards law , is sure neuer to depart a winner . to speake of all the sleights vsed by cart-players in al sorts of games , would but weary you that are to reade , and be but a thankles and vnpleasing labour for me to set them down . omitting therefore the deceipts practised ( euen in the fairest and most ciuil companies ) at primero , sannt , maw , tromp , and such like games , i will onely lay open the villanies of a base kinde of people , that trauell vp and down the whole land , sometimes in the habit of gentlemen , sometimes of seruingmen , sometimes of grasiers , farmers and plaine fellowes , maintaining themselues onely by the cozenage they vse in card-playing : which kinde of play of theirs , they call the barnards law. to act which knauish comedy of wily-begily , . persons are required : and those are , the taker . the cozen. the verser . the barnard . the rutter . these are the players : now shall you heare their parts . the taker , is he that by some fine inuention fetch●ht in the man whome they desire to draw into gaming . the cozen is the partie that is taken . the verser , is a fellow more graue in spéech & habit , and seemes to be a landed man his part is to second what the taker begins , and to giue countenance to the act . the barnard is the chiefe player , for he counterfeits many parts in one , and is now a drunken man , anon in another humour , and shifts himselfe into so many shapes , only to blind the cozen , and to feede him with more delight , the more easily to beguile him . the rutter is as arrant a knaue as the rest , his part is discharged when hee hath begun a fray with his owne shadowe , whilst the rest that haue made a younger brother of the poore cozen , steale out of sight . now to the countrie it selfe : the prologue of which if it goe off well , there is good hope all shall end well : all the cunning thereof is how to begin , and to do that , the taker studies his part at his fingers endes . the stage on which he plaies his prologue is eitherin fleet-street , the strand , or in paules , and most commonly in the after-noon , when countrie clyents are at moste leasure to walke in those places ▪ or for dispatching of their businesse , trauell from lawyer to lawyer , through chancerie lane , holborne , and such like places . in this heate of running to and fro , if a plaine fellowe well and cleanely apparelled , either in home-spunne russet or fréeze ( as the season requires ) with a side pouch at his girdle , happen to appeare in his rusticall likenesse . there is a couzen saies one . at which word out flyes the taker , and thus giues the on-set vpon my olde penny-father . sir , god saue you : you are welcome to london , how doe all our good friends in the countrie ? i hope they be well : the russetting amazed at these salutations of a stranger , replies : sir , all our friendes in the countrie are in health , but pra'y pardon me , i know you not beleeue it : no ( answers the taker ) are you not a lancashire man , or o● such a countrie ? if he saies yes , then the fish nibbles and he giues him more line to play with : if he say no , then the taker hath about with another weapon , & sweares soberly , in good sooth sir i know your face , & am sure wee haue bene merie together , i pra'y ( if i may beg it without offence ) bestow your name vpon mee , and your dwelling place . the innocent man , suspecting no poison in this gilded cup , tels him presently his name and abiding , by what gentleman he dwels . &c. which being done , the taker for thus interrupting him in his way , and for the wrong in mistaking him for another ) offers a quart of wine : if the cozen bee such an asse to goe into a tauerne , then hee is sure to bee unckled , but if hee smack my taker , and smell gun-powder traines , yet wil not be blown vp , they part fairly , and then to the verser goes the taker , discouering what he hath done , and deliuers the mans name , countrie , and dwelling to the verser , who boldly stepping to him , or crossing the way to meete him full in the face , takes acquaintance presently of him , salutes him by his name , inquires how such and such gentlemen doe , that dwell in the same towne by him , and albeit , the honest hobnaile-wearer , can by no meanes bee brought to remember this new friend , yet will he nill he , to the tauerne he sweares to haue him , and to bestowe vpon him the best wine in london . diuers other pullies ( if these two faile ) haue they to drawe simple men into their company , as by dropping a shilling in the open way , which being taken vp in the countrie-mans sight , must be spent in wine , because he shall haue his halfe part , or by intreating him to step into a tauerne till the verser haue writ a word or two into the countrie , which hée must carrie to his friendes , offering the cozen a shilling for his paines . but the conclusion of all is , that if they thinke his bag is well lined with siluer , to the tauerne by one subtill hooke or other , they will pull him , where being set with the verser , and the taker , and wine called for : in comes the barnard stumbling into the roome , as if it were by chaunce , seeming to be halfe drunke : and crying the companye mercie for beeing so bolde with them , they modestly answere no hurt is done , and aske him if hee will drinke with them ? hee takes their offer , and sweares to pay for a pinte of wine , which they by no meanes will suffer . but the barnard telling them he has money for what he cals , and vsing phrases fit for a drunken man , out flies some . or . angels on the board , which he puts vp presently againe and saies , séeing they will not suffer him to paye for a pinte , hee will play at cardes for it with any one of them at a new game which he learnt but now , with the losse onelye of a pot of ale. the rest of his consort ( making as though what they doe is to bee rid of him are content to play for a pinte and no more . the taker or the verser is the man must play with him , the cards are fetcht , mumchaunce or decoy is the game : the first wager is wine , the second two pence in money , from two pence they rise to a shilling from that to a pound , and hauing drawn some good store of gold from the barnard , the cozen ( allured with the sweetnes of gaine , and hope of winning , seeing the other halfe drunke , as he imagines ) is offered to be half in whatsoeuer is woon : he stoops to this lure , but the bush is so well beaten by these subtill fowlers , that in the end , all the birds are flowne out of the cozens hand , and hee hath not one pennye left him in his purse : if then he smell the knauerie , and fall to calling for a constable , swearing the drunken rascall hath cozened him ( for the barnard you must knowe carries away all the money ) then enters the rutter , who picking some idle quarell either in the roome , or at the streete doore , the couey of the cheat ●s take their flight in the meane time , and that ( with the sharing of the purchase in another tauerne ) is the epilogue to their commedie , but the first entrance to the poore countrimans tragedie . these comedians strowte likewise vp and down the countrie in the habites of seruingmen , and silly fellowes , haunting brainford , kingston , croyden , rumford , & such other places neerest london vppon the market daies onely , and at the ende of market , when butchers , grasiers & others whom they think to be stored with money are on their way home , then will one of this crew ouertake them in ryding , and light at some town of purpose to mend his girt , to remooue a shooe of his horse , or vppon any other excuse , intreating the company ( with whome he is newly acquainted ) to stay and drink a pot with him in the meane time . and in these countrie voyages doe they saile by other points of the compasse , the windes are not so boisterous , nor the seas so rough as the former , for heere is there neither one that plaies the drunkard nor any that swaggers , but these deuilish masquers , passe vnder these names at such méetings . viz. the partie that fetcheth in the gul , ( whose feathers they meane to pluck ) is not called the taker , but the setter . he that seconds him , keepes his first title , and is called the verser . he that looseth his money , not a cozen but a cony . h● that comes in , and before counterfeited the drunken barnard , is now sober and called the barnacle . sometimes likewise this card-cheating , goes not vnder the name of barnards law , but is called bat-fowling , and then the setter is the better , the foole that is caught in the net , the bird , the tauerne to which they repaire to worke the feate is the bush , the wine the strap , and the cardes the limetwigs . thus haue i discouered a strange art , by which conyes are caught after a new manner of hunting , a●d cozens found out that were neuer of the kindred before . thus the honest farmer simply going about his businesse , is stripped of that money , which should further his law-sutes , and so perhaps is ouerthrowne ; thus the seruingman being sent with his lords treasure , is cheated and turned out of seruice : thus the prentice hauing his maisters wealth in his hand , is rob'd ( by tame theeues ) and in the end driuen to run away or to dye in prison . thus the gentleman comming new to his land is made a begger : thus the merchant is vndone . thus all men are abused . thus the cōmon-wealth is dishonoured by feeding such vipers in her wombe , that cannot liue but by gnawing out of her bowels . vincents law. the dycing cheater , and the cozening card-player , walk in the habites of gentlemen , and cary the faces of honest men . so likewise doe those that are students in the vincents lawe : whose inne is a bowling alley , whose bookes are bowles , and whose law-cases are lurches and rubbers . the pastime of bowles , is now grown to a common exercise , or rather a trade , of which some of all companies are free , the sport is not so common as the cozenage vsed in it , which to haue it liue with credit and in a good name , t is called the vincēts law . in this law they which play bootie are the bankers . he that betteth is the gripe . he that is cozened is the vincent . the gaines gotten is called termage . the bankers are commonly men apparelled like honest and substantiall citizens : who come into the bowling allies for a rubbers or so , as though it were rather for sport , then for any gaines , protesting they care not whether they winne or loose : which carelessnes of theirs is but a shadow to their pretended knauery : whilst they are crying rub , rub , rub & a great one , in come the spectators dropping one by one , and stand leaning ouer a raile to beholde them ; of which oftentimes some simple men that neuer saw common bowling ally before , may perhaps be of the number , and is brought in of purpose by one of their own brotherhoode to be rid of his mony : if such a young bird happen amongst them , and do once but chirp , that 's to say either take or offer any lay , they all harken to his note , especial●y if he sing shrilly , that 's to say be deepe : if there be good store of lookerson , then are there certain olde soakers , whose office is to doe nothing but listen for bettes either euen or od : & these are called gripes ; which gripes will refuse no lay , if the ●ds may grow to their aduantage , for the gripes & the banckers are sworn brothers to the deuil ( their father in lawe ) and the bowles haue such vertue in them that ●heir biasses will directly run ▪ as the gripes haue placed their bets. the banckers ( albeit they so play as if they minded nothing but their owne game ) yet haue still an eare how the layes are made , and according to that leuell do they throw their bowles , so that be sure the bowlers play booty : for suppose . be vp for the game , and that the one side hath . the other none , then the vincent ( who is the nouice that standeth by , and is not acquainted with the tallents of these gripes , nor feeles not when they draw bloud of him , no nor doth not so much as carrie an euill thought of the bowlers that they should play booty , looking so grauely and so like to honest men ) hee poore colte , seeing three to none , beegins to grow lustie , and to offer odds on that side which is fairest for the game : what ods saies the gripe ? . to one cries the vincent : no sayes the gripe it is more , and with that the bankers are come to foure for none , then the vincent offers to lay foure to one : i take six to one sayes the gripe , i lay it cryes the vincent : and so they make a bet of six crownes , shillings , or pence , as the vincent is of abilitie to lay : and thus will sundry take their ods of him : on then goe the bankers with the game and win another cast which is fiue for none ; at this fooles fortune of his , the vincent grinnes for ioy , scratches his elbowe , and is so proud , that no ground about the alley can hold him , thinking verily both by the ods and goodnesse of the play , it is impossible for his ●i●e to loose , and therefore ( being now foole-hardy ) hee takes and layes bets freelye : all eyes greedily marking the euent of this storme ; at the length on a suddaine , the sunne begins to shine on the other side that were none , and they winne perhaps so long till they come to three or fiue , and still as their luck altars , diuersitie of bets are laide ; till at last they are fiue for fiue : and then the gripe comes vpon the vincent , and offers him ods , which if the vincent fasten vpon , he looseth all , for vpon what side soeuer the gripe layes , that side euer wins , how great soeuer the odds be at first on the contrarie part , so that the cosenage growes in at playing bootie . this sowre banquet to the vincent is seasoned with sweet meats to the bankers and y● gripes , who at night meete in some tauerne , and share the money gotten by this base meanes , which money they call termage . now to shadow the villany the more , the banker that wins and is a forehand with the game , will lay frankly that hee shall winne , and will bet hard , and lay great ods , but with whom ? either with them who play with him that are as crafty knaues as himselfe , or else with the gripe , and this makes the vincent to stoope to the blow the sooner . besides , if any honest men that holde themselues skilfull in bowling , offer to play any set match against these common bowlers , if these bankers feare to haue the worst and suspect the others play to be better than theirs , then haue they a tricke ( in watring of the alley ) to giue such a moisture to the bank , that hee who offers to strike a bowle with a shore , shall neuer hit it whilst hee liues , because the moysture of the bancke hinders the proportion of his ayming . many other practises there are in bowling , tending to cozenage , but the greatest and grosest is booty , in which the deceipt is so open and palpable , that i haue seene men stone blinde offer to lay bets frank●y , although they could see a bowle no more then a post , onely by hearing who plaide , and how the olde gripes had made their layes . thus , sports that were inuented for honest recreation , are by the wicked abusing of them , turned to mens confusion : and not onely in these games before rehearsed , but also in those that are both more laudable , and more lawfull . for in the tennis-court cheating hath a hand , yea and in shooting , which is the noblest excercise of our english nation , arrowes do now and then flie with false feathers . since then that all kinde of gaining serues but as gulphes to deuoure the substances of men , and to swallow them vp in beggerie , my counsell is vtterly either to refraine such pastimes , or if men are of such spirits that they must needes venture their money , then to be very prouident how they play , and to be cho●se of their company . now let vs turne ouer the volumes of other lawes , enacted in the parliament of these deuills . the black art. hauing waded thus farre in these puddles of damn'd impiety , it shall not be amisse to goe on , and search euen to the bottome and farthest shoare of them : to effect which the sooner , we must now deale in the blacke arte. it is not that black art , by which men coniure vp spirits , and raise deuils in circles , to tell where money is hid , or whether goods that are stolne are conuaied ; but this black art , is to fetch away money where it lyes , and to raise vp a fiend in a rich mercers or goldsmithes shop at midnight without the gibrish of a staring coniurer . this blacke art works in darkenes , as wel as the other : it deales with the deuill as the other doth , and is as vnlawfull as the other is : it you will needes ( in a word ) know the misticall meaning of this blacke arte , it is called in english picking of lockes , and this engine of mischeife turnes vpon these fiue whéeles , viz. the picklocke is called a charme . he that watcheth if any body come is the stand. the tooles that doe the busines are called wresters . picking of the locke is called farsing . the gaines gotten is pelferie . now albeit that two persons only are imployed in this vndermining of a doore , viz the charme & the stand , yet the burglarie is committed by other hands , which are in a readinesse to receiue the goods ( when the house is entred ) and to conuey them in parcells away . the charme ( who is the master of this black art , goes like a coniurer , with a number of keyes and wrests like so many pentacles ) about him , which he calls picklocks , and for euery sundrie fashion they haue a sundrie terme , but being ignorant of their words of art , i omit them , onely assuring you thus much , that the charme hath such cunning , and such dexteritie in opening of a locke ( and that without any great noyse ) that no ward whatsoeuer ( be it neuer so doubled ) but flies backe at his iugling with it . some haue their instrumēts from italy made of steele , some are made here in england by smiths that are partners & pertakers in their villanous occupations . but howsoeuer , the trade of lock-picking may well be called the black-art , for none study it , but those that for other mens goods haue folde their very soules to the deuill . the curbing law. the black art and the curbing law , are grounded both vpon the selfe same positions : for the blacke art teaches how to breake open a lock , the curbing law how to hooke goods out of a window ; they both are workers in iron , both are begotten in idlenes , both liue by villanie , and both die by infamy ▪ a smith is the maker and setter vp of these two trades the hangman is the vtter vndoer of them . this curbing law spreads it selfe into foure maine branches . he that hookes is calld the curber . he that plays the spy is the warpe . the hooke is the curbe . the goods are called snappings . the gin to open the window is a tricker . the office of the curber is for the most part betimes in the mornings ( at the discharging of a watch ) to be vp more earely then a noyse of shrugging fidlers ; and the husbandrie which he followes , is in the day time to watch what shops or windowes stand fittest for his trade , which if he finde easily to be opened , then the cony is in the pursute without much ●retting : but i● he must take paines for his liuing , out come his trickers , & then ) as if he were a brother of the black-art ) doth he with those iron engines , cut a barre of iron in sunder , in such sort that scarce the standers by shall heare him . the window being thus open , and that hee hath good hope to meete with fatte snappings , ( or rich purchase ) the warp bustles to play his part and watches with cats-eyes in the darke , looking ( like one a squint , or as if hee stood to catch hares ) two waies one to spie who comes , the other to note what comes out at the windowe : to carrie which away hee is furnished with a long cloake . but first must the curber play his prize , and that is with an iron about nine foot in length , at whose end ( being crooked ) are thrée tynes turned contrarie , so that they catch euerie way , if anye snappings be within their reach . this hooke or curb is made with ioynts like an angling rod , and in the day time is conueyed into the forme of a truncheon , and worne like a walking staffe till night , when it is put to doe other seruice . whatsoeuer the curber with his angle fishes for and takes , the warp beares it away , and he deliuers it either to a broker or some bawd ( for they all are of one feather , ) of which receiuers they haue as present money for it , as if they traded with merchāts . then is ther ( belonging to this facultie ) a diuer , and he is iust in the nature of a curberf , or as the one practises his villany with a hooke , so the diuer workes his iugling feats by the help of a boy ( called a figger ) whome he thrusts in at a casement , being so well studied that he hath the principles of the black art , and can pick a locke if it be not to much crosse warded : this figger deliuers to the diuer what snappings he finds in the shop or chamber . the prigging law. being weary with going thus farre on foote , let vs now ( sithence we haue ouertaken a horseman ) get vp and ride along with him . yet now i looke vppon him well , it is more safetie and butter pollicie to let him ride by himselfe , for he rides circuite with the deuill , and dericke must bee his host , and tyborne the iune at which he wil light . this ranckrider is of the family of kinghts e●●ant , or of those wandring rogues that march in the first files of my booke , his name is a prigger , deriuing his title from his practise , which is called the prigging lawe , whose grounds are the cleanly and cunning staaling of horses . this prigging arte runnes into six riuers , all of them falling into one streame , and all of them flowing from one head . he that steales the horse is called the prigger . the horse is calld a prancer . the seller away of the stolne horse is a martar . the tolling house is called alhallowes . the tiller is the rifler . the sureties at the toll-booke are called querries . a prigger on foote is called trayler . the prigger if he be a lance-man ( that is to say , one that is already horst ) then rides he in state , attēded by followers , who are either like his seruants in liueries , or in the hat it of gentlemen , or most commonly in the shapes of drouers : in this equipage do they walke vp and downe medowos and pastures or other inclosed grounds , as if their purpos● were to buy cattell , whereas their eyes are onely busled in noting horses , that are worth the stealing . & whether their héeles are fettred with horse●locks or no. the first circle being drawne in the day time , the next night following our priggers fall to coniuring , and by the spells of the black art , picke open the tramelles or locks , and then like battes or owles away they flye ouer hedge and ditch out of those quarters . the owners in the morning may smell out their footesteps and see which way they are rid post but vnlesse either the deuill himselfe either went with a candle and lanthorne before them , the priggers would neuer be found , or else carried them on his back , and bid them to hold fast by his hornes whilst he gallopped , it were not possible to ouertake them , for this policy they vse , if the prigger steale a horse in york-shiere , he sels him in surrey , kent or sussex ; and their martars ( so called of hunting mort● or faires ) who receiue them at the priggers hands , chop them away in some blinde faires or other after they haue kept them a moneth or two , til the breath of the hue and crie be blowne ouer . if the horse be of any valew and much inquired after , or cary such brands or eare-marks about him , that they cānot put him off without daunger , then do these prigges brand him with a crosse-brand on the former , or take away his eare-marke , and so keepe him at hard meate till he be perf●ctly recouered , or else will they sell him in cornewal or wales , if he be fetcht out of cumberland , lincolneshire , norfolke or s●ffolke . but if the horse be openly colou●ed and without brandes , then haue they shifts to spot them so strangely , that a man shall hardlye knowe his owne horse if he meet him as to marke a black-horse with saddle-spots , or to star him in the fore-head , and change his tail , the secrets of which are not fit in print to be discouered , least laying open the abuse , i should teach some how to practise it . this is the life of the prigger , who trauels vp and downe the whole kingdome vppon his gelding of ▪ and . pound price , and is taken for a man of good worth , by his outward shew , being ( amongst his own fraternitie of horse-stealers ) called a prigging lance-man . but he that borrowes a ●ag out of another mans pasture , and cares not so he may get money for him , how he puts him away , onely to supplye his wants , is called a trayler : these traylers trot vppon the hoofe , and are footemen , mean in apparel , though not mean in their theeuing trade : you shall haue them attired like plaine country grans , walking ( like our thred-bare gallants in poules ) in boots without spurs , & sometimes without bootes , long staues on their necks , and black buckram bags at their backs , as if they were lawyers clients , and carried letters vp and down : but those buckram bags are the horses wardrobe : in those bags doe these sneaking traylers put saddle , bridle , spurres , stirrops , and stirrop leathers , all this hackney housholde stuffe being made so quaintly , that the deepe slop of a hose is able to hide it : for the saddle is fashioned without any tree ( yet hath it cantle & bolsters ) but artificially quilted together with cloth & būbast , and with such ●oldes that it may easily bee wrapt vp in a little roome : the stirrops goe with vices and ginnes , that one may put them into a paire of gloues , so likewise doe the spurres , and then a little white leather head-stall and reynes , with a small scottish brake or snaffle , all of them so neately framed , that a small bag will containe them . and looke how the lance-man rides post when he fits vppon his prey , so when the trayler , is in the saddle , away hee gallops as if euerie iade of seuen nobles price ● were a winged pegasus , selling him as farre off from the place where hee stole him , as possibly hee can . now because these priggers though they breake the lawe in one point , yet they make it whole in another , and verie orderly come to the toll-booke , bringing two of their owne religion ) ciuilly attired ( fitting the place ) who not onely affirm but offer to depose that they know the horse to be his owne that sels it ; yet are these caitifes no better then olde knights of the post that will periure themselues for pots of ale , and neuer s●w perhaps either the prigger , or the prancer before : these wicked elders , hauing for villanies bin banished out of westminster hall , or for their periuries stood and lost their eares on the pillorie , retire themselues into the country , and professe this kinde of life , being by the horse-stealers called ( though they are farre vnworthie of so good a mame ) querries : leauing whome ( with the horse-men their good lord and maisters ) either to an amendment of manners , or to the mercy of the hangman , who must teach them to ride his wooden curtal , let vs , because wee are now lifting them out of the sadd●e , turne ouer a new leafe , and reade a lecture in the lifting law . the lifting law. the lifting law , is not the law of porters , who liue by lifting , & cry to another , lend me your hand , when honestly they are to carrie a barthen for a penny , and safely to deliuer it to the owner backe againe : but this lawe teacheth a kinde of lifting of goods cleane away . in such liftings are thrée sorts of leauers vsed to get vp the baggage . viz : he that first stealeth the parcell is called the lift. he that receiues it is the marker . he that stands without and carries it away , is the santar . the goods thus purchased , is called garbage , which garbage is sometime plate or iewels , sometimes peeces of veluet , sometimes cloakes or lawyers gownes , sometimes one thing sometimes another . the practitioners of this lifting law , take seuerall degrees ; for some of them ( & they are the punies ) are but base rogues , that liue by lifting quart pots , platters , and such 〈◊〉 out of tipling houses , vnder colour of spending two or three pots of ale. these are the rascallitie of this heard . but the g●ntleman lifter walkes with his marker at his heeles , as if hee were a countrie gentleman of . a yeare , and comming into a mercers or gold-smiths shop , presently casts by his cloak ( to colour his intents ) the marker standing bare-headed not farre from him his worship then cals for a bolt of satten , ueluet , cloath of gold or siluer ; or any of the richest commodities : & not liking the pile colour or brack , his eye must haue the choice of more , the marker in meane time whilst the mercer is busie and turnes his backe , hath the garbage thrust towards him by the lifter , and conueies it vnder his cloake , the sentar who walkes in the streete , passing then in great haste by the doore , is called backe by the marker , as if he were such a gentlemans , knights , or noble-mans seruant : but the sentar sweares he cannot stay , the marker tels him he must needs haue one word with him , and so stepping along with him some part of the way , secretly conueies the garbage to the sentar . other lifts there are , that haunt noble-mens houses , at marriages or solemne reuelings in christmas , and the hals of companies when they make feasts , at which times they lift away goblets or other pieces of plate , na●ery , or any thing worth the ventring for . others ply counsellors chambers , that are well clyented , and sit downe in the outer roomes like countrie men , hauing blacke boxes by their sides , and papers in their hand : but their attendance is not for counsell , nor to pay any fees , but to lift away g●wnes or cloakes , by the rules of their owne law. the like paire of indentures doe they draw in shops , betwéen scriueners and themselues . another more cunning then all these liftings , is when in an euening , a batfowler walkes vp and downe the streetes , and counterfeits that he hath let fall a ring , a iewell , or a peece of gold , requesting some prentice ( when there is but one in the shop ) ●o lend him his candle a while to find his losses , who simply doth so but the lifter poring a good while and not meeting with his ring lets the candle in the end slip out of his fingers , and whilst the prentice steps in to light it againe , the sentar or he himselfe steales what● garbage they can finger , and are gone in the meane time . you haue another kinde of lifter , or more properly a cunning night-shifter , and it is thus . you shal haue a fellowe , that is an euening or might time , or sometime at noone daies , as hee likes the company , and sorts his opportunitie , that wil wilfully drop sometime a spoone , other while a ring , or else some peece of coyned money , as the likenes of golde and siluer and so spurning it afore them in the view of others , to the end they should crie halfe part , which he taking hold of , saith , nay by my tr●th , what will you giue me and take it all ? and so some greedy ●ool●s offer thus much , thinking it golde , which the lifter takes , as knowing it counterfeit , and so are they cunny-cought . then is there a kinde of lift ; who like a iugler doth all his ●eates of himselfe not caring for the helpe of others , hee goes ●ttired like a s●ruingman , booted and spurd and dirtie as if he had new ridden : his haunts are the best townes in the countrie vpon market daies , but most commonly faires : the birds he watches for are knights , esquires , or gentlemen that light at the greatest innes , whether moste resort is , who shall no sooner come from horse but this lifter is ready to hold his stirrop , or to walke his horse as officiouslie as if he wore his cloth : so that to the guest hee seemes to be ●ne to be belonging to the house and to the seruants of the house hee appeares to bee a follower of the gentleman newly alighted . but the guest being departed from his inne to the town , or into the faire , backe comes this counterfeit blew coate , running in all hast for his maisters cloake●bag or portmantua , and calr to the ostler or chamberlaine by his dame to deliuer it , because some things must be taken out for his knight or the gentleman his maister , that are in it . the prey is put ( hereupon ) into the vultures tallants , and away flies he presently to his n●st , to feed and fat his rauenous gorge with the garbage which he hath gotten . but what nests thinke you they flie to ? marrie to the house either of some not●rious trebble-chind ba●de ( in whose beddes commonly these serpents lie lurking ( who keepes a tipling house , and brings vp young trugs ( vnder the the collour of filling ca●s ) that are harlots to the lifts , or else to the shops of certaine brokers , who traffick only in this kind of merchandize and by bills of sale ( made in the name of robin-goodfellow and his crew ) get the goods of honest citizens into their hands , either detaining them so long in their chests till they be no more sought after , or else so altring them that the owners shal hardly know them . thus the lift and his mates prepare the lime●wigs and catch the bird , but the bawde and broker eate the flesh and giue the other onely the feathers . the high-law . all this while haue i read vnto you the beggarly law , and base common lawes of villany , by which the outlawes of a kingdome , and out-casts of a well gouerned common-wealth , maintaine their damnable courses . now must you cast vp your eies and looke aloft , if you haue a desire to behold the picture of the high law : which taketh that name from the high exployts that are acted by it : the scholler● that learne it are called high lawyers ; yet they neuer walk to westminster to plead , though oftentimes they are called to the barre , but then it is to haue them to hold vp their hands , that the hangman may tell them their fortune . all the former laws are attained by wit , but the high law , stands both vpon wit and manhood . for the high law is nothing else but taking a pursse by the high-way-side , so that to bee a good practitioner in this law ▪ a man needes no more but a bold stern look , a good heart , and a good sword : the cases that hee is to pleade vpon , is onely stand and deliuer , al trauellers are so beaten to y● trials of this law , that if they haue but rode ouer shooters hill , or salisburie-plaine , they are as perfect in the principles of it , as if they had bene . yeares in the company of high lawyers . the counsell a high lawyer giues is common , but his sées are vnreasonable , for he strips his clients of all . the motions which he makes are both in terme and out of terme ; i shall not néed therefore to open any of his cases , but onely will tell you thus much , y● this high law is comprehended in fiue volumes , viz. the th●efe chat commits the robberie , and is cheife clarke to saint nichela● , is called the high lawyer . he that setteth the watch is a scripper . he that stands centinell and does watch , is an oke . he that is robd , is the martin . when he yeeldeth , it is called stooping . all the shires in england haue seene these high law matters tryed , and therefore if any would know them or the professors of them to a haire ▪ let him but step into the old-baily at any sessions , and he shall heare more . the sacking law. the companion of a theefe is commonly a whore ; it is not a●isse therefore , to pinneon them together : for what the theefe gets the str●mpet spends . the trade of these tale-bearers goes vnder the name of the sacking law ; and rightly may it be called sacking , for as in the sacking of a citty , all the villanies in the world are set abroach , so when a harlot comes to the sacking of a mans wealth and reputation ( for she bes●edgeth both together ) she leaues no stratagem vnpractised to bring him to confusion . westminster and holborn haue chambers full of these students of the sacking law . in clerken well , they had wont and are still well cliented : white friers is famous for their meeting : the spittle flourishes with the yong frie that are put to it to learne it . sacks come to these mils euerie houre , but the sacking-law empties them faster then a miller grindes his bushels of corne . he that hath a lust to practise this law , must bee furnished with these fiue bookes . viz. the baud , who if she be a woman is called a pandaresse . the apple-squire , who is to fetch in wine . the whore who is called the commoditie . the whore-house , which is called a trugging place . these fiue authors are so wel knowne , and haue bin so turned ouer leafe by leafe , that euerie man ( almost ) that liues in sight of the smoake of the cittie , hath them at his fingers ends , or if he cannot , it is an easie matter to finde them by a table . i will onely referre you to the suburbs . but there is a second part of this sacking-law , and that inst●ucts punckes to attire themselues neately in summer euenings , and about ten or eleuen of the clocke at night to walke vp and downe the moste peopled streetes of the city , verie soberly & gingerly , till the wine ( by one gull or other ) be offered , which with a little intreaty she takes ; but being in the midst of their bowles , or perhaps the silly cony being trayned home to a lodging , where he fals to nibling ; in comes a ruffian with a drawn rapier , cals the punck ( as she is ) damned whore , askes what rogue that is , and what he does with his wife ? the conclusion of all this counterfeit swaggering being a plot betwixt this panderly ruffian and the whore to geld the silly foole of al the money he hath in his purse , and sometimes to make him ( rathe● then his credit should be called into question ) to seale a bill or bond for other summes of mony at such and such daies , and so send him packing , when he hath paid too deare for a bad dish of meate which he neuer tasted ▪ the base applesquier and his young mistresse , laughing to sée what a woodcocke they pulld , and sharing the feathers betwee●e them . but when such comedies ( of the sacking law ) as these , are plaide ▪ then the actors haue other names then are set downe before , and these they be : the whore is then called the traffique . the man that is brought in , is the simpler . the ruffian that takes him napping is the crosbiter . the figging law. the parliament of these hel-hounds , it seemes will soone breake vp , for they stand now onely vppon the lest lawe ; which they call figging law : in making of which lawe two persons haue the chiefest voices , that is to say the cutpurse and he pickpocket , and all the branches of this law reach to none but them and such as are made free denizens of their incorporation . this figging law ( like the body of some monstrous and terrible beast ) stands vpon ten feete , or rather lifts vp proudly ten drago●-like he●ds : the names of which heads are these . viz. he that cuts the purse is called the nip . he that is halfe with him is the snap , or the cloyer . the knife is called a cuttle-bung . he that pickes the pocket is called a foist . he that faceth the man is the stale . the taking of the purse is called drawing . the spying of this villanie is called smoking or boyling . the purse is the bung. the money the shels . the act doing is called striking . this figging law hath more quirkes and quiddities in it then any of the former ; it is as dangerous to meddle with as the high-law ▪ in pleading whose cases men are at daggers drawing : the schollers of this art are cunning sophisters , and had neede to haue more eies then two in one head , because the arguments they hold , and their bold villanies which they practise are argued vpon and iustified to his teeth , with whom they contend . the foyst and the nip ( that is to say the pocket di●er and the cut pursse ) are pewfellowes together and of one religion , but differ in some points . a purse well lined is the wet eele they both bob for , but they striue to catch it by the taile after seuerall fashions . for the nip●works ●works with his knife , the foyst with his hand : the nip cuts the purse , the foyst draw● the pocket : both their occupations are taught them by the deuill , yet they both brag of the excellencie of them and are ready somtimes to stab one another , about defending which is best for the foist counts himselfe the better man , and therefore is called ( by the liuery of his company ) a gentleman foist and so much scornes the title of a cut pursse , that he weares not a knife about him to cut his owne meate , le●t he be held in suspition to be a nip , which he esteemes the ba●est office in the whole army of cheaters . these schollers of the figging lawe , are infinite in number , their colledge is great , their orders many , and their degrées ( which ar● giuen to them by the seniors of the house ) very ancient but very abhominable . the language which they speake is none of those which came in at the confusion of tongues , for neither infidell nor christian ( that is honest ) vnderstands it , but the dialect is s●●h and so crabbed ; that seuen yeeres study is little inough to reach ●o the bottome of it , and to make it run off glib from the tongue : by means of this gibrish , they know their owne nation when they meete , albeit they neuer saw one another before ; and ▪ ●o conformable are they to the ordinances of the brotherhoode , that whatsoeuer y● wicked elders amongst th●m shal prescribe , actum est , t is a lawe , and they will not breake it , yea ●ot th● proudest of them dare be so bolde as to exercise his art in any other place but in those that are appointed to him , nor once presume to set his foote into anothers walke , but by licence of the signiorie . for that purpose therefore , ( as if a whole kingdome were theirs ) they allot such countries to this band of foists , such townes to those , and such a cittie to so many nips : whereuppon some of these boote-halers are called termers , and they plye westminster hal : michaelmas terme is their harue●● ▪ and they sweaf in it harder then reapers or hay makers doe at their works in the heat of summer ▪ no counsellor ▪ attourney , pettifogger nor solliciter is vp earlyer then they : nor at the hall sooner then they : when c●yents begin to come crowding in , watermen ply not their fares more nimbly then the nips , & foists bestir themselues to picke vp their shels ; the hal and the old pallace are their hiues ▪ and they worke in them like bees : the exchequer chamber , star-chamber , kings-bench and common-pleas and chancerie are the beds of flowers , to which they flie humming too and fro continually to suck the hony of golde and siluer . if a poore clyent doe but stand by his lawyer , whilst hee is pleading , and drawes out his pursse to pay his fees for counsell , or to the court for dispatch of his businesse , these furies are sure to be at his elbow , watching ( with hawkes eyes ) on which side he puts vp his pursse , to that sid● they flie , and if their tallents can but touch it , it is their owne . others of them haue all the flesh and fish markets allowed them for their walks , as cheape-side , east-cheap , the shambles , both fishstreets , the stocks , and the borough in southwarke , in which places these faithfull stewards of lucifers housholde , cheapon all commodities , onely to note what money wiues or seruants that come to buy , haue in their purses , and where they put it vp , which being well obserued , the stall plies his market , and followes him or her ( whose siluer is condemned ) till they come to a presse of people : then does the stall keep a t●rusting and a iustling , whilst in the meane time the foist is either in their pocket , or the nip hath the pursse sa●t by th● strings . others haunt ale-houses onely , & the beare-garden : some haue their precinct lying in the walkes of poules , their houres of meeting there being between and . the strokes they strike being sometimes in the middle i le , if it be in term time , when the walks are ful , but most commonly at the dores of the church , which they will choake , and striue for passage , whilst another does the ●eat . at running at tilt , the l. maiors day , any great shooting , any fray , any solemne arraignment , or execution , is better to these hell-hounds , than a quarter day is to a landlord , or then fiue sessions are to the hangman . yea so feareles are these diuels to be throwne headlong & quicke into the pit of damnation , that euen in gods own house & the sacred temple ( doe they desperately commit their villanies , standing most deuoutly with eies eleuated vp to heauen before the preacher , where the presse of people is thickest , whilst their hāds are nibling in honest mens pockets for their purses , who are careles of such worldly matters there , as not mistrusting that anye so bad-minded dare enter into so holy a place . these nips and foists goe oftentimes cleanely away with the shels which they get , but oftentimes are they d●gged by certaine fellowes ( called cloyers ) who hang vppon them like burres , and are mor● troublesome then waspes : for no sooner is a bung drawne , but the cloyer steps in for his tenth , which he cals snappage , if the nip denie snappage , the cloyer forthwith boyles him , that is bewrayes him or seaseth on his cloake . you must vnderstand likewise , that both of nips and foists there are two sorts , for there be citie nips and countrie nips whose office is to haunt nothing but faires : these country nips neuercome into london to doe any peece of seruice , but a● bartholmewtide onely . betweene these two sects is mortall enmitie , for if the citie foist spy one of the country foists in london , he forthwith labours and laies waite to smoake or boyle him , the like does the countrie nip or foist by him of the city . there are also women foists and nips as well as men , but farre more dangerous then 〈◊〉 men : all the troopes of both sexes being subiect to the disci●●ne of the grand nips & folsts , and from whome , the better to ●●ceiue directions both what to doe , and what quarters to keepe ( ●or they shift their walkes according to the pleasure of the chiefe rangers , they haue a certaine house , sometimes at one end of the town , sometimes at another , which is their hall ; at this hall the whole company do● meete verie orderly : by which meanes whensoeuer any notable or workmanlike strok is stricken , though it were as farre as the north-borders , yet ●an the rest of the fig-b●ie● heere resident in london , tell by whome this worthy act was plaide . at this solemn méeting in their hall , they cho●se wardens , and steward : the wardens office is to establish wholesome lawes to keepe life in their rotten common wealth , and to a●signe out to euerie man his stations . the treasurers office is verie truely ( though he be an arrant theete ) to render an account of such monies as are put into his hands vpon trust : for of euerie purse ( that is cleanely conueyed and hath good store of shels in it ) a ratable portion is deliuered ( in banck as it were ) to the treasurer , to the intent that when any of them is taken and cast into prison , a flag of truce may presently be hung out , and composition offered to the wronged partie , thereby to saue a brother of the societie from riding westward . this had wont to be an order amongst them : but now the under keepers of newgate , ( if complaint bee made to them for the losse of any pursse , tha●e a tricke to get a warant , into which warrant they put the names of nine or ten of the most notorious foists and nips that are free of their gaole ( which they call whittington colledge ) and thos● nips or foists doe the iaylors nip , till the money perhaps double ) be restored , albeit not one of them that are specified in the warrant were guiltie of the fact : this trick dooth greatlye impouerish the tradesmen of this misterie , and may in time vtterly ouerthrowe the students of the figging law. the fiue iumpes at leape-frog . the whole volume of these detestable lawes is now read ouer ●to catch a heate therefore after so long fitting , let vs exercise our selues awhile at a new play , called the fiue iumps at leape-frog . the propertie of the game at leape-frog , is ( as euerie prentice and carter knowes ) for one man to stoope , to let another come ouer him , so in these iumpes the running cheaters sweate only to make a man stoope so lowe , that they may breake his backe , and then they ride ouer his miserie with laughter . the first iump is called horse-coursing , and that is done thus : a fellowe in good cloaths and with an honest face to the eie , hires of a carier an nag to ride along with him to cambridge , oxford norwich , or any great towne of trade : but let the iourney be neuer so long , this rider will end it in a forenoone at most , for whilst the carier is busie about his téeme on the way , and looking to his charge , my horsecourser steps a●ide into some by-lane , and lights at some paltrie towne néere the citie where he will lye , till he haue in ( capons and wine ) eaten vp the cariers beast aliue ; and then departs on foote , sending the poore man word where his prancer stands at rack and manger , who if he will haue him must disburse fortie shillings or three pound for his iades dyet . the hackney-men of rochester haue bene oftentimes come ouer with this iump at leap-frog and know the game well , for a man cannot name it but they are ready to giue it a curse . the second iump is called carying of stones , and that is performed in this maner : a crue of sharking companiōs ( of which there be sundry consorts lurking about the subburbs of this city ) being driuen out of meanes , by leading base and idle liues , or else by their riotous expences amongst whores , practise to liue vpon the ●ee-s●●ple of their wits ; & hauing amongst them all some little money left ( which they call their shooing-horne ) they seeke out some blinde victualing house , or cookes house , without the barres , whose host ( if it be possible ) is either an asse easie to be ridden , or else a common drunkard . in this colts house wil they sit ●arowsing halfe cannes day and night , and pay royally at first for what they call , that shooing-horne of theirs drawing the host and hostesse on to beleeue they shall be made for euer by these guests : who to gull the poore goose-cap the better , draw all their acquaintance they can to y● house , neuer either drinking or feeding , but mine host must sit at the bords end like a magnifico in pomp , with his ale●dropt greafie doublet shining by candle light , as if it were an old rustie armor scuruily scowred . but when these horse-leeches haue suckt their guts full , or rather the pittifully complayning hosts guts empty , y● he finds by his scores he can trust no more , then do they at one time or other talke of state matters , or of religion when the goodman of the house can scarce stand on his legges v●der his owne roofe , and trip him in some words , which the next day ( being told of it , and the words iustified to his face ) he knowes he dares not answere ; with which hooke holding his nose to the grindstone , they write their mind in great round oes of chalke , behinde a doore , which oes they call stones : the waight of them being such , that looke how many shillings they make , so many times the wretched hostesse cries o , as groning vnder the burden . now sir , of these oes , twentie shillings make a loade , and ten pound make a barge-full : which when they haue well frughted , these dunkerks h●yst saile and to sea againe , they goe in another vessell to finde another brazeeleman , y● is to say , into another tipling house to finde another iade whome they may all saddle and get vp vpon : if their last host follow them with a bailiffe or a sergeant , they only hold vp a finger , naming a purseuant and cry mum , no more mine host , you wot what , which words are of more power to blow him away , then if you firde him thence with traines of gunpowder . by meanes of this iump , some victualers haue leaped cleane out of doores , and with the fall haue bene ready to lye in the streetes . the third iumpe is called fawning those that leape at it are fawneguests , and that is done in the edge of an euening , when a cheater meeting a stranger in the darke and taking him for another , gets the stranger by some sleight to a tauerne , where calling for two pintes of sundry wines , the drawer setting the wines downe with two cups , as the custome is , the iumper tastes of one pinte ( no matter which ) and finds fault with the wine , saying t is too hard , but rose-water and suger wold send it downe mecrily , and for that purpose takes vp one of the cups telling the stranger hee is well acquainted with the boy at the barre , and can haue two penny worth of rosewater for a penny of him , and so steps from his seate , the stranger suspecting no harme , because the fawne-guest leaues his cloak at the end of the table behinde him . but this iump comming to be measured , it is found that he that went to take his ris●ng at the barre , hath stolen ground and out-leaped the other more féete then he can recouer in haste , for the cup is leaped away with him , for which the woodcock that is taken in the sprindge , must pay fifty shillings or three pound , and hath nothing but an old thredbare cloake not worth greats to make amends for his losses . the fourth iump is called fooletaking , and that is done seuerall waies , sometimes by setting a couple of suttle rogues to ●●ng ballads on a stall , till a number of people pr●sse about them to buy their trash , and then their purses being discouered , are quickly in the nips fingers . others are foole-taken by letting chambers to fellowes like seruingmen , in the name of such an esquire , or such a knight , or such a captaine new come from the lowe countries , bringing in a trunck exceeding heauy , and crambd full of brick-bats , which is left in the hired chamber , and fiue times the value of it li●ted away in stead of it . with this ●ump many maide seruants , and their wealthy maisters haue bene ouer-reached by count●rfeit kinsmen that haue brought a cheese or a gammon of bacon to the poore wench , claiming kinred of her whether she will or no , and afterwards beeing ( for his cheese and bacon ) inuited to the citizens table hane in the night time taken away plate , or other commodities in exchange of his white-meats . the fift iump is called spoone-meat , and that is a messe of knauerie serued in about supper time in the edge of an euening likewise , it is done thus : a silly fellowe in shew , attired like a clowne , spurnes ( being neere some candle that stāds on a stall ) a paper before him , in which is wrapt vp a spoone , taking vp which and looking on it by the light , and making it knowne ( by his loud talking and wōdring what he hath found ) that he tooke it vp by chance , people flock about him , and imagine it is a siluer and gilt spoone , for it lookes very faire , but he seeming to be an innocent c●xcombe , kn●wes not h● saies , what he should do with such a gew-gawe : whereupon euerie one is catching at it , and offers him money for it , he wishes he had rather found money then such a bable , for he eates not his pottage in plate ; in the end , some for amongst all the cubbes that stand about him , whispers in his care , to haue it from all the rest and thrusts a crowne priuily into his hand . the iumper takes it ▪ and sneakes away , the other gets home as fast as he can , longing till he call his wife , all his houshold and neighbors about him , to shewe what a pen●worth hee met with , but the guilt spoone comming to be tried of what mettall he is made , the poore mans money prooues copper , and he himselfe is laughed at for a coxcombe . how long shall i saile vppon these godlesse waters ? is it not time to get a shore ? is it not fit that i should now sound a retreat and not wearie my pe● in the ex●ecution of such base and barbarous minded caitiffes ? what a battaile haue i vndertaken ? and with what an ignoble enemie ? to contend with whom , is an act inglorious , and to conquer whome ( but that they are open and professed foes to the republick , to honesty , to ciuilitie , and to all humanitie ) were as much dishonor as by them to be ouercome . who would imagine that a kingdome so fertill in all sorts of wholsome discipline , there should growe vp such ranck and such pestilent beds of hemlocke ? that in the very heart of a state so rarely gouerned and dieted by good lawes , there should breed such loathsome and such vlcerous impostumes ? that in a citie so politicke , so ciuill , and so seuere , such vgly , base and bold impieties dare shew their faces ? what an army of insufferable abuses , defestable vices , most damnable vilanies , abhomiable pollutions , inexplicable mischeifs , sordid inquinations , horible and hel-hound-like-perpetrated flagitious enormities haue bene héere mustred together ? vnder what deuilish commanders are they conducted ? what colors of damnation do they fight vnder , what dismal ensinge doe they spred ? what forces do they bring into the field ? how full of courage they are ? how full of cunning ? how politick are the ringlead●rs of these faries ? how resolute are all the troops ? what strange armor haue they ( of subtiltie , & desperate boldnes ) to encounter and set vppon their opposites ? what artillery haue they to batter downe , order , law , custome , plaine dealing , and all the good guards and defences of gouernement ? what remaineth therefore ( in an assault so dangerous to a common wealth , and so hotly and daily prosecuted ) but that iustice her selfe must come into the field , leading with her all her forces ? that the triple body of the state may knit all their nerues together and sit in counsell , setting down stratagems and lawes how to race for euer ( out of so noble a kingdome ) such rebels to the peace and honour of it ? that the reuerend iudges may out of a detestation of the liues of these monsters , lock vp their eyes and eares from pittie , when any of these sauages are caught and brought before them : that all inferior ministers of iustice , may be vigilant , faithfull and seuere in haunting them into gaoles , that are the fittest toyles for them to fall into , and that the hangman may not lye lazing and complaine for want of worke , so many infected bodies being to be found in euerie corner of the land , whom no medicine can cure , but the phisicke which hee bestowes vpon him at the gallowes ? where i leaue them , as to the ●hauen in which they must all cast anchor , if dericks cables do but hold and vnlesse they am●nd . giue thankes to the belman of london , if either profit or pleasure be gained by this discouerie . operis peroratio . a short discourse of canting , which is the langguage spoken by all the ragged regiment , that serue vnder the collours of the belman . thus ha●h our belman ( like a faithfull & watchfull centinell ) wall●t his reund : an armye of a moste strange people hath hee mustred together : in their true collours of villany hath hee drawn these free-booters ▪ their habits , their behauiours and their properties , are to the life discouered : yet all this is but a dumb picture . it shall not be amisse therefore it i giue speech vnto it by lending it a tongue . in dooing which you may perceiue how polliticke a common-wealth these out-lawes of the kingdome maintaine among themselues , in deuising not onely strange and subtill stratagems to vphold them in a base and idle licentious kinde of life , but also in inuēting a language which none vnderstand but those that are students in their dambd arte , the better to couer their villanies , when they ( in their talke ) practise to set them abroach . my purpose notwithstanding in this is not to bestow vppon you so liberall and full a discourse , as this matter doth require , but only at this time to giue you a taste of that which in a secōd part of this booke shal ( god willing ) be more amply discouered . in which second part , our bell man of london shall bring to light a number of more notable enormities ( daylye hatched in this realme ) then euer haue yet bin published to the open eye of the world . these are smal spots , the other are the great blemishes , or rather the vlcerous sores that make the bodye of kingdome appeare vgly and deformed . a larger nette shal then bee spread , and more dangerous serpents shal fal into the snare , to the intent that their stings may be pulled out , and all their poison may be drawne from them , to make those that as yet know not how infectious they are , be afraide to approach or to be in sight of such deuouring monsters . but because i wil not haue them borne before theire time ( being yet but in the shell ) least by that meanes they miscarrie in their brood , and so you should be deceiued in your expectation : let vs in the meane time stand with attentiue eares , and listen to an vprigh●-man , whome i espie ready to encounter with a wilde-roague . and this is their dialogue . a short dialogue betweene an vp-right-man and a rogue in the canting-language . the vpright cofe canteth to the roague . vpr. bene lightmans to thy quarrones : in what lipken hast thou lipped in this darkmans ? whether in a libbege , or in the strummell ? rog. i couched a hogshead in a skipper this darkmans . vpr. i towre the strummell tryne vpon the ●●bchett and tog●an . rog. i say by the salomon i will lage it off with a gage of bene bowse : then cut to my nose watch . vpr. why ? hast thou any lowre in thy bung to bowse ? rog. but a flag , a win , and a make . vp. where is the ken that hath the bene bowse ? rog. a bene mort , hereby at the signe of the prauncer . vp. i cut , it is quire bowse , i bowsd a flag the last darkmans . rog. but bowse ther a bord & thou shalt haue benship : towre yee , yonder is the ken ▪ dup the giger , and mawnd that is benship . vp. this bowse is as good as rome bowse ▪ now i towre that bene bowse makes nase nabs , mawnd of this mort , what bene pecke is in her ken ? rog. she hath a cackling chese , a grunting chefe , ruffe , peck , cassan ; and poplars of yarum . vpr. that is beneship to our watch ; now wee haue well bowsd , let vs strike some chete : yonder dwelleth a quire cuffen , it were benship to ●ill him . rog. nay , bing we a wast to the hye pad , the ruffmans is by . vpr. so may wee happen on the harmans , and cly the ia●ke , or to the quire ken , and scowre quire crampinges , and so to trymming on the chetes . rog. the ruffian cly thee , farwell and betrinde . this is their phrase , this the rhethoricke of our english rogues and this ( vpon aduice or ocasion ) they varrie , putting out some words , & in their stead inuenting others more new . this was none of the language that was spoken at the confusion of tongues , but this is a meere confusion in it selfe . and because you haue no dictionaries to giue you the english of these wordes , you shall haue the selfe same companions speake the same dialogue in their owne naturall language . the vpright-man speaketh to the rogue . vpr. good morrow to thy body , in what house hast thou lyen all night ? in a bed or in the straw ? rog. i slept in a barne this night ? vpr. i see the straw hang vpon thy cap and coate . rog. i sweare by the masse i will wash it off with a quart of good drinke , and then talke to me what thou wilt . vpr. why ? hast thou any money in thy pursse ? rog. but a groate , a penny , and a halfe penny . vpr. where is the house that has the good drinke ? rog. t is a good wench hereby at the signe of the horse . vpr. i say t is small and scuruie drinke , i drunk a groat● heere last night . rog. but drink there a shilling and thou shalt haue verie good , see , yonder is the house , open the dore and call for the best . vpr. this drinke is as good as wine , now i see that good drinke makes a drunken head : aske of this wench what meate she hath in the house ? rog. she hath a hen , a pig , bacon , cheese , and milke-pottage . vpr. that 's verie good for vs now we haue drunke , le ts steale somewhat ? yonder dwels a churlish cormorant , t were a good deede to rob him . rog. so we may chance to sit in the stocks , and be either whipped , or had to prison , and there be shackled with bolts and fetters , and then to be hanged on the gallowes . vpr. the deuill take thee , farwell and he hang'd . more of this canting , with other matters of more worthy note shall be handled by our belman at his second walking vp and downe the cittie . finis notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e description of the ages of the world . golden age . the siluer age ▪ seasons of the yeare . the brazen age . the yron age the praise of the countrie l●●e . the ceremony of marying roagues vnder a heddge . a kinchin . mort. a dell. a doxi● . a walking mort. an autem mort . a bawdy basket ▪ demaunders of glimmer ▪ vvilliam idell obtained his majesties order in council in consideration of his service in retaking his ship in the bay of cadiz from the dutch, and his great expence in attending to receive his majesties reward, his majesty in council did order the said william idell should have the office of registring sales, pawns and broaks, bought and sold in london and suburbs thereof, in lieu and recompence thereof, and referred the same to the attorney general, who made his report as follows, ... approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing i a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) vvilliam idell obtained his majesties order in council in consideration of his service in retaking his ship in the bay of cadiz from the dutch, and his great expence in attending to receive his majesties reward, his majesty in council did order the said william idell should have the office of registring sales, pawns and broaks, bought and sold in london and suburbs thereof, in lieu and recompence thereof, and referred the same to the attorney general, who made his report as follows, ... jones, william, sir, - . sheet ([ ] p.) s.n., [s.l. : ?] opinion of the attorney general signed: w. jones. includes the text of the king's proclamation of . date of publication from wing; william jones was attorney general from - . endorsed on verso in ms.: "for the bill to p[re]vent burglarys and robberys in london and the out p[ar]ishes"; legislation not traced. copy cataloged endorsed on verso in ms. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng idell, william -- early works to . charles -- ii, -- king of england, - -- early works to . crime prevention -- england -- early works to . pawnbroking -- england -- early works to . criminal behavior -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion william idell obtained his majesties order in council , in consideration of his service in retaking his ship in the bay of cadiz from the dutch , and his great expence in attending to receive his majesties reward , his majesty in council did order the said william idell should have the office of registring sales , pawns and broaks , bought and sold in london and suburbs thereof , in lieu and recompence thereof , and referred the same to the attorney general , who made his report as follows , in obedience to this order , i have considered of the matter therein contained , and i am humbly of opinion that such a course of registring pawns , &c. might be so ordered , as might be very profitable to the kingdom , as well to prevent robberies , burglaries and larcenies , as to help persons to their goods when stollen from them ; but i think the same cannot be done legally without an act of parliament , and therefore it is fit the petitioner should apply himself to the parliament . w ▪ jones . the proclamation and reasons following were shewn . turner mayor , martis vicesimo quinto die maii . annoque regni regis caroli secundi , dei gratia , anglia , &c. vicesimo primo . whereas the secret pawning or selling of goods unjustly gotten , unto brokers . broggers , hucksters and others , and their vending of such goods to others , hath been a long time observed to be the ground and nursery of burglaries , robberies , felonies , and frauds , which the care of former times hath been studious to reform and prevent : and to that end several acts of common council have been heretofore made , and an office of registry , for that purpose erected and exercised within this city , to good effect , till of late years , that by interruption or remiss execution , the former evils so carefully provided against , are revived and multiplied , to the great mischief , detriment and abuse of his majestie' s subjects as experience shews by frequent instances at every sessions of gaol-delivery at newgate ; and this court having considered of reviving the good and diligent execution of the said office , and thereupon taken order with the present registers thereunto formerly appointed by this court , in pursuance of the said acts of common-council , who accordingly are betaking themselves to the discharge of their duty , and have provided offices convenient for that purpose in aldersgate-street and in houndsditch . it is therefore , for the more effectual and perfect prevention and suppression of the aforesaid offences , and other unjust and undue practices , and for the better execution of the said office , and the punishment of all such as shall neglect the same ; thought fit and ordered by this court , that all and every of the retailing brokers , broggers , hucksters , or such other persons inhabiting or residing within the city of london and liberties of the same , and which shall keep any shop or room for the buying or taking to pawn of any goods , apparel , houshold-stuff , remnants of silks , uelvets , or of linnens , or woolen cloth , or such like other wares or commodities , to sell again , or shall use to buy or take to pawn any such goods , shall and are hereby required from henceforth duly to register the same ; and in all other things to conform themselves to an act of common-council in that behalf made the day of june in the year of the reign of our late sovereign lord king james , as they will avoid the penalties of the said act. and it is farther ordered that for the better notice and information of the rules and directions of the said act in this behalf , the same act together with this order , be forth-with printed and published . avery . first , by several acts in common-council , and proclamations in london , and by several letters patents from the kings and queens of this realm , to several persons : endeavours had been to erect and establish this office , but the brokers disobeyed , because as it may rationally be conceived , they reap the most profitable bargains of stollen goods , and if discovered ▪ there being no law to secure them from indictments of felony , they do desire to conceal them , whereby not only the thieves but also their receivers escape undiscovered . secondly , if buyers of horses in open fairs , à fortiori , brokers , ought to be secured for buying and taking pawns in their open shop , and accustomed places of trade . lanthorne and candle-light. or, the bell-mans second nights-walke in which he brings to light, a brood of more strange villanies than ener [sic] were till this yeare discouered. dekker, thomas, ca. - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) lanthorne and candle-light. or, the bell-mans second nights-walke in which he brings to light, a brood of more strange villanies than ener [sic] were till this yeare discouered. dekker, thomas, ca. - . the second edition, [ ] p. printed [by edward allde] for iohn busby, and are to be solde at his shop in fleete-streete, in saint dunstanes church-yard, london : . dedication signed: thomas dekker. a continuation of: the belman of london. with a title-page woodcut. printer's name from stc. signatures: a-l⁴. the last leaf is blank. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been 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xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng crime -- england -- london -- early works to . criminals -- england -- london -- early works to . cant -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jennifer kietzman sampled and proofread - jennifer kietzman text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion lanthorne and candle-light . or , the bell-mans second nights-walke . in which he brings to light , a brood of more strange villanies then euer were till this yeare discouered . — decet nouisse malum , fecisse , nefandum . the second edition , newly corrected and amended london printed for iohn busby , and are to be solde at his shop in fleetestreete , in saint dunstanes church-yard . . a table of all the matters , that are contained in this booke ▪ chap. of o●nting . cap. what matters were tryed at a tearme that was in hell. the proceedings of that court a connsell held in hell about the bell-man . a messenger sent from thence , with instructions chap , of gull-gro●ng . how gentlemen are cheated at ordinaries to furnish which feast , these guests are bidden , viz. the leaders the forlorne hope the eagle the wood-pecker the gull the gull-groper . cap : of ferreting . how gentlemen are vndone by taking vp commoditi● which tragaedy hath these fiue acts , viz a tumbler pu●senetts a ferret ra●bet-suckers a warren . cap , of hawking how to catch birdes by the booke which is done with fiue nets , viz. a falconer a lure a te●cell gentle a bird a mongril● cap. of iackes of the clocke-house cap , of ranek-ryders how inne-keepers and hackney men are sadled to make whome goe a round pace , you must haue , a colt a snaffle a ring proua●der . cap , of moone-men cap , the infection of the suburbes . cap , of iynglers the villanie of horse-coursers who consist of iynglers drouers goade● skip-iackes . cap , of iacke in a box , or a new kinde of cheating , teaching how to change golde into siluer , vnto which is added a map , by which a man may learne how to trauell all ouer england , & haue his charges borne . cap , the bel-mans second nights vvalke , in vvhich hee mee●es vvith a number of monsters that liue in darkenesse . to the verry worthy gentleman maister francis mustian of peckam . sir. it may ( happily ) seeme strange vnto you , that such an army of idle-words should march into the open field of the world vnder the ensigne of your name , ( you beeing not therewith made acquainted till now ▪ you may iudge it in me an error , i my selfe confesse it a boldnesse . but such an ancient & strong charter hath custome confirmed to this printing age of ours , ( by giuing men authoritie to make choice of what patrons they like , ) that some writers do almost nothing contrary to the custome , and some by vertue of that priuiledge , dare doe any thing . i am neither of that first order , nor of this last . the one is too fondly-ceremonious , the other too impudently audacious i walk in the midst ( so well as i can ) betweene both : with some fruites that haue growne out of my bra● , haue i bin so farre from being in loue , that i thought them not worthy to be tasted by any particular friend & therefore haue they bin exposed only to those that would entertain them : neither did i thinke the fairest that euer was mine , so worthy , that it was to be lookd vpon with the eye of vniuersal censure . two sorts of mad-men trouble the stationers shops in paul● church-yard : they that out of a m●e and idle vaine-glory will euer be pamp●ing ( tho their bookes beeing printed are scarse worth so much browne paper ) and this is a very poore , and foolish ambition : of the other sort are they that beeing free of wits mer●hant-venturers , do euery new moon ( for gaine onely ) make . o● . voiages to the presse , and euery term-time ( vpon booksellers stalles ) lay whole litters of blinde inuention : fellowes the ( if they do but walke in the middle i le ) spit nothing but ynck , and speake nothing but poeme . i would keepe company with neither of these two mad-men , if i could auoid them , yet i take the last to be the wisest and lesse dangerous for sithence al the arrowes that men shoote in the world , flye to two marks only ( either pleasure or profit ) he is not much to be cōdemned that hauing no more acres to liue vppon then those that lie in his head ) is euery houre hammering out one peice or other out of this rusty iron age , sithence the golden and siluer globes of the world are so locked vp , that a scholler can hardly be suffred to behold them . some perhaps wil say , that this lancing of the pestilent fores of a kingdome so openly , may infect those in it that are found , and that in this our schoole , ( where close abuses & grose villanies are but discouered and not punished ) others that neuer before knew such euils , wil be now instructed ( by the booke ) to practise them . if so , then let not a traitor , or a murderer be publikely arraigned , lest the one laying open to the world , how his plots were wouen to contriue a treason , or the other , what pollicies he was armed with , for the shedding of blood , the standers-by ( that are honest ) be drawn ( by their rules ) to run head-long into the same mischiefe : no , our strong phisicke works otherwise . what more makes a man to loath that mongrell madnesse ( that halfe english , halfe dutch sinne ) drunkennesse : then to see a common drunkard acting his scaenes in the open streete ? is any gamester so foolish to play with false dice , when he is assured that al who are about him know him to be a sworne cheator ? the letting therfore of uice blood in these seuerall veines , which the bel-man hath opend , cannot by any iudicial rules of phisicke , endanger the bodie of the common-wealth , or make it feeble , but rather restore those parts to perfect strength , which by disorder haue ben diseased . giue mee leaue to lead you by the hand into a wildernesse ( where are none but monsters , whose crueltie you need not feare because i teach the way to tame them : vgly they are in shape and diuelish in conditions : yet to behold them a far off , may delight you , and to know their quallities ( if euer you should come neere them ( may saue you from much danger . our country breedes no wolues nor serpents , yet theise ingender here and are either serpents or wolues , or worse then both : whatsoeuer they are , i send vnto you not the heard of the one , or the bed of the other , but only a picture of either , view them i pray , and where the cullours are not well layde on , shadow them with your finger : if you spy any disproportion , thus excuse it , such painting is fit for monsters : how rudely soeuer the peeceis drawne , call it a picture . and when one more worthe your viewe lies vnder the workemans pencil , this bad-one shall bring you home a better : in the meane time , i cease , and begin to be ( if you please ) all yours . thomas dekker to my owne nation . readers , after it was proclaimed abroad , that ( vnder the conduct of the bel-man of london , ) new forces were ( once more , to bee leauied against certaine wilde and barbarous rebells , that were vp in open armes against the tranquilitie of the weale publique : it cannot bee tolde , what numbers of voluntaries offred themselues dayly to fight against so common , so bolde , so strange , and so dangerous an enemy . light horse-men came in hourely , with discouerie where these mu●ineeres lay intrenched : deliuering ( in briefe notes of intelligence ) who were their leaders , how they went armed , and that they serued both on horse & foot : only their strengthes could not hee discryed , because their numbers were held infinite . yet instructions were written and sent euerie minute by th●se that were fauourers of goodnesse shewing what militarie disciplines the foe vsed in his battailes , and what forts ( if hee were put at any time to flight ) he wold retire to ; vvhat stratagems hee would practize , and where he did determine to lye in ambuscado . they that could not serue in person in this noble quarrell , sent their auxiliary forces , well armed with counsell . so that the bel-man ( contrarie to his owne hopes , ) seeing himselfe so strongly and strangely seconded by friends doth now brauely aduance forward , in maine battalion . the day of encounter is appointed to be in this michaelmas tearme . the place , paules-churh-yard , fleetestreet , and other parts of the ciitie . but before they ioyne , let me giue you note of one thing , and that is this . there is an vsurper , that of lat● hath taken vppon him the name of the bel-man , but being not able to maintaine that title , hee doth now call himselfe the bel-mans brother , his ambition is ( rather out of vaine glorie then the true courage of an experienced soldier ) to haue the leading of the van , but it shall be honor good enough for him ( if not too good ) to tome vp with the rere . you shall know him by his habiliments , for ( by the furniture he weares ) hee will bee taken for a beadle of bridewell . it is thought he is rather a newter than a friend to the cause : and therefore the bel-man dooth heere openly protest that he comes into the field as no fellowe in armes with him. howsoeuer it be strucke , or whosoeuer giues the first blow , the victorie depends vpon the vallor of you that are the winges to the bels-mans army , for which conquest he is in hope you will valiantly fight sithence the quarrel is against the head of monstrous abus● , and the blowes which you must giue are in defence of law , iustice , order , ceremony , religion , peace , and that honorable title of goodnesse . saint george ! i see the two armies mooue forward : and beholde , the bel-man himselfe first chargeth vppon the face of the enemy . thus : to the author . how e're thou maist by blazing all abuse , incurre suspect , thou speak'st what thou hast prou'd , ( tho then to keepe it close it thee behou'd , s● , reason makes for thee a iust excuse ) yet of thy paines , the b●st may make good vse , then of the best , thy paines should be approu'd , and for the same of them shouldst be belou'd . sith thou of falsehoods floud d●'st ope the sluce , that they at wast● continually may runne , by she wing men ●he r●aches that they haue , that honest men may so or'e-reach a knaue , or ●ound their swallowing deepes , the same to shunne : but if from hence , a knaue more cunning growes , that spider sucks but poison from thy rose . thy friend if thine owne , io : da : to his friend . of vice , whose counter-mine a state confounds , worse then sedition : of those mortall woundes which ( throughly search'd ) doe kingdomes hearts endanger : of plagues that o're run citties : of those stranger big-swolne impostumes , poisning the strong health of the most sound , best dieted common-wealth , thou tell'st the causes , and doest teach the cure , by mea'cine well-compounded , cheape , and sure : and ( as one read in deepe chirurgery , ) draw'st of these eu'lls , the true anatomy . then , on thy plainnesse let none lay reproofe , thou tak'st sinne 's heigth ( as men doe starres ) aloofe . m : r : to my industrious friend . in an ill time thou writ'st , when tongues had rather spit venome on thy lines , then from thy labours ( as druggists doe from poison ) medicine gather ; this is no age to crowne desert with fauors . but be thou constant to thy selfe , and care not what arrowes mallice shootes : the wise will neuer blame thy lowd singing , and the foolish dare not : none else but wolues will barke at thine endeuor . when thou ( in thy dead sleepe ) liest in thy graue , these charmes to after-ages vp shall raise thee ; what heere thou leau'st , aliue thy name shall saue , and what thou now dispraisest , shall then praise thee . tho , not to know ill , be wise ignorance , yet thou ( by reading euill ) doest goodnesse teach , and , of abuse the coullors doost aduance onely vpon abuse to force a breach ; the honor that thy pen shall earne thereby , is this : that tho knaues liue , their flights ( here ) dye . e : g : lanthorne & candle-light , or the bell-mans second nights walke . of canting . how long it hath beene a language : how it comes to bee a language : how it is deriued , & by whom it is spoken . chap. i. when all the world was but one kingdome , all the people in that kingdome spake but one language . a man could trauell in those dayes neither by sea nor land , but he mett his country-men & none others . two could not then stand gabling with strange tongues , and conspire together ( to his owne face ) how to cut a third mans throat , but he might vnderstand them . there was no spaniard ( in that age ) to braue his enemy in the rich and lofty castilian : no romaine orator to plead in the rethoricall and fluent latine : no italian to court his mistris in the swéete and amorous thuscane● no french-man to parley in the full and stately phrase of orleans : no germaine to thunder out the high and ratling dutch : the vnfruitfull crabbed irish , and the uoluble significant welch , were not then so much as spoken of : the quick scottish dialect ( sister to the ●nglish ) had not then a tongue , neither were the stringes of the english spéech ( in those times ) vntyed . when she first learn'd to speake , it was but a broken language : the singlest and the simplest words flowed from her vtterāce : for she dealt in nothing but in monosillables , ( as if to haue spoken words of greater length would haue crackt her uoice ) by which meanes her eloquence was poorest , yet hardest to learne , and so ( but for necessity ) not regarded amōgst stran̄gers . yet afterwards those noblest languages lent her words and phrazes , and turning those borrowings into good husbandry , shée is now as rich in elocution , and as aboundant as her prowdest & best-stored neighbors . whilst thus ( as i said before ) there was but one alphabet of letters , for all the world to read by all the people that then liued , might haue wrought vpon one péece of worke in countries farre distant a sunder , without mistaking one another , and not néeding an interpreter to runne betwéene them . which thing nymrod ( the first idolater , ) perceiuing , and not knowing better how to imploy so many thousand milliōs of subiects as bowed before him : a fire of ambition burn'd within him , to climbe vp so high that hee might sée what was done in heauen : and for that purpose , workmen were summoned from all the corners of the earth , who presētly were set to build the tower of babell . but the maisterworkemā of this great vniuerse , ( to check the insolēce of such a sawcie builder ) that durst raize vp pynnacles , equall to his owne ( aboue ) commanded the selfe-same spirit that was both bred in the chaos and had mainteind it in disorder , to bee both surueyor of those workes and comptroller of the labourers . this messenger was called confusion . it was a spirit swift of sight , & faithfull of seruice . her lookes wilde , terrible and inconstant . her attire , carelesly , loose , and of a thousand seuerall coulors . in one hand shée grip'd a heape of stormes with which ( at her pleasure ) she could trouble the waters : in the other she held a whip , to make three spirits that drew her , to gallop fastes before her : the spirits names were treason , sedition & war , who at euery time w● they went abroad , were ready to set kingdomes in vproare . she roade vpon a chariot of clownes , w● was alwayes furnished with thunder , li●htning , winds , raine , haile-stones , snow , & all the other artillery belonging to the seruice of diuine vengeance : & when she spake , her voyce sounded like the roaring of many torrents , boystrously strugling together : for betwéene her iawes did she carry . tongues . this strāge linguist , stepping to euery artificer that was there at worke , whispred in his eare whoses lookes were there vpon ( presently ) 〈◊〉 with a strange distraction : and on a suddaine whilst euery man was speaking to his fellow , his language altred and no man could vnderstand what his fellow spake . they all stared one vpon another , yet none of them all could tell wherefore so they stared their tongues went , and their hands gaue action to their tongues : yet neither words nor action were vnderstood . it was a noise of a thousand sounds , and yet the sound of the noise was nothing . hée that spake , knew hée spake well : and he that heard , was madde that the other could speake no better . in the end they grew angry one with another , as thinking they had mocked one another of purpose . so that the mason was ready to strike the bricklayer , the bricklayer to beats out the braines of his labourer : the carpenter tooke vp his axe to throw at the caruer , whilst the caruer was stabbing at the smith , because hee brought him a hāmer when he should haue made him a chizzell . he that called for timber , had stones laide before him : & when one was sent for nailes , he fetcht a tray of mortar . thus babell should haue béene raized , and by this meanes babell fell . the frame could not goe forward , the staffe was throwne by , the workemen made hollyday . euery one packd vp his tooles to be gone , yet not to goe the same way that he came but glad was he , that could méete another , whose spéech hee vnderstood for to what place soeuer he went , others ( that ran madding vp and downe ) hearing a man speake like themselues , followed onely him : so that they who when the worke began were all countrimen , before a quarter of it was finished , fled from one another , as from enemies & strāgers : and in this maner did men at the first make vp natiōs : thus were words coynd into languages , & out of those languages haue others beene molded since , onely by the mixture of nations , after kingdomes haue béen subdued . but i am now to speake of a people & a language , of both which ( many thousands of yeares since that wonder wrought at babell ) the world till now neuer made mention : yet confusion neuer dwelt more amongst any creatures . the bell-mā ( in his first voyage which he made for discoueries ) found them to bée sauages , yet liuing in an iland very tēpera●e , fruitfull , full of a noble nation , and rarely gouerned . the lawes , māners and habits of these wild-men , are plainly set downe , as it were in a former painted table . yet least happily a stranger may looke vpon this second picture of them , who neuerbeheld the first , it shall not bée amisse ( in this place ) to repeate ouer againe the names of all the tribes into which they diuide themselues , both when they serue abroad in the open fields , and when they lye in garrison within townes & walled citties . and these are their rankes as they stand in order . viz. rufflers . vpright-men . hookers , alias anglers , roagues . wilde roagues . priggers of prancers . paillards . fraters . prigges . swadders . curtalls . irish toyles . swigmen . iarkmen . patricoes . kinchin-coes . abraham-men , mad tom alias of bedlam whip-iackes . counterfet crankes . dommerats . glymmerers . bawdy-baskets . autem morts . doxies . dells . kinchin-morts . into thus many regiments are they now deuided : but in former times ( aboue foure hundred yeares now past ) they did consist of fiue squadrons onely . viz. cur●ors , alias vagabondes . faytors . robardsemen . draw-latches . sturdy beggars . and as these people are strange both in names and in their conditions , so doe they speake a language ( proper only to thēselues ) called canting , which is more strange . by none but the souldiers of these tottred bandes is it familiarly or vsually spoken , yet within lesse then fourescorce yeares ( now past ) not a word of this lāguage was knowen . the first inuentor of it , was hang'd , yet left he apt schollers behind him , who haue reduced that into methode , which he on his death-bed ( which was a paire of gallowes ) could not so absolutely perfect as he desired . it was necessary , that a people ( so fast increasing , & so daily practising new & strange villanies , should borrow to themselues a spéech , w e ( so neere as they could ( none but themselues should vnderstand : & for that cause was this language , ( which some call pedlers frēch , ) inuēted , to th' intent that ( albeit any spies should secretly steale into their cōpanies to discouer th● ) they might fréely vtter their mindes one to another , yet auoide the dāger . the language therefore of canting , they study euen from their infancy , that is to say , from the very first houre , that they take vpon them the names of kinchin coes , tillthey are grown rufflers , or vpright-men , which are the highest in degrée amongst them . this word canting séemes to bee deriued from the latine verbe ( canto ) which signifies in english , to sing , or to make a sound with words , that 's to say to speake . and very aptly may canting take his deriuatiō a cantando , from singing , because amongst these beggerly consorts that can play vpon no better instruments , the language of canting is a k●de of musicke , and he that in such assemblies can c●nt best , is counted the best musitian . now as touching the dialect or phrase it selfe , i sée not that it is grounded vpon any certaine rules ; and no meruaile if it haue none , for sithence both the father of this new kinde of learning , and the children that study to speake it after him , haue beene from the beginning and stil are , the breeders and norishers of albase disorder , in their liuing and in their manners : how is it possible , they should obserue any method in their speech , and especialy in such a language , as serues but onely to vtter discourses of villanies ? and yet ( euen out of all that irregularity , vnhansomnesse , & fountaine of barbarisme ) do they draw a kinde of forme : and in some wordes , ( aswell simple as compounds ) retaine a certaine salte , tasting of some wit and some learning . as for example , they call a cloake ( in the canting tongue ) a togeman , and in latin , toga signifies a gowne , or an vpper garment . pannam is bread : & panis in lattin is likewise bread , cassan is cheese , and is a worde barbarously coynd out of the substātiue caseus which also signifies chéese . and so of others . then by ioyning of two simples , doe they make almost all their compounds . as for example : nab ( in the canting tongue ) is a head , & nab-cheate , is a hat or a cap , which word cheate beeing coupled to other wordes , stands in verry good stead , and dees excellent seruice : for a smelling cheate , signifies a nose : a prat-ling chete , is a tongue . crashing chetes , are teeth : hearing chetes are eares : fambles are hands : and therevpon a ring is called a fābling chete . a muffling chete , signifies a napkin . a belly chete , an apron ▪ a grunting chete , a pig : a cackling chete , a cocke or a capon : a quacking chete , a duck : a lowghing chete , a cow : a bleating chete , a calfe , or a shee●e : and so may that word be marryed to many others besides . the word coue , or cofe , or cuffin , signifies a man , a fellow , &c. but differs something in his propertie , according as it meetes with other wordes : for a gen , tleman is called a gentry coue , or cofe : a good fellow is a bene cofe : a churle is called , a quier cuffin ; quier signifies naught , and cuffin ( as i said before ) a man : and in canting they terme a iustice of peace , ( because he punisheth them belike ) by no other name then by quier cuffin , that is to say a churle , or a naughty man. and so , ken signifiing a house , they call a prison , a quier ken , that 's to say , an ill house . many peeces of this strange coyne could i shew you , but by these small stampes , you may iudge of the greater . now because , a language is nothing els then heapes of wordes , orderly wouen and composed together : and that ( within so narrow a circle as i haue drawne to my selfe ) it is impossible to imprint a dictionarie of all the canting phrases : i wil at this time not make you surfet on too much , but as if you were walking in a garden , you shall openly pluck here a flower , and there another , which ( as i take it ) will be more delightfull then if you gathered them by handfulls . but before i lead you into that walke , stay and heare a canter in his owne language , making 〈◊〉 , albeit ( i thinke ) those charmes of poesie which ( at the first ) made the barbarous tame , and brought them to ciuil●y , can ( vpon these sauage monsters ) worke no such wonder . yet thus he singes ( vppon demaund whether any of his own crue did come that way ) to which he answers , yes ( quoth he ) canting rithmes . enough — with bowsy coue maund nace , tour the patring coue in the darkeman case , docked the dell , for a coper meke , his wach shall feng a prounces nab-chete , cyar●m , by salmon , and thou shalt pek my iere in thy gan , for my watch it is nace gere , for the bene bowse my watch hath a win &c. this short lesson i leaue to be construed by him that is desirous to try his skill in the language , which he may do by helpe of the following dictionary ; into which way that he may more redily come , i will translate into english , this broken french that followes in prose . two canters hauing wrangled a while about some idle quarrell , at length growing friends , thus one of them speakes to the other . viz. a canter in prose . stowe you beene cofe : and cut benar whiddes and bing we to rome vile , to nip a boung : so shall wee haue lowre for the bowsing ken , & when we beng back to the dewese a vile , we will filch some duddes , off the ruffmans , or mill the ken for a lagge of dudes . thus in english stowe you , beene cofe : hold your peace good fellow , and cut benar whiddes : and speake better words . and bing we to rome vile : and goe we to london . to nip a boung : to cut a purse . so shall we haue lowre : so shall we haue mony . for the bowsing ken , for the ale-house . and when we bing backe : and when we come backe . to the dewse-a-vile : into the country . we will filch some duddes : we will filch some clothes , off the ruffmans : from the hedges , or mill the ken : or rob the house , for a lagge of duddes : for a bucke of clothes . now turne to your dictionary . and because you shall not haue one dish twice set before you , none of those canting wordes that are englished before shall here be found : for our intent is to feast you with varietie . the canters dictionarie . avtem , a church . autem-mort , a married waman . boung , a purse . borde , a shilling . halfe a borde , six pence . bowse , drinke . bowsing ken , an ale-house . bene , good . beneship , very good : bufe , a dogge , bing a wast , get you hence . caster , a cloake . a commission , a shirt . chates , the gallowes . to cly the ierke , to be whipped . to cutt , to speake . to cutt bene , to speake gently . to cutt bene whiddes , to speake good wordes . to cutt quier whiddes , to giue euill language . to cant , to speake . to couch a hogshead , to lye downe a sleepe . drawers , hosen . dudes , clothes . darkemans , the night . dewse-a-vile , the country , dup the giger , open the dore . fambles , hands . fambling chete , a king. flag , a goat glasiers , eyes . gan , a mouth . gage , a quart pott . grannam , corne. gybe , a writing . glymmer , fire . gigger , a doore gentry mort , a gentlewoman ▪ gentry cofes ken , a noble mans house ▪ harman bek , a constable . harmans , the stockes . heaue a bough , rob a boothe . iarke , a seale . ken , a house . lage of dudes , a bucke of clothes . libbege , a bed . lowre , money . lap , butter , milke , or whaye . libken , a house to lye in . lage , water . light-mans , the day . mynt , golde . a make , a halfe-penny . margery prater , a henne . mawnding , asking . to mill , to steale . mill a ken , rob a house . nosegent , a nunne . niggling , companying with a woman . pratt , a buttock . peck , meate . poplars . pottage . prancer , a horse . prigging , kiding . patrico , a priest. pad , a way . quaromes , a body . ruff-peck , bacon . roger , or tib of the buttry , a goose. rome-vile , london . rome-bowse , wine . rome-mort , a quéene . ruffmans , the woodes , or bushes . ruffian , the diuell . stampes : legges . stampers ? shooes . slate : a shéete . skew : a cup. salomon : the masse . stuling ken : a house to receiue stolne goods . skipper : a barne . strommel , straw . smelling chete , an orchard or garden . to scowre the cramp-ring : to weare boults . stalling : making or ordeyning . tryning : hanging . to twore : to sée . wyn : a penny . yarum : milke . and thus haue i builded vp a little mint , where you may coyne wordes for your pleasure . the payment of this was a debt : for the belman at his farewell ( in his first round which hée walk'd ) promised so much . if hée kéepe not touch , by tendring the due summe , hée desires forbearance , and if any that is more rich in this canting commodity will lend him any more , or any better , hée will pay his loue double : in the meane time , receiue this , and to giue it a little more weight , you shall haue a cāting song , wherein you may learne , how this cursed generation pray , or ( to speake truth ) curse such officers as punish them . a canting song . the ruffin cly the nab of the harman beck , if we mawn●d pannam , lap or ruff-peck , or poplars of yarum : he cuts , bing to the ruffmans , or els he sweares by the light-mans , to put our stamps in the harmans . the ruffian cly the ghost of the harmanbeck , if we heaue a booth we cly the ierke . if we niggle , or mill a bowsing ken , or nip a boung that has but a win , or dup the giger of a gentry cofes ken , to the quier cuffing we bing , and then to the quier ken , to scowre the cramp-ring , and then to the trin'de on the chates , in the lightmans the bube & ruffian cly the harman beck & harmans . thus englished . the diuell take the constables head , if we beg bacon , butter-milke or bread . or pottage , to the hedge he bids vs hie , or sweares ( by this light ) i th stocks we shall lie . the deuill haunt the constables ghoast , if we rob but a booth , we are whipd at a poast . if an ale-house we rob , or be tane with a whore , or cut a purse that has iust a penny and no more , or come but stealing in at a gentlemans dore , to the iustice straight we goe , and then to the iayle to be shackled : and so to be hangd on the gallowes i th day time : the pox and the deuill take the constable and his stocks . we haus canted ( i feare ) too much , let vs now giu●●are to the bel-man , and heare what he speaks in english . the bel-mans second nights walke . chap. it was terme-time in hel ( for you must vnderstand , a lawyer liues there aswell as heere : ) by which meanes don lucifer ( being the iustice for that countie , where the brimstone mines are ) had better dooings and more rapping at his gates , then all the doctors & empericall quack-saluers of ten citties haue at theirs in a great plague-time . the hal where these termers were to try their causes , was very large and strongly built , but it had one fault : it was so hot that people could not indure to walk there : yet to walke there they were compelled , by reason they were drawne thither vppon occasions , and such iustling there was of one another , that it would haue grieued any man to be in the thronges amongst em . nothing could bee heard but noise , and nothing of that noise be vnderstood , but that it was a sound as of men in a kingdome , when on a suddaine it is in an vprore . euery one brabled with him that he walked with , or if he did but tell his tale to his councell , he was so eager in the verry deliuery of that tale , that you would haue sworne he did brabble : and such gnashing of teeth there was when aduersaries met together , that the fyling of ten thousand sawes cannot yeeld a sound more horrible . the iudge of the court had a diuelish countenance , and as cruell hee was in punishing those that were condemned by lawe , as hée was crabbed in his lookes , whilst he sat to heare their tryals . but albeit there was no pittie to be expected at his hands , yet was he so vpright in iustice , that none could euer fasten bribe vppon him , for he was ready and willing to heare the cries of all commers . neither durst any pleader ( at the infernall barre ) or any officer of the court , exact any fee of plaintiffes , and such as complained of wrongs and were opprest : but onely they paide that were the wrong dooers , those would they sée dambd ere they should gette out of their fingers , such fellowes they were appointed to vexe at the very soule . the matters that here were put in sute , were more then could bee bred in twentie uacations , yet should a man be dispatched out of hand . in one terme he had his iudgement , for heare they neuer stand vppon returnes , but presently come to triall . the causes decided here are many ; the clients that complaine many ; the counsellors ( that plead till they be hoarse , ) many ; the attornies ( that runne vp and downe , ) infinite ; the clarkes of the court , not to be numbred . all these haue their hands full ; day and night are they so plagued with the bawling of clients that they neuer can rest . the inck where-with they write , is the blood of coniurers : they haue no paper , but all thinges are engrossed in parchment , and that parchment is made of scriueners skinnes flead off , after they haue beene puni●ed for forgerie : their standishes are the scu●s of usurers : their pennes , the bones of vnconscionable brokers , and hard-hearted creditors , that haue made dice of other mens bones , or else of periured excecutors and blind ouer-séeers , that haue eaten vp widdowes and orphanes to the bare bones : and those pennes are made of purpose without nebs , because they , may cast inck but slowly , in mockery of those who in their life time were slowe in yeelding drops of pitty . would you know what actions are tried here ? i wil but turne ouer the recordes , and read them vnto you as they hang vppon the fyle . the cou●●er is sued heere , and condemned for ryots . the soldier is sued heere and condemned for murders the scholler is sued here & condemned for he●ezies . the citizen is sued here and condemned for the cityfins . the farmer is sued heere vpon penal statutes , and condemned for spoyling the markets . actions of batterie are brought against swaggerers , and heere they are bound to the peace . actions of waste are brought against drunkards and epicures , and heere they are condemned to begge at the grate for one drop of colde water to coole their tongues , or one 〈◊〉 of breade to stay their hunger , yet are they denyed it . harlots haue processe sued vpon them heere , and are condemned to howling , to rottennesse and to stench . no actes of parliament that haue passed the * upper-house , can be broken , but here the breach is punished , and that seuerely , and that suddenlly : for here they stand vppon no demurres ; no audita-queraela can heere be gotten , no writs of errors to reuerse iudgement : heere is no flying to a court of chancery for relee● , yet euerie one that comes heather is serued with a sub-poena . no , they deale altogether in this court vpon the habeas corpus , vpon the capias , vppon the ne exeat regneum , vpon rebellion , vppon heauie fines ( but no recoueries ) vpon writers of out-lary , to attache the body for euer , & last of all vppon executions , after iudgement , which being seru'd vpon a man is his euerlasting vnd●oing . such are the customes and courses of proceedings in the offices belonging to the prince of darknesse . these hot dooings hath he in his terme-times . but vpon a day when a great matter was to be tryed betweene an englishman and a dutchman , which of the two were the fowlest drinkers , and the case being a long time in arguing , by reason that strong euidence came in re●ling on both sides , ( yet it was thought that the english-man would carry it away , and cast the dutchman ) on a sudden all was staid by the sound of a horne that was heard at the lower end of the hall. and euerie one looking back ( as wondring at the strangenesse ) too me room was cride and made through the thickest of the crowde , for a certaine spirit in the likenesse of a post who made away on a little leane nagge by to the bench where iudge rad amanth with his two grim brothers ( minos and aeacus ) sat . this spirit was an intelligencer sent by belzebub of batharum into some countries of christēdome , to lye there as a spie , ●had brought with him a packet of letters from seuerall leigiars , that lay in those countries , for the seruice of the tartarian their lord and maister , which packet being opened , all the letters , ( because they concernd the generall good and state of those lowe countries in hell ) were publikely reade . the contents of that letter stung most , and put them all out of their law-cases , were to this purpose . that whereas the lord of fiery lakes , had his ministers in all kingdomes aboue the earth , whose offices were not onely to winne subiects of other princes to his obedience , but also to giue notice when any of his owne sworn houshold , or any other that held league with him should reuolt or flye from their duty & allegiance : as also discouer from time to time all plots , conspiracies , machinations , or vnderminings , that skold be laid ( albeit they that durst lay them should dig deepe enough ) to blow vp his great internall cittie : so that if his horned regiment were not suddenly mustred together , and did not lustely bestirre their clouen stumps , his territories weld be shaken , his dominions left in time vnpeopl'd , his forces look'd into , and his authoritie which hee held in the world , contemned & laughed to scorne . the reason was , that a certaine fellow . the childe of darkenes , a common night-walker , a man that had no man to waite vppon him but onely a dog , one that was a disordered person , and at midnight would beate at mens doores , bidding them ( in meere mockerie ) to look to their candles when they themselues were in their dead sleeps : and albeit he was an officer , yet he was but of light-carriage , being knowne by the name of the bell-man of london , had of late not only drawne a number of the deuils owne kindred into question for their liues , but had also ( only by the help of the lanthorn & candle ) lookt into the secrets of the best trades that are taught in hell , laying them open to the broad eye of the world , making them infamous , edious , and ridiculous : yea , and not satisfied with dooing this wrong to his diuellship , very spitefullye hath hee set them out in print , drawing their pictures so to the life , that now a horse-stealet shall not shew his head , but a balter with the hang-mans noose is ready to bee fastned about it : a foyst nor a nip shall not walke into a fayre or a play-house , but euerie cracke will cry looke to your purses : nor a poore common rogue come to a mans doore , but he shall be examined if he can cant ? if this baulling fellow therefore haue not his mouth stop'd , the light angels that are coynd below , will neuer bee able to passe as they haue done , but be naild vp for counterfeits , hell will haue no dooings , and the deuill be no-body . this was the lyning of the letter , and this letter draue them al to a non-plus , because they knew not how to answere it . but at last aduice was taken , the court brake vp , the tearme was adiourn'd , ( by reason that the hell-houndes were thus plagu'd ) and a common counsell in hell was presētly called how to redres these abuses . the sathanicall sinagogue beeing set , vp startes the father of hell and damnation , and looking verrie terribly with a paire of eies that stared as wide as the mouth gapes at bishops-gate , fetching foure or fiue deep sighes ( which were nothing else but the smoke of fire & brimstone boyling in his stomacke , and shewed as if hee were taking tobacco , which be often times does ) tolde his children & seruāts ( & the rest of the citizens that dwelt wichin the freedome of hel , and sat there before him vpon narow low formes ) that they neuer had more cause to lay their heads together , and to grow pollititians . hee and they all knew , that from the corners of the earth , some did euerie houre in a day creepe forth , to come and serue him : yea , that many thousands were so be witched with his fauours , and his rare partes , that they would come running quick to him , his dominions ( he said ) were great and full of people : emperors and kings , ( in infinit numbers ) were his slaues : his court was ful of princes : if the world were deuided ( as some report ) but into three parts two of those three were his : or if ( as others affirme ) into foure parts , almost three of that foure had hee firme footing . but if such a fellow as a treble voic'd bel-man , should be suffered to pry into the infernal misteries , & into those black acts which command the spirits of the déep , & hauing sucked what knowledge he can from them , to turne it al into poison , & to spit it in the verie faces of the professors , with a malicious intent to make them appeare vgly and so to grow hatefull and out of fauor with the world : if such a coniurer at midnight should dance in their circles and not be driuen out of them , hell in a few yeares would not bee worth the dwelling in . the great lord of limbo did therefore commaund all his blacke guard that stood about him , to bestirre them in their places , and to defend the court wherein they liued : threatning ( besides ) that his cursse , & all the plagues of stinking hel shold fall vpon his officers , seruants , and subiects , vnlesse they either aduiz'd him , how , or take some speedy order themselues to punish that saucy intelligencer , the bel-man of london . thus he spake and then sat . at last , a foolish deuill rose vp , and shot the bolt of his aduice , which flew thus farre , that the blacke-dogge of new-gate should againe bee let loose , and a farre off , follow the balling bel-man , to watch into what plac●s hee went , and what deedes of darkenesse ( euerie night ) hee did . hinc risus ! the whole syniodicall assembly , fell a laughing at this wise-acre , so that neither he nor his blacke-dogge durst barke any more . another , thinking to cleaue the verrie pinne with his arrow , drew it home to the head of wisdome ( as he imaginde ) and yet that lighted wide too , but thus shot his counsell , that the ghosts of all those theeues , cheaters , and others of the damned crew , ( who by the bel-mans discouerie , had bene betraied , were taken and sent westward ) should bee fetched from those fields of horror , where euerie night they walke , disputing with doctor story , who keepes them company there in his corner cap : & that those wry-neck'd spirits should haue charge giuen them to haunt the bel-man in his walkes , and so fright him out of his wittes . this deuill for all his roaring , went away neither with a plaudite , nor with a hisse : others step'd vp , some pronouncing one verdict some another : but at the last , it beeing put into their diuelish heads , that they had no power ouer him farther then what shold be giueu vnto them , it was concluded and set downe as a rule in court , that some one strange spirit , 〈◊〉 could transport himselfe into all shapes , should bee sent vppe to london , and scorning to take reuenge vppon so meane a person as a bel-ringer , should thrust himselfe into such companyes , ( as in a warrant to bee signed for that purpose ) should bee nominated : and beeing once growne familiar with them , hee was to worke and winne them by all possible meanes to fight vnder the dismall and blacke collours of the grand sophy , ( his lord and master : ) the fruite that was to grow vppon this tree of euill , would bee greate , for it should bee fit to bee serued vp to don lucifers table , as a new banqueting dish , sithence all his other meates , ( though they fatted him well ) were grown stale hereupon pamersiell the messenger was called , a pasport was drawne , signed and deliuered to him , with certaine instruments how to carry himselfe in this trauell . and thus m●ch was openly spoken to him by word of mouth . fly● pamersi●l with speede to the great and populous citie in the west : winde thy selfe into all shapes : bee a dogge ( to fawne ) a dragon ( to confound ) bee a dou● ( seeme innocent ) bee a deuill ( as thou art ) and shew that thou art a iorniman to hel . build rather thy nest amōgst willowes that bend euerie way , then on tops of oakes , whose hearts are hard to be broken : fly with the swallow , close to the earth , when stormes are at hand , but keep company with birdes of greater tallants , when the weather is cleere , & neuer leaue them till they looke like rauens : creepe into bosom● that are buttond vp in sattin and there spred the wings of thine infection : make euerie head thy pillow to leane vpon , or vse it like a mill , onely to grinde mischiefe . if thou meetst a dutchman , drinke with him : if a frenchman , stab : if a spaniard , betray : if an italian poyson : if an englishman doe all this . haunt tauerns , there thou shalt 〈◊〉 yrodigalls : pay thy two-pence to a player , in his gallerie maist thou sitte by a harlot : at ordinaries maist thou dine with silken fooles : when the day steales out o●●orld , thou shalt meete rich drvnkards , vnder wel● gownes search for threescore in the hundred , hugge those golden villaines , they shine bright , and will make a good shew in hell , shriek w e a cricket in the brew-house , & watch how they coniure there : ride vp and downe smith-field , and play the iade ther● : uisit prisons , and teach iaylors how to make nets of iron there : binde thy selfe prentice to the best trades : but if thou canst grow extreame ritch in a very short time , ( honestly ) i banish thee my kingdome , come no more into hell , i haue red thee a lecture , follow● it , farewell . no sooner was farwell spoken , but the spirit to whom all these matters were giuen in charge , vanished : the clo●en footed orator arose , and the whole assembly went about their damnable businesse . gul-groping . how gentlemen are cheated at ordinaries . chap. the diuels foote-man was very nimble of his héeles ( for no wilde-irish man could out-runne him , and therefore in a few houres , was he come vp to london : the miles betweene hell and any place vpon earth being shorter then those betweene london and saint albones , to any man that trauels from thence thither , or to any lackey that comes from hence hether on the deuils errands : but to any other poore soule , that dwells in those low contries , they are neuer at an end , and by him are not possible to bee measured . no sooner was he entred into the cittie , but hee met with one of his maisters daughters called pride , drest like a matchants wife , who taking acquaintance of him , and vnderstanding for what hee came , tolde him , that the first thing hee was to doe , hee must put himselfe in good cloathes , such as were sutable to the fashion of the time , for that here , men were look'd vppon onely for their outsides : he that had not ten-pounds-worth of wares in his shop , would carry twentie markes on his back : that there were a number of sumpter-borses in the citty , who cared not how coursely they fed , so they might were gay trappings : pea , that some pied fooles , to put on satin and veluet but foure daies in the yeare did often-times vndoe themselues , wiues and children euer after . the spirit of the deuils buttry hearing this , made a legge to pride for her counsell , and knowing by his owne experience that euerie taylor hath his bell to himselfe , vnder his shop-board , ( where he dammes new sattin ) amongst them he thought to finde best welcome , and therefore into burchin-lane hee stalkes verie mannerly , pride going along with him , and taking the vpper hand . no sooner was he entred into the rankes of the linnen armorers , ( whose weapons are spanish needles ) but he was most terribly and sharpely set vppon euerie : prentice boy had a pull at him : he feared they all had bin serieants , because they all had him by the back : neuer was poore deuil so tormented in hell , as he was amongst them : he thought it had bene saint thomas his day , & that he had bene called vpon to be constable : there was such balling in his eares : and no strength could shake them off , but that they must shews him some suites of apparell , because they saw what gentlewoman was in his company ( whom they all knew ) seeing no remedie , into a shop he goes , was fitted brauely , and beating the price , found the lowest to be vnreasonable , yet paide it , and departed , none of them ( by reason of their crowding about him befor ) perceiuing what customer they had met with , but now the taylor spying the deuill , suffered him to go , neuer praying that he wold know the shop another time , but looking round about his ware-house if nothing were missing , at length he found that he had lost his cōscience : yet remembring himselfe , that they who deale with the diuel , can hardly keepe it , he stood vpon it the lesse . the fashions of an ordinarie . the stigian traueller beeing thus translated into an accomplish'd gallant , with all acoutrements belonging ( as a fether for his head , gilt rapier for his sides , & new boots to hide his polt foote ( for in bed-lam bee met with a shoemaker , a mad slaue , that knew the length of his last ) it rested , onely that now he was to enter vppon company sutable to his cloathes : and knowing that your most selected gallants are the onelye table-men that are plaid with al at ordinaries , into an ordinary did he most gentleman like , conuay himselfe in state . it seemed that al who came thether , had clocks in their bellies , for they all struck into the dyning roome much a-about the very minute of feeding . our caualier had all the eyes ( that came in ( throwne vpon him , ( as beeing a stranger● for no ambassador from the diuell euer dined amongst them before , ) and he asmuch tooke especiall notes of them . in obseruing of whom and of the place he found , that an ordinary was the only rendeuouz for the most ingenious , most terse , most trauaild , and most phantastick gallant : the very exchange for newes out of al countries : the only booke-sellers shop for conference of the best editions , that if a womā ( to be a lady ( would cast away herself vpon a knight , there a man should heare a catalogue of most of the richest london widowes : 〈◊〉 last , that it was a schoole where they were all fellowes of one forme , & that a country gentleman was of as great comming as the proudest iustice that sat there on the bench aboue him : for he that had the graine of the table with his trencher , payd no more then he that plac'd himself beneath the salt . the diuers intelligencer could not be contented to fill his eye onely with these obiects , and to féed his belly with delicate chéere : but hée drew a larger picture of all that were there , and in these collours . the vcider hauing cléered the table ; cardes & dice ( for the last messe ) are serued vp to the boord : they that are ful of coyne , draw : they that haue little , stand by & giue ayme : they shuffle and cut on one side : the bones rattle on the other : long haue they not plaide , but others fly vp & down the roome like haile-shot : if the poore dumb dice be but a little out of square , the pox & a thousand ●plagues breake their neckes out at window : presently after , the foure knaues are sent packing the same way , or els ( like heretikes are ) condemned to be burnt . in this battaile of cardes and dice , are seuerall regiments & seuerall officiers . they that sit downe to play , are at first cald leaders . they that loose , are the forlorne hope . he that winnes all , is the eagle . he that stands by & uentures , is the wod-pecker . the fresh gallant that is fetcht in is the gull , h● that stands by , and lends , is the gull-groper . the gull-groper . this gul-groper is commonly an old mony-mōger , who hauing trauaild through all the follyes of the world in his youth , knowes them well , and shunnes them in his age , his whole felicitie being to fill his bags with golde and siluer : hee comes to an ordinary , to saue charges of house-keeping , and will eate for his two shillings , more meate then will serue thrée of the guard at a dinner , yet sweares hée comes thether onely for the company , and to conuerse with trauailers . it s a gold-finch that fildome flies to these ordinary nests , without a hundred or two hundred pound in twenty shilling péeces about him . after the tearing of some seauen paire of cardes , or the damning of some ten baile of dice , steps hée vpon the stage , and this part he playes . if any of the forlorne hope bée a gentleman of meanes , either in esse , or in posse ▪ ( and that the olde fox will bée sure to know to halfe an acre , ) whose money runnes at a low ebbe , as may appeare by his scratching of the head , and walking vp and downe the roome , as if he wanted an ostler : the gull-groper takes him to a side window and tels him , hée 's sorry to sée his hard luck , but the dice are made of womens bones , and will cozen any man , yet for his fathers sake ( whom he hath knowne so long ) if it please him , he shal not leaue off play for a hundred pound or two . if my yong estrich gape to swallow downe this mettall ( & for the most part they are very gréedy , hauing such prouander set before them ) then is the gold powred on the board , a bond is made for repaiment , at the next quarter day when exhibition is sent in : and because it is all gold , and cost so much the changing , the scriuener ( who is a whelpe of the old mastiues owne bréeding ) knows what words will bite , which thus he fastens vpō him , and in this nette the gull is sure to be taken ( howsoeuer : ) for if he fall to play againe , & loose , the hoary goat-bearded satyre that stands at his elbow , laughes in his sléeue : if his bags be so recouered of their falling-sicknes , that they be able presently to repay the borrowed gold , then monsieur gul-groper steales away of purpose to auoide the receipt of it ; he hath fatter chickens in hatching : t is a fayrer marke he shootes at . for the day being come when the bond growes due , the within named signior auaro will not be within : or if he be at home , he hath wedges enough in his pate , to cause the bond to bée broken , or else a little before the day , he féeds my young maister with such swéet words , that surfetting vpon his protestations , hée neglects his paiment , as presuming hée may do more but the law hauing a hand in the forfeiture of the bond , laies presently hold of our yong gallant with the helpe of a couple of serieants , and iust at such a time when old erra pater ( the iew , ) that lent him the money , knowes by his owne prognostication , that the moone with the siluer face is with him in the waine . nothing then can frée him out of the phanges of those bloud-hounds , but he must presently confesse a iudgment , for so much money , or for such a manor or lordship ( thrée times worth the bond forfeited ) to be paid or to be entred vpon by him , by such a day or within so many moneths after he comes to his land . and thus are young heires coozend of their acres , before they well know where they lye . the wood-pecker . the wood-pecker is a bird that sits by vpon a perch too : but is nothing so dangerous , as this uulture spoken of before . he deales altogether vpon returnes , ( as men do that take thrée for one , at their comming back from ierusalem &c. ) for hauing a iewell , a clock , a king with a diamond , or any such like commoditie , he notes him well that commonly is best acquainted with the dire , and hath euer good luck : to him he offers his prize , rating it at ten or fiftéene pound , when happily t is not worth aboue six and for it he bargaines to receiue fiue shillings or ten shillings ( according as it is in value ) at euery hand , second , third , or fourth hand he brawed : by which means be perhaps in a short time , makes that yeeld h●nforty or fifty pound , which cost not halfe twenty , many of these merchant venturers saile from ordinary to ordinary , being sure alwayes to make sauing ●oiages , when they that put in ten times more then they , are for the most part loosers , the gull. now if either the leaders , or the forlorne hope , or any of the rest , th●ce to heare of a yong fresh-water soldier that neuer before followed these strange warres , and yet hath a charge newly giuen him ( by the old fellow soldado vecchio his father , when death had shotit him into the graue ) of some ten or twelue thousand in ready money , besides so many hundreds a yeare : first are scoutes sent out to discouer his lodging , that knowne : some lie in ambush to note what apothecaries shop hée resorts too euery morning , or in what tobacco-shop in fléet-street he takes a pipe of smoake in the afternoone : that fort which the puny holds , is sure to be beleaguerd by the whole troope of the old weather beaten gallants : amongst whom some one , whose 〈◊〉 thought to be of a better block for his head , than therest , is appointed to single out our nouice , and after some faure or fiue dayes spent in complement , our heire to seauen hundred a yeare is drawne to an ordinary , into which he no sooner enters , but all the old-ones in that nest slutter about him , embrace , protest , kisse the hand , conge to the very garter , and in the end ( to shew that hee is no small foole , but that he knows his father left him not so much monie for nothing , ) the yong cub suffers himselfe to be drawne to the stake : to flesh him , fortune and the dice ( or rather the false dice , that coozen fortune , & make a foole of him too ) shall so fauor him , that he marches away from a battaile or two , the onely winner . but after wards , let him play how warily soeuer he can , the damned dice shall crosse him , & his siluer crosses shall blesse those that play against him : for euen they that séeme déerest to his bosome , shall first be ready , and be the formost to enter with the other leaders into conspiracy , how to make spoile of his golden bags . by such ransacking of cittizens sonnes wealth , the leaders maintaine themselues braue , the forlorne-hope , that droop'd before , do'es now gallantly come on . the eagle fethers his nest , the wood-pecker pickes vp his crums , the gul-groper growes fat with good féeding : and the gull himselfe , at whom euery one has a pull , hath in the end scarce fethers enough to kéepe his owne back warme . the post-maister of hell , séeing such villanies to go vp and downe in cloakes lin'd cleane through with ueluet , was glad he had such newes to send ouer , and therefore sealing vp a letter full ot it , deliuered the same to filthybearded charon ) their owne water-man ) to be conuaide first to the porter of hell , & then ( by him ) to the maister ●éeper of the diuels . of ferreting . the man●f vndooing gentlemen by taking vp of commodities . chap. iiii. hunting is a noble , a manly , & a healthfull exercise , it is a very true picture of warre , nay it is a war in it selfe , for engines are brought into the field , stratagems are contriued , ambushes are laide , onsets are giuen , al●arums struck vp , braue incounters are made , fierce assailings are resisted by strength , by courage , or by pollicy : the enemy is pursued , and the pursuers neuer giue ouer till they haue him in execution : then is a retreate sounded , then are spoiles diuided , then come they home wearied , but yet crowned with honor & victory . and as in battailes there be seuerall maners of fight : so in the pastime of hunting , there are seuerall degrées of game . seme hunt the lion , and that shewes as when subiects rise in armes against their king : some hunt the vnicorne for the treasure on his head , and they are like couetous men , that care not whome they kill for riches : some hunt the sp●tted panther and the freckled leopard , they are such as to inioy their pleasures , regard not how blacke an infamy stickes vpon them : all these are barbarous & vnnaturall huntsemen , for they range vp and downe the deserts , the wildernes , and inhabitable mountaines . others pursue the long liued hart , the couragious stag or the nimble footed deere : these are the noblest hunters , and they exercise the noblest game : these by following the chace get strength of body , a frée and vndisquieted minde , magnanimity of spirit , alacrity of heart and an vnwearisomnesse to breake through the hardest labours : their pleasures are not insatiable but are contented to be kept within limits , for these hunt within parkes inclosed , or within bounded forrests . the hunting of the hare teaches feare to be bould , and puts simplicity so to her shifts , that she growes cunning and prouident : the turnings and cresse windings that she makes , are embleames of 〈◊〉 ●fes vncertainty : when she thinkes she is furdest from danger , it is at he héeles , and when it is nerest to her , the hand of safety defends her . when she is wearied and has runne her race , she takes her death patiently , onely to teach man , that he should make himselfe redy , when the graue gapes for him . all these kinds of hunting are abroad in the open field , but there is a close citty hunting onely within the walls , that pulles downe parkes , layes open forrests , destroies chaces , woundes the déere of the land , and make such hauocke of the goodliest heards , that by their wills , ( who are the rangers , ) none should be left a liue but the rascalls : this kinds of hunting is base , and ignoble , it is the meanest , yet the most mischieuous , & it is called ferreting . to behold acourse or two at this , did the light horseman of hell one day leape into the saddle . citty-hunting . this ferret-hunting hath his seasons as other games haue , and is onely followed at such a time of yeare , when the gentry of our kingdome by riots , hauing chased them-selues out of the faire reuenewes and large possession left to them by their ancestors , are forced to hide their heads like conies , in little caues and in vnfrequented places : or else being almost windles , by running after sensuall pleasures too feircely , they are glad ( for keeping them-selues in breath so long as a they can ) to tal to ferret-hunting , that is to say , to take vp commodities . no warrant can bée graunted for a bucke in this forrest , but it must passe vnder these fiue hands . he that hunts vp and downe to find game , is called the tombler . the commodities that are taken vp are cald purse-nets . the cittizen that selles them is the ferret . they that take vp are the rabbet-suckers . he , vpon whose credit these rabbet-suckers runne , is called the warren . how the warren is made . after a raine , conies vse to come out of their holes and to sit nibling on wéeds or any thing in the coole of the euening , and after a reueling when younger brothers haue spent al , or in gaming haue lost al , they sit plotting in their chambers with necessity how to be furnished presently with a new supply of money . they would take vp any commodity whatsoeuer , but their names stand in too many texted letters all ready in mercers and scriueners bookes : vpon a hundred poundes worth of roasted bée●e they could finde in their hearts to venture , for that would away in turning of a hand : but where shall they find a butcher or a cooke that will let any man runne so much vpon the score for flesh onely ? suppose therefore that foure of such loose fortun'd gallants were tied in one knot , and knew not how to fasten themselues vpon some welthy cittizen . at the length it runnes into their heads , that such a young nouice ( who daily serues to fill vp their company ) was neuer intangled in any citty limebush : they know his present meanes to be good , and thos to come to be great : him therefore they lay vpon the anuill of their wits , till they haue wrought him like war , for him-selue as well as for them : to doe any thing in war , or indéed till they haue won him to slide vpon this ice , because he knowes not the danger ) is he easily drawne : for he considers within himselfe that they are all gentlemen well descended , they haue rich fathers , they weare good clothes , haue bin gallant spenders , and do now and then ( still ) let it fly fréely : hee is to venture vppon no more rockes than all they , what then should hée feare ? hée therefore resolues to do it , and the rather because his owne exhibition runnes low , & that there lacke a great many wéekes to the quarter day , at which time , he shal be refurnished from his father . the match being thus agréed vpon , one of them that has béene an ould ferret-monger , & knowes all the trickes of such hūting , séekes out a tumb●●hat ●hat is to say a fellow , who beates the bush for them till ●hey catch the birds , he himselfe being contented ( as he protests & sweares ) onely with a few fethers . the tumblers hunting dry-foote . this tumbler being let loose runnes snuffing vp and downe close to the ground , in the shoppes either of mercers , gouldsmithes , drapers , haber-bashers , or of any other trade , where hée thinckes hee may méete with a ferret : and tho vpon his very first course , hee can find his ga●e , yet to make his gallants more hungry , and to thinke he wearies himselfe in hunting the more , hee comes to them sweating and swearing that the citty ferrets are so coaped ( that 's to say haue their lips stitched vp so close ) that hee can hardly get them open to so great a sum as siue hundred roundes which they desire . this heat be beeing chewd towne by the rabber-suckers almost his their hearts , and is worse to them then dabbing on the neckes to connies . they bid him if he cannot fasten his teeth vpon plate or cloth , or silkes , to lay hold on browne paper or tobacco , bartholmew babies , lute stringes or hobnailes , or two hundred poundes in saint thomas onions and the rest in mony ; the onions they coulde get wenches enough to cry and sell them by the rope , and what remaines should serue them with mutton . uppon this , their tumbler trottes vppe and downe agen , and at last lighting on a cittizen that will deale , the names are receiued , and deliuered to a scriuener , who enquiring whether they bee good men and true , that are to passe vppon the life and death of fiue hundred poundes , findes that foure of the fiue , are winde-shaken , and ready to fall into the lordes handes , marry the fift man , is an oake , and there 's hope that he cannot bee hewed downe in haste . uppon him therefore the cittizen buildes so much as comes to fiue hundred poundes , yet takes in the other foure to make them serue as scaffolding , till the farme bee furnished , and if then it hold , he cares not greatly who takes them downe . in al hast , are the bondes seald , and the commodities deliuered , and then does the tumbler fetch his second carreere , and that 's this . the tumblers hunting counter . the wares which they fished for beeing in the hand of the fiue shauers , do now more trouble their wits how to turne those wares into reddy mony , then beefore they were troubled to turn their credits into wares . the tree being once more to be shaken , they knowe it must loose fruite , and therefore their factor must barter away theimarchandise , tho it be withlosse : abroad is into the cittie he sailes for that purpose , and deales with him that sold , to buy his owne commodities againe for ready mony ; he will not doe it vnder . l. losse in the hundred : other archers bowes are tryed at the same marke , but al keepe much about one scantling : back therfore comes their carrier with this newes , that no man will disburse so much present money vppon any wares whatsoeuer . onely he met by good fortune with one friend ( and that friend is himselfe ) who for l. wil procure them a chapman , marry that chapman wil not buy vnlesse he may haue them at . l. losse in the hundred : fuh , try all the sharers , a por on these fox-furd curmudgions , giue that fellow your friend . l. for his paines , & fetch the rest of his money : within an houre after , it is brought , and powr'd downe in one heape vppon a tauerne table ; where making a goodly shew as if it could neuer be spent , al of thē consult what fée the tumbler is to haue for hunting so wel , and conclude that lesse then . l they cannot giue him , which . l. is the first mony told out now let vs cast vp this account : in euery . l. is lost . which being . times . l. makes . l. that sum the ferret puts vp cleer besides his ouer-prising the wares : vnto which ● . l lost , ad , l more which the tumbler guls them off , & other . l. which he hath for his voyage , al which makes . l. which deducted from . l. there remaineth onely . to be deuided amongst . so that euery one of the partners shall haue but . l. yet this they all put vp merily , washing down their losses w e sack and sugar , whereof they drinke that night profoundly . how the warren is spoyled . vvhilst this faire weather lasteth , and that● sthere is any grasse to nibble vpon . these rabbee uckers kéep to the warren wherein they fatned . but th cold day of repaiment approaching , they retire deepe into their caues ; so that when the ferret makes account to haue fiue before him in chase , foure of the fiue ly hiddē , & are stolne into other grounds . no maruell then if the ferret growe fierce & teare open his owniawes , to suck blood from him that is left : no maruaile if he seratch what wool he can frō his back : the pursnets that were set are all taken vp and carried away . the warren therfore must bee searched , that must pay for all , ouer that does hee range like a little ●ord . sargeants , marshals-men , and baliffes are sent forth , who lie scowting at euery corner , & with terrible pawes haunt euery walke . in conclusion the bird that these hawkes flie after , is seazd vpon , then are his fethers pluck'd , his estate look'd into , thē are his wings broken , his lā●s made ouer to a strāger : then must our yong son and heire pay . l ( for which he neuer had but . l. ) or else lie in prison . to kéep himselfe from which , he seales to any bond , enters into any statut , morgageth any lordship , does any thing , saies any thing , yéelds to pay any thing , and these citty stormes ( which will wet a man till be haue neuer a dry threed about him , tho he be kept neuer so warme ) fall not vpon him once or twise : but being a little way in , he cares not how déepe he wades : the greater his possessions are , the apter he is to take vp & to be trusted : the more he is trusted , the more he comes in debt , the farther in debt , the neerer to danger . thus gentlemen are wrought vpō , thus are they cheated , thus are they ferreted , thus are they vndonne . fawlconers . of a new kinde of hawking , teaching how to catch birds by bookes . hvnting and hawking are of kin , and therefore it is fit they should kéepe company together : both of them are noble games , and recreations , honest and healthful , yet they may so be abused that nothing can be more hurtfull . in hunting , the game is commonly still before you , or ●'th hearing , and within a little compasse : in hawking the game flies farre off , and oftentunes out of sight : a couple of rookes therefore ( that were birds of the last feather ) conspired together to leaue their nest in the citty , and to flutter abroad , into the countrie : upon two leane hac●eies were these two doctor doddipols horst , ciuilly suited , that they might carry about them some badge of a scholler . the diuels ranck-ryder , that came from the last citty-hūting , vnderstanding that two such light-horsemen , were gon a hawking , posts after and ouer-takes them . after some ordinary high-way talk , he begins to question of what profession they were ? one of them smyling scornfully in his face , as thinking him to be some gull , ( and ●indeed such fellowes take all men for gulles who they thinke to be beneath them in quallitie ) tolde him they were falconers . but the fore that followed them seeing no properties , ( belonging to a falconer ) about them smelt knauery , took them for a paire of mad rascals , & therfore resolued to see at what these falconers would let flie . how to cest vp the lure . at last on a suddaine saies on of them to him , sir , wee haue sprung a patridge , and so fare you wel ▪ which wordes came stammering out with the haste that they made , for presently the two forragers of the countrie , were vppon thr spurre : plutoes post seeing this stood still to watch them , and at length saw them in maine gallop make toward a goodly faire place , where either some knight or some great gentleman kept , and this goodly house belike was the partridge which those falconers had sprung . hee beeing loath to loose his share in this hawking , and hauing power to transforme himselfe as hee listed , came thither as soone as they , but beheld all ( which they did ) inuisible . they both like two knights errant alighted at the gate , knocked and were lette in : the one walkes the hackneyes in an outward court , as if hee had bene but squire to sir dagonet . the other ( as boldly as saint george when he dar'd the dragon at his verrie den ) marcheth vndauntedly vp to the hall , where looking ouer those poore creatures of the house , that weare but the bare blew coates ( for a quila non capit muscas ) what should a falconer meddle with flies ? hee onely salutes him that in his eye seemes to bee a gentleman like fellow : of him he askes for his good knight or so , and saies that he is a * gentleman come from london on a businesse , which he must deliuer to his owne worshipfull eare. up the staires does braue mount-dragon ascend , the knight and he encounter , and with this staffe does he valiantly charge vpon him . how the bird is caught . sir i am a poore * scholler , and the report of your vertues hath drawne me hither , venturously bolde to fixe your worthy name as a patronage to a poore short discourse which here i dedicate ( out of my loue ) to your noble and eternall memory : this speech he vtters barely . the hawking pamphleter is then bid to put on , whilst his miscellane maecenas ; opens a booke fairely aparreld in vellom with gilt fillets & fore-penny silke ribbon at least , like little streamers on the top of a marchpane castle , hanging dandling by at the foure corners , the title being superficially suruaide , in the next leafe he sees that the author hee , hath made him one of his gossips for the booke carries his worships name , & vnder it stands an epistle iust the length of a hench-mans grace before dinner , which is long inough for any booke in conscience , vnlesse the writer be vnreasonable . the knight being told before hand , that this little sun-beame of phoebus ( shining thus briskly in print ) hath his mite or at my wayting vppon him in the outward court ) thankes him for his loue and labour , and considering with himselfe , what cost he hath beene at , and how farre he hath ridden to come to him , he knowes that patrons and godfathers , are to pay scot and lot alike , and therefore to cherish his young and tender muse , he giues him foure or sixe angells , inuiting him either to stay breakefast , or if the sun-diall of the hou●e points towards eleuen , then to tary dinner . how the bird is drest . but the fish being caught ( for which our heliconian angler threw out his lines ) with thankes , and legs and kissing his own hand , he parts . no sooner is he horst , but his hostler ( who all this while walked the iades , and trauailes vp & down with him ( like an vnde seruing plaier for halfe a share ) askes this question strawes or not ? strawes cries the whole sharer and a halfe , away then replies the first , flie to our nest : this nest is neuer in the same towne but commonly a mile or two off and it is nothing els but the next tauerne they come to . but the uillage into which they rode being not able to maintaine an iuybush , an ale-house was their inne : where aduancing themselues into the fairest chamber , and beespeaking the best cheere in the towne for dinner , down they sit , & share before they speake of any thing els : that done , he that ventures vpon all he meetes , and discharges the paper bullets , ( for to tell truth , the other serues but as a signe , and is méerely nobody ) beginnes to discourse , how he caried himselfe in the action , how he was encountred : how he stood to his tackling and how well hee came off : he cals the knight , a noble fellow , yet they both shrug , and laugh , and sweares they are glad they haue guld him . more arrowes must they shoote of the same length that this first was off , and therfore there is trunck ful of trinckets , that 's to say , their budget of bookes , is opend againe , to see what leafe they are to turne ouer next , which whilst they are dooing , the ghost that al this space haunted them and hard what they said , hauing excellent , skill in the blacke-art , that 's to say in picking of lockes , maks the dore suddenly flye open ( which they had closely shut . at his strange entrance they being somwhat agast , began to shuffle away their bookes , but he knowing what cardes they plaide withal , offred to cut , and turnd vp two knaues by this trick . my maisters ( quoth he ) i knowe where you haue bin , i know what you haue don , i know what you meane to do , i sée now you are falconers indeed , but by the ( and then he swore a damnable oth ) vnlesse you teach me to shoote in this birding peece , i will raise the uillage , send for the knight whome you boast you haue guld , and so disgrace you : for your money i care not . the two frée-booters seeing themselues smoakd , told their third brother , he seemd to be a gentleman and a boone companion , they prayed him therefore to sit downe with silence , and sithence dinner was not yet ready , hée should heare all . this new kinde of hawking ( qd . one of them ) which you see vs vse can afford no name vnles● , be at it . viz. . he that casts vp the lure is calld the falconer . the lure that is cast vp is an idle pamphlet . . the tercel gentle that comes to the lure , is some knight or some gentle man of like qualitie . . the bird that is preied vpon , is money . . hee that walkes the horses , and hunts dry foote is cald a mongrell . the falconer and his spaniell . the falconer hauing scraped together certaine small paringes of witte , he first cuttes them hansomely in pretty peeces , and of those peeces does he patch vppe a booke . this booke he prints at his own charge , the mongrell running vppe ano downe to look to the workemen , and béaring likewise some parte of the cost , ( for which he enters vpon his halfe share ) when it is fully finished , the falconer and his mongrell , or it may bée two falconers ioyne in one , ) but howsoeuer , it is by them deuised what shire in england it is best to forrage next : that beeing set downe , the falconers deale either with a herauld for a note of all the knights and gentlemens names of worth that dwell in that circuit , which they meane to ride , or els by inquiry get the chiefest of them , printing of so many epistles as they haue names , the epistles dedicatory being all one , and vary in nothing but in the titles of their patrons . hauing thus furnished themselues and packed vp their wa●es , away they trudge like tinckers , with a budget at one of their backes , or it may be the circle they meane to coniure in shall not be out of london , especially if it be tearme-time , or when a parliament is holden ( for then they haue choise of sweete-meats to féed vppon . ( if a gentleman seeing one of these bookes dedicated onely to his name , suspect it to be a bastard , that hath more fathers besides himselfe , and to try that , does deferre the presenter for a day or two , sending in the meane time ( as some haue done ) into paules church-yard amongst the stationers , to inquire if any such worke be come forth , & if they cannot tell , then to steppe to the printers : yet haue the falconers a tricke to goe beyond such hawkes too , for all they flye so hie . and that is this : the bookes lye all at the printers , but not one line of an epistle to any of them ( those bug-bears lurke in t●ebris ) if then the spy that is sent by his maister , ask why they haue no dedications to them , mounsier printer tels him , the author would not venture to adde any to them all , ( sauing onely to that which was giuen to his maister , vntill it was knowne whether he could accept of it or no. this sati●es the patron , this fetches money from him : and this cozens fiue hundred besides . nay there bée othere bird catchers that vse stranger quaile-pipes : you shal haue fellowes , foure or fiueina contry , that buying vp any old booke ( especially a sermon , or any other matter of diuinity ) that lies for wast-paper , and is clean forgotten , ad a new-printed epistle to it , and with an alphabet of letters which they cary about them , being able to print any mans names ( for a dedication ) on the suddaine , trauaile vp and downe most● shires in englād , and liue by this hawking . are we not excellent falconers now ( quoth three half shares ? ) excellent v●laines cryed the deuils deputy : by this the meate ( for dinner came smoaking in , vpon which they f●ll most tirannically , yet ( for maners sake ) offring first , to the bali● of belzebub the vpper end of the table , but he fearing they would make a hauke or a buzzard of him too , and report they had ridden him like an asse , as they had done others , out a doores hee flung with a vengeance as he came . o sacred learning ▪ why doost thou suffer thy seauen leaued tree , to be plucked by barbarous and most vnhallowed handes ? why is thy beatifull maiden-body , polluted like a strumpets , and prostituted to beastly and slauish ignorance ? o thou base-broode , that make the muses harlots : yet say they are your mothers ? you theeues of wit , cheators of arte , traitors of schooles of learning : murderers of schollers . more worthy you are , to vndergoe the romane furca like slaues , and to be brandedith fore-head deeper then they that forge testaments to vndoe orphants : such doe but rob children of goods that may be lost : but you rob schollers of their fame , which is deerer then life . you are not worth an inuectiue , not worthy to haue your names dropp out of a deseruing pen , you shall onely bee executed in picture : ( as they vse to handle malefactors in france ) and the picture ( though it were drawne to be hang vp in another place ) shal leaue you impudently-arrogāt to yourselues , and ignominiously-ridiculous to after ages : in these collours , are you drawne . the true picture of these falconers . — there be fellowes of course and common bloud ; mechanicke knaues , whose wits lye deeper buried then in graues : and indeede smell more earthy , whose creation was but to giue a boote or shooe good fashion . yet these ( throwing by the apron and the awle ) being drunck with their own wit , cast vp their gall onely ofyncke : and in patchd , beggerly rimes , ( as full of fowle corruption , as the times ) from towne to towne they s●rowle in soule , as poore as th' are in clothes : yet these at euery doore , their labors dedicate . but ( as at faires ) like pedlars , they shew still one sort of wares vnto all commers ( with some filde oration ) and thus to giue bookes , now 's an occupation . one booke hath seauen score patrons : thus desart is cheated of her due : thus noble art giues ignorance ( that common strumpet ) place , thus the true schollers name growes cheap & base , &c iacks of the clock-house . a new and cunning drawing of money from gentlemen . chap. there is another fraternitie of wandring pilgrims who merrily call themselues iackes of the clocke-house , and are verry neere allyed to the falconers that went a hawking before . the clarke of erebus set downe their names too in his tables , with certain bréefe notes of their practises : and these they are . the iacke of a clocke-house goes vppon screws , and his office is to do nothing but strike : so does this noise , ( for they walke vp and downe like fi●lers ) trauaile with motions , and whatsoeuer their motions get them , is called striking . those motions are certaine collections , or wittie inuentions , some-times of one thing , and then of an other ( there is a new one now in ●ime , in praise of the vnion ) and these are fairely written and engrossed in uell●m , parcheme● , or royall paper , richly adorned with compartiments , and set out with letters both in gold and in vations coullo●s . this labour being taken , the maister of the motion hearkens where such a nobleman , such a lord , or such a knight lyes , that is liberall : hauing found one to his liking , the motion ( with his patrons name fairely texted out , in manner of a dedication , ) is presented before him : he receiues it , and thinking it to be a work onely vndertaken for his sake , is bounteous to the giuer , esteeming him a scholler , and knowing that not without great trauaile , hee hath drawne so many little ●gling streames into so faire and smoothe a riuer : whereas the worke is the labour of some other ( copied out by stealth ) be an impudent ignorant fellow , that runnes vp and downe with the transcripts , and euery ale-house may haue one of them ( hanging in the basest drinking roome ) if they will bee but at the charges of writing it out . thus the liberallitie of a nobleman , or of a gentleman is abused : thus learning is brought into scorne and contempt : thus men are cheated of their bountie , giuing much for that ( out of their free mindes ) which is common abroad , and put away for base prices . thus villanie some-times walkes alone , as if it were giuen to melancholly , and some-times knaues tie them-selues in a knot , because they may be more merry , as by a mad sort of comrades whome i see leaping into the saddle , anon it will apeare . rancke riders , the manner of cozening inn-keepers . post-maisters and hackny men . chap. . there is a troope of horsemen , that runne vp and downe the whole kingdome , they are euer in a gallop , their businesse is weightie , their iournies many , their expences greate , their innes rustie where , their lands no where : they haue onely a certaine fr●e-holde cald tyborne ( scituate neere london , and many a faire paire of gallowes in other countries besides , ) vppon which they li●e verie poorely fill they dye , and dye for the moste part wickedly , because their liues are villanous and desperate . but what ●ce so euer they runne , there they end it there they set vp their rest , there is their last baste , whether soeuer their ●ourney lyes . and these horse-men haue no other names but ranck riders . to furnish whome foorth for any iourney , they must haue kiding sutes cut out of these foure peeces . the inne-kéeper or hackney-man , of whome they haue horses , is cald a colt. he that neuer alights off a rich farmer or country gentleman , till he haue drawne money from him , is called the snaffle . the money so gotten , is the ring he that feedes them with mony is called the prouander . these ranck-riders ( like butchers to rumford market ) sildome goe vnder sire or seauen in a company , and these careeres they fetch . their pursses being warmly lined with some purchase gotten before , and they thēselues well booted and spur'd , and in reasonable good outsides , arriue at the fairest inne they can choose , either in westminster , the strand , the cittie , or the suburbes . two of them who haue cloathes of purpose to fitte the play , carrying the shew of gentlemen : the other a● their partes in blew coates , as they were their seruingmen , though indeede they be all fellowes . they enter all durted or dustied ( according as it shall please the high way to vse them ) and the first bridle they put into the colts mouth ( that 's to say the inkeepers ) is at their comming in to asks alowde if the footeman begone backe with the horses ? t is answered yes , heere , the ranck-riders lye three or foure daies , spending moderately enough , yet aabating not a penny of any reckoning to shew of what house they came : in with space their counterfeit followers learne what country-man the maister of the house is , where the hostlars and chamberlaines were borne , and what other countrie gentlemen are guests to the inne ? which lessons being presently gotten by heart , they fal in studdy with the generall rules of their knauerie : and those are , first to giue out , that their maister is a gentleman of such and such meanes , in such a shire ( which shall be sure to stand farre enough from those places where any of the house , or of other guests were borne , ) that hee is come to receiue so many hundred poundes vppon land which he hath solde , and that hee meanes to inne there some quarter of a yeare at least . this brasse money passing for currant through the house , hée is more obserued and better attended , is worshipped at euerie word : and the easier to breake and bridle the colt , his worship will not sit downe to dinner or supper , till the maister of the house be placed at the vpper end of the boord by him . in the middle of supper , or else verie earely in the following morning , comes in a counterfeit footeman , sweatingly , deliuering a message that such a knight hath sent for the head-maister of these rancke-ryders , and that hee must bee with him by such an houre , the iourney being not aboue twelue or foureteene miles . upon deliuerie of this message : ( from so deere and noble a friend ) he sweares and chafes , because all his horses are out of towne , curseth the sending of them backe , offers any money to haue himselfe , his couzen with him , and his mē but reasonably horst . mine host being a credulous asse , suffers them all to get vppe vpon him , for hee prouides them horses either of his owne ( thinking his guest to be a man of great accompte ; and beeing loath to loose him , because hee spends well ) or else sendes out to hire them of his neighbours , passing his word for their forth-comming with in a day or two , up they get and away gallopour ranck-riders , as far as the poore iades can carry them . the two daies being ambled out of the worlde , and perhaps three more after them , yet neither a supply of horse-men or foote-men , ( as was promised ) to be set eye vppon . the lamentable in-keeper ( or hac●ney man , if he chance to be sadled for this iourney too ) loose their colts teeth , and finde that they are made olde arrant iades : search , then runnes vp and downe like a constable halfe out of his wittes ( vppon a shroue-tuesday ) and hue and cry followes after , some twelue or foureteene miles off , ( round about london ) which was the farthest of their iourney as they gaue out . but ( alas ! ) the horses are at pasture foure score or a hundred miles from their olde mangers : they were sould at some blinde drunken theeuish faire , ( there beeing enow of them in company to saue themselues , by their toll-booke , ) the seruing-men cast off their blew-coates , and cried all fellowes : the money is spent vpon wine , vpon whores , vpon fidlers , vpō fooles ( by whom they wil loose nothing ) and the tyde beeing at an ebbe , they are as ready to practise their skill in horse-manship to bring coltes to the saddle in that towne , and to make nags run a race of three-score or a hundred miles of from that place , as before they did from london . running at the ring . thus , solong as horseflesh can make them fat , they neuer leaue feeding . but when they haue beaten so many high-waies in seuerall countries , that they feare to be ouer-taken by tracers , then ( like soldiers comming from a breach ) they march faire & softly on foot , lying in garrison as it were , close in some out townes , til the foule rumor of their uillanies ( like a stormy durty winter ) be blown ouer : in which time of lurking in the shel , they are not idle neither , but like snailes they venture abroad tho the law hath threatned to rain down neuer so much puuish●t vpon them : and what do they ? they are not bees , to liue by their owne painfull labors , but drones that must eat vp the sweetnesse , and be fedde with the earnings of others : this therefore is their worke . they carelesly inquire what gentleman of worth , or what rich farmers dwell within fiue , six or seauen miles of the fort where they are 〈◊〉 ( which they may do without suspition ) and hauing go●te their names , they single out themselues in a morning , and each man takes a seuerall path to himselfe : one goes east , one west , one north , and the other south : walking either in bootes with wandes in their handes , or otherwise , for it is all to one purpose . and note this by the way , that when they trauell thus on foot , they are no more call'd ranck-riders but strowlers , a proper name giuen to country plaiers , that ( without socks ) trotte from towne to towne vpon the hard hoofe . being arriu'd at the gate where the gentleman or farmer dwelleth , he boldly knocke , inquiring for him by name , and steppes in to speake with him : the seruant séeing a fashionable person , tells his maister there is a gentleman desires to speake with him : the maister come and salutes him , but eying him well , saies he does not know him : no sir , replies the other ( with a face bolde ynough ) it may be so , but i pray you sir , will you walke aturne or two in your orchard or garden , i would there conferre : hauing got him thether , to this tune he plaies vppon him . how the snaffle is put on sir , i am a gentleman , borne to better meanes then my present fortunes doe allow me : i serued in the field , and had commaunde there , but long peace ( you knowe sir ) is the cancker that eates vp sould●ers , and so it hath mee . i lie heere not far off , in the country at mine inn● , where staying vppon the dispatch of some businesse , i am indebted to the house in m●neys , so that i cannot with the credit of a gentleman leaue toe house till i haue paide them . make mee sir so much beholden to your loue as to lend me fortye or fiftie shilings to beare my horse and my selfe to london , from whence within a day or two , i shall send you many thanks with a faithful repayment of your curtesie . the honest gentleman , or the good natur'd farmer beholding a personable man , fashionably attit'd , and not carrying in outward coullors , the face of a cogging knaue giues credit to his words , are forty that they are not at this present time so well furnished as they could wish , but if a matter of twenty shillings can stead him , he shall commaund it , because it were pi●tie any honest gentleman should for so small a matter mistarry . happilye they meete with some chap-men that giue them their owne asking ; but howsoeuer , all is fish that comes to net , they are the most conscionable market folkes that euer rode betweene two paniers , for from fortie they will fall to twentie , from twenty to ten , from ten to fiue : nay these mountibanckes are so base , that they are not ashamed to take two shillings of a plaine husbandman , and sometimes sixe pence ( which the other giues simply and honestly ) of whome they demaunded a whole fifteene . in this mann●r doe they digge siluer out of mens purses , all the day , and at night meet together at the appointed rendeuouz , where all these snaffles are loosed to their full length , the ringes which that day they haue made are worne . the prouender is praised or dispraised , as they finde it in goodnesse , but it goes downe all , whilst they laugh at all . and thus does a common-wealth bring vp children , that care not how they discredit her , or vndoe her : who would imagine that birdes so faire in shewe , and so sweete in voice , should be so dangerous in condition ? but ra●ens thinke carryon the daintiest meate , and villains estéeme most of that mony which is purchast by basenes . the under shriffe for the county of the cacodemōs , knowing into what arrerages these rank-tiders were runne for horse-flesh to his maister , ( of whome he farmed the office ) sent out his writs to attach them , and so narrowly pursued thē , that for all they were wel horst , some he sent post to the gallowes , and the rest to seuerall iayles : after which , making all the hast he posibly could to get to london againe , he was way-layd by an army of a strange & new found people . moone men . a discouery of a strange wild people , very dangerous to townes and country villages . chap. viii . a moone-man signifies in english , a mad-man , because the moone hath greatest domination ( aboue any other planet ) ouer the bodies of frantick persons . but these moone-men ( whose images are now to be carued ) are neither absolutely mad , not yet perfectely in their wits ) their name they borrow from the moone , because as the moone is neuer in one shape two nights together , but wanders vp & downe heauen , like an anticke , so these changeable-stuffe-companions neuer tary one day in a place , but are the onely , and the onely base ronnagats vpon earth . and as in the moone there is a man , that neuer stirres without a bush of thornes at his backe , so these moone-men lie vnder bushes , & are indéed no better then hedge creepers . they are a people more scattred then iewes , and more hated : beggerly in apparell , barbarous in condition , beastly in behauior : and bloudy if they meete aduātage . a man that sees them would sweare they ha● all the yellow iawndis , or that they were tawny moores bastardes , for no red-oaker man caries a face of a more filthy complexion , yet are they not borne so , neither has the sunne burnt them so , but they are painted so , yet they are not good painters neither : for they do not make faces , but marre faces . by a by name they are called gipsies , they call themselues egiptians , others in mockery call them moone-men . if they be egiptians , sure i am they neuer discended from the tribes of any of those people that came out of the land of egypt : ptolomy ( king of the egiptians ) i warrant neuer called them his subiects : no nor pharao before him . looke what difference there is betwéene a ciuell cittizen of dublin & a wilde irish kerne , so much difference there is betwéene one of these counterfeit egiptians and a true english begger . an english roague is iust of the same liuery . they are commonly an army about foure-score cong , yet they neuer march with all their bagges and baggages together , but ( like boot-halers ) they forrage vp and downe countries , . . . in a company . as the swizer has his wench and his cocke with him whē he goes to the warres , so these vagabonds haue their harlots with a number of litle children following at their héeles : which young brood of beggers , are sometimes caried ( like so many gréene geese aliue to a market ) in payres of panieres , or in dossers like fresh-fish from rye the comes on horsebacke , ( if they be but infants . ) but if they can stradle once , then aswell the shee-roagues as the hee-roagues are horst , seauen or eight vpon one iade , strongly pineond , and strangely tyed together . one shire alone & no more is sure stil at one time , to haue these egiptian lice swarming within it , for like flockes of wild-géese , they will euermore fly one after another : let them be scattred worse then the quarters of a traitor are after hée s hang'd drawne and quartred , yet they haue a tricke ( like water cut with a swoord ) to come together instantly and easily againe : and this is their pollicy , which way soeuer theformost● anckes lead , they sticke vp small boughes in seuerall places , to euery village where they passe , which serue as ensignes to waft on the rest . their apparell is od , and phantasticke , tho it be neuer so full of rents : the men weare scarses of callico , or any other base stuffe , hanging their bodies like morris-dancers , with bels , & other toyes , to intice the coūtrey people to flocke about them , and to wounder at their fooleries or rather rancke knaueryes . the women as ridiculously attire them-selues , and ( like one that plaies , the roague on a stage ) weare rags , and patched filthy mantles vpermost , when the vnder garments are hansome and in fashion . the battailes these out-lawes make , are many and very bloudy . whosoeuer falles into their hands neuer escapes aliue , & so cruell they are in these murders , that nothing can satisfie thē but the very heart bloud of those whom they kill . and who are they ( thinke you ) that thus go to the pot ? alasse ! innocent lambs , shéep , calues , pigges , &c. poultrie-ware are more churlishly handled by them , thē poore prisoners are by kéepers in the counter it 'h poultry . a goose comming amongst them learnes to be wise , that hee neuer wil be goose any more . the bloudy tragedies of al these , are only acted by the womē , who carrying long kniues or skeanes vnder their mantles , do thus play their parts : the stage is some large heath : or a firre bush common , far from any houses : upō which casting them-selues into a king , they inclose the murdered , till the massacre be finished . if any passenger come by , and wondring to sée such a cōiuring circle kept by hel-hoūdes , demaund what spirits they raise there ? one of the murderers steps to him , poysons him 〈◊〉 sweete wordes and shifts him off , with this lye , the one of the womé is falne in labour . but if any mad h●let hearing this , smell villanie , & rush in by violence to sée what the taw●y diuels are dooing : thē they excuse the fact , lay the blame on those that are the actors , & perhaps ( if they see no reme●e ) deliuer them to an officer , to be had to punishment : but by the way a rescue is utely laid and very valiantl● ( tho very villanously ) do they fetch them off , a guard them . the cabbines where these land-pyrates lodge in the night , are the out-ba●es of farmers & husband-men , ( in some poore uillage or other ) who dare not deny them , for feare they should ere morning haue their thatched houses burning about their eares : inthese ba●nes , are hoth their cooke-roomes , their supping p●ors and their bed-chambers : for there they dresse after a beastly manner : what soeuer they purchast after a théeu●h fashion : sometimes they eate uenison , & haue grey houndes that kill it for thē , but if they had not , they are houndes them-selues & are damnable hunters after flesh : which appeares by their vgly-fac'd queanes that follow them : with whom in these barnes they lie , as swine do together in hogsties . these barnes are the beds of incests , whoredomes adulteries , & of all other blacke and deadly-damned impi●ies ; here growes the cursed tree of bastardie , that is so fruitfull : here are writtē the bookes of al blasphemies , swearings & curses , that are so dreadfull to be read . yet the simple country people will come running out of their houses to gaze vpō them whilst in the meane time one steales into the next roome , and brings away whatsoeuer hee can lay hold on . upon daies of pastime & libertie , they spred them-selues in smal companies amōgst the uillages : and when young maids & batchelers ( yea sometimes old doting fooles , that should be beatē to this world of villanies , & forewarn others ) do flock about thē , they then professe shil in palmestry , & ( forsooth ) can tel fortunes which for the most part are infallibly true , by reason that they worke vppon rules , which are groūded vpon certainty : for one of them wil tel you that you shal shortly haue some euill luck fal vpon you , & within halfe an houre after you shal find your pocket pick'd , or your purse cut . these are those egiptian grashoppers that eate vp the fruites of the earth , and destroy the poore corne fieldes : to sweepe whose swarmes out of this kingdome , there are no other meanes but the sharpnes of the most infamous & basest kinds of punishment . for if the vgly body of this monster be suffred to grow & fatten it selfe with mischiefs and disorder , it will haue a neck so sine ●y & so brawny , that the arme of the law will haue much ado to strike of the head , sithence euery day the mēbers of it increase & it gathers new ioints & new forces by priggers , anglers , cheators , morts , yeomens daughters ( that haue taken some by blowes , & to auoid shame , fall into their sinnes : and other seruants both men & maides that haue beene pil●erers , with al the rest of that damned regiment , marching together in the first army of the bell-man , who running away from theyr own coulours ( with are bad ynough ) serue vnder these , being the worst . lucifers lansprizado that stood aloof to behold the mustrings of these hell-hoūds took delight to see them double their fyles so nimbly , but held it no pollicy to come neere thē ( for the diuell him-selfe durst scarce haue done that . ) away therefore hee gallops , knowing that at one time or other they would all come to fetch their pay in hell. the infection of the suburbs . chap. ix . the infernall promoter béeing wearied w e riding vp & downe the country , was glad when he had gotten the citty ouer his head , but the citty being not able to hold him within the freedome , because he was a forreiner , the gates were sette wide open for him to passe through , & into the suburbes hee went. and what saw hee there ? more ale-houses than there are auernes in all spayne & fran●e are they so dry in the suburb● ? yes , pockily dry . what saw he besides ? hée saw the dores of notorious carted bawdes , ( like hell gates ) stand night and day wide open , with a paire of harlots in taffata gownes ( like two painted posts ) garnishing out those dores , beeing better to the house then a double signe : when the dore of a poore artificer ( if his child had died but 〈◊〉 one tokē of death about him ) was close ram'd vp and guarded for seare others should haue beene infected : yet the plague that a whore-house layes vpō a citty is worse , yet is laughed at ●f not laugh ed at , yet not look'd into , or if look'd into , wincked at . the trades●an hauing his house lockd vp , looseth his customers , is put from worke and vndone : whilst in the meane time the strumpet is set on worke and maintain'd ( perhaps ) by those that vndee the other : giue thankes o wide mouth'd hell ! laugh lucifer at this dance for ioy all you diuells . belz . b●b keepes the register booke , of al the bawdes , panders & curtizans : & hee knowes , that these subutb sinners haue nolandes to liue vpon but their legges : euery prentice passing by them , can say , there sits a whore : without putting them to their booke , they will sweare so much themselues : if so , are not counstables , church-wardens , bayliffes , beadels & other officers , pillars and pillowes to all the villanies , that are by these committed ? are they not parcell-bawdes to winck at such damned abuses , considering they haue whippes in their owne handes , and may draw bloud if they please ? is not the land-lord of such rentes the graund-bawde ? ●f the dore kéeping mistresse of such a house of sinne , but his under-bawd ? sithence hee takes twenty pounds 〈◊〉 euery year● , for a vaulting schoole ( which frō no artificer liuing by the hardnesse of the hand could bee worth fiue pound . ) and that twenty pound rent , hé knowes must bée prest out of petticoates : ) his money smells of sin : the very siluer lookes pale , because it was earned by lust . how happy therefore were citties if they had no suburbes , sithence they serue but as caues , where monsters are bred vp to deuowre the citties them-selues ? would the diuell hire a villaine to spil bloud ? there he shall finde him . one to blaspheme ? there he hath choice . a pandar that would court a matron at her praiers ? hée s there . a cheator that would turne his owne father a begging ? hée s there too : a harlot that would murder her new-borne infant ? shée lies in there . what a wretched wombe hath a strumpet , which being ( for the most part ) barren of children , is notwithstāding the onely bedde that breedes vp these serpents ? vpō that one stalke grow all these mischiefes . shee is the cockatrice that hatcheth all these egges of euills . when the diuell takes the anatomy of all dānable sinnes , he lookes onely vpon her body . whe she dies , he sits as her coroner . when her soule comes to hell , all shunne that there , as they flie from a body struck with the plague here . she hath her dore-kéeper , and she herselfe is the diuells chāber-maide . and yet for all this , that shée 's so dangerous and detestable , when she hath croak'd like a rauē on the eues , then comes she into the house like a doue . when her villanies ( like the mote about a castle ) are rancke , thicke , and muddy , with standing long together , then ( to purge herself ) is she dreind out of the suburbes ( as though her corruption were there left behind her ( and ) a● a cleere streame ) is let into the citty . what armor a harlot weares comming out of the suburbes to besiege the citty within the wals . vpon what perch then does she sit ? what part plaies the then ? onely the puritane . if before she ruffled in silkes , now is she more ciuilly attird then a mid-wife . i● before she swaggred in tauernes , now with the snaile she stirrethnot out of dores . and where must her lodging be takē vp , but in the house of some citt● , whose known reputation , she borrowes ( or rather steales ) putting it on as a cloake to couer her deformities . yet euē in that , hath she an art too , for he shal be of such a profession , that all cōmers may enter , without the dāger of any eyes to watch thē . as for example she wil lie in some scriueners house , & so vnder the collour of comming to haue a bond made , she herselfe may write noue in t vniuersi . and the the law th●eaten to hit her neuer so often , yet hath she subtile defences to ward off the blowes . for , if gallants haūt the house , then spreds she these collours : she is a captaine or a lieutenāts wife in the low-coūtries , & they come with letters , from the souldier her husband . if marchants resort to her , then hoistes she vp these sayles , she is wife to the maister of a shippe , & they bring newes that her husbād put in at the straytes , or at venice , at aleppo , alexandria , or scanderoon , &c. if shop keepers come to her , with what do you lack in their mouthes , thē she takes vp such & such commodities , to send them to rye , to bristow , to yorke , &c where her husband dwells . but if the streame of her fortunes runne low , and that none but apronmen lanch forth there , then keepes she a pollitick tempsters , shop , or she starches them . perhaps shee is so pollitick , that none shal be noted to board her : if so , then she sailes vpō these points of the cōpasse : so soone as euer she is rig'd , and all her furniture on , forth she lancheth into those streetes that are most frequēted : where the first man that she meetes of her acquaintance , shal ( without much pulling ) get her into a tauerne : out of him she kisses a breakefast & then leaues him : the next she meetes , does vpon as easie pullies , draw her to a tauerne againe , out of him she cogs a dinner , & then leaues him : the third man , squires her to a play , with being ended , & the wine offred & taken ( for she 's no recusant , to refuse any thing ) him she leaues too : and being set vpon by a fourth , him she answers at his own weapō , sups with him , & drincks vpsie freeze , til the clok striking twelue , and the drawers being drowzy , away they march arme in arme , being at euery foot-step fearful to be set vpō by the band of halberdiers , that lie scowting in rug gownes to cut of such mid-night straglers . but the word being giuen , & who goes there , with come before the constable , being shot at them , they vaile presently & come , she taking vpon her to answer al the bil-men and their leader , betweene whome & her , suppose you heare this sleepy dialogue . where haue you bin so late ? at supper forsooth with my vncle here ( if he be wel bearded ) or with my brother ( if the haire bee but budding forth ) and he is bringing me home . are you married ? yes forsooth : what 's your husband ? such a noble-mans man , or such a iustices clarke , ( and then names some alderman of london , to whom she perswades herselfe , one or other of the bench of browne billes are beholding ) where lye you ? at such a mans house : sic tenues euanescit in auras : and thus by stopping the constables muoth with sugar-plummes ( that 's to say , ) whilst she poisons him with sweete wordes , the punck vanisheth . o lanthorne and candle-light , how art thou made a blinde asse ? because thou hast but one eye to see withall : be not so guld , bee not so dull in vnderstanding : do thou but follow aloofe , those two tame pigeons , & thou shalt finde , that her new vncle lies by it al that night , to make his kinse-woman on of mine aunts : or if shee bee not in trauell all night , they spend some halfe an houre together , but what doe they ? marry , they doe that , which the constable should haue done for them both in the streetes that 's to say commit , commit , you guardians ouer so great a princesse as the eldest daughter of king brutus : you twice twelue fathers and gouernours ouer the noblest cittie , why are you so careful to plant trees to beautifie your outward walks , yet suffer the goodliest garden ( within ) to be ouer-run with stincking wéedes ? you are the proining kniues that should loppe off such idle , such vnprofitable and such destroying branches from the uine : the beames of your authoritie should purge the ayre of such infection : your breath of iustice should scatter those foggy vapors , and driue them out of your gates as cha●e tossed abroad by the windes . but stay : is our walking spirit become an orator to perswade ? no : but the bel man of london with whom he met in this pera●bulation of his ▪ and to whom hée betraied himselfe & opened his very bosome , ( as hereafter you shall heare , ) is bould to take vpon him that speakers office. of ginglers . or the knauery of horse-coursers in smith-field discouered . chap. x. at the end of fierce battailes , the onely rendeuouz for lame souldiers to retire vnto , is an hospitall : and at the end of a long progresse , the onely ground for a tyred ia●e to runne in , is some blind country faire , where he may be sure to be sold , to these markets of vnwholesome horse-flesh , ( like so many rites to féede vpon carion ) do● all the horse-coursers ( that roost about the citty ) flie one after another . and whereas in buying all other commodities , men striue to haue the best , how great so euer the price be , onely the horse-courser is of a baser minde , for the woorst hors-flesh ( so it be cheape ) does best goe downe with him . he cares for nothing but a fayre out-side , and a hansome shape ( like those that hyre whores , ( though there be a hundred diseases within : he ( as the other ) ventures vpon thē all . the first lesson therefore that a horse-courser takes out , when he comes to one of these markets , is to make choyce of such nags , geldings , or mares , especially , as are fatte , fayre , and well-fauor'd to the eye : and because men delight to behold beautifull coullors , and that some coulours are more delicate ( euen in beasts ) then others are , he will so néere as he can , bargaine for those horses that haue the daintiest complexion : as the milke-white , the gray , the dapple-gray , the cole blacke with his proper markes ( as t●e white starre in the forehead , the white héele , &c. ) or the bright bay , with the like proper markes also . and the goodlier proportion the beast carries or the fayrer markes or coulour that hee beares , are or ought to bee watch-words as it were to him that afterwards buyes him of the horse-courser , that he bee not coozend with an ouer-price for a bad peny-worth , because such horses ( belonging for the most part to gentlemen ) are seldome or neuer solde away , but vpon some fowle quallty , or some incurable disease , which the beast is falne into . the best coulours are therefore the best cloakes to hide those faults that most disfigure a horse : and next vnto coulour , his pace doth often-times deceiue and goe beyond a very quick iudgement . some of these horse-hunters , are as nimble knaues in finding out the infirmities of a iade , as a barber is in drawing of téeth : and albeit ( without casting his water ) hee does more readily reckon vp all the aches , crampes , crickes , and whatsoeuer disease else lyes in his bones : and for those diseases seemes vtterly to dislike him , yet if by looking vpon the dyall within his mouth , he finde that his yeares haue struck but fiue , sixe , or seauen : and that he prooues but young , or that his diseases are but newly growing vpon him , if they be outward , or haue but hayre and skin to hide them , if they bee inward , let him sweare neuer so damnably , that it is but a iade , yet he will be sure to fasten vpon him . so then , a horse-courser to the merchant , ( that out of his sound iudgement buyes the fairest , the best-bred , and the noblest horses , selling them againe for breede or seruice , with plainnesse and honesty . ) is as the cheator to the faire gamester : hee is indeed a meere iadish nonopolitane , and deales for none but tyred , taited , dull and diseased horses . by which meanes , if his picture bee drawne to the l●●e , you shall finde euery horse-courser for the most part to bee in quality a coozener , by profession a knaue , by his running a uarlet , in fayres a hagling chapman , in the citty a cogging dissembler , and in smith-field a common forsworne uillaine . hee will sweare any thing , but the faster hee sweares , the more danger t is to beleeue him : in one forenoone , and in selling a iade not worth fiue nobles , will hee forsweare himselfe fifteene times , and that forswearing too shall bee by equiuocation . as for example , if an ignorant chapman comming to beate the price , say to the horse-courser your nagge is verie olde or thus many yeares olde , and reckon ten or twelue ; hee claps his hand presently on the buttocke of the beast , and praies he may bee damb'd if the horse be not vnder fiue , meaning that the horse is not vnder fiue yeares of age , but that he standes vnder fiue of his fingers , when his hand is clap'd vppon him . these horse-coursers are called iynglers , and these iynglers hauing laide out their money on a company of iades at some drunken fayre , vp to london they driue them , and vppon the market day into smithfield brauely come they prauncing . but least their iades should shew too many horse trickes in smith-field , before so greate an audience as commonly resort thither , their maisters doe therefore schoole them at home after this manner . how a horse-courser workes vpon a iade in his own stable , to make him seruiceable for a couzening race in smith-field . the glanders in a horse is so filthy a disease , that he who is troubled with it can neuer keep his nose cleane : so that when such a foule-nosed iade happens to serue a horse-courser , hee hath more strange pils ( then a pothecarie makes ) for the purging of his head , he knowes that a horse with such a qualitie , is but a beastly companion to trauell vppon the high way with anye gentleman . albeit therefore that the glanders haue played with his nose so long , that hee knowes not how to mend himselfe , but that the disease beeing suffered to runne vppon him many yeares together , is grown inuincible , yet hath our iingling mountibancke smith-field rider a tricke to cure him , fiue or sixe waies and this isone of them . in the verie morning when he is to bee rifled away a-amongst the gamsters in smithfield , before hee thrust his head out of his maisters stable , the horse-courser tickles his nose ( not with a pipe of tobacco ) but with a good quantitie of the best neesing powder that can bee gotten : which with a quil being blown vp into the nostrills , to make it worke the better , he stands p●aking there vp and downe with two long feathers plucked from the wing of a goose , they beeing dipt in the iuice of garlick , or in any strong oyle , and thrust vp to the verie top of his head , so farre as possibly they can reach , to make the pore dumbe beast auoide the filth from his nostrils , which hee will doe in great aboundance : this being done , he comes to him with a new medicine for a sicke horse , and mingling the iuyce of bruzed garlike , sharpe biting mustard , and strong ale together , into both the nostrils ( with a horne ) is powred a good quantitie of this filthy broth , which by the hand being held in by stopping the nostrils close together , at length with a little neezing more , his nose will be cleaner then his maisters the horse-courser , and the filth bee so artificially stop'd that for eight or ten houres a iade will holde vp his head with the prowdest gelding that gallops scornefully by him , and neuer haue neede of wiping . this is one of the comedies a common horse-courser playes by himselfe at home , but if when hee comes to act the second part abroad , you would disgrace him , and haue him hissd at for net playing the knaue well , then handle him thus : if you suspect that the nagge which he would iade you with , bee troubled with that or any other such like disease , gripe him hard about the wesand pipe , close toward ther●ofe of the tongue , and holding him there so long and so for●bly , that he cough twice or thrice , it then ( after you let goe your holde ) his chappes begin to walke as if he were chewing downe a horse-loafe , shake hands with old mounsier cauiliero hors-courser , but c●ap no bargain vpon ●t , for his iade is as full of infirmitie , as the maister f uillan●e . other gambals that horse-coursers practise vpon fowndred horses , old iades , &c. smithfield is the stage vpon which the moūtibank english horse-courser aduācing his banner , deffes any disease that dares touch his prancer : insomuch that if a horse be so olde , as that foure legs can but carry him , yet shall he beare the markes of an nag not aboue sixe or seauen peares of age : & that counterseit badge of youth , he weares thus : the horse-courser with a smal round yrō made very hot , burnes two black holes in the top of the two out-most teeth of each side the out-side of the horses mouth vpon the nether teeth , & so likewise of the teeth of the vpper chap , which stand opposite to the nether , the quallitie of which marks is to shew that a horse is but yong : but if the iade be so old that those teeth are dropt out of his head , thē is there a tricke still to be fumbling about his olde chaps , & in that stroaking his chin , to pricke his lips closely with a pin or a naile , till they be so tender , that albeit be were a giuen horse none could bee suffered to looke him in the mouth ( which is one of the best calenders to tell his age ) but a reasonable sighted eie ( without helpe of spectacles ) may easily discouer this iugling , because it is grosse and common . if now a horse ( hauing beene asore traualler ) happē by falling into a colde sweate to bee foundred , so that ( as if hee were drunck or had the staggers ) bee can scarce stand on his legges , then will his maister , before hee enter into the lists of the field against all commers , put him into a villanous chasing by ryding him vp and downe a quarter or halfe an houre , till his limbes bee thoroughly heated , and this hee does , because so long as hee can discharge that false fire , or that ( beingso collerickly hotte ) hee tramples onely vppon soft ground , a very cūning horsemā shal hardly find where his shoo wrings him , or that hee is fowndred . and ( to blinde the eyes of the chapman ) the horse-courser will bee euer tickling of him with his wand , because hee may not by standing still like an asse , shew of what house hee comes . it a horse come into the fielde ( like a lame soldier ) halting , hee has not crutches made for him , as the soldier hath , but because you shall thinke the horses shooemaker hath seru'd him like a iade , by not fitting his foote well , the shooe shall bee takē off purposely from that foote which halts , as though it had beene lost by chance : and to proue this , witnesses shall come in , if at least twenty or thirty damnable oathes can be takē , that the want of the shooe is onely the cause of his halting . but if a horse cannot be lustie at legges : by reason that either his hoofes bee not good , or that there be splents , or any other eye-sore about the nether ioynt , the hors-courser vses him then as cheating swaggerers handle nouices : what they cannot winne by the dyce , they will haue by foule play : & in that foule manner , deales hee with the poore horse , ryding him , vp and downe in the thickest & the durtiest places , till that durt , like a ruffled boote drawne vppon an ill-fauour'd gowtie legge , couer the iades infirmitie from the eyes of the buyer . how a horse-courser makes a lade that has no stomach , to eate lamb-pye . albeit lamb-pie be good meat vpō a table , yet it is so offensiue to a horses stomach , that he had rather besed a moneth together with mustie oates , thā to taste it ; yet are not all horses●iddē ●iddē to his lamb-pye-breakefasts but onely such as ate dyeted with no other meate : and those are dull , blockish , sullen , and heauie footed iades . when-soeuer therefore a horse-courser hath such a dead commoditie , as a lumpish slow iade , that goes more heauily then a cow when shee trots , and that neither by a sharpe bitte nor a tickling spurre he can put him out of his lazie and dogged pace , what does hee with him then ? duelye he giues him lambpie . that is to say , euery morning when the horse-courser comes into the stable , he takes vp a tough round cudgell , and neuer leaues fencing with his quarter staffe at the poore horses sides and buttockes , till with blowes hee hath made them so tender , that the verry shaking of a bough will be able to make the horse ready to runne out of his wittes , and to keep the horse still in this mad mood , because he shall not forget his lesson , his maister will neuer come neer him , but he will haue a fling at him : if he doe touch him , hee strikes him : if he spepkes to him , there is but a worde and a blow : if he doe but looke vpon him , the horse flings and takes on , as though he would breaks through the walles , or had bene a horse bredde vp in bedlam amongst mad-folkes . hauing thus gotten this hard lesson by heart , forth comes he into smithfield to repeat it , where the rider shall no sooner leap into the saddle but the horse-courser giuing the iade ( that is halfe scarred out of his wits already ) three or foure good bangs , away flies bucephalus as if yōg alexander wer vpon his backe . no ground can holde him , no bridle raine him in , he gallops away as if the deuill had hired him of some hackney-man , and scuds through thicke and thinne , as if crackers had hung at his heeles . if his taile play the wag , and happen to whilke vp and downe ( which is a signe that he does his feates of actiuitie like a tumblers prentice by compulsion and without taking pleasure in them ( then shall you sée the hors●-courser late about him like a thrasher , till with blowes he made him carry his taile to his bottocks : which in a horse ( contrary to the nature of a dog ) is an argument that he hath mettall in him and spirrit , as in the other it is the note of cowardise . these and such other base iuglings are put in practise , by the horse-courser ; in this maner comes he arm'd into the field : with such had and deceiptfull cōmodities does he furnish the markets . neither steps he vpon the diuels stage alone , but others are likewise actors in the selfe●ame scene , and sharers with him : for no sooner shall money be offred for a horse , but presently one snake thrusts out his head and stings the buyer with false praises of the horses goodnesse : an other throwes out his poisoned hooke and whispers in the chapmans eare , that vpon his knowledge so much or so much hath bene offred by foure or fiue , and would not be taken ▪ and of these rauens there vesundry nests , but all of them as blacke in soule us the horse-courser ( with whome they are yoaked ) 〈◊〉 in conscience . this regiment of horse-men is therefore deuided into foure squadrons . viz. when horse-coursers trauaile to country faires , they are called iynglers . when they haue the leading of the horse & serue in smithfield , they are drouers . they that stand by and conycatche the chapman either with out-bidding , false-praises , &c. are called goades . the boyes , striplings , &c. that haue the ryding of the iades vp and downe are called skip-iacks . iacke in a box. or a new kinde of cheating , teaching how to change golde into siluer , vnto which is added a map , by which a man may learn how to trauell all ouer england and haue his charges borne . chap. ii how many trees of euill are growing in this coūtrie ? how tall they are ? how mellow is their fruit ? and how greedily gathered ? so much ground doe they take vp , and so thickly doe they stand together , that it séemeth a kingdom can bring forth no more of their nature , yes , yes , there are not halfe so many riuers in hell , in which a soule may saile to damnation , as there are black streames of mischiefe and villany ( besides all those which in our now-two ueyages , we haue ventured so many leagues vp , for discouerie ) in which thousandes of people are continually swimming , and encrie minute in danger vtterly to be cast away . the horse-courser of hell , after he had durtyed himselfe with ryding vp and downe smithfield and hauing his beast vnder him , gallopped away amaine to beholde a race of fiue myles by a couple of running-horses , vppon whose swiftnesse great summes of money were laide in wagers . in which schoole of horse-manshippe ( wherein for the moste part none but gallants are the studients ) hee construed but strange lectures of abuses : he could make large comments vppon those that are the runners of those races , and could teach others how to loose fortie or fiftie pound pollitickly in the forenoone , and in the after noone ( with the selfe-same gelding ) to winne a thousand markes in fiue or sire miles riding . hee could tell how gentlemen are fetch'd in and made younger brothers , and how your new knight comes to be a couzen of this race . he could drawe the true pictures of some fellowes , that dyet these running-horses , who for a bride of fortie or fiftie shillings can by a false dye make their owne maisters loose a hundred pound a race . he could shew more craftie foxes in this wilde-goose chase thē there are white foxes in russia , & more strange horse-trickes plaide by such riders , then bankes his curtall did euer practise ( whose gamballs of the two , were the honester . but because this sort of birdes haue many feathers to loose , before they can feele any colde , he suffers them to make their owne flight , knowing that prodigalls doe but iest at the stripes which other mens rods giue them , and neuer complaine of smarting till they are whip'd with their owne . in euerie corner did he finde serpents ingendering : vnder euerie roofe , some impyetie or other lay breeding : but at last perceining that the most part of men were by the sorcerie of their own diuelish conditions transformed into wolues , and being so changed , were more brutish & bloody , then those that were wolues by nature : his spleene leap'd against his ribbes with laughter , and in the height of that ioy resolued to write the villanies of the world in folio , and to dedicate them in priuate to his lord and maister , because hee knew him to bee an open-handed patron , albeit he was no great louer of schollers . but hauing begunne one picture of a certaine strange beast , ( called iacke in a boxe ) that onely ( because the cittie had giuen money already to see it ) hee finished : and in these colours was iack in a boxe drawn . it hath the head of a man ( the face well bearded ) the eyes of a hawke , the tongue of a lap-wing , which saies heere it is , when the nest is a good way off : it hath the stomacke of an estrich , and can disgest siluer as easily , as that bird dooth yron . it hath the pawes of a beare instead of handes , for whatsoeuer it fastneth vppon , it holdes : from the middle downe-wardes , it is made like a grey-hound , and is so swift of foote , that if it once get the start of you , a whole kennel of hounds cannot ouertake it . it loues to hunt dry-foote , and can scent a traine in no ground so well as the cittie , and yet not in all places of the cittie . but he is best in scenting betweene ludgate and temple-barre : and t is thought that his next hunting shall bee betweene lumbard-streete and the gold smithes rowe in cheapeside : thus much for his out ward parts , now you shall haue him vnrip'd , and see his inward . this iacke in a boxe , or this deuill in mans shape , wearing ( like a player on a stage ) good cloathes on his backe , comes to a golde-smithes stall , to a drapers , a haberdashers , or into any other shop where he knows good store of siluer faces are to be seene . and there drawing foorth a faire new box , hammered all out of siluer plate , hee opens it , and powres foorth twentie or forty twentie-shilling-peeces in new-golde . to which heape of worldly-temptation , thus much hee addes in words , that either he him-selfe , or such a gentleman ( to whom he belongs ) hath an occasion for foure or fiue daies to vse fortie pound but because he is verie shortly , ( nay he knowes not how suddenly ) to trauaile to venice , to ierusalem or so , and would not willingly be disfurnished of golde , he dooth therefore request the cittizen to lend ( vpon those forty twenty shilling peeces ) so much in white money ( but for foure , fiue or sixe daies at most ) and for his good-will he shall receiue any reasonable satisfaction . the cittizen ( knowing the pawne to be better thē a bond ) powres downe fortie pound in siluer , the other drawes it , and leauing so much golde in hostage , marcheth away with bag and baggage . fiue daies being expited , iacke in a box ( according to his bargaine ) being a man of his word comes againe to the shop or stall ( at which hee angles for fresh fish ) and there casting out his line with the siluer hooke , that 's to say , pouring out the forty pound which hee borrowed , the citizen sends in , or steps himselfe for the boxe with the golden deuill in it : it is opened , and the army of angels being mustred together , they are all found to bee there . the box is shut agen and set on the stall , whilst the cittizen is telling of his money : but whilst this musicke is sounding , iacke in a boxe actes his part in a dumb shew thus ; hee shifts out o his fingers another boxe of the same mettall and making , that the former beares , which second boxe is filled onely with shillings & being p●zed in the hand , shall seeme to cary the weight of the former , and is clap'd down in place of the first . the citizen in the meane time ( whilst this pit-fall is made for him ) telling the fortie poundes , misseth thirtie or fortie shillinges in the whole summe , at which the iacke in a boxe starting backe ( as if it were a matter strange vnto him ) at last making a gathering within himselfe ) for his wits , hee remembers ( he saies ) that hee laid by so much money as is wanting ( of the fortie poundes to dispatch some businesse or other , and forgot to put it into the bag again● , notwithstanding , hee intreates the citizen , to keepe his golde still , hee will take the white money home to fetch the rest , and make vp the summe , his absence shall not bee aboue an houre or two : before which time he shall bee sure to heare of him , and with this the little diuell vanisheth , carrying that away with him , which in the end will send him to the gallowes , ( that 's to say his owne golde , ) and fortie pound besides of the shop-keepers , which hee borrowed , the other béeing glad to take forty shillings for the whole debt , and yet is soundly box'd for his labour . this iacke in a boxe , is yet but a chicken , and hath laide verie few egges , if the hang-man doe not spoyle it with treading , it will prooue and excellent henne of the game . it is a knot of cheators but newly tyed , they are not yet a company . they flie not like wilde-geese ( in flockes ) but like kites ( single ) as loath that any should share in their pray . they haue two or thrée names , ( yet they are no romaines , but errant rogues ) for some-times they call themselues iacke in a boxe , but now that their infantrie growes strong , and that it is knowne abroad , that they carrie the philosophers stone ●bout them , and are able of fortie shillings to make fortie pound , they therefore vse a deade march , and the better to cloake their villanies , doe put on these masking suites : viz. . this art or sleight of changing golde into siluer , is called trimming . . they that practise it , terme them-selues sheepe-shearers . the gold which they bring to the cittizen , is cald iasons fleece . the siluer which they pick vp by this wandring , is white-wooll . they that are cheated by iacke in a boxe , are called bleaters . oh fleete-streete , fleete-streete ! how hast thou bene trimd , washed , shauen and polde by these deere and damnable barbers ? how often hast thou mette with these sheep-shearers ? how many warme flakes of wooll haue they pulled from thy back ? yet if thy bleating can make the flockes that graze nere vnto thee and round about thee , to lift vp thy eyes , and to shunne such wolues and foxes , when they are approaching , or to haue them worryed to death before they sucke the blood of others , thy misfortunes are the lesse , because thy neighbours by them shall be warned from danger . many of thy gallants ( o fleete-streete ) haue spent hundreds of poundes in thy presence , and yet neuer were so much as drunke for it : but for euerie fortye pound that thou layest out in this indian commoditie ( of gold ) thou hast a siluer boxe bestowed vpon thee , to carry thy tobacco in , because thou hast euer loued that costlye and gentleman-like smoak . iacke in a boxe hath thus plaide his part . there is yet another actor to step vpon the stage , and he seemes to haue good skil in cosmography for he holdes in his hand a map , wherein hee hath layde downe a number of shires in england , and with small pricks hath beaten out a path , teaching how a man may easily , ( tho not verry honestly ) trauell from country to country , and haue his charges borne ; and thus it is . he that vnder-takes this strange iourney , layes his first plotte how to be turned into a braue man , which he findes can be done by none better then by a trusty tailor : working therefore hard with him , till his suite be granted , out of the cittie , beeing mounted on a good gelding , he tides vpon his owne bare credit , not caring whether ●e trauell to meete the sunne at his rysing or at his going downe . he knowes his kitchin smokes in euery countie , and his table couered in euery shire . for when he comes within a mile of the towne , where hee meanes to catche quas●es , setting spurres to his horse , away he gallops , with his cloake off ( for in these beseigings of townes hee goes not armd with any ( his hatte thrust into his hose , as if it were lost , and onely an emptie paire of hangers by his side , to shew that hee has bene disarmed . and you must note , that this hot spurre does neuer set vppon any places but onely such , where hee knowes ( by intelligence ) there are store of gentlemen , or wealthy farmers at the least . amongst whome when hee is come , hee tels with distracted lookes , and a voice almoste breathlesse , how many uillaines set vppon him , what golde & siluer they tooke from him , what woods they are fled into , from what part of englād he is come , to what place he is going , how farre he is from home , how farre from his iornies end , or from any gentleman of his acquaintance , and so liuely personates the lying greek ( synon ) in telling a lamentable tale : that the mad troianes ( the gentlemen of the towne , beleeuing him , & the rather because he carries the shape of an honest man in shew , and of a gentleman in his apparrell ) are liberall of their purses , lending him money to beare him on his iourney , to pay which he offers either his bill or bond ( naming his lodging in london ) or giues his word ( as hée s a gentleman , which they rather take , knowing the like misfortūe may be theirs at any time . and thus with the feathers of other birdes , is this monster stuck , making wings of sundry fashions , with which he thus basely flies ouer a whole kingdom . thus doth he ride from towne to towne , from citty to city as if he were a lād-lord in euery shire and that he were to gather rents vp of none but gentlemen . there is a twin-brother to this false galloper , and hee cheats inne-keepers onely , or their tapsters , by learning first what country-men they are , and of what kindred : and then bringing counterfeit letters of commendations from such an uncle , or such a coozen ( wherin is requested , that the bearer thereof may bee vsed kindely ) hee lyes in the iune till he haue fetcht ouer the maister or seruant for some mony ( to draw whome to him he hath many bookes ) and when they ●ang fast enough by the gills , vnder water our sharke diues , and is neuer seene to swimme againe in that riuer . uppon this scaffold , also might be mounted a number of quack-saluing empericks , who ariuing in some country towne , clappe vp their terrible billes , in the market-place , and filling the paper with such horrible names of diseases , as if euery disease were a diuell , and that they could coniure them out of any towne at their pleasure . yet these beggerly mountibancks are meate coozeners , and haue not so much skill as horsele●es . the poore people not giuing money to them to be cured of any infirmities , but rather with their money buying worse infirmities of them : uppon the same post , doe certain stragling scribling writers deserue to haue both their names and them-selues hung vp , insteed of those faire tables which they hang vp in townes , as gay pictures to intice schollers to them : the tables are witten with sundry kindes of hands , but not one finger of those hands ( not one letter there ) drops from the penne of such a false wandring scribe . he buyes other mens cunning good cheape in london , and sels it deere in the country . these swallowes bragge of no qualitie in them so much as of swiftnesse . in foure & twenty houres , they will worke foure and twenty wonders , and promise to teach those , that know no more what belongs to an a. then an asse , to bee able ( in that narrow compasse ) to write as faire and as fast as a country uicar , who commonly reads all the townes letters . but wherefore doe these counterfeit maisters of that noble science of writing , kéepe such a florishing with the borrowed weapons of other mens pennes ? onely for this to gette halfe the birdes ( which they striue to catch ) into their hands , that 's to say , to bee payde halfe the money which is agréed vpon for the scholler , and his nest being halfe fild with such gold-finches , he neuer stayes till the rest be fledge , but suffers him that comes next , to beate the bush for the other halfe . at this caréere the ryder that set out last from smith ▪ field , stop'd : and alighting from pacolet ( the horse that carried him ) his next iourney was made on foote . the bel-mans second night-walke . chap. xii . sir lancelot of the infernall lake , or the knight errant of hell , hauing thus ( like a yong country gentleman ) gone round about the citty , to see the sights not onely within the walles but those also in the subburbes , was glad when hee sawe 〈◊〉 hauing put on the vizard that hell lends her ( cald darkenes to leap in to her coach ) because now he knew he should meete with other strange birdes and beasts fluttring from their nests , and crawling out of their dennes . his prognostication held currant , and the foule-weather ( which hee fore-told , ) fell out accordingly . for candle-light ha● scarce opend his eye ( to looke at the citty like a gunner shooting at a marke , ) but fearefully ( their feet trembling vnder thē ) their ●es suspitiously rouling from euery nooke to nooke round about them , & their heads ( as if they stood vppon oyled shrewes ) still turning back behinde them , came créeping out of hollow-trées , where they lay hidden , a number of couzning bankrupts in the shapes of owles , who when the marshall of light , the sunne , went vp and downe to search the citty , durst not stir abroad , for feare of ●éeing houted at and followed by whole flockes of vndon creditors . but now when the stage of the world was hung in blacke , they ietted vppe & downe like proud tragedians o what thankes they gaue to darknesse ! what * songes they balladed out in praise of night , for bestowing vpon them so excellent a cleake wherein they might so safely walke muftled ! now durst they , as if they had beene constables , rappe alowd at the dores of those to whom they owed most money , & braue them with hie wordes , tho they payd them not a penny . now did they boldly step into some priuiledged tauerne , and there drinke healthes , dance with harlets , & pay both drawers and fidlers after mid-night with other mens money , & then march home againe fearelesse of the blowes that any showlder-clapper durst giuethē . out of another nest flew certaine murderers and theeues in the shapes of skreech-owles , who , being set on by the night , did beate with their bold and vēturous fatall wings at the very dores whereas , informer times , their villanies had entred . not farre frō these , came crawling out of their bushes a company of graue & wealthy lechers in the shapes of glowe-wormes , who with gold , iyngling in their pockets , made such a shew in the night , that the dores of common brothelryes flew open to receiue them , the in the day time they durst not passe that way , for seate that noted curtizans should challenge them of acquaintance , or that others should laugh at them to see white heads growing vpon greene stalkes . then came forth certaine infamou● earthy minded creatures in the shapes of snailes , who all the day time hyding their heads in their shells , lea● b●ies should w e two fingers point at them for liuing b●ly vpō the prostitutiō of their wiues bodies , cared not now , before candle-light , to shoote out their largest & longest hornes . a number of other monsters , like these , were seene ( as the sunne went downe ) to venture from their dēnes , only to ingender with darknesse : but candle-lights eye-sight growing dimmer & dimmer , and hée at last falling starke blind , lucifers watch-man went strumbling vp and down in the darke . how to weane horses . euery dore on a sudden was shut , not a candle stood peeping through any window , not a vintner was to be séene brewing in his cellor , not a drunkerd to be met réeling , not a mouse to be heard stiring : al the citty shewed like one bed , for all in that bed were soūdly cast into a ●éepe . noyse made no noise , for euery one that wrought with the hāmer was put to silence . yet notwithstāding when euen the diuel himselfe could haue béene contēted to take a nap , there were few inkeepers about the towne but had their spirits walking . to watch which spirits what they did , our spy , that came lately out of the lowercountries , stole into one of their circles , where lucking very closely , hée perceiued the whē all the guests were profoundly sleeping , when cariers were soundly snorting , & not so much as the chamberlaine of the house but was layd vp , suddenly out of his bed started an hostler . who hauing no apparell on but his shirt , a paire of slip-shooes on his feete , and a candle burning in his hand like olde ieronimo step'd into the stable amōgst a number of poore hungry iades , as if that night he had beene to ride poast to the diuell . but his iorney not lying that way till some other time , he neither bridled nor sadled any of his foure-footed guests that stood there at racke and manger , but seeing them so late at supper , and knowing that to ouer-eate them-selues would fill them full of diseases , ( they being subiect to aboue a hundred & thirty already ) hée first ( without a voyder ) after a most vnmanerly fashion tooke away , not onely all the prouander that was set before them , but also all the hay , at which before they were glad to lick their lippes . the poore horses looked very rufully vpon him for this , but hee rubbing their teeth onely with the end of a candle ( in steed of a cortall ) tolde them , that for their iadish trickes it was now time to weane them : and so wishing them not to bee angry if they lay vpon the hard boards , cōsidering all the beddes in the house were full , back againe hee stole to his coach , till breake of day : yet fearing least the sunne should rise to discouer his knauery , vp hee started , & into the stable he stumbled , scarce halfe awake , giuing to euery iade a bottle of hay for his breake-fast , but al of them being troubled w e the greazy tooth-ach , could eate none , which their maisters in the ●ing espying swore they were either fullen or els that prouender pricked them . this hostler for this peece of seruice was afterwards preferred to be one of the groomes in belzebubs stable . another night-peece drawne in sundry collours . shall i shew you what other bottomes of mischiefe , plutos beadle saw wound vpon the blacke spindels of the night , in this his priuy search ? in some streetes he met mid-w●ies running , till they sweat , & following them close at hecles , he spied them to be let in , at the backe dores of houses , seated either in blind lanes , or in by-gardens : which houses had roomes builded for the purpose , where young maides , being bigge with child by vnlawful fathers , or young wiues ( in their husbands abscence at sea , or in the warres ) hauing wrastled with batchilers or maried men , til they caught falls , lay safely til they wer deliuered of them . and for reasonable summes of mony , the bastards that at these windows crept into the world , were as closely now and then sent presently out of the * world , or els were so vnmannerly brought vp , that they neuer spake to their owne parents that begot them . in some streetes he met seruants in whose brest albeit the arrowes of the plague stuck halfe way , yet by cruell maisters were they driuen out of dores at mid-night and conuaid to garden-houses , where they either died before next morning , or else were carried thither dead in their coffins as tho they had lien sicke there before and there had dyed . now and then at the corner of a turning hee spyed seruants purloyning fardels of their maisters goods , and deliuering them to the hands of common strumpets . this dore opend , and lust with prodigality were heard to stand closely kissing : and ( wringing one another by the hand ) softly to whisper out foure of fiue good-nights , till they met abroad the next morning . a thousand of these comedies were acted in dumb shew , and onely in the priuat houses : at which the diuells messenger laught so loud that hell heard him , and for ioy range foorth loude and lustie plaudities . but beeing driuen into wonder why the night would fall in labour , and bring foorth so many uillantes , whose births she practised to couer ( as she had reason ) because so many watchmen were co●tinually called and charged to haue an eye to her dooings , at length he perceiued that bats ( more vgly and more in number then these ) might flye vp and downe in darkenesse : for tho with their letherne wings they should strike the verry billes out of those watchmens handes , such leaden plummets were commōly hung by sleepe at all their eyelids , that hardly they could be awakned to strike them agen . on therefore he walkes , with intent to hasten home , as hauing fil'd his table bookes with sufficient notes of intelligence . but , at the last , meeting with the bell-man , and not knowing what he was because he went without his lanthorne and some other implements : for the man in the moone was vp the most part of the night and lighted him which way soeuer he turned , he tooke him for some churlish hobgoblin , seeing a long staffe on his necke , and therefore to be one of his owne fellowes . the bel-ringer smelling what strong scent he had in his nose , soothed him vp , and questioning with him how he had spent his time in the citty , and what discouery of land-villanies he had made in this iland voiage : the mariner of hell , opened his chart , which he had linedwith all abuseslying either east , west , north , or south : he shewed how he had pricked it , vpon what points he had saild , where he put in : vnder what height he kept him-selfe : where he went a shore , what strāge people he met : what land he had discouered , and what commodities he was laden with from thēce . of all which the bell-man drawing forth a perfect map , they parted : which map he hath set out in such collors as you see , tho not with such cunning as he could wish : the paines are his owne , the pleasure , if this can yeelde any pleasure , onely yours , on whome he bestowes it : to him that embraceth his labours , he dedicats both them and his loue : with him that either knowes not how , or cares not to entertaine them , he will not be angry , but onely to him sayes thus much for a farrewell . — — si quid nouisti rectius istis , candidus imperti : si non , his vtere mecum : finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e one language through all the world at the beginning english toung comparable to the best . building of babell . confusion described . beginning of languages . the bellma●s first booke . of canting . howlong , canting ha● bin vsed . the first canter hanged . how canting grevv to be a language . the dialect of canting . qui fixit leges 〈◊〉 atque●efixit . a description of the hall where matters are tryed in he●l . hinc exaudir gemitus , &c the iudge of the court , haec rhadaman●us babe● durissima regna ; castigatque ditque dolos , subig●que 〈◊〉 , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the customes and condition of the court . vnde nunquā quum semel venit potuit e●uerti . what matters are tryed before the diuell . 〈◊〉 quique arm● secuti impia . 〈◊〉 epulaeque ante eraparatae-furiarum maxima iux● accubat , & manibus prohibet contingere mens● . * heauen — exercentur pae●s , eternūque malorum . supplicia expend● ●ranci reg● . a letter against the bel-man the belman h●c omnis turba . innum●rae ge● 〈◊〉 populique grauco●entis 〈◊〉 . aus●rimur cultu ; gemmis aureque tegnutur omnia . burchin lane described . taylors at first were called l●n . armorers . serieants portiteriba● horrendus aqua● & flumina seruat , terribilisqua● lore charon , cui plurima mente , canities incultae iacet . hunting of the lyon &c hunting of the bucke . hunting of the hare . de magno praeda petenda grege . what persons follovv the game of ferret hunting . dolor ac v●luptas inuicem cedunt . the tragedy of ferret-hunting diuided into acts . nam illa omnes artes perde cet , vbi quem attigit . 〈◊〉 specta● 〈◊〉 laeso● ; le●untur & ipsi the nature of a london tumbler . n●l ●bet 〈◊〉 l●x 〈◊〉 du●ius 〈◊〉 , q●n ●d r● 〈◊〉 s●cit . dedit hanc c●ntagio labē , et dabit in plures . infelix 〈◊〉 excidit ipse fuis . grandia permulto● te●antur flumina rio● . hawking . facies non om● 〈◊〉 , nec diuers at a men qui nisi quod ipsifaciunt , nihil rectum putant . the first noate et qua nō f● mus ipsi , vix e● nost●a voco : sen stos fuit il● le c●ucus frange puer calamos et inanes ●esere musas quid nisi monstra legis ? ●ulius quoq ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . how birds are drest after they be caught . strange hawking . c●rego si neq ignoreque pot●a salutor 〈◊〉 superiquantum pectora cae● n●ctis habē● ●cribimus 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 ; ●serum est aliorum incūbere fa●mae the manner of brideling a colt . what a moone man is , his orde● in marching on foote or seruing open horse . his furniture his manner of night . his qualities w●st he lies intrenched . what peeces of desperate seruice hee ventures vpō noctes atque a●e patet l●● dills . how a citty punck rangeth . the picture of a horse-courser . how a horse-cour●er may coozen his chap-man vvith a horse that hath the glanders . terra malos homines nunce●ucat . noxia mille medis laceraebitur vmbra . abuses of race-running glanced at . vix sunt homines hoc nomine dignis , quāque lu● lae●s feritati● habēt iacke in a box described . his exercise siriens fugientia captat flumina : quid rides ? mutat● nomine , de te fabula narratur multa potentibus desunt multa . how to trauule without charges . trauelling emperickes , strowling schoole-maister . indu●a nigris vest●bus , c● rum insil● nox nectis & ere● 〈◊〉 ●nies sunt dolu● , metus , miseria , fr● , 〈◊〉 , &c. 〈◊〉 lib. de nat. d●otum . * 〈◊〉 verenda , verenda , &c. s●piens in munera v●nit adultor , praebuit ipsa sinus . nec polisti metuunt de●●ec ●cere deo● opinor . mutat quies habitat . the knauery of hostlar . matronaeque r●ra pudica est . s●pè ●lent auro multa ●ubesse malà * pectora tantis obseffa malis , non sunt ict● fertenda leut . quit prodere tanta relatu funera . a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly at a sessions there held; which began on wednesday the th of this instant decemb. and ended on saturday the th, . setting forth the several facts and tryals of several malefactors. with the tryal of the maid that set her master's barns on fire at harrow on the hill, at michaelmas last. with an account how many are condemned, burn'd in the hand, to be whipt, and transported. with allowance. roger l'estrange. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly at a sessions there held; which began on wednesday the th of this instant decemb. and ended on saturday the th, . setting forth the several facts and tryals of several malefactors. with the tryal of the maid that set her master's barns on fire at harrow on the hill, at michaelmas last. with an account how many are condemned, burn'd in the hand, to be whipt, and transported. with allowance. roger l'estrange. england and wales. court of quarter sessions of the peace (london) p. printed for d.m., london : . copy has print show-through. reproduction of the original in the guildhall library, london. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng trials -- england -- early works to . crime -- england -- early works to . criminals -- england -- early works to . murder -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly , at a sessions there held ; which began on wednesday the th of this instant decemb. and ended on saturday the th , . setting forth the several facts and tryals of several malefactors . with the tryal of the maid that set her master's barns on fire at harrow on the hill , at michaelmas last . with an account how many are condemned , burn'd in the hand , to be whipt , and transported . with allowance . roger l'estrange . london : printed for d. m. . a narrative of the proceedings at the sessions begun the th of december , at the oly bayly . the first person tried , was for making away her bastard-childe ; but upon hearing the evidence , and examination both of the midwife and coroner , it appeared to be onely a miscarriage ; and by several circumstances there was reason to judge that she had not gone above sixteen weeks , and had never been quick , the abortive infant being not above eight inches long , and no symptoms of wounds or bruises being to be seen on the body to argue any violence used to it , the jury thereupon thought fit to bring her in not guilty . a young man was arraigned for murther , killing an old man in st. james's park : two fellows being running together in the evening the poor ancient man unlukily happen'd to be in their way , and one of them tumbled him down and bruised him , of which bruise the next day he died ; but the evidence testifying that it was done meerly by accident , without any grudge or quarrel precedent , and that the prisoner as food as he perceived he had done an injury , went immediately and call'd a chair to carry him home , &c. there was no reason for finding the indictment , so that he was discharged . a servant maid was found guilty of stealing a silver tankard of the value of five pounds : she living at a publick house in the old jury , took an opportunity to take it away ; and having knock'd off the lid , brought it to a goldsmith to sell , who perceiving the cover lately broke off , would not buy it , unless she would shew it him ; which after much importunity she did , and upon that was engraven the name of the owner , whose wife she then pretended to be , and had the goldsmith to a confederates house , who seemed to say as much : but at last being trapp'd in their words by him , she confess'd the felony to him , and afterwards on her examination before the justice , and acknowledg'd in effect as much now at the bar , onely said that the tankard was delivered her to sell by a fellow servant ; but there being neither proof nor probability of any such things , she was convicted . a woman was indicted for burning her master's barns at harrow on the hill , in which a considerable parcel of wheat and other corn was consumed on michaelmas day last . her master and his wife gave evidence , but nothing of their own knowledge , onely that she had confess'd the fact , that in their absence in the evening she took a fire-brand , and carrying it out of the house put it in at a hole in the barn amongst a mow of unthrash'd oats , whereby that barn , and another adjoyning were burn'd down , and the dwelling house with much difficulty preserved . and this likewise appeared on reading her examination ; for which mischievous act she could alleadge no other provocation but that her master would not lend her money to go to a wedding . however the justice that committed her , assuring the court from his personal knowledge , that the prisoners father was a very m●lanch●ly and dist●mper'd man , and that she her self had a defect in her understanding , and many times at least not the use of common reason or sense , and the evidence against her in effect acknowledging as much , which was confirmed by her present stupid carriage at the b●r. the jury looking upon her as non compos mentis at the time of the fact committed , could not finde her guilty in the eye of the law , of the crime for which she stood indicted . two legerdemain ladies of profound experience in the mysteries of shop lifting ; one of them having been whipt at the carts tail but the very last sessions , were convicted for stealing two pieces of callicoe , under pretence of buying ●o●kerum . the goods were taken before they got out of sight in one of their aprons , who alleadged a very civil excuse , assuring the court that she was drunk with brandy , and knew not what she did ; but that plea was over-rul'd , and both of them found guilty . a french gentleman , came in voluntarily to take a tryal for killing a marshal's man's follower , in april last was two years , at the end of st. martins-lane . the marshals man himself was gone another way , and the party kill'd , and three or four more seiz'd the prisoner ( as they subpose it was ) but without having any warrant at that instant with them ; and besides , the warrant their master had was wrong in the christian name . upon their taking the party , divers of his companions drew their swords , and one of the bayliffs lost his life in the fray ; but the evidence could not say who kill'd him , nor positively that the prisoner at bar was the person they had arrested : so that he was acquitted both of murther and manslaughter . the next was a tedious tryal of a young fellow for breaking open the house of a worthy gentleman his late master , and stealing thence a spanish gun , and other goods , to the value of fourty pound . there appeared several violent presumptions of guilt , and a person where the gun was found had sworn directly before the justice , that the prisoner was the man that sold it ; and another , that he verily believ'd him to be the man ; but now neither of them would say further , than that he was somewhat like him . the prisoner had a great number to speak in his behalf , but few couln say any thing to the purpose ; and the court declared themselves sensible of much practice us'd on the prisoner's behalf , to conceal the truth , yet on a full hearing , for want of direct evidence , the jury brought him in not guilty . a flemming born in the city of antwerp , was indicted on the statute for exercising the trade of a gold-beater here , not having served seven years an apprentice ; but it being prov'd by several witnesses that he serv'd the said term to his father of the same trade in the said city of antwerp , and that he was an excellent artist . the court considering the intent of the said statute , which is onely to prevent unskilful and insufficient workmen ; and that the art it self prohibi●s onely those that have been apprentices , or not serv'd as apprentices : and though he were not apprentice in england , yet he had serv'd as an apprentice abroad ; which they concluded to be within the intent of the statute : for otherwise it would be too great a discouragement to foreigners to instruct us in the usual inventions ; and therefore the jury found him not guilty . an old offender was convicted for stealing a bay gelding of six pound price , a quarter of grownd mault and two sacks : the horse was taken out of the stable on the th of nov. and the two sacks of mault with it . the very next day the owner coming to london met the prisoner driving his horse along st. gileses's , with one of the sacks empty on his arm , and there seiz'd him , who now pretended that the sack was given him by two strangers , he knew not who , for his pains to drive the horse along tyburn road , but he knew not whether ; and therefore seeming onely a forged excuse , without any proof to confirm it , he was found guilty , it being avert'd in court that he had three times already been burnt in the hand and convicted . two persons , one by his own confession , and the other by verdidict , were convicted for stealing a silver tankard in the woolstaple westminster , from a publique house , whence at once they stole away themselves , the plate and the reckoning , but were discovered by a female crony , upon a disgust , that she was not allowed snips in the prize , &c. a woman as principal , and a man as accessary , were conviicted for stealing plate , and other rich goods , to the value of pound from a frenchman at westminster ; whose servant the woman being , to●k the opportun●●y of his absence , and ransackt several of his rooms , and stole the said goods , after which the said other prisoner took her a lodging , disposed of a watch , and some of the plate ; for which both were found guilty . a lighterman and his wife were arraigned , for stealing of about pieces of serge , out of a lighter on the thomes ; the prosecuter produced several witnesses , and one very roundly swore , that she saw two of the pieces of serge in the prisoners house in the cradle , and that his wife seemed much afraid of a search ; and threatned to fling them into the house or office , &c. but upon a full examination , it appearing that there had been several suits and brangles between the parties , that the prisoner was sick at the time of the robbery , that it was two years ago , and no prosecution all this while , that the husband prisoner was a person of good fame , &c. they were both acquitted by the jury . there was great exbectation of the tryal of one lodowick muggleton , for spreading detestable opinions , and publishing several impious books ; but the same was put off , till witnesses might be ready for a full discovery of his villanies , and therefore the reader is to take notice , that any pamphlets published concerning his tryal , are faigned stories . there were t●nn burnt in the hand , seven allowed transportation , ten to be whipt , and one to stand in the pillory . finis . the true narrative of the procedings [sic] at the sessions-house in the old-bayly. or the trial and condemnation of six notorious popish priests & jesuites, for high-treason viz. william russel, alias napper, james corker, lionel anderson, alias, munson, charles parry, and alexander lunsden. at a commission of oyer and terminer there held, on saturday the th of this instant january . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t ab estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the true narrative of the procedings [sic] at the sessions-house in the old-bayly. or the trial and condemnation of six notorious popish priests & jesuites, for high-treason viz. william russel, alias napper, james corker, lionel anderson, alias, munson, charles parry, and alexander lunsden. at a commission of oyer and terminer there held, on saturday the th of this instant january . england and wales. court of quarter sessions of the peace (london) p. [s.n.], london : printed in the year, [ ] the year is given according to lady day dating. titus oates is cited as witness. reproduction of the original in the guildhall library, london. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng oates, titus, - -- early works to . trials -- england -- early works to . crime -- england -- early works to . criminals -- england -- early works to . popish plot, -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the true narrative of the procedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly . or the trial and condemnation of six notorious popish priests & iesuites , for high-treason , viz. william russel , alias napper , james corker , lionel anderson , alias . munson , charles parry , and alexander lunsden , at a commission of oyer and terminer there held , on saturday the th of this instant january . london printed in the year , . the trial and condemnation of the six notorious traitors . the kings witnesses attending on the court there were eight romish priests and jesuites brought to the barr , to receive their trials upon the account of high-treason , viz. joseph kemish , william russel , alias , napper , henry starkie , william marshal , james corker , lionel anderson , alias , munson , charles parry , and alexander lunsden ; but the evidence not being prepared for the trial of the former , viz. kemish , he was reserved till another time ; but against the other seven they proceeded as followeth , according to their indictments , that they being priests and english-born , after having received orders from the see of rome , came over and remained in england , the which by a statute of the th of queen elizabeth is made high treason , mr. attorny-general and the kings council laid open the cause to the jury and evidence , and the jury being charg'd with them , according to law , lionel anderson was first brought to the barr , where dr. oats , mr. bedlo , mr. dangerfield , mr. prance , and mr. dugdale were sworn for the king , mr. dangerfield first standing up , did give a fair and large account , that the prisoner was a priest in orders . and that he had not only confessed him , but had given him the sacrament , and in his priestly vestments celebrated mass ; not only at wild-house , but also at several other places , and that after he had confessed the witness , he bid him go and be drunk with such a gentleman , for it was for the good and propagation of the romish cause , that he was a priest likewise dr. oates did affirm , and that he had at several times repeated mass and given the sacrament to his knowledge , with many other plain and possitive circumstances , to this he pleaded not guilty , with many horrible execrations . afterwards james corker was brought to the bar , his plea was that he had been once tryed with sr. george wakeman , and that he ought not twice to be put in danger of his life : but the court satisfied him in this point , whereas he before was tryed as a conspirator , that he now was tryed as a popish-priest , and then he pleaded not guilty , at which mr. attorny general laying open the indictment , the evidence were sworn , viz. dr. oates and mr. prance who likewise did against him as against the former , affirm that they had seen him cellebrate mass , give the sacrament , and in his priestly robes at somerset-house , and other places , and was to have been a bishop : but he absolutely denied that ever he had acquaintance with the witnesses , or scarcely seen them before his last arraignment , and in a jesuitical obstenancy , made many vows and execrations endeavouring to scandalize the evidence the next was william ma●shal who was likewise tryed before with corker , and did plead the same , and made a long oration in his own defence , courting the acts of parliaments and statutes made and to be put in force on that account , and did , to speak the truth , seem to be a learned and most proficient man , his place of executing of his priestly function , was for the most part in the savoy , where doctor oates affirmed that he had heard him more then twelve times say mass in . this he denied , and brought the woman that keept the house to testify that dr. oates was never there , but she bogling in her testimony did confound her evidence , saying that he might be there , but that she knew not she had seen him there , mr. prance and mr. bedlo did affirm him likewise to have taken orders , and that they had known him to have been a plotter , and a most notorious priest , as likewise upon the same indictments and statute of the th of queen elizabeth which makes it high-treason for any english born subjects to go and take orders at rome , and after come over into england , whereupon william russel alias napper henry starky , charles parry , and alexander lunsdel were brought to the barr , who pleaded not guilty , but the aforementioned evidence for the king , did so plainly make it appear , that they were not only priests , but had at several times administred according to their priestly function , the sacraments , and also confessed and absolved some of them , and that mr. prance had received chalices , oyl-pots , and several other trinkets belonging to the al●er , of them to mend , scour , and refine ; upon this plain evidence , six of them were by the jury brought in guilty of high-treason , and sentenced by the court to be drawn , hang'd and quarter'd , viz. russel , alias , napper , starky , marshal , corker , anderson , and parry , but lunsden being a scotchman-born , was not thought to come within the verge of the said act of parliament , and therefore reserved for a special verdict in that case . thus may we see , tho haughty rome does bend her frowns at this our english nation , nay and prompt our native subjects to conspire our downfall and immediate ruine . heaven stands most firmly on our side , and that pernicious snare that they had laid to catch the innocent , themselves have fallen in ; for sure it is , eternal vengeance will not sleep for ever , when such dire contrivances hatched in the dark shades of night ascend and pierce the blushing clouds , therefore let both tirant rome , and her thrice fatal emissaries now beware , least they incur the high displeasure of a dreadful god , and pull down most deserved ruine on their heads , whilst that they think to dare omnipotence , by their endeavouring to destroy such as are protected by his providence : finis . a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayley, may , , & , setting forth the tryal & condemnation of charl. pamplin, for killing lieutenant charles dalison, neer covent-garden : with a particular account of the tryals and condemnation of three men for robbing on the highway, and two others for horse-stealing : and likewise the tryal and conviction of a yound [sic] lad for stealing one hundred and forty pounds out of a goldsmiths shop in lumbard street : and an exact relation of all other remarkable proceedings : with the number of those that are condemn'd, burn'd in the hand, and to be whipt, &c. : these are to give notice, that the book of the sessions that came out first, printed for benj. harris, is false, imperfect, and without order. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayley, may , , & , setting forth the tryal & condemnation of charl. pamplin, for killing lieutenant charles dalison, neer covent-garden : with a particular account of the tryals and condemnation of three men for robbing on the highway, and two others for horse-stealing : and likewise the tryal and conviction of a yound [sic] lad for stealing one hundred and forty pounds out of a goldsmiths shop in lumbard street : and an exact relation of all other remarkable proceedings : with the number of those that are condemn'd, burn'd in the hand, and to be whipt, &c. : these are to give notice, that the book of the sessions that came out first, printed for benj. harris, is false, imperfect, and without order. england and wales. court of oyer and terminer and gaol delivery (london and middlesex). p. printed for d.m., london : . "with allowance. ro. l'estrange." reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng trials -- england. crime -- england. criminals -- england. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly , may , , & . . setting forth the tryal & condemnation of charl. pamplin , for killing lieutenant charles dalison , neer covent-garden . with a particular account of the tryals and condemnation of three men for robbing on the highway : and two others for horse-stealing . and likewise the tryal and conviction of a yound lad for stealing one hundred and forty pounds out of a goldsmiths shop in lumbard street . and an exact relation of all other remarkable proceedings . with the number of those that are condemn'd , burn'd in the hand , and to be whipt , &c. ☞ these are to give notice , that the book of the sessions , that came out first , printed for benj. harris , is false , imperfect , and without order . with allowance . ro. l'estrange . london : printed for d. m. . the proceedings at the sessions holden for london and middlesex . the first that came to hi● tryal , was a little boy , pretending not to be above ten years of age , for stealing a silver s●lt of the value of ten pounds , out of a goldsmiths shop . there were two other greater thieves concerned with him , who having several indictments against them , pleaded guilty to this and all other within the benefit of clergy : they gave aim and directions , and this little mercury did the feat ; for which he was found guilty , but in pity to his age , he was onely burnt in the hand . a man and a woman were indicted for stealing a bay mare , taken out of a stable in essex on the th of march last , and brought by the woman at the ba● into an inne in aldersgate-street . against the m●n there was no evidence , and the woman alleadged that she was onely a messenger hired by a person executed last sessions , to remove the mare from one in●e to another ; and thereupon were both acquitted . a man , his wife , and another woman were indicted for stealing four demicasters the th of april last , about london bridge . the man confessed it , the woman who sold them in longlane one justified her self as being his wife , the other as coming by them by his delivery ; and so got off . a wench coming to service by newgate street , after she had been there a fortnight , takes her opportunity in her masters and mistrisses absence to steal a silver tankard valued at l. s. and a very considerable quantity of linnen and wearing apparel ; with which she flies to oxford , and there upon the notice given in the gazette , was taken with part of the goods , and now found guilty of felony , alleadging she was instigated to it by a sweet-heart of hers that came from portsmouth . a man and a woman indicted for stealing l d . in money and a great quantity of linnen and clothes out of an alehouse in beech lane ; where four of them came to drink one pair of stairs , and so 't is thought picklockt the door two pair of stairs , no body else being that way between the time the things were seen and miss'd ; yet there being no positive proof , nor any thing taken upon them , they were found not guilty . another fellow for stealing a silver beaker out of a publick house in the same parish , had not such good suck : for his companion exposing it to sale , and offering him as a voucher , the first fled , and he was taken , and partly by his own words was found guilty . a country man was arraigned for taking away . pieces of broad gold on the th of nov. last out of a victualing house in st. dunstans in the west . he and another came thi●her to dine in a room where was a closet ; which the woman occasionally opening , left the key in the d●or , and the prison●● bring old acquaintance in the house , pulled open the door and lookt into the closet ; which the other in a jesting way told the woman of , and bid her lo●k if she miss'd any thing : who seeing all things in order , and particularly her purse , where she left it , concluded her gold safe , and said she miss'd nothing at present , but if she did afterwards , he should answer it . three weeks after , she misses her gold , and speaks to the said other gentleman to tell the now prisoner of it , being in the country , who resolutely denies it . but that which seem'd to have most weight , was , that amongst this gentlewomans gold there was one ●iece that was of olivers coyn , and remarkable for several tokens as she declared , and it appeared the prisoner had lately sold just such a piece to a person of honour ; which being produced , had exactly such marks as she had before declared , and now upon her oath affirmed it to be the same to her best belief and knowledge . however , the case appearing dubious , and the prisoner ( who was proved by a multitude of persons of worth to be both a very honest and very able and substantial man ) alleadging , and the before-mentioned ●onourable person declaring to the best of his remembrance , that he sold him that piece at michaelmas last , whereas she lost not here till ● nov. and for that one piece might be like another , and she not missing them till so long after , some other body might in the mean time take them : the jury there ore thought fit to acquit the person charg●d , from the crime pretended against him . the note was the eminent tryal of charles pampliu for murdering lieutenant charles dalison , in which a great number of witnesses were examined . first it was proved , that on sunday the th of april last , about ten a clock at night mr. dalison neer his lodging over against the rose-t●vern in covent garden , was mortally wounded being run in under the left pap six inches deep : who it was did it none saw , but two swore mr. dalison said it was pamplin , and died within a quarter of an hour . a s●●ck was taken up on the place , which 't was proved the prisoner had borrowed that morning . 't was proved the day before he coming into a mans chamber while he was asleep , took away a very long sword and left his own in the room of it ; which long sword compared now with mr. dalisons , exceeded it a quarter of a yard in length . 't was also proved , the prisoner had declared , mr. dalison had affronted him , and that he would be reveng'd ; and that very morning he told one , he resolv'd to cudgel one that had abused him , and about ten or eleven a clock at night ( just about the time dalison was kill'd ) he past by the same person in hast , and looking amazedly , said onely , he had met with him . that he was thereabou●s till it was late walking up and down , did appear ; nay , one woman swore that he confest he kill'd the lieutenant , and at his taking in jewen street he endeavour'd to flie , and said , he was a dead man. upon all which , and divers other most violent circumstances , being able to alleadge very little for himself , but rather what made against him , as that he was sure mr. dalison was kill'd af●●r ten a clock , &c. he was found guilty of the murder , and received sentence of death . then three lusty young fellows were tryed for two several robberies on the highway , but of that baser kind called the foot pad . one was on a person passing on foot through king harries walk , whom they set upon , beat , took from him about five smillings , all that he had about him , and then flung him into a ditch and bound him . the other was on a butcher on horse-back , who riding home with his wise behinde him , in the evening spied these three men lurking under a tree , and endeavoured to turn his horse , but before he could get back , was beset ; whereupon he alighted and run for it , and they after : in the mean time the wife rides away to get help ; but they overtaking him , take from him three pounds , binde him , and get away , but were all taken , one at london , and two at newington , the next morning : and now both the persons swore directly and positively against them all three ; whereupon they were condemned . 't is observable these robberies were done the last execution-day at night , and it was proved these prisoners were that day at tyburn in a coach ; so little did the sad sight of their fellow-criminals wretched end affect them , that in defiance to justi●● they went immediately from that spectacle to act the same or like crimes as had brought the others thereunto . a young lad that was in but the last sessions , was now arraigned for stealing l. on the th of april last out of a goldsmiths shop in lumbard street . he watcht his opportunity when there was no body in the shop but a maid-servant , and stepping behinde the counter , snatches up two bags of money : the maid seeing him go out with them , concluded him some merchants man that came for some money he had left there ; but when they came to count over their cash , they one bag of l. and another of l. missing . upon further inquiry there was a porter saw him go forth also with the bags : so that being able to give a description , one of the marshals men took him the next day ; but the money was not to be found . the gentleman that lost it , to draw him to a discovery , put l. more into his hands , which he was to have if he would help him to it again . the boy pretended 't was buried in a field , &c. but spent between and s. of the l. and now denied he knew any thing of the said robbery , much less what was become of the l. however , on the aforesaid evidence , knowing him again , he was convicted and burnt in the hand . the little boy first mentioned , was next day tryed again , and found guilty of stealing from a goldsmith in holborn eight silver spoons valued at l. six silver forks silver tumblers ; of which , part b●ing taken upon him , were produced in court. two notorious horse st●alers were convicted on several indictments , being both joyntly found guilty of stealing two horses from bednal green ; one of which was taken at westminster , the other sold into sussex . they were likewise found guilty together of stealing a dun guelding on the ●h of apr. and one of them likewise by himself , convicted on two several indictments on the like kind : for which they received sentence of death . a woman was convicted of stealing a silver trencher-plate of his excellencies the portugal embassadors , whose arms she had scratcht out ; but bringing it to sell , the honest goldsmith stop : it on suspition , and after wards by patting it in the fire , or some such art he used , as did notwithstanding make most part of the arms conspicuous , he thereby discovered the owner , and seized the thief ; who was now convicted , but reprieved before judgment . two persons were here in question about false and counterfeit guinnies . one of them not long since was convicted at salisbury , as he now confest in court , forth : cheat of putting off such false guinnies ; and now it was proved he had put off no less than three , one at a tavern in moore-fields , which was produced in court ; another at hackney , where he was apprehended , and offered l. to evade prosecution , but the party was a better friend to justice than to accept it ; a third at another place . there was an indictment against themfor high treason ; but there was not sufficient evidence to prove that they counterfeited them : but on the other indictment for misdemeanour in cheating and defrauding the kings subjects , 't was apparent they were guilty . there were in all ten persons that received sentence of death , viz. seven men , one for murder , three notorious highway-men for several robberies , two upon five several indictments for horse-stealing , a young man for a felony , having been before burnt in the hand since christmas last ; and three women , one for robbing her master o● goods to a great value , the other two ( whereof one was an old notorious off●nder ) for several felonies committed under pretence of taking lodgings , thereby having ruined divers honest poor people . besides these , there were fourteen burnt in the hand , ●our ordered to be whipt , seven women sent from newga●● to bridewel , and twenty nine persons attainted or convicted heretofore of divers crimes , that now all at once on their knees in court pleaded his majesties gracious pardon . finis . the narrative of the sessions, february . / . with a particular account of the tryal of the notorious coiners, that received sentence for treason: and all other malefactors condemned, burnt in the hand, or to be whipt, and their respective crimes. licensed, february . / . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing n estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the narrative of the sessions, february . / . with a particular account of the tryal of the notorious coiners, that received sentence for treason: and all other malefactors condemned, burnt in the hand, or to be whipt, and their respective crimes. licensed, february . / . england and wales. court of quarter sessions of the peace (london). p. printed for l.c., london : / . [ ] reproduction of the original in the union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng crime -- england -- early works to . criminals -- england -- early works to . trials -- england -- early works to . trials (treason) -- early works to . treason -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the narrative of the sessions , february . / . with a particular account of the tryal of the notorious coiners , that received sentence for treason : and all other malefactors condemned , burnt in the hand , or to be whipt , and their respective crimes . licensed , february . / . london : printed for l. c. / . the narrative of the proceedings at the sessions , february . / . this sessions beginning in the old bailey , february , the first person brought to tryal , was an unhappy wench , whom the devil had seduced to endeavour , to cover the filthy sin of fornication , with the scarlet mantle of murder , having made away her own new-born bastard-child , and in a very barbarous manner cut the throat of it so violently , that the head was almost seperated from the body , which being found so exposed in an alley near bishops gate street , and not far from the prisoners dwelling , search was made for all persons lyable to be suspected ; and amongst the rest she charged , who at first denyed that she had had any child , at last confessed that , but not the whole truth : however , on full evidence , nothing necessary here to be related , she was found guilty . as were likewise a man and a woman for a burglary , who broke into a poor womans house in the evening , whilst she was gone to buy candle , and upon her return , were taken in the manner , having removed several goods , but carried none quite away , though narrowly prevented , for the man-prisoner being by profession a porter , was busily preparing for their removal . as for the woman , her husband but the last sessions received the reward of his merits at tyburn . another woman whipt but the last sessions save one , was now convicted for a felony , stealing a parcel of cloths out of an house , but discovered before she had quite secured the booty , and forc'd to drop them in the street , for which she was condemned . a man coming to drink at an ale-house in birchin-lane , made such use of his art to convey away a silver tankerd , but scarce knowing what to do with it when he had it , gets a band-box , and putting the tankard therein , goes to another ale-house in finch-lane , where he was wholly a stranger , and gives the said box to the gentlewoman of the house , to lay up for him till he call'd for it ; who perceiving something in it to rattle , and the box having neither lock nor seal , out of an innocent curiosity took up the lid , where seeing a tankard inscribed , with the name and place of dwelling of her neighbour , she sent for him , and sometime after the prisoner calling for his box , was apprehended , and now burnt in the hand , which he well deserved , if we consider either his wickedness in stealing , or his folly in managing the theft . the same punishment was awarded another man for the like offence of stealing a tankard from an house in woodstreet , with whom was indicted a woman , but she passing for his wife , and so the law favourably supposing what she was concern'd in the fact , to be by coertion of her husband , was acquitted . a young fellow coming to a sempstresses shop , pretended to buy cravats , who shewed him several , and some money he had bidden for two , which she refusing to except , he resolved to have them cheaper , ( though like to prove a dear bargain ) for on a sudden he betakes him to his heels , but she crying out after him , he was quickly seized . in this case , because he had the goods delivered into his hand by the prosecutor to look upon , some scruple was raised , whether the running away with them afterwards , was felony ; so that the jury found the matter specially , and 't is left to be determined by the judges . a bold woman , that had lately been servant to a gentleman of quality , having purloined a considerable quantity of his plate , and being thereof fairly convicted , was sentenc'd to dye . in the afternoon , on wednesday , a lad belonging to a ship , called the laurence and mary , lying below wapping-dock , was tryed for killing one tho. young on board another ship , called the advance , lying hard by the former . the prisoner was trying his skill in shooting at the cat-head of his own ship as a mark ; but the bullet glancing thereon , flew to the other ship , and through the boards of the great cabbin , and there unhappily killed the said young , who was casually come on board to see the ship , hitting him in the forehead , that he presently died ; whereupon they that were with him running out on the deck , and enquiring who fired that piece , the prisoner own'd it , and presently came on board of his own accord ; declaring both then , and now at the bar , his hearty sorrow for the mischance : for as he had no malice , so could he not ever see the person dead , or those that were with him , because they were in the cabbin as aforesaid . however , it being adjudged an unlawful act in him to shoot so negligently on the river , where so many vessels and people are continually passing , he was found guilty of manslaughter , and carries a memorandum in his hand , to make him and others more wary for the future . the next was a base and horrid cause , horrid in the pretensions , and a sin not to be named amongst christians ; and base in the management , since nothing of that kind could be made appear . the person accused was a man of good repute and competent fortune , which 't is feared was the first motive to the prosecution , hoping to get a summ of money out of him , rather than endure the disgrace even of being charged or suspected of such an odious crime . the girl that pretended the wrong done her , being between and years of age , told her story very confidently ; but by her own shewing it appeared , that for weeks or upwards she never spoke a word of it , and two surgeons and a midwife that had search'd her , utterly confuted what she alleadged ; besides 't was made out , that her father would have compounded the business , but demanded l. &c. upon all which circumstances , and many persons of repute justifying the prisoners credit and conversation for many years without blemish , he was thereupon acquitted by the jury , and with particular notice of his innocence from the court discharged , and the girls father ordered to give security for his good behaviour . a fellow at stepney having one night made an invasion on an hen-roost , and carried away captive about of them , of which some were found at one of his neighbours house , where he left them , was for the same found guilty of petty larceny , and ordered to be whipt . as also was another for stealing a laced wastcoat out of a ship , which was sound upon his back . a woman was convicted of felony , for robbing one in hatton-garden on the d of february . having lately been servant there , she had observed where they used to lay the key of their outward door , when they went forth , and so comes with two of her companions , goes into the house breaks open a closet door and a desk , and takes away l. odde money and a sword , and so lockt the street-door and go their way ▪ but left behinde them a chezil , which was proved to have been borrowed the same afternoon by her in fetter-lane : and that she and two men did go forth together , assoon as she had got that tool , and were also seen at the house where the robbery was done . two rag-women were indicted for stealing two gowns and several other wearing-cloaths , in the strand . a gentlewomans door being accidentally left open , there were several strong presumptions against them , but no positive proof , so they were acquitted on thursday in the forenoon . a person was convicted for stealing two livery cloaks , and the seats out of two coaches at piccadilly , and being pursued , the goods were taken in the same room with him at maribone . so was another for breaking open a shop in fetter-lane the th of february , and stealing one beaver , and several other hats , to the value of ten pound ; some of which were taken upon him in middlesex , and therefore he was tryed by that jury . a wench , formerly a servant to a washerwoman in st. margarets westminster , , had four indictments brought against her for stealing of linnen , some of which was the washerwomans own , but most of the parcels other peoples : the prisoner acknowledged she did pawn the things , but pretended it was done by the dames order ; and it did appear , she had sent her sometimes with things to the pawn-brokers , so that she was cleared of three indictments ; but a gentlewomans shift that her mistriss washt to , being found on her back , she was on the fourth found guilty , to the value of ten pence , and so to be well whipt . as likewise were two men for stealing a couple of pigs at wapping , they appearing very sorrowful for their crime ; which as they affirmed it to be the first , so they protested it should be the last that ever they would be guilty of , in that or the like kind . a woman arraigned for breaking an house in the day time , and stealing goods , and that she had confessed one put them out to her at an hole ; denying now very confidently , that she knew of , or was any way concern'd in the business ; the court of a sudden asking her , what the womans name was , that so flung the things out ? to which , before she was aware , she replyed , mary , and so in effect own'd her own share in the fact ; but the things being of no great value , 't is like only to cost her a whipping pilgrimage . but the most considerable transactions of this day , were the tryals of two most notorious coiners and clippers of money ; who upon full and plain evidence , and their own confession at bar , were found guilty of two indictments of high-treason apiece ; and indeed , 't is believed , they have not equals in that wicked mistery in england . they stampt groats , nine-pences , six-pences , shillings , half-crowns , and five-shilling pieces ; no sort came amiss to them ; and they had an art to make a nine-pence or groat just new made , look as if it had been coined these hundred years . two witnesses swore directly against each of them , that they had severally seen them at work , both coining and clipping , and produced great variety of the individual pieces , which they had seen pass through their skill and handling . their instruments likewise , mixt mettals , and other utensils taken in their respective lodgings were publickly shown . they were both of a gang , and confessed they had for some years been concerned in such practises . the witnesses had been acquainted with them , and designing a discovery , seemed to comply with them , and furnish them with large money , which first they would clip , and with those clippings and baser mettals , coin new money , and then clip that too to make it pass with less suspition . four five-shilling pieces they will afford for twenty shillings good money , and twenty shillings in groats of their own manufacture , for fifteen shillings sterling ; and one of them offered to teach one of the witnesses such his trade for six pound , and to make and sell rare stamps for coining , at ten pound a pair . the matter was so evident , that they had nothing to say for themselves , and so could not but be both found guilty by the jury , of the several crimes of treason , wherewith they stood charged , and were accordingly condemn'd to be drawn and hang'd . two honest ' men of fulham were charged for stealing a mare , but upon a long disquisition of the matter , it not appeared that the mare in question , was the same the prosecutor lost , but rather on the contrary , that one of the men at the bar , had this mare given him by a worthy gentleman in sussex , whereupon , they were acquitted . so likewise was a woman of st. martins in the fields indicted for murther , but by the witnesses it onely appeared , that as long ago as last easter holy-days , a fray happened between her and the party deceased , and that they were down together , but the prisoner uppermost ; that the said party liv'd till since christmass , and then dyed , having been infirm , and as was asserted , troubled with a dropsie . three persons were convicted of felony , for robbing a scotch-merchant ( or pedlar ) of above five pounds worth of holland callime , flaxen stockings , &c. in the night feb. . at his lodging in rochester , three men forced into his chamber with drawn swords , &c. who took away the goods , but understanding afterwards , some pedlers were seen carry a bundle , he on enquiry got their names , whom he followed , and at the house of one of them , found part of his things , and hard by the persons , and on one of their legs , a pair of his stockings , in anothers pocket his tobacco-box , and a third confessed the robbery ; whereupon , being indicted only in middlesex , it was but a simple felony , for which they escaped with a brand ; whereas in kent it would have proved a burghlary , which mexcy the court minded them of , as a grand argument to warn them from running into any future crimes of that kind , since they are like no more to be indulged by any favour . a complaint having been made , that a considerable sum of money had been extorted by some under officers , from the relations of a person lately executed , before they could obtain his body to burie it , the court was pleased to inquire thereinto , and nobly expressing their detestation of the inhumane practices of such vulters , as would make a prey even of mens carcasses , compelled one that had received some of the money , to refund it in their presence , with farther marks of displeasure threatned to be inflicted . there were in all fourteen burnt in the hand , and nine condemned to die , viz. two men for treason , one woman for murther , a man and a woman for burghlary , and four women for notorious house-breakings and felonies , most of them having formerly been whipt , burnt in the hand , or received other chastisements , and yet would take no warning . finis . a proclamation for apprehending several traitors and fugitives england and wales. sovereign ( - : james ii) approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing j c estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a proclamation for apprehending several traitors and fugitives england and wales. sovereign ( - : james ii) james ii, king of england, - . sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heir of andrew anderson ..., by george croom ..., edinburgh : ; reprinted at london : july the th. reproduction of original in huntington library broadside. at end of text: given under our signet at edingburgh, the twenty forth day of june, . created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fugitives from justice -- great britain -- early works to . crime -- great britain -- sources. criminals -- great britain -- sources. broadsides - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - pip willcox sampled and proofread - spi global rekeyed and resubmitted - megan marion sampled and proofread - megan marion text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion royal coat of arms a proclamation for apprehending several traitors and fvgitives . james by the grace of god , king of great britain , france and ireland , defender of the faith , to macers of our privy council , or messengers at arms , our sheriffs in that part , conjunctly and severally , specially constitute , greeting : forasmuch as archibald campbel late earl of argile ( that arch and hereditary traitor ) having with some others his accomplices and associats , both of this and other nations , combined together , to disturb our government , and the peace and tranquillity of this our ancient kingdom , and having associated to themselves the vile and sacrilegious murderers of james late arch-bishop of st. andrews , and even that bloody miscreant rumbold the maltster , who was to have embrued his hands in the sacred blood of our dearest brother , and to have been the principal actor of that hellish tragedy designed at the ry in england : they pursuant to their traterous and wicked plots and designs , having landed in some of our western and high-land islands , and there pillaged and harrassed our people for a considerable space bygone ; and now after all their desperate endavours , it having pleased almighty god to give our forces that good success over these our enemies , as to defeat and totally rout them ; many of whose chief ring-leaders are now taken , and particularly the said arch-traitor archibald campbel , rumbold the maltster , john aleise , called collonel aleise , ( which last , out of the terrour of his attrocious guilt and despair , endeavoured to kill himself after he was taken , by giving himself a wound in the belly with a knife in the prison of our burgh of glasgow , ) and many others : and whereas there are severals of that hellish crew not yet taken , who may sculk and lurk in this our realm with these of their party , and be sheltred by disaffected persons : and we being resolved to prosecute and pursue those execrable rebels and traitors , until they be apprehended and brought to condign punishment : do hereby with the advice of our privy council , require and command all our good and loving subjects , and particularly all our sheriffs and other magistrats , and the officers of our standing forces and militia , to use their outmost endeavours for apprehending the ●●ids rebels and traitors , and bringing them to justice : and for that effect to convocat our liedges , and use all other warlike force against them : and for their encouragement , we hereby not only indemnifie and fully pardon them of any blood , slaughter , mutilation , fire-raising , or such like inconveniencies which may fall out in this our service , but we do hereby promise and assure any person , or persons , who shall apprehend the persons underwritten , dead or alive , or discover them so as they may be apprehended , the rewards following , viz. for john cochran , sometime called sir john cochran , of ochiltree ; patrick home , sometime called sir patrick home of polwart , for faulted traitors ; archibald campbel , son to the lord neil campbel ; charles and john campbels , sons to the said arh-traitour archibald campbel , _____ pringle of torwoodlie ; sir duncan campbel of auchinbreck , and each of them the sum of eighteen hundred marks scots money ; for _____ denholm westshiels ; and _____ balfour ; and _____ flemin , murderers assassins of the said late arch-bishop of st. andrews ; william cleaveland , called captain cleaveland ; and _____ stewart , younger of cultness grand-child to sir james stewart , somtime provost of edinburgh , and each of them one thousand marks , money foresaid : for wishart , master of one of the ships who came alongst with the said arch-traytor archibald campbel , five hundred marks ; and for every fanatical preacher one thousand marks money foresaid . and we further declare , that if any of our subjects shall be so desperately wicked , as to harbour , reset , entertain , intercommune , converse , correspond with , or comfort any of the said persons any manner of way , or shall not give inteligence of them , or shall not give their assistance against them , that they shall be holden , repute , treated , demeaned as art and part of , and accessory to the said horrid crime of treason and rebellion against us and our royal government , with the outmost severity of law. and generally , we hereby prohibite and discharge all our subjects from harbouring , resetting lodging or entertaining any person whatsoever , unless they have a pass from these authorised by our former proclamations to grant the same , as they will answer at their highest peril . and that this our pleasure may known to all our liedges , our will is , and we charge you strictly , and command that incontinent these our letters seen , ye pass to the mercat cross of edinburgh , linlithgow , stirling , lanerk , air , renfrew , rutherglen , glasgow , irving , dumbartoun , wigtoun , kirkcudbright , dumfris , inverarey and all the other mercat crosses of the head burghs of the shires of this kingdom and there by open proclamation in our royal name and authority , make publication of our pleasure in the premises . and we further hereby recommend to the right our arch-bishops and bishops that they cause this our royal proclamation to be read from the pulpits , by the ministers of the several paroches in their diocesses respective upon the first lords day after the same shall be delivered to them . requiring hereby all our sheriffs to cause publish and deliver this our proclamation in manner abovesaid , immediately after the same comes to their hands , as they will answer the contrary at their highest peril . given under our signet at edingburgh , the twenty forth day of june , . and of our reign the first year . per actum dominorum secreti concilij col mackenzie , ch. sti. concilij . god save the king . edinburgh , printed by the heir of andrew anderson , printer to the kings most sacred majesty , anno dom. . reprinted at london , july the th , by george croom , at the blue-ball in thames-street , over against baynard's castle . to his highness the lord protector, and the parliament of england, &c. chidley, samuel. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason e _ ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing t thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) to his highness the lord protector, and the parliament of england, &c. chidley, samuel. p. s.n., [london : ] attributed to samuel chidley. caption title. imprint from wing. an address to cromwell, praying him to abolish capital punishment for stealing. printed in red ink. annotation on thomason copy: "march d "; [illegible] formerly march ". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng capital punishment -- england -- early works to . thieves -- england -- early works to . crime -- england -- early works to . criminals -- england -- early works to . great britain -- politics and government -- - -- early works to . a r (thomason e _ ). civilwar no to his highness the lord protector, and the parliament of england, &c.: chidley, samuel. f the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the f category of texts with or more defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion to his highness the lord protector , and the parliament of england , &c. mortal gods , the eternal being , without which nothing can be , hath made of one blood all nations of men act. . . men are the off spring of god , v. . and made in his own image , gen. . . and therefore god said unto our fathers soon after the floud , whoso sheddeth man● blood , by man shall his blood b● sh●d , gen. . . yea , ( except in some special cases ) bloud must be shed for the bloud of a thief : for he should have lived to make full restitution , exo. . . and therefore you ought to be more tender of a mans life , then of matter of estate : and all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to y●u , ye should do even so to them , mat. . . and i have so much charity towards you , to hope that you are not void of all humanity , but have some natural aff●ction ; so that if any of your children or neer relations through poverty should fall to steal , and happen to be hanged for the value of d. ob ( or press'd to death for not ●peaking ) it would touch you to the quick . and think you that other mens children and relations are not as dear and precious to them , as yours are to you ? and this 〈◊〉 say , not that i allow of theft , nor do i know any of my relations guilty thereof ; but only shew unto you the unnatur●lness of the act and fact of putting men to death for simple theft ; that so you may be thorowly sensible and sorrowful , and you hearts may be made better , eccl. . ● . you know it 's a common thing to arraign men for stealing horses ; a man is hang'd ordinarily for a mare : for your law values not a man more then a horse : is not this a brutish estimation , o ye heads of great britain ? you have sate now above these days twice told , and passed some acts for transporting corn and cattel out of the land , and against charls stuart's , &c. but ( as i humbly conceive ) have left undone matters of greater concernment ▪ amongst which , the not curbing this over-much justice in hanging men for stealing , is one ; the not supp●●ssing the pressing of men to death for not a 〈…〉 ing against them●elves , is ano●her ▪ and wh●t th●●k 〈◊〉 of tak●ng awa● mans life upon 〈◊〉 single testimo●● ▪ ( especi●lly be●●g for such small m●tte●s c●n you j●stfie the s●me before the great law giver , who is a 〈…〉 e and to destroy ? if you cannot , then be as ●ilig●●t to make a thorow reformation as i have been 〈…〉 e solli●i●●●ion . w●● ye 〈◊〉 also , that it is a general grievance and open di●grace to the nation , that the publick debts are yet unpaid , although you are deeply engaged by art. . of this present government ? ye know the laws are executed with great seve●i●y against pick-pockets , petty thieves , and silent malefactors , who are press'd to death for hol●ing their tongues , and are taken pro confesso : but judg in your selves , wh●t●●r are the greater sinners , those who steal for meer ●●●●ssity to supply their present wants , or such as defraud the old soldier of his pay , & the laborer of his hire , and borrow money and not pay again but engage f●ith and promise upon it , give debenters , bills and bonds for it , and establish securities to satisfie it , and afterwards by force or fraud take it , or suffer it to be taken away again ; and yet again binde themselvs by a solemn o●th , as in the presence of god , that the securities given shall remain firm and good , and not be made void or invalid upon any pretence whatsoever ▪ and afterwards neither regard debts nor debtors , but suffer many of them to perish , while justice is bought and sold , and cometh by a drop at a time , and doth not run down as it ought like a mighty stream : and by swearing and lying , and killing and stealing , and committing adultery , men break out , and blood toucheth blood . and for these things doth the land ●ourn , hos. . ● . . in the land of israel there was s●●●i●l prouision made for the poor , the fatherless and the w●dow 〈…〉 y stranger was ●ot to be forgotten in that land : ●o 〈…〉 theft was much more to be punished ●●●n now , 〈…〉 thieves then were not driven to su●● straits and c●l●mities as many now have been and a●e ●●ill here in england , ( under such rude forms of government ) by ca●ualties , as impotency of body , loss of estates , bad deb●s , like the publick faith and arreres of souldiers , so much undervalued , as if the high & mighty states of england were broken . and god then gave free liberty amongst the jews , for a man to eat his fill of his neighbours field , vineyard , or oliveyard : but by the rustical law of england , men arrest men as tresp●ssers for coming upon their ground , and obtain judgements against them for costs , although there is no damage . such p●actices ●s these disq●iet the land , create combust●o●s , bring confusions , and procure work for a sort of villain 〈◊〉 catchpoles , and employ a company of lascivio●● ▪ lubbers , i mean the lying lawyers , whose h●ads are full of mischief , and their pens dipt in gall and wormwood ▪ their tongues are as sharp arrows , their teeth as swords and spears , and their throats open 〈…〉 ●●vour and swallow up the poor and needy fro● 〈…〉 : these are like a sweeping 〈…〉 leaving them a shilling to be a shield of de●ence ▪ 〈…〉 in their pocket , to encou●●●r with 〈…〉 hunger : and so the poor mens noses are h●ld ●o ●●e grindstone , and their faces ground away , as may be seen by their countenances : and the poor's poverty comes to be their absolute destruction , and swarms of beggers and thieves ingendered in the common wealth by pecunia 〈…〉 s ▪ and the poor mans suit cannot go on currantly w●●●out money , though his cause be never so just , but 〈…〉 e a lawyer may easily be got to speak twenty 〈◊〉 ●●●●●st him for s. and cloak his lyes with pret●●●●s of clyents informations . these things may e●sily be reformed by you , if ye will , o ye men of high degree . and because you are the patrons of englands statutes , and have power to redress the grievances which by your law cannot be redressed without you ; i have presented you with these lines printed in red letters , because , though tophet is p●epared of old for kings , because of their crying crimes ; yet parliaments sins are sins red as scarlet , of a deep and double dye ; and they must be accountable to him by whom their legislative power is limited . repent therefore , o parliament of england , and be not as your predecessors the former parliaments . parliaments have been pillars of popery , panders to the whore of babylon , abominable idolators , propagators of adultery and covetousness in the clergie : parliaments have been murderers of saints and sinners ; parliaments have done and undone their self-denying ordinances , been puff●d up with pride , tyrannous towards their inferiours , slavish to their superiours , submi●ting to force against freedom ; using publike fraud and private fl●ttery , to the destruction of the people . therefore whatsoever heavie bu●dens they bound , and grievous to be born , you must unbinde , loosing the b●nds of wickedness , undoing the heavy burdens , and let●ing the oppressed go free , and breaking every yoke , so much as the putting forth of the finger , or speaking vanity . a proclamation by the lords of the council in the city of amsterdam for the apprehending of divers ruffians who endeavoured to assassinate their burghemaster van beuningen, on the th of march, offering a reward of a duckatoons to any that shall discover one or more desperate villains. amsterdam (netherlands). raad. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing p estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a proclamation by the lords of the council in the city of amsterdam for the apprehending of divers ruffians who endeavoured to assassinate their burghemaster van beuningen, on the th of march, offering a reward of a duckatoons to any that shall discover one or more desperate villains. amsterdam (netherlands). raad. sheet ([ ] p.) printed for tho. malthus ..., london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. broadside. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng beuningen, koenraad van, - . crime -- netherlands -- amstersdam -- early works to . criminals -- netherlands -- amstersdam -- early works to . broadsides - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a proclamation by the lords of the council in the city of amsterdam , for the apprehending of divers ruffians who endeavoured to assassinate their burghemaster van beuningen , on the th of march , offering a reward of a duckatoons to any that shall discover one or more of those desperate villains . notification . whereas after several rumours that have been spread abroad sometime since of a design against the life of the heer burghemaster van beuningen , it hath been made fully apparent to the lords of the justiciary of this city by several well agreeing informations and circumstances , that some wicked men , to the number of six , seven , or more , having thursday last , being the th of this month n. s. t. at night , met about the house of the aforesaid heer van beuningen , and endeavour'd , ( though god be praised , uneffectuallly ) to execute the abovesaid design : and it being of the highest importance to every one , and especially to those that have any share in the government , that the persons concerned in so abominable , and bloody an enterprise , be speedily detected , and punished for the same according to the greatness of the crime , and provision made , that the accomplishing of the abovesaid detestable undertaking be yet prevented , especially since it doth appear to the abovesaid lords of the justiciary by very good informations , that after the aforesaid th of this month , there have been found some villains in this city , who have given to understand that it would yet be effected . therefore to provide against the same , the abovesaid lords have found convenient to charge and require every one of the inhabitants of this city , to make known with all speed to the high schout of this city , all his or their knowledge concerning this bloody enterprise , or any other the like upon arbitrary correction , in case any be found to have been negligent therein , and they do further make known and promise , that if any one can discover one or more of the accomplices of this bloody design , in such a manner , that he be apprehended and convicted of the said crime , for this good service done to justice , and to the publick ; shall receive a recompence of a thousand ducatoons of silver , and that his name shall be kept secret , and in case the discoverer be himself one of the accomplices , they promise all that is in their power to procure his pardon and impunity , and that he shall likewise receive the aforesaid recompence of a thousand ducatoons of silver , in case as abovesaid , one or more of the accomplices be apprehended , and convicted of the crime ; charging further expresly , all inn-keepers , hosts , or any others lodging people that come from abroad , to keep no body in their houses , for whose innocence they cannot , or will not answer , without presently making his name and quality known to the captain , or in his absence to the next chief officer of the ward wherein they dwell ; and it is further statuted and ordered , that all inn-keepers , hosts , and all others that take lodgers coming from abroad , shall de die in diem give notice of their lodgers to the captains , or in their absence to the next chief officers under them , and deliver a note , containing their names and quality ; and in case the aforesaid captains , or in their absence the next commanding officers of the ward have any the least suspicion about the declared persons , that they shall immediately give notice thereof to the high schout of this city , and if any body be found to have been negligent in declaring his lodgers , he shall forfeit a sum of a gilders , and besides incur severe punishment ; and serious warning is given to every body to use all circumspection in receiving lodgers that may be any ways suspected of bad conversation and manners . this of march , . being present the lords burghemasters , john hudde , and john huyde kooper , &c. translated from the dutch copy , as it was lately printed at amsterdam . london , printed for tho. malthus at the sun in the poultrey . . theeues falling out, true-men come by their goods: or, the belman wanted a clapper a peale of new villanies rung out; the sound being musicall to all gentlemen, lawyers, farmers, and all sorts of people that come vp to the tearme: shewing that the villanies of leawd women, excell those of men. disputation, betweene a hee conny-catcher, and a shee conny-catcher greene, robert, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) theeues falling out, true-men come by their goods: or, the belman wanted a clapper a peale of new villanies rung out; the sound being musicall to all gentlemen, lawyers, farmers, and all sorts of people that come vp to the tearme: shewing that the villanies of leawd women, excell those of men. disputation, betweene a hee conny-catcher, and a shee conny-catcher greene, robert, ?- . [ ] p. [by w. white and another?] for t. g[ubbin] and are to be sould by r. [i.e. e.] marchant at the crosse in pauls church-yard, imprinted at london : . initialed r.g. [i.e. robert greene]. first published in as: a disputation, betweene a hee conny-catcher, and a shee conny-catecher. actual printer's and publisher's names conjectured by stc; actual bookseller's name from stc. with a title page woodcut. white apparently printed only quires a and b--stc. signatures: a-e⁴ f² . reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim 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and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - aptara rekeyed and resubmitted - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion theeues falling out , true-men come by their goods : or , the belman wanted a clapper . a peale of new villanies rung out ; the sound being musicall to all gentlemen , lawyers , farmers , and all sorts of people that come vp to the tearme : shewing that the villanies of leawd women , excell those of men. goe not by mee , but buy mee ; and get by mee . imprinted at london for t. g. and are to be sould by r. marcha●● at the crosse in pauls church-yard . . to all gentlemen , marchants● apprentises , and countrie● farmers , health . newes ▪ and greene bushes at tauerns new set vp ; euery man hath his penny to spend at a pint in the one , and euery man his eare open to receiue the sound of the other . it is the language which at first meetings is vsed in all countries , what newes ? in court , t is the morninges salutations ; and noones table-talke ; by night it is stale . in cittie , t is more common , then , what doe you la●ke ? and in the countrie , whistling at plough is not of greate● antiquitie . walke the middle i le in pauls , and gentlemens teeth walke not faster at ordinaries , then there a whole day togeather , about inquirie after newes . newes then , being a fish that 's caught euery day , and yet a meate for euery mans table ; i thinke it not amisse to inuite all men to a feast of such newes , as haue of late come in shoales into my net. i will not hold a bird in a cage to sing strange notes to my selfe , but let her foorth to delight others : and albeit ( about some two or three yeares past ) the vgly faces of diuers dambde abuses , were set naked vpon euery post , their vizards being flead off , both by 〈◊〉 and candle-light , and by the belman of london : yet villanie when it runn●s to seed , being of all other graines the most fruitefull and luxuriant , the candlelight was burnt to a snuffe , and the belman fast asleepe before these monsters which now are hatcht foorth , creeped out of their dennes . in westminster , the strand , h●lburne , and the chiefe places of resortes about london , doe they euery day build their nestes , euery hower ●●●ge ▪ and in tear●e 〈◊〉 especially fl●tter they abroad in flockes : you shall know them by their fethers . and because for the most part , they flye in payres , ( a cocke and a henne togeather ) , behold a couple newly alighted on the pearch ; a hee-foyst , and a shee-foyst : what they chirrup out , their owne voyces can best deliuer ▪ and therefore listen to them . suppose you heare the first of them setting foorth a throate thus . farewell . r. g. a disputation betweene a hee-foyst , and a shee-foyst . stephen , and kate. stephen . faire kate , well met , what newes about your westminster-bulding , that you looke so blyth , your ●herry cheekes discouers your good fare ▪ and your bra●● appare● ▪ be wraies a fa●te purse : is fortune now alate growne so fauourable to foyste● , that your husband hath lighted on some large purchase ; or hath your smooth lookes linck● in some young nouice to 〈…〉 all the byte in his b●unge , & to leaue himselfe as many crownes as thou hast good conditions , and then ●he shall be one of pierce pennilesse fraternitie ? how is it sweet wench , goes the world on wheeles , that you tread 〈…〉 on your 〈…〉 ? kate. why stephen , are you pleasant or p●euish , that you q●ip with such br●e●e g●rdes ▪ thinke you a quarte●●e winde cannot make a quicke saile , that cas●e lystes cannot make heauy burthens , that women haue not wiles to compasse crownes as well as men●yes and more , for though they be not so strong in the 〈◊〉 , they be more ripe in their wittes : and 〈…〉 that i liue & will liue , in despight of that p●euish scholler , that thought with his ●onny-catching bookes to haue crosbit our trade . doest thou maruell to see me thus brisk● ? f●ire wenches cannot want fauours , while the world is so full of amorous fooles : where can such girles as my selfe , be ble●●●h● with a thre●dbare coat , as long as c●untry farmers haue full purses ; and wanton citizens pockets full of pen●e ? steph. truth , if fortune so fauour thy husband , that he be neither smoakt nor cloyed : for i am sure ▪ all my brauerie comes by his nipping , foysting , and lifting . kate. in ●ayth sir no : did i get no more by mine owne wit , then i reape by his purchase , i might both goe ●are & pennilesse the whole yeare ; but mine eyes 〈…〉 were i not worthy the name of a 〈…〉 more charmes calipso more inchantments , the syrens more subtil tunes , then i haue crafty flightes to 〈◊〉 a conny , and fetch in a country farmer . stephen beleeue me , you men are but fooles , your gettings is vncertaine , & yet you still fish for the gallowes , though by some great chance you light vpon a good ●oung , yet you fast a great while after ; whereas , as we mad we●ches haue our tennants ( for so i call euery simple leccher & amorous fox ) as well out of tearme as in tearme , to bring vs our re●●● : alas , were not my wittes , and my wanton pranks more profitable then my 〈…〉 sweare my husband gets a hundreth pounds a yeare by 〈◊〉 steph. why kate , are you growne so stiffe , to thinke that your faire lookes can get as much as our nimble fingers : or that your s●●king can gaine as much as 〈◊〉 foysting 〈◊〉 , no , kate , you are 〈◊〉 bowes downe the 〈…〉 more then twentie the proudest wenches in all london . kate lie a litle further , & giue me some roome : what stephen , your tongue is too lauish , all stands vpon proofe ; & sith i haue le●sure , and you no great busines , as being now when pauls is shut vp , and al● purchases & connes in their 〈◊〉 , let vs 〈…〉 and take a roome to our selues , & therefor the price of our suppers , i will proue , that women ( i meane of our facultie , traffique , or as base : knaues tearme vs , strumpets ) are 〈◊〉 subtil , more dangerous in the common-wealth , and more 〈…〉 , then the cunningest foyst , nip , li●t , 〈…〉 this day . steph. content ; but who shall be 〈…〉 sith in disputing pro & contra , betwixt ourselues , it is ●ut your yea , and my nay , and so neither of vs will yeeld to others victories . kate trust me stephen , i am so assured of the conquest , offering so in the strength of mine owne arguments , that when i haue reasoned , i will referre it to your iudgement and censure . step. and trust me , as i am an honest man , i will be indifferent . kate. oh sweare not so deeply : but let me first heare what you can say for your selfe ? steph. what ? why more kate , then can be painted out in a great volume ; but briefly this : i need not discribe the lawes of villanie , because the bel-man hath so amply pend them downe in the first part of c●nuy-catching , that though i be one of the faculty , yet i cannot ●●●couer more then he hath layd open . therefore first to the gentleman foyst , i pray you what finer qualitie ? what art is more exc●llent either to trie the ripenes of the wit , or the agilliti● of the ha●d , then that for him that will be maister of his trade , must passe the proudest iugler aliue , the poynts of leger de maine , he must haue an eye to spye the boung or pursse , and then a heart to dare to attempt it , for this by the way , he that feares the gallowes shall neuer be good theefe while he liues , hee must as the cat watch for a mouse , and walke powles , westminster , the exchange , and such common haunt●● places , and there haue a curious eye to the person , whether he be gentleman , citizen or farmer , and note , either where his boung lyes , whether in his hoase or pockets , and then dogge the partie into a presse where his slaule with heauing and ●houing shall so molest him , that hee shall not feele when wee strip him of his boung , although it ●e neuer so fast or cunningly c●ucht about him : what poore farmer almost can come 〈◊〉 plead his case at the barre , to attend vpon his lawyers at the ●ench , but looke he neuer so narrowly to it we haue his pursse , wherin sometime there is fat purchase , twentie or thirtie poundes , and i pray you how long would one of your . traffiques be ●arning 〈◊〉 much with your chamber worke . besides in faires and markets , and in the circuites after iudges , what infinit m●ny is gotten from honest meaning men , that either busie about their necassarie affaires , or carelesly looking to their crownes , light amongst vs that be foysts , ●ush we dessemble in show ▪ we goe so neat in apparrell , so orderly in outward appearance , some like lawyers clarkes , others like 〈◊〉 , that attended there about their maisters businesse , that wee are hardly smoakt , vering vpon all men with kinde courtesies and faire wordes , and yet besing so warily watchfull , that a good purse cannot be put vp in a faire , but we sigh if we share i●●ot amongst vs : and though the bookes of conny-catching haue somewhat hindred vs , and brought many br●ue foysts to the halter , yet some of our country farmers , nay of our gentlemen and citizens , are so carelesse in a throng of people , that they shew vs the prey , and so draw on a thiefe , and bequeath vs their purses whether we will or no ; for who loues wine 〈◊〉 , that he will not eate grapes if they fall into his mouth ; and who is so base , that if he see a pocket faire before him , wil not foyst in if he may , or if foysting will not serue , vse his knife and nip , for although there be some foysts that will not vse their kni●●s , yet i hold him not a p●rfect workeman or maister 〈…〉 , that will not cut a purse as well as foyst a pocket , and haz●rd any limme for so sweet a gaine as gold : how answere you me this 〈◊〉 obiection kate ? can you compare with either our cunning to get our gaines in purchase ? kate. and haue you no stronger arguments good man stephen , to argue your excellencie in villanie but this ? then in faith put by your pipes , and giue me leaue to speake : your choplodgicke hath no great subtiltie for simple , you reason of foysting , & approbriate that to your selues , to you men i meane , as though there were not women foysts and nippes ; as neat in that trade as you , of as good an eye , as fine and nimble a hand , and of as resolute a heart : yes stephen , and your good mistresses in that mystery ; for we without like suspition can passe in your walkes vnder the couler of simplicitie to westminster , with a paper in our hand , as if we were distressed women , that had some supplication to put vp to the iudges , or some bill of information to deliuer to our lawyers , when god wot , we shuffle in for a boung as wel as the best of you all , yea as your selfe stephen , though you bee called king of cutpurses , for though they su●●ke you , they will hardly mistrust vs , & suppose our stomacke stand against it to foyst , yet who can better play the stanse or the shadowe then wee , for in a thrust or throng if we shoue hard , who is hee that will not fauour a woman , and in giuing place to us , giue you free passage for his purse . againe , in the market , when euery wife hath almost her hand on her boung , and that they crie beweare the cutpurse and conny-catchers , then i as fast as the best with my hand basket as mannerly as if i were to buy great store of butter & egs , for prouision of my house , do exclaime against them with my hand on my purse , and say the world is badde when a woman cannot walke safely to market , for feare of these villanous cutpurses , when as the first boung i come to , i either nip or foyst , or else ●●●ule another , while hee hath stroken , dispatcht & gone : now i pray you gentle sir , wherin are we inferior to you in foysting : and yet this is nothing to the purpose . for it is one of our most simplest shifts , but yet i pray you what think you when a farmer , gentleman , or citizen , come to the tearme , perhaps hee is wary of his purse , & match him neuer so warily , yet he will neuer be brought to the blow , is it not possible for vs to pinch him ere hee passe ? he that is the blow , is it not possible for vs to pinch him ere he passe , hee that is most chary of his crownes abroad , & will cry , ware the conny-cat . chers , will not be afraide to drinke a pint of wine with a pretty wench , and perhaps goe to a trugging house to ferry one out for his purpose , then with what cunning we can feede the simpl● fop , with what faire words , sweete kisses , fained sighes , as if at that instant we fell in loue with him that we neuer saw before : if we meete him in the euening in the street , if the farmer , or other whatsoeuer , be not so forward as to motion some curtesie to vs , we straight insinuate into his companie , and claime at quaintance of him by some meanes or other , and if his minde be set for lust , & the diuell driue him on to match himselfe with some dishonest wanton , then let him looke to his purse ; for if he doe but kisse me in the street , i le haue his purse for a farewell , although he neuer commit any other act at all . i speake not this only by my selfe stephen , for there be a hundred in london more cunning then my selfe in this kind of cunny-catching . but if he come into a house then let our trade alone to verse vpon him , for first we faine our selues hungry , for the benefit of the house , although our bellies were neuer so full , and no doubt the good pander , or bawde , shee comes foorth like a sober matron , and sets ●●ore of cates on the table , and then i fall 〈◊〉 on them , & though i can eate little , yet i make haua●ke of all , and let him be sure euery dish is well saue'd , for hee shall pay for a pippin pye that cost in the market foure pence , at one of the trugging houses ▪ xviii . pence ▪ ●ush what is daintie if it be not deare bought , and yet he must come off for crownes besides , and when i see him draw to his purse , i note the putting vp of it well , and ere wee part , that world goes hard if i foyst him not of all that hee hath , and then suppose the woorst , that he misse it , am i so simple acquanted or badly prouided , that i haue not a friend , which with a few terrible oathes & countenance set , as if he were the proudest sould●d● , that euer bare armes in the low-country warres , will face him quite out of his money , and make him walke like a woodcocke homeward by weeping crosse , and so buy repentance with all the crownes in his purse . how say you to this stephen , whether are women foystes inferiour to you in ordinarie cous●nage or no ? step. excellently well reasoned , thou hast told mee wonders , but wench though you be wily and strike often , your blowes are not so big as ours . kate. oh but note the subiect of our disputation , and that is this , which are more subtill and daungerous in the common-wealth , and to that i argue . step. i and beshrow me , but you reason quaintly , yet will i proue your wittes are not so ripe as ours , nor so ready to reach into the subtilties of kinde co●s●nage , and though you ●ppropriate to your selfe the excellencie of conny-catching , and that you doe it with more art then we men do , because of your painted flatteries and sugres words , that you florish rethorically like nettes to catch fooles , yet will i manife●t with a merry instance , a 〈◊〉 d●ne by a foyst , that exceede● any that euer was done by any 〈…〉 in england . a pleasant tale of a country farmer , that tooke it in scorne to haue his pursecut or drawne fro● him , and how a foyst serued hi● . it was told me of a truth that not long 〈◊〉 here in london , there lay a country farmer , with 〈◊〉 of his neighbours about law matters , am●ngst whom , 〈◊〉 of them going to westminster-hall , was by a foyst stript of all the pence in his purse , and comming home , maide great compl●●●t of his misfortune , some 〈◊〉 his losse , and others exclamed against the cutpurses , but this farmer he laught loudly at the matter , & say● such fooles as could not keepe their purses no surer , were well serued , and for my part 〈◊〉 hee , i so much scorne the 〈◊〉 , that i would thank● him 〈◊〉 that would take paines to foyst 〈◊〉 , well sayes hi● neighbour , then you may thank me , sith my harmes learnes you to beware , but if it be true , that many things fall out betweene the cup and the lip , you know not what hands fortune may light in your owne lap , tush quoth the farmer , heere 's fortie pounds in this purse in gould , the proudest cutpurse in england win it and weare it ; thus he 〈◊〉 . there stood a subtill foyst by , and heard all , smyling to himselfe at the folly of the proud farmer , and vowed to haue his purse , or venture his necke for it , and so went home and ●ewr●yed it to a crew of his companions , who taking it in 〈◊〉 , that they should be put downe by a peasant : but where souer they 〈◊〉 , they 〈…〉 , and both consulted , and concluded all by a generall consent , to bend all their wittes to be possessers of this farmers boung , and for the execution of this their vow , they haunted about the inne where he laie , and dogd him into diuers places , both to westminster-hall , and other places , and yet could neuer light vpon it , he was so watchfull and smoakt them so narrowly , that all their trauell was in vaine , at last one of them fledde to a more cunning pollicie , and went & learn'd the mans name & where he dwelt , and then he hyed him to the counter and entred an action against him of trespas●e , damages , two hundreth pounds , when he had thus done , hee feed two sargiants , and carried them downe with him to the mans lodging , wishing them not to arrest him till hee commaunded them , well agreed they were , and downe to the farmers lodging they came , where were a ●rue of foystes , whom he had made priuy to the end of his practise , stood wayting , but he tooke no knowledge at all of them , but walkt vp and downe , the farmer came out and went to powles , the cutpurse ●ad stai● , and would not yet suffer the officers to meddle with him , till he came into the west end of paules church-yard , and there he willed them to doe their office , and they stepping to the farmer arrested him , the farmer amazed , being amongst his neighbors , asked the sargiant at whose suite hee was troubled , at whose suite soeuer it be , sayd one of the cutpurses that stood by , you are wr●ngd honest man , for hee hath arrested you heare in a place of priuiledge , where the sherifes nor officers haue nothing to doe with you , and therefore you are vnwise if you obey him , tush sayes an other cutpurse , though the man were so simple of himselfe , yet shall hee not offer the church so much wrong , as by yeelding to the mace , to imbellish paules libertie , and therefore i will take his part , and with that he drew his sword , an other tooke the man and haled him away , the officer he stooke hard to him , and sayd he was his true prisoner , and cride clubbes , the prentises arose , and there was a great hurly burly , for they tooke the officers part , so that the poore farmer was mightily turmoyld amongst them , & almost haled in peeces , whilest thus the strife was , one of the foystes had taken his purse away , and was gone , and the officer carried the man away to a tauerne , for he swore he knew no such man , nor any man that he was indebted to : as then they satte drinking of a quart of wine , the foyst that had caused him to be arested , sent a note by a porter to the officer that he should rel●ase the farmer , for he had mistaken the man ; which note the officer shewed him , and had him pay his fees and go his wayes , the poore country-man was content with that , and put his hand in his pocket to feele for his purse , and god-wot there was n●ne ; which made his heart farre more cold then the arrest did , and with that fetching a great sigh , he sayd . alas maisters i am vndone , my purse in this fray is taken out of my pocket , and ten pounds in gold 〈◊〉 it besides white mony . indeed , said the sargeant , commonly in such brawles , the cutpurses be busie , and i pray god the quarrell was not made vpon purpose by the pick-pockets . well ( sayes his neighbor ) who shall smile at you now , the other day when i lost my purse , you laught at me ? the farmer ●●●oke all , and sate ●●lecontent , and borrowed mony of his neighbors to pay the sargeant , and had a learning ( i beleeue ) euer after , to braue the cutpurse . how say you to this mistris kate , was it not well done ? what choyce witted wench of your facultie , or she foyst , hath euer done the like ? ●ush kate , if we begin once to apply our wittes , all your inuentions are follies towards ours . kate. you say good goodman stephen , as though your subtilties were sodaine as womens are , come but to the old prouerbe , and i put you downe , t is ●s hard to finde a ●are without a muse , as a woman without a se●se ▪ and that wit that can deuise a cunning lye , can plot the in●ent of deepe villanies . i grant this fetch of the foyst was prettie , but nothing in respect of that we wantons can compasse , and therefore to quite your tale with another , heare what a mad wench of my profession , did relate to one of your facultie . a passing pleasant tale , how a whore conny-catcht a foyst . there came out of the country a foyst , to trie his experience , here in westminster hall , and strooke a hand or two , but the diuell a snap he would giue to our citizen foystes , but wrought warily , and could not bee fetcht off by no meanes , and yet it was knowne he had some twentie pounds about him , but he planted it so cunningly in his doublet , that it was sure enough for finding . although the cittie foysts laid all the plottes they could , as well by discouering him to the gaylors as otherwayes , yet hee was so pol●●tique , that they could not verse vpon him by any meanes , which greeues them so , that one day at di●●er , they held a counsaile amongst themselues how to couzen him , but in vaine , till at last a good wench that sat by , vndertooke it , so they would sweare to let her haue all that hee had , they confirmed it sollemnly , and she put it in pract●se thus : she subtilly insinuated her selfe into this foysts company , who seeing her a prettie wench , began , after twise meeting , to waxe familiar with her , and to question about a nights lodging , after a little nyce louing and bidding she was content for her supper and what else hee would of curtesie bestow vpon her , for she held it scorne she sayd , to set a salarie price on her body : the foyst was gladde of this , and yet he would not trust her , so that he put no more but tenne shillings is his pocket , but he had aboue twenty poundes quilted in his doublet : well to be short , supper time came , and thither comes my gen●le foyst , who making good cheere , was so eager of his game that hee would straight to bedde , by the leaue of dame bawde , who had her fee too , and there he laye till about midnight , where three or foure old hacksters , whom she had prouided vpon purpose , came to the doore and rapt lustely : who is there sayes the bawde looking out of the window , marry say they , such a iustice ( and named one about the cittie that is a mortall enemy to cutpurses ) who is now come to search your house for a iesuite and other susspected persons : alas sir sayes shee , i haue none heere , well quoth they , ope the doore . i will , sayes shee , and with that she came into the foystes chamber : who heard all this , and was a frayde it was some search for him , so that he desired the bawd to helpe him , that he might not be seene . why then ( quoth she ) step into this closet . hee whipt in hastely , and neuer remembred his cloathes : shee lock● him in safe , and then let in the crew of rakehels , who making as though they searcht euery chamber , came at last into that where his lemman lay , and asked her what she was : she , as if she had been afraide , desired their worships to be good to her , she was a poore countrie mayde come vp to the tearme . and who is that , quoth they , that was in bed with you ? none for sooth , sayes she . no , sayes one , that is a lie , here is the print of two ; and besides , wheresoeuer the foxe is , here is his skin●e , for this is his doublet and hose : then downe shee falles vpon her knees , and sayes , indeed it was her husband . your husband , quoth they , nay that cannot be ( minion ) for why then would you haue denied him at the first ? with that , one of them turnd to the bawd , and did question with her what he was , & where he was ? truly sir , sayes she , they came to my house , and sayd they were man and wife ; and for my part i knew them for no other , and hee being afraid , is indeed ( to confesse the troth ) shut vp in the closet . no doubt ( if it please your worship , saies one rakehell ) i warrant you , he is some notable cutpurse or pickpocket , that is afrayd to shew his face , come & open the closet , and let vs looke on him . nay sir sayes she , not for to night i beseech your worship carry no man out of my house , i will giue my word hee shall be foorth-comming to morrow morning . your word dame bawd , saies one , t is not worth a straw . you huswife , that saies ye are his wife ye shall goe with vs : and for him , that we may be sure he may not start , i le take his doublet , hose , and cloake , & to morrow i le send them to him by one of my men ; were there a thousand pounds in them , there shall not be a penny diminisht . the whore kneeled downe on her knees , and fained to cry pittifully , & desired the iustice , ( which was one of her companions ) not to carry her to prison . yes huswife , quoth he , your mate & you shall not tarry togither in one house , that you may make your tales all one , & therefore bring her away : and after , ye dame bawd , see you lend him no other cloaths , for i will send his in the morning betimes , and come you with him to answere for lodging him . i will sir , sayes she : and so away goes the wench & her companions laughing , and left the bawd & the foyst . as soone as the bawd thought good , she vnlockt the closet , & curst the time that euer they came in her house : now ( quoth she ) heere will be a fayre adoe , how will you answer for your selfe ? i feare me i shal be in danger of the cort. well ( quoth he ) to be short , i would not for fourty poundes come afore the iustice. mary no more would i , quoth she ; let me shift , if you were conueyed hence , but i haue not a rag of mans apparell in the house . why ( quoth he ) seeing it is early morning , lend me a blanket to put about me , and i will scape to a friendes house of mine . then leaue me a pawne , quoth the bawde : alas i haue none , sayes he , but this ring on my finger . why that , quoth she , or tarry while the iustice comes : so he gaue it her , tooke the blanket and went his wayes , whither i know not , but to some friendes house of his . thus was this wily foyst by the wit of a subtile wench , cunningly stript of all that he had , and turnd to grasse to get more fatte . kat. how say you to this deuice stephen , was it not excellent ? what thinke you of a woman's wit , if it can worke such woonders ? steph. marry i thinke my mother was wiser then all the honest women of the parish besides . kate. why then be-like she was of our facultie , and a matrone of my profession , nimble of her hands , quicke of her tongue , and light of her tayle ; i should haue put in , sir reuerence : but a foule word is good enough for a filthy knaue . stph. i am glad you are so pleasant kate , you were not so merry when you went to dunstable : but indeed i must needes confesse that women foystes , if they be carefull in their trades , are ( though not so common ) yet more dangerous then men foystes : women haue quicke wittes , as they haue short heeles ; and they can get with pleasure , what we ●●sh for with danger : but now giuing you the bucklers at this weapon , let me hau● a blow at you with another . kate. but before you induce any more arguments , by your leaue in a litle by-talke . you know stephen , that though you can foyst , nip , pr●g , lift , curbe , & vse the blacke art , yet you cannot crosbite without the helpe of a woman : which crosbiting now adayes , is growne to a maru●ilous profitable exercise ; for some cowardly knaues that for feare of the gallowes , leaue nipping & foysting , become crosbites , knowing there is no danger therein but a litle punishment , at the most the pillorie , and that is saued with a litle vng●entum aureum : as for example ; w. c. is now a reformed man , whatsoeuer he hath been in his youth , now in his latter dayes he is growne a corrector of uice ; for whom soeuer he takes suspitious with his wife , i warrant you he sets a sure fine on his head , though he hath nothing for his mony but a bare kisse : and in this art , we poore wenches are your surest props and stay . if you will not beleeue mee , aske poore a. b. in turnmill street , what a sawcie signor there is , whose purblind eyes can scarcely discerne a lowse from a flea , and yet he hath such insight into the mysticall trade of crosbyting , that hee can furnish his boord with a hundred poundes worth of plate : i doubt the fand-eyde asse , will kicke like a westerne pugg● , if i rubbe him on the gaule ; but t is n● matter if he find himselfe toucht and stirre , although he boastes of the chiefe of the cleargies feuour , yet i le so set his name out , that the boyes at smithfield-barres shall chalke him on the backe for a crosbite . tush , you men are foppes in fetching nouices ouer the ●●ales : harken to mee stephen , i le tell thee a woonder . there dwelt here somtimes a good ancient matron , that had a fayre wench to her daughter , as young and tender as a 〈◊〉 masse priestes lemman ; her she set out to sale in her youth , and drew on sundry to be suters to her daughter , some wooers , and some speeders ; yet none married her , but of her beautie they made profite , and inueagled all , till they had spent vpon her what they had , and then forsooth , shee and her young pigion turne them out of doores like prodigall children : she was acquainted with dutch , french , italian , and spaniard , as well as english , & at last , as so often the pitcher goes to the brooke that it comes broken home , my faire daughter was hit on the maister veine , and gotten with child , and the mother , to releue this matter to saue her daughters marriage , begins to weare a cushion vnder her owne ●irtle , and to faine her selfe with child , but let her daughter passe as though she ayld nothing : whan the fourtie weekes were come , and my young mistris must needes cry out forsooth , this old ● . had gotten huswifes , an●●erable to her selfe ; and so brought her daughter to bed , and let her goe vp and downe the house , and the old croane lay i● childbed as though she had been deliuered , and said , the child was hers , and so saued her daughters 〈◊〉 . was not this a witty wonder m. stephen , wrought by an old witch , to haue a child in her age , and make a young whore seeme an honest uirgin : tush , this is litle to the purpose , if i should r●cite all , 〈◊〉 many she had co●●●ned vnder the pretence of marriage : well , poore plaine signior see , you were not stiffe inough for her , although it cost you many crownes , and the losse of your seruice . i le say no more , perhaps she will amende her manners . ah stephen , how like you of this geare , in crosbiting wee put you 〈◊〉 ; for god wot , it is little lookt too in & about london ; and yet i may say to thee , many a good citizen is crosbit in the yeare by odde walkers abroad . steph. i cannot d●ny kate , but you haue set downe strange presidents of womens preiudiciall wits ; but yet though you be crosbites , foystes , and nips , yet you are not good liftes : which is a great helpe to our facultie , to 〈◊〉 boult of satten or ueluet . kate. stay thee a word , i thought thou hadst spoken of i.p.c. his wife : take heed , they be par●ous folkes , and greatly acquainted with keepers and jaylers , therefore meddle not you with them ; for i heare say , the belman hath sworne in despight of the brasill ●●affe , to tell such a foule tale of him in his second part , that it will co●● him a dangerous ioynt . ste. kate , kate , let i. p. beware , ●or had not an ill fortune falne to the bel-man , he could take little harme . kate. who is that stephen , d. vv. ste. nay , i will not name him . kate why then i prithie what misfortune befell him ? ste. marry kate , he was strangely washt alate by a french barber , and had all the haire of his face miraculously shauen off by the sythe of gods vengeance , in so much that some sayd he had that he had not , but as hap was , howsoeuer his haire fell off , it stood him in some ●●eed when y● brawle was alate : for if he had not cast off his beard and so being vnknown , it had cost him some knockes , but it fell out to the best . kate the more hard fortune that he had such ill hap , but hastie iourneys bréed danger●us sweates , & y● phisitians call it y● ale peria , yet omitting all this , againe to where you left . st. you haue almost brought me out of my matter , but i was talking about the li●t , commending what a good quality it was , and how hurtfull it was , séeing we practise it in mercers shops , with haberd●shers of small war●● , haberdashers of hats & caps , amongst marchant taylors for hose and doublets , and in such places getting much gaines by lifting , when there is no good purchase abroad by foisting . kate suppose you are good at the lift , who be more cunning then we women , in that we are more trusted , for they little suspect vs , & we haue as close conueyance as you men , though you haue cloakes , we haue skirts of gownes , hand-baskets , the crownes of our hats , our plackardes , and for a néed , false bags vnder our smockes , wherein we may conuey more closely then you . st. i know not where to touch you , you are so witty in your answers , and haue so many starting hoales , but let me be pleas●nt with you a little , what say you to priggin or horse-stealing , i hope you neuer had experience in that faculty . kate alas simple sot , yes , and more shift to shunne the gallowes then you . st. why t is impossible . kate. in faith sir no , and for proofe , i will put you down with a story of a mad , merry , little dapper , fine wench , who at spilsby faire had thrée horse of our own , or another mans to sell , as she , her husband , and another good fellow , walked them vp and downe the faire , the owner came & apprehended them all , & clapt them in prison , the iaylor not kéeping them close prisoners , but letting them lye all a chamber , by her wit she instructed them in a formall tale , that she saued all their liues thus . being brought the next morrow after their apprehension , before the iustices , they examined y● men how they came by the horses , and they confest they met her with them , but where she had them , they knew not : then was my pretty peat brought in , who being a handsome trull , blusht as if she had béen full of grace ; and being demanded where she had the horses , made this answere : may it please your worships , this man my husband , playing the vnthrift , as many more haue done , was absent from me for a quarter of a year● , which grieued me not a litle , insomuch y● desirous to sée him , & hauing intelligence he would be at spilsby faire , i went thither euen for pure loue of him , on foot , & being within some ten miles of y● towne , i wa●ed passing weary , & rested me often , & grew very faint , at last there came riding by me a seruingman in a blew coat , with horses tide at one anothers taile , which he led , as i gest , to sell at the faire : the seruingman séeing me so tired , took pitty on me , & asked me if i wold ride on one of his empty horses , for his own wo●ld not beare double , i thankt him hartily , & at the next hill got vp , & rode til we came to a towne within miles of spilsby , where the seruing-man alighted at a house , & ●ad me ride on afore , and he would presently ouertake me . wel , forward i rode halfe a mile , & looking behind me , could sée no body ; so being alone , my heart began to rise , and i to thinke on my husband : a● i had rid a little further , looking downe a lane , i saw two men comming lustily vp , as if they were weary ; & marking them earnestly , i saw one of them was my husband , which made my heart as light as before it was sa● : so staying for them , after a little vnkinde gréeting betwixt vs ( for i chid him for his vnthriftinesse ) he asked me where i had the horse : and i told him how curteously the seruingman had vsed me : why then saies he , stay for him : nay quoth i , le ts ride on , and get you two vpon the empty horses , for he will ouer-take vs ere we come at the towne , he rides on a stout lusty yong gelding : so forward we went , and lookt often behind vs , but our seruingman came not . at last we comming to spilsby , alighted & broke our fast , & tied our horses at the doore , that if hee past by , séeing them , he might call in ; after we had broke our fast , thinking he had gone some otherway , we went into the horse-faire , and there walkt our horses vp & downe to méet with y● seruingman ; not for the intent to sell them . now may it please your worship , whether he had stolne the horses from this honest man or no , i know not ; but alas , simply i brought them to them to the horse faire , to let him that deliuered me them , haue them again● : for i hope your worships do imagine if i had stolne them , as it is suspected , i would neuer haue brought them into so publike a place to sell : yet i● law be any way dangerous for y● foolish déed , because i know not the seruingman , it is i must bide the punishment , and as guiltlesse as ●ny here : and so making a low curtsie she ended . the iustice holding vp his hand , and wondring at 〈◊〉 womans wit , that had cléered her husband and his friend , & saued herselfe without compasse of the law . how like you of this stephen ? cannot we wenches prigge well ? step. i think kate i shal be faine to giue you y● bucklars . kate. alas good stephen , thou art no logitian , thou canst not reason for thy selfe , nor hast no witty argument to draw me to an exigent : and therefore giue me leaue at large to reason for this supper , remember the subiect of our disputation , is the positiue question , whether whoores to théeues are most preiuditiall to the cōmon-wealth . alas , you poore théeues do only steale & purloine from men , & the harme you do , is to imb●llish mens goods , & bring them to pouerty : this is the onely end of mens th●euery , and the greatest preiudic● that grows from robbing and filching , so much do weby o● the●t , and more by our lechery : for what is the end of whoredome , but consuming of goods and begery ; and besides , perpetuall infamy ? we bring yong youthes to ruine and vtter destruction . i pray you stephen whether had a marchants sonne , hauing wealthy parents , better light vpon a whore , then a cut-purse , the one onely taking his money , the other bringing him to vtter confusion . for if the foyst light vpon him , or the conny-catcher , he looseth at the most some hundreth pounds : but if he fall into the company of a whoore , she flatters him , she inueagles him , she bewitcheth him , that he spareth neither goods nor lands to content her , that is only in loue with his coine : if hee bee married , hee forsakes his wife , leaues his children , despiseth his friends , 〈◊〉 to satisfie his lust with the loue of a base whoore , wh● when hee hath spent all vpon her , and he brought to beggery , beateth him out like the prodigall child● ; and for a ●●●all reward , brings him , if to the fairest end , to begge : if to the second , to the gallowes : or at the last and worst , to the por , or as preiuditiall diseases . i pray you stephen when any of you come to your confession at tyborne , what is your last sermon that you make ? that you were brought to that wicked and shamefull end , by following of harlots : for to that end doe you steale to maintaine whoores , and to content their badde humors . oh stephen ! enter your owne thoughts , and think what the faire words of a wanton will doe , what the smiles of a strumpet will driue a man to at , into what ieopardy a man will thrust himselfe for her that he loues , although for his swéete villany hee bee brought to a loathsome leprosse . tush stephen , they say the por came from naples , some from spaine , some from france : but wheresoeuer it first grew , it is so surely now rooted in england , that by s. syth it may better bee called a morbus anglicus ; then gallicus , and i hope you will grant all these french fauours grew● from whoores : besides , in my high louing , or rather creeping , i meane wher●men and women do rob together , there alwayes the woman is most bloudy : for shee alwayes vrgeth vnto death : and though the men would onely satisfie themselues with the parties coine , yet she endeth her theft in bloud , murthering parties so deeply as shee is malicious : i hope ( gentle stephen ) you cannot contradict these reasons , they be so openly manifestly probable . for mine owne part , i hope you do not imagine but i haue had some friends besides poore george my husband : alas , hee knowes it , and is content , like an honest simple suffragan , to bee corriuall with a number of other good companions , and i haue made many a good man , i meane a man that hath a houshold , for the loue of mee to goe home and beate his poore wife , when god wotte , i mocke him for the money hee spent , and hee had nothing for his pence , but the waste beleauings of others beastly labours . stephen , stephen , if concubines could inueagle salomon , if dalilah could betray sampson , then wonder not if we ( more nice in our wickednesse then a thousand dalilahs ) can seduce poore yong nouices to their vtter destructions . search the gayles , there you shall heare complaints of whoores : looke into the spittles , and hospitalles : there you shall sée men diseased of the french marbles , giuing instruction to others that are said to beware of whoores , bee an auditor or eare-witnesse at the death of any thiefe , and his last testament is , take héed of a whoore. i dare scarce speake of bride-well , because my shoulders tremble at the name of it , i haue so often deserued it : yet looke but in there , and you shall heare poore men with their handes in their pigeon-hoales , crye : oh fie vpon whoores , when fouler giues them the terrible lash . examine beggars that lye lame by the high-way , and they say , they came to that misery by whoores . some thréed-bare citizens , that from marchants , and other good trades , grow to be base informers and knights of the post , crye out when they dine with duke humphrey : o what wickednesse comes from whoores . prentises that runne from their maisters , cry out vpon whoores . tush stephen , what enormities proceede more in the common-wealth , then from whoore●●●e . but sith it is almost supper-time , and mirth is the friend to digestion , i meane a little to be pleasant , i pray you how many bad profites againe growes from whoores ? bride-well would haue very few tenants , y● hospitall would want patients , y● the surgeants much worke , the apothe●●ries would haue surphaling water , and potato-rootes lye dead on their hands , the painters could not dispatch and make away their vermillion , if tallow-faced wh●●res vsed it not for their chéekes . what should i say more stephen ? the sub-vrbes should haue a great misse of vs , and shorditch would compl●●ne to dame anne a cleare , if wee of the sister-hood she 〈…〉 vphold her iollity . who is that stephen comes 〈…〉 heare our talk ? oh t is the boy kate that tels vs supper is ready . why then stephen what say you to me ? haue i not proued that in foisting and nipying we excell you , that there is none so great inconuenience in the common-wealth , as growes from whoores : first for the corrupting of youth , infecting of age , for breeding of brawles , whereof ensue● murther , insomuch that the ruine of many men comes from vs , and the fall of many youthes of good hope , if they were not seduced by vs , do proclaime at tyborne that wee bee the meanes of their misery : you men théeues touch the body , and wealth , but we ruine the soule , and indanger that which is more pretious then the world● treasure : you make worke onely for the gall●wes , we both for the gallowes and the ●●●el , i and for the surgian too , that 〈◊〉 liue like 〈◊〉 lazers , and 〈◊〉 with the fre●●● marbles . whereupon i conclude that i haue 〈…〉 . steph. i confesse it kate , for thou hast told me such wondrous villanies , as i thought neuer could haue been in women , i meane of your profession : why you are crocodiles when you wéep , basilisks when you smile , serpents when you deuise , and the diuels chi●●e brokers to bring y● world to destruction . and so kate le ts sit downe to our meate and be merry . thus countrey-men , you haue heard the disputation betwéen these two cousoning companions , wherein i haue shakt out the notable vilany of whoores , although mistresse kate this good oratresse , hath sworne to weare a long hamborough knife to stab me , and all the crue haue protested my death : & to pro●e they meant good earnest , they beleagred me being at supper : there were some fouretéene or fiftéene of them met , and thought to haue mad● that y● fatall night of my ouer-throw , but that the courteous cittizens and apprentises tooke my part , and so two or thrée of them were carried to the counter , although a gentleman in my company was sore hurt . i cannot beny but they begin to wast away about london , and tyborne hath eaten vp many of them , and i will plague them to y● extremity , let them doe what they dare with their bilbow blades , i feare them not : and to giue them their last adue , looke shortly country-men , for a pamphlet against them , called , the creeping law , of petty théeues , that rob about the sub-vrbs . the limitting law , discoursing the orders of such as follow iudges in their circuits , and goe about from faire to faire . the iugging law , wherein i will set out the disorders at nine-holes and rifling , how they are onely for the benefite of the cut-purses . the stripping law , wherein i will lay open the lewd abuses of sundry iaylors in england . beside , you shall sée there what houses there be about the sub-vrbs and townes end , that are receiuers of cut-purses stolne goods , lifts and such like . and lastly , looke for a bed-roll or catalogue of all the names of the foysts , nyps , lifts , & priggars , in and about london : and although some say i dare not do it , yet i will shortly set it abroach , and whosoeuer i name or touch , if he thinke himselfe grieued , i will answer him . the conuersion of an english courtezan . sith to discouer my parentage , would double the griefe of my liuing parents , and reuiue in them the memory of great 〈◊〉 , and that my vntoward ●●ll , would bee a dishonour to the house from whence i came , sith to manifest the place of my birth , would be a blemish ( through my bea●tly life so badly misled ) to the shire where i was borne : sith to discouer my name , might bee holden a blot in my kindreds brow , to haue a 〈◊〉 their stocke of so little grace , i will conceale my parents , kin , and country , and shroude my name with silence , least enuy might taunt 〈◊〉 for my wantonnesse . know therfore , i was borne 〈◊〉 thréescore miles from london , of honest and wealthy parents , who had many children , but i their onely daughter , and therefore the iewell wherein they most delighted , and more , the youngest of all , and therefore the more fauoured ; for being gotten in the wayning of my parents age , they doted on me aboue the rest , and so set● their hearts the more on fire : i was the fairest of all , and yet not more beautifull then i was witty , or so much that ●●ing a pretty parrat , i had such quaint conceipts , and witty words in my mouth , that the neighbours said , i was too soone wise , to bee long old . would to god either the prouerbe had beene authenticall , or their sayings prophecies , then had i by death in my nonage , buried many blemishes that my riper yeares brought me to : for the extreme loue of my parents , was the very efficient cause of my follies , resembling herein the ●●ture of the ape , that euer killeth that yong o●e which hee loueth most , with embracing it too ●er●ently . so my father and mother , but shee most of all , although hee to much , so cockered me vp in my wantonnesse , that my wit grewe to the worst , and i wa●ed vpwards with the ill weeds : whatsoeuer i did , were it neuer so bad , might not bee found fault withall , my father would smile at it , and say , 't was but the tricke of a childe , and my mother allowed of my vnhappy parts , alluding to this prophane and old prouerbe , an vntoward girle makes a good woman . but now i find , in sparing the rod , they hated the child , that ouer-kind fathers make vnruly daughters . had they bent the wand while it had been greene , it would haue beene pliant ; but i , ill growne in my yeares , am almost remedilesse . the hawke that is most perfect for the flight and wil , seldome proueth hagard , and children that are vertuously nurtured in youth , will be honestly natured in age : fie vpon such as say : yong saints , old diuels , it is no doubt a diuellish and damnable saying : for what is not bent in the cradle , will hardly by bowed in the sadle . my self am an instance , who after i grewe to bee six yeares old , was s●t to schoole , where i profited so much , that i writ and read e●cellently well , plaid vpon the uirginals , lute & citron , and could sing prick-song at the first sight : insomuch as by that time i was twelve yeares old , i was holden for the most faire and best qualified youg girle in 〈◊〉 that countrey , but with this , bewailed of my wel-wishers , in that my parents suffered me to be so wanton . but they so tenderly affected me , & 〈◊〉 so ●●nded with my excellent qualities , that they had no insight into my insuing follies . for i growing to be yeare old , féeling the yoke of liberty to be loose on mine owne neck , begin , with y● wanton heyfer , to aime at mine owne will , and to measure content by the sweetnesse of mine own thoughts , insomuch that 〈◊〉 ●reeping on , i began to pranke 〈◊〉 selfe with the proudest , and to hold it in disdaine , that any in the parish should exceed me in brauer● . 〈◊〉 apparrell was costly , so i grew to be licentious , and to delight to be lookt on , so that i ●aunted and frequented all feasts and weddings , & other places of merry meetings , where , as i was gazed on of many , so i spared no glaunces to suruey all with a curious eye fauour , i obserued ouids rule right : spectatum veniunt , veniunt spectentur vt ipse . i went to see & be seene , and deckt my selfe in the highest degree of brauery , holding it a glory when i was waited on with many eyes , to make censure of my birth . beside , i was 〈◊〉 ordinary 〈◊〉 , and grew in that quality so famous , that i was noted as the chiefest the●eat in all the countrey : yea , and to sooth me vp in these follies , my parents took a pride in my dauncing , which afterward proued my ouer-throw , and their heart-breaking . thus as an vnbridled colt , i carelesly led forth my youth , and wantonly spent the flower of my yeares , holding such maydens as were modest , fooles , and such as were not as wilfully wanton as my selfe , puppies , ill brought vp , and without manners . growing on in yeares , as tide nor time tarrieth for no man , i began to wa● passion-proud , and to thinke her not worthy to liue , that was not a little in loue , that as diuers yong men began to fauour me for my beauty ▪ 〈◊〉 i began to censure of some of them partially , and to 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 of many wooers , being ready to fall from the 〈…〉 i was come to the 〈◊〉 of a blossome ; which an 〈◊〉 of mine séeing , who was my mothers brother , as carefull of my welfare , as me to mee in kinne , 〈…〉 to talke with mee , gaue mee this 〈…〉 a w●tch-word to want on maidens . 〈…〉 the most sudden showre , and the yo●gest virgins the 〈◊〉 dangerous fortunes , i speake as a kinsman , and wish as a friend , the blossome of a maidens youth ( such as your selfe ) hath attending vpon it many frosts to nip it , and many cares to consume it , so that i● it be not carefully lookt vnto , it will perish before it come to any perfection . a virgins honour consisteth not onely in the gifts of nature , as to be faire and beautifull , though they bee fauours that grace maidens much : for as they be glistering , so they be momentany , ready to be worne with euery winters blast and parched with euery summers sunne , there is no face so faire , but the least moale , the slenderest scarre , the smallest brunt of sicknesse , will quickly bl●mish . beauty ( cozen ) as it flourisheth in youth , so it fadeth in age , it is but a folly that feedeth mans eye , a painting that nature lends for a time , and men allow on for a while , insomuch that such as onely aime at your faire lookes , tye but their lou●s to an apprentiship of beauty ; which broken , either with cares , mis-fortune , or yeares , their destnies are at libe●ty , and they begin to loth you , and like of others . for shee that is looked on by many , cannot choose but bee hardly spoken of by some : for report hath a blister on her tongue , & maidens actions are narrowly measured . therefore would not the ancient romans suffer their daughters to goe any further then their mothers lookes guided them . and therefore diana is painted with a tortuse vnder her féet , meaning , that a maid should not be a stragler , but like the snaile , carry her house on her head , and kéepe at home at her worke , so to kéepe her name without blemish , and her vertues from the slander of enuy . cozen , i speake this generally , which if you apply particularly to your selfe , you shall find in time my words were well said . i gaue him slender thankes , but with such a frump that he perceiued how light i made of his counsaile : which hee perce●●●ing , shakt his head , and with teares in his eyes , departed . but i whom wanton desires had drawn in delight , still presumed in my former follies , and gaue my selfe either to gad abrode , or else at home to read dissolute pamphlets , which bred in me many ill-affected wishes , so that i gaue leaue to loue and lust to enter into the center of my heart , where they harboured till they wrought my finall and fatall preiudice . th●s leading my life loosly , and béeing soothed vp with the applause of my too kinde and louing parents , i had many of euery degree that make loue vnto me , as well for my beauty , as for the hope of wealth that my father would bestow vpon me : sundry sutors i had , and allowed of all , though i particularly granted loue to none , yeelding them friendly fauours , as being proud i had more wooers then a 〈…〉 in the parish beside : amongst the rest there was a ●●●lthy farmer that wished me well , a man of some fortie yeares of age , one too worthy for one of so little worth as my selfe , & him my father , mother , and other friends , wold haue had me match my selfe with all : but i that had the raines of liberty too long in mine owne hands , refused him , & would not be ruled by their perswasions ; and though my mother with teares intreated me to consider of mine owne estate , & how wel i sped if i wedded with him , yet carelesly i despised her counsell , and ●●a●ly ●●de answere , that i would none of him : which , though it pinched my parents at the quick , yet rather than they would displease me , they left me to mine owne liberty to loue . many there were beside him , men● sons of no m●●●e worth , that were wooers vnto mee , but in vaine , either my fortune or destiny droue mee to a worser end , for i refused them all , and with the b●●●e , refusing to light on the sweetest flowers all day , ne●●led at night in a cowsh●●●d . it fortuned , that as many sought to win me , so amongst the rest there was an 〈◊〉 companion that dwelt with a gentleman hard by , a fellow of small reputation , and of no li●ing , neither had he any excellent qualities , but thrumming on the gitt●on : but of pleasant disposition he was , and con●●gaw●● out many quaint & ribaldrous iigges & songs , and so was fauored of the foolish sort for his foppery . this shi●●ing companion , sutable to my selfe in vanity , would oft times be iesting with me , and i so long dallying with him , that i beganne déepely ( oh let me blush at this confession ) to fall in loue with him , and so construed of al his actions ; that i consented to mine owne ouer-throw : for as smoke will hardly be concealed , so loue will not be long smothered , but wil bewray her owne secrets , which was manifest in me , who in my sporting with him , so bewraied my affection , y● he spying i fauoured him , began to strike when the yron was hotte , and to take opportunity by the forehead , and one day finding me in a merrie vaine , beganne to question with me of loue : which although at the first i slenderly denied him , yet at last i granted , so that not onely i agréed to plight him my faith , but that night méeting to haue further talke , i la●ciuiously consented that he cropt the flower of my virginity . when thus i was spoiled by such a base companion , i gaue my selfe to content his humor , and to satisfie the swéet of mine owne wanton desire . oh here let mee breathe , and with teares bewaile the beginning of my miseries , and to exclaime against the folly of my parents , who by too much fauouring me in my vanitie in my tender youth , laide the first plot of my ensuing repentance : had they with due cor●●●tion chastised my wantonnesse , and supprest my foolish will with their graue aduice , they had made me more vertuous , and themselues lesse sorrowfull . a fathers frowne is a bridle to the childe , and a mothers checke is a stay to the stubborne daughter . oh had my parents in ouer-louing me not hated me , i had not at this time cause to complaine . but leauing this digression , againe to the loosnesse of mine owne life , who now hauing lost the glory of my youth , and suffered such a base staue to possesse it , which many men of worth had desired to enioy , i waxed bold in si●●e , and grew shamelesse , insomuch he could not desire so much as i did grant him : whereupon , séeing he durst not reueale it to my father to demand me in marriage , he resolued to carry me away secretly , & therfore wisht me to prouide for my self , & to furnish me euery way both with money & apparrell , hoping as he said , y● after we were departed , and my father saw wee were married , & that no meanes was to amend it , he would giue his 〈◊〉 cousent , & vse vs kindly , and ●●ale with vs as liberally , as if wee had matcht with his good will. i that was apt to any ill , agreed to this , and so wrought the matter , that he carried me away into a strange place , and then vsing me a while as his wife , when our money beganne to wax low , hee resolued secretly to go into y● countrey where my father dwelt , to heare not onely how my father took my departure , but what hope we had of his ensuing fauour : although i was loth to be left in a strange place , yet i was willing to heare from my friends , who no doubt conceiued much heart sorrow for my vnhappy fortunes : so that i parted with a few teares , and enioyned him to make all the haste he might to returne . he being gone , as the eagles alwayes resort where the carrion is , so the brute being spred abrode of my beauty , and that at such an inne lay such a faire young gentlewoman , there resorted thither many braue yong gentlemen , and cutting companions , that tickled with lust , aimed at the possession of my fauour , and by sundry meanes sought to haue a sight of me , which i easily granted to all , as a woman that counted it a glory to bee wondred at by many mens eyes : insomuch that comming amongst them , i set their hearts more and more on fire , that there arose diuers brawles who should bee most in my company . being thus haunted by such a troope of lusty rufflers , i began to find mine owne folly , that had placed my first affection so loosly , and therefore began as déeply to loath him that was departed , as earst i liked him when hee was present , vowing in my selfe , though he had the spoile of my virginity , yet neuer after should he triumph in the possession of my fauour : and therefore began i to affection these new-come guests , and one aboue the rest , who was a braue yong gentleman , and no lesse addicted vnto me , then i deuoted vnto him : for daily hee courted mee with amorous sonnets , and curious pend letters , and sent me iewels , and all that i might grace him with the name of my seruant : i returned him as louing lines at last , and so contented his lusting desire , that secretly and vnknowne to all the rest , i made him sundry nights my bed-fellow ; where i so bewitcht him with swéet words , that the man began déeply to dote vpon me , insomuch that selling some portio● of land that he had , he put it into ready mony , and prouiding horse and all things conuenient , carried me secretly away , almost as farre as the bathe . this was my second choy●e , and my second shame : thus i went forward in wickednesse , and delighted in change , hauing left mine old loue to looke after some other mate more fit for my purpose : how he tooke my departure when he returned , i little cared : for now i had my content , a gentleman , yong , lusty , and indued with good qualities , and one that loued mee more tenderly then himselfe . thus liued this new entertained friend & i together vnmarried , yet as man and wife for a while , so louingly as was to his content and my credit : but as the tyger , though for a while she hide her clawes , yet at last shee will reueale her cruelty : and as the agnus castus leafe when it lookes most dry , is then most full of moisture , so womens wantonnes is not qualified by their warines , nor doth their charinesse for a moneth warrant their castity for euer , which i proued true : for my supposed husband being euery way a man of worth , could not so couertly hide himselfe in the country , though a stranger , but that he fell in acquaintance with many braue gentlemen , whom hee brought home to his lodging , not onely to honour them with his liberall curtesie , but also to sée me , being proud if any man of worth applauded my beauty . alas poore gentleman , too much bewitcht by the wilinesse of a woman ▪ had hee déemed my heart to be a harbour for euery new desire , or mine eye a suter to euery face , hee would not haue béene so fond as to haue brought his companions into my company , but rather would haue mewed me vp as a hen , to haue kept that seuerall to himselfe by force , which hee could not retaine by kindnesse : but the honest minded nouice little suspected my change , although i ( god wot ) placed my delight in nothing more then y● desire of new choyce , which fell out thus . amongst the rest of the gentlemen that kept him company , there was one that was his most familiar , and hee reposed more trust and confidence in him then in all the rest : this gentleman began to bee déepely inamored of mee , and shewed it by many signes , which i easily perceiued ; and i , whose eare was pliant to euery sweet word , and who so allowed of all that were beautiful , affected him no lesse : so that loue preuailing aboue friendship , hee brake the matter with me , and made not many suites in vaine before he had obtained his purpose : for he had what he wisht , and i had what contented me . i will not confesse that any of the rest had some sildome fauours , but this gentleman was my second selfe , and i loued him more for the time at the héele , then the other at the heart : so that though the other youth bare the charges , and was sir pay for all , yet this new friend was he that was maister of my affections : which kindnesse betwixt vs , was so vnwisely cloked , that in short time it was manifest to all our familiars , which made my supposed husband to sigh , and others to smile : but he that was hit with the horne , was pincht at the heart ; yet so extreame was the affection he bare to me , that he had rather conceale his griefe , then any way make me discontent , so that he smotherd his sorrow with patience , and brookt the iniurie with silence , til our loues grew so broad before , that it was a wonder to the world : whereupon one day at dinner , i being very pleasant with his chosen friend , and my choyce louer , i know not how , but either by fortune , or it may bee , some set match , there was by a gentleman there present , a question 〈◊〉 in about womens passions , and their mutability in affection , so that the controuersie was defended , pro & contra , with arguments , whether a woman might home a second friend or no , at last it was concluded , that loue and lordship brookes no fellowship , and therefore none so ba●e minded to beare ariuall . hereupon arose a questiō about friends that were put in trust , how it was a high point of treason for one to betray another , especially in loue , insomuch that one gentleman at the boord , protested by a solemne oath , that if any friend of his , made priuy and fauoured with the sight of his mistresse whom hee loued , whether it were his wife , or no , should secretly séeke to incroach into his roome , and offer him that dishonor to partake his loue , hee would not vse any other reuenge , but at the next gréeting stab him with his poynado , though he were condemned to death for the action . all this fitted for the humor of my supposed husband , and strooke both me and my friend into a quandarie : but i scornfully iested at it , when as my husband , taking the ball before it came to the ground , began to make a long discourse what faithlesse friends they were that would faile in loue , especially where a resolued trust of the party beloued was committed vnto them : and hereupon , to make the matter more credulous , and to quip my folly , and to taunt the basenesse of his friends minde , that so hee might with courtesie both warne vs of our wantonnesse , and reclaime vs from ill , he promised to tell a pleasant story , performed as he said , not long since in eng●●nd , and it was to this effect . a pleasan● discourse how a wise wanton by her husbands gentle warning , became to bee a modest matron . there was a gentleman ( to giue him his due ) an esquire here in england ; that was married to a young gentl●woman , faire , and of a modest behauiour , vertuous in her lookes howsoeuer she was in her thoughts , and one that euery way with her dutifull ende●our , and outward appearance of honesty , did bréed her husbands content , insomuch that the gentleman so déeply affected her , as he counted all th●se 〈◊〉 ill spent which he past not away in her com●●●● , be●o●ting so himselfe in the beauty of his wife , th●● hi● onely ●are was to haue her euery way delighted . liuing thus pleasantly together , hee had one speciall friend 〈…〉 the rest , whom he so deerely affected , as hee vnfolded all his 〈◊〉 in his bosome , and what passion hee had in his minde , that either ioyed him , or perplexed him , he reuealed vnto his friend , and directed his actions according to the s●quell of his counsels , so that they were two bodies and one soule . this gentleman , for all the inward fauour showne him by his faithfull friend , could not so withstand the force of fancy , but he grew enamoured of his friends wife , whom hee courted with many swéet● wordes , and faire promises , charmes that are able to inchaunt almost the chastest eares , and so subtilly couched his arguments , discouered such loue in his eyes , and such sorrow in his lookes , that despaire séemed to sit in his face , and swore , that if she granted not him , the end of a louers sighes then would present his heart as a tragicke sacrifice to the sight of his cruell mistresse . the gentlewoman waring pittiful , as women are kind-harted , and are loth gentlemen should die for loue , after a few excuses , let him dub her husband knight of the forked order , and so to satisfie his humor , made forset of her own honor . thus these two louers continued for a great space in such pleasures as vnchast wantons count their felicitie , hauing continually fit opportunity to exercise their wicked purpose , ●ith the gentleman himselfe did giue them frée libertie to loue , neither suspecting his wife , nor his friend : at last , as such trayterous abuses will burst forth , it fell out , that a maid , who had béene an old seruant in the house , beganne to grow suspitious , that there was too much familiaritie betwéene her mistre●●● , and her maisters friend ; and vpon this , watcht them diuers times so narrowly , that at last she found them more priuate then either agréed with her maisters honor , or her own honesty : and thereupon reuealed it one day vnto her maister . he , little credulous of the light behauiour of his wife , blamed the maid , and bid her take héed , lea●● 〈◊〉 sought to blemish her vertues with ●●ander , whom he 〈◊〉 more tenderly then his owne life : the maid replied , that she spake not of enuy to him , but of meere loue she bare vnto him , and the rather that hee might shadow such a fault in time , and by some meanes preuent it , least if others should not● it as well as she , his wiues good name , and his friends should be cald in question . at these wise words spoken by so base a drudge as his maid , the gentleman waxed astonished and listned to her discourse , wishing her to discouer how she knew , or was so priuy to y● folly of her mistresse , or by what meanes he might haue assured proofe of it , she told him that to her , her owne eyes were witnesses : for she saw them vnlawfully together , and please it you sir , quoth shee , to faine your selfe to goe from home , and then in the backe-house to kéepe you secret , i will let you sée as much as i haue manifested vnto you . upon this the maister agréed , and warned his maid not so much as to make it knowne to any of her fellowes . within a day or two after the gentleman said he would go a hunting , and so risse very early ; and causing his men to couple vp his hounds , left his wife a bed , and went abroad : as soone as hee was gone a mile from the house , hee commanded his men to ride afore , and to start the hare , and follow the chase , and wee will come faire and softly after : they obeying their maisters charge , went their waies , and hereturned by a backe way to his house , and went secretly to the place where his maid and hee had appointed . in the meane time the mistresse thinking her husband safe with his hounds , sent for her friend to her bed-chamber , by a trusty seruant of hers , in whom shee assured that was a secret pander in such affaires , and the gentleman was not slacke to come , but making all the haste he could , came and went into the chamber , asking for the maister of the house very familiarly : the old maid noting all this , as soone as shee knew them together , went and cald her maister , and carried him vp by a secret paire of staires to her mistresse chamber doore ; where , péeping in at a place that the maid before had made for the purpose , he saw more then he lookt for , and so much as pincht him at the very heart , causing him to accuse his wife for a strumpet , and his friend for a traytor : yet for all this , valuing his owne honor more then their dishonesty , thinking if he should make an vprore , hee should but aime at his owne discredit , and cause himselfe to be a laughing game to his enemies , he concealed his sorrow with silence , and taking the maid apart , cha●ged her to kéepe all secret , whatsoeuer she had séene , euen as she estéemed of her owne life , for if she did bewray it to any , hee himselfe would with his sword make an end of her dayes , & with that putting his hand in his sléeue , gaue the poore maid six angels to buy her a new gowne : the w●nch glad of this gift , ●wore solemnly to treade it vnder foot , and sith it pleased him to conceale it , neuer to reueale it so long as she liued : vpon this they parted , she to her drudgery , & he to the field to his men ; where , after he had kild the ha●e , hee returned ●ome , & finding his friend in y● ; garden , y● in his absence had béen grafting hornes in the chimnies , & entertained him with his wonted familiarity , and shewed no bad countenance to his wife , but dissembled all his thoughts to the full . as soone as dinner was done , and that he was gotten solitary by himselfe , he began to determine of reuenge , but not as euery man would haue done , how to haue brought his wife to shame , & loue to confusion , but he busied his brains how he might reser●● his honor inuiolate , recl●●● his wife , & kéep his frend , meditating a long time how he might bring all this to pas●● , at last a humor fell into his head , how cunningly to compasse all thrée , & therfore he went & g●t him certaine ●●ips , which are counterfeit péeces of money , being brasse , & couered ouer with siluer , which the common people call ●●ips : hauing furnished himself with these , he put them in his purse , & at night went to bed as he was w●nt to do , yet not vs●ng the kind familiarity that he accustomed , notwithstanding he abstained not from y● vse of her body , but knew his wife as aforetimes , & euery time he comitted the act with her , he laid ● next morning in the windo● , a slip , where he was sure shee might find it , and so many times as it pleased him to b●e carnally pleasant with his wife , so many slips he still laid down vpon her 〈◊〉 . this he vsed for the space of a fortnight , till at last his wife finding euery ●ay a slip , or s●metime more or lesse , wondred how they came there , & examining her waiting maids , none of them could tell her any thing touching them , wherupon she thought to question with her husband about it , but being out of her remembrance , y● next morning as she lay dallying in bed , it came into her minde , & she asked her husband if hee laid those slips on her cu●●net , that she of late found there , hauing neuer séene any before . i mary did i , quoth he , & haue laid them there vpon speciall rea●on , and it is this : euer since i haue béen maried to thée , i haue déemed thée honest , & therefore vsed & honored thée as my wife , parting coequall fauours betwixt vs as true louers : but alate finding the contrary , and with these eies ●éeing thée play the whoore with my friend , in whom i did repose all my trust , i sought not as many would haue done , to haue reuēged in blood , but for the safety of mine own honor , which otherwise would haue béene blemished by they dishonesty , i haue béene silent , and haue neither wronged my quandom friend , nor abused thee , but still doe hold bed with th●● , that y● world shall not suspect any thing , & to quench the desire of lust i do vse thy body , but not so louingly as i wold a wife , but carelesly as i would a strumpet , and therfore euen as to a whoor● , so i giue thée hire , which is for euery time a ●●ip , a counterfeit coine , which is good enough for such a ●●ippery wanton , y● will wrong her husband that loued her so tenderly , & thus will i vse thée for the safety of mine owne honor , till i haue assured proofe that thou becomest honest : & thus with teares in his eyes , and his heart ready to burst with sighes , he was silent , when his wife stricken with remorse of conscience , leaping out of her bed i● her smocke , humbly confessing all , craued pardon , promising if he should pardon this offence which was new begun in her , she wold become a new reformed woman , & neuer after so much as in thought giue him any occcasion of suspition or iealously : the patient husband not willing to vrge his wife , took her at her word , & told her y● when he found her so reclaimed , he would as afore he had done , vse her louingly & as his wife , but till he was so perswaded of her honesty , he would pay her still slips for his pleasure , charging her not to reueale any thing to his friend or to make it knowne to him that hee was priuy to their loues . thus the debate ended , i gesse in some kinde gréeting , and the gentleman went abrode to sée his pastures , leauing his wife in bed full of sorrow , and almost re●ting her heart asunder with sighes . as soone as hee was walked abrode , the gentleman his friend came to the house , and asked for the good man : the pander that was priuy to all their practises , said that his maister was gone abrode to sée his pastures , but his mistresse was in bed : why then sayes he , i will go and raise her vp ; so comming into the chamber , and kissing her , meaning as hee was wont to haue vsed her accustomed ●alliance , she desired him to abstaine with broken sighes , and her eyes full of teares : he wondring what should make her thus discontent , asked her what was the cause of her sorrow , protesting with a solemne oath , that if any had done her iniury , he would reuenge it , were it with hazard of his life : shee then told him , scarce beeing able to speake for wéeping , that shee had a sute to moue him in , which if hee granted vnto her , she would hold him in loue and affection without change , next her husband for euer : hee promised to doe whatsoeuer it were : then saies she , sweare vpon a bible you wil do it without exception : with that he to●ke a bible that lay in the window , and swore , that whatsoeuer shee requested him to doe , were it to the losse of his life , he would , without exception performe it . then shee holding downe her head and blushing , began thus : i néede not quoth shee , make manifest how grosly and grieuously you and i haue both offended god , and wronged the honest gentleman my husband , and your friend ; hee putting a speciall trust in vs both , and assuring such earnest affiance in your vnfained frendship , that he euen c●mmitteth me his wife , his loue , his second life , into your bos●me : this loue haue i requited with●● con●●ancie , in playing the harlot : that faith that he● rep●sed in you , haue you returned with treachery & falshood , in abusing mine honesty & his honor . now a remorse of cōscience toucheth me for my sins , that i heartily repent , and vow euer hereafter to liue only to my husband : & therefore my sute is to you , that from henceforth you shall neuer so much as motion any dishonest question vnto me , nor seeke any vnlawfull pleasure or conuersing at my hands : this is my sute , & hereunto i haue sworne you , which oath if you obserue as a faithfull gentleman , i will conceale from my husband what is past , and rest in honest sort your faithfull friend for euer , at this she burst a fresh into teares , & vttered such sighes , that he thought for very griefe her heart would haue claue asunder . the gentleman astonied at this strange metamorphosis of his mistresse , sate a good while in a maze , and at last taking her by the hand , made this reply : so god helpe mee faire swéeting , i am glad of this motion , & wondrous ioyfull that god hath put such honest thoughts into your minde , & hath made you the meanes to reclaime 〈◊〉 from my folly : i féele no lesse remorse then you do in wronging so honest a friend as your husband , but this y● frailnesse of man , & therfore to make amendes , i protest anew , neuer hereafter so much as in thought , to motion you of dishonesty , only i craue you be silent : she promised that , and so they ended , and for that time they parted . at noone the gentleman came home , & chéerfully saluted his wife , & asked if dinner were ready , & sent for his friend , vsing him wonderfully familiarly , giuing him no occasion of mistrust , & so pleasantly they past away the day together : at night when his wife and he went to bed , she told him all , what had past betweene her & his friend , & how she had bound him with an oath , and that he voluntarily of himselfe swore as much , being heartily sorry that he had so déeply offended so kinde a friend . the gentleman commended her wit , & found her afterward a reclaimed woman , she liuing so honestly that she neuer gaue him any occasion of mistrust . thus the wise gentleman reclaimed with silence a wanton wife , and retained an assured friend . at this pleasant tale all the ●●●rd was at a mutiny , and they said the gentleman did passing wi●ely y● wrought so coningly for the safety of his owne honor , but exclaiming against such a friend as would to his friend offer such villany , al condemning her y● would be false to so louing a husband . thus they did diuers●y descant & past away dinner ; but this tale wrought litle effect in me : for as one past grace , i delighted in change ; but the gentlemant y● was his familiar , & my paramour , was so touched , y● neuer after he would touch mee dishonestly , but reclaimed hinselfe , abstained from me , & became true to his friend . i wondring , that according to his w●nted custome , he did not séeke my company , he & i being one day in the chamber alone , & he in his dumps , i began to dally with him , & to aske him why he was so strange , & vsed not his accustomed fauours to me : hee solemnly made answere , that though he had plaid the foole in setting his fancy vpon anothers mans wife , & in wronging his friend , yet his conscience was now touched with remorse , & euer since he heard the tale afore rehearsed , he had vowd in himself neuer to do my husband the like wrong againe . my husband , quoth i , hee is none of mine , hee hath brought me from my friends , & kéeps me here 〈◊〉 , and therefore am i as frée for you as for him : and thus began to grow clamorous , because i was 〈◊〉 of my lust . the gentleman seeing mee shamelesse , wisht me to be silent , and sai● , although you bee but his friend , yet he ho●●s you as déere as his wife , & therefore i wil not abuse him , neither would i wish you to be ●●miliar with any other , séeing you haue a friend that loues you so tenderly : much good counsell hee gaue mee , but all in vain , for i scorned it , & began to hate him , and resolued both to be rid of him , & my supposed husband , for 〈◊〉 another familiar of my husbands , i so 〈◊〉 him with 〈◊〉 words , that i 〈◊〉 him to make a 〈◊〉 of money to steale me away , & so carry me to london , where i had not liued long with him , ere he seeing my light behauiour , left me to the wide world , and to shift for my sefe . i now being brought to london , and left here at randon , was not such a house-doue while any friend staied with me , but that i had visite some houses in london , that could harbour as honest a woman as my selfe ; when as therefore i was left to my selfe , i remoued my lodging , & gat me into one of those houses of good hospitality whereunto persons resort , commonly called a trugging-house , or , to be plaine , a whore-house , where i gaue my selfe to entertaine all companions , sitting or standing at the dore like a staule , to allure or draw in wanton passengers , refusing none y● would with his purse purchase me to be his , to satisfie the disordinate desire of his filthy lust : now i began not to respect personage , good qualities , to the gracious fauour of the man , when eie had no respect of person , for y● oldest lecher was as welcom as y● yongest louer , so he broght meat in his mouth . thus to the griefe of my friends , hazard of my soule , & consuming of my body , i spent a yeare or two , in this base and bad kind of life , subiect to y● whistle of euery desperate ruffian , till on a time , there resorted to our house a cloathier , a proper yong man , who by fortune comming first to drinke , espying me asked me if i would drink with him , there needed no great entreaty , for as then i wanted company , & so clapt me downe by him , & began very pleasantly to welcom him , y● man being of himselfe modest and honest , noted my personage , & iudicially reasoned of my strumpet-like behauiour , and inwardly , as after hee reported vnto me , grieued that so foule properties were hidden in so good a proportion , and y● such rare wit & excellent beauty was blemisht with whoredomes base deformity , in so much y● he began to thin● well of me , & to wish y● i were as honest as i was beautiful . again●●● sée how god wrought for my conuersion , since i gaue my selfe to my loose kind of life , i neuer liked any so well as him , in so much y● i began to iudge of euery part , & me thought he was y● properest man y● euer i saw , thus wée sate both amorous of other , i lasciously , & he honestly , at last he questioned with me what country woman i was , & why being so prop●● a woman i would beseem to dwell or lie in a base ale-house , especially in one y● had a bad name : i warrant you i wanted no knauish reply to 〈◊〉 him , for i told him the house was as honest as his mothers , mary if there were in it a good wench or two , that would pleasure their friends 〈…〉 , i gesse by his nose what porredge he lo●ed , & 〈…〉 none such : well , seeing me in y● voyce he said little , but shaked his head , paid for the beere & went his way , onely taking his leaue of mee with a kisse , which mee thought was the sweetest that euer was giuen me , assoone as he was gone , i began to thinke what a handsome man hée was , & wisht y● he wold come & take a nights lodging with me , sitting in a dump to think of y● quaintnes of his personage , ●ll other companions came in , y● shakt me out of y● melancholy , but assoone againe as i was secret to my selfe , hee came into my remembrance , passing ouer thus a day or two this cloathier came againe to our house , whose sight chéered mee vp , for that spying him out at a casement , i ranne downe the staires & met him at y● dore , & heartily welcomed him , & asked him if he would drinke , i come for y● purpose saies he , but i will drink no more below but in a chamber , marry sir , quoth i , you shall , & so brought him into y● fairest 〈◊〉 , in their sitting there together drinking , at last y● clothier fell to kissing & other dalilance , wherein he found mée not coy , at last told mee y● he would willingly haue his pleasure of me , but y● 〈◊〉 was too lightso●e , for of all things in y● world he could not in such actions away with a light chamber , i 〈◊〉 vnto him , & brought him into a roome more dark , but still he 〈◊〉 it was too light , then i carried him into a further chāber , where drawing a curtaine before y● window , & closing y● curtaines of y● bed , i asked him smiling if y● were close enough , no sweet loue saies he , y● curtaine is not broad enough for y● window , some watching 〈◊〉 may espye vs , my heart misdoubts , & my credite is my life : good 〈◊〉 if thou hast a closer roome then this , bring me to it : why thē quoth i , follow me , & with that i brought him into a backe l●ft , wher● stood a little ●ed , onely appointed to lodge suspitious persons , so darke that at noone daies it was impossible 〈◊〉 any man to sée his owne hands : how now sir , quoth i , is not this darke enough ? he sitting him downe on the bed side , fetcht a déepe sigh , and sayd , indifferent , so , so , but there is a glimpse of light in at y● tiles , some body 〈…〉 fortune sée vs : in faith no , quoth i , none but god. 〈…〉 hee● why can god sée vs here ? good sir , quoth i , why i hop● you are not so simple , but gods eyes are so cleare and penetrating , that they can pierce through walles of brasse . and alas , q●●th he , swéet loue , if god sée vs shall we not be more ashamed to do such a filthy act before him then before men , i am sure thou art not so shamelesse but thou wouldst blu●● to haue the meanest commoner in london see thee 〈◊〉 action of thy filthy lust , & dost thou not shamemore to 〈◊〉 god , the maker of all things see thee , who re●eng●th 〈◊〉 with death , he whose eyes are cleerer then the ●un , who i● y● searcher of the heart , and holdeth vengeance in his hands to punish sinners ▪ oh let vs tremble that we but once durst haue such wanton communication in the hearing of his di●ine maiesty , who pronounceth damnatiō for such as giue themselues ouer to adultery . it is not possible ●aith y● lord , for any whoremaister or lasciuious wanton , to enter into y● kingdome of god , for such sins whole citties haue sunck ▪ kingdomes haue bene destroyed , & though god suffer such wicked liuers to escape for a while , yet at length he payeth home , in this world with beggery , shame , dis●ases , or infamy , & in the other life , with perpetuall damnation , weigh but the incōuenience that grows through thy loose life , thou art hated of all that are g●od , despised of the vertuous , and onely well thought of , of reprobates , rascals , ruffians , & such as the world hates , subiect to their lust , and gaining thy liuing at the hands of euery diseased leacher . o what a miserable trade of life is thine , that liuest of the vomit of sin , in hunting after maladies : but suppose , while thou art yong , thou art fauoured of thy companions , when thou waxest notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e cu●purses in their ●●llers . three shapes . the shee diuell worst . women foysts and boyes , most dangerous in fayres and markets . a trull with a gull. tricks of bawdes . a prettie 〈◊〉 ▪ one varlet . smo●●●● another . ● country , ●oyst gulles ●●e cittie ●oystes . the wolfe , eates the fox . cardes well packt , are as halfe the game won . worse feard , then hurt . crosbiting now most in vse . the co●ditions of a life . i will tell you wōders of this mad wench & her husband , in my blacke booke , with both their names . the end of keeping a whoores companie . women out-strippe men in villany . examples . new lawes . a harlots repentance . a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayley, april , , & , setting forth the facts and tryals of several prisoners for felonies, burglaries, treason, and other crimes : with a particular account of the tryal and condemnation of two women for high treason, clipping the kings coyn, who are sentenced to be burnt to ashes : and likewise the tryals and condemnation of one for robbing on the highway, and two others for horse-stealing and other felonies : and an exact relation of all other remarkable proceedings : with the number of those that are condemn'd, burn'd in the hand, and to be whipt. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayley, april , , & , setting forth the facts and tryals of several prisoners for felonies, burglaries, treason, and other crimes : with a particular account of the tryal and condemnation of two women for high treason, clipping the kings coyn, who are sentenced to be burnt to ashes : and likewise the tryals and condemnation of one for robbing on the highway, and two others for horse-stealing and other felonies : and an exact relation of all other remarkable proceedings : with the number of those that are condemn'd, burn'd in the hand, and to be whipt. england and wales. court of oyer and terminer and gaol delivery (london and middlesex). p. printed for d.m., london : . imperfect: print show-through. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng trials -- england. crime -- england. criminals -- england. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly , april , , & . . setting forth the facts and tryals of several prisoners for felonies , burglaries , treason , and other crimes . with a particular account of the tryal and condemnation of two women for high treason , clipping the kings coyn , who are sentenced to be burnt to ashes . and likewise the tryals and condemnation of one for robbing on the highway ; and two others for horse-stealing and other felonies . and an exact relation of all other remarkable proceedings . with the number of those that are condemn'd , burn'd in the hand , and to be whipt . with allowance . ro. l'estrange . london : printed for d. m. . the proceedings at the sessions holden for london and middlesex . though the sessions for the city of london and county of middlesex be held almost every month , yet so incorrigibly wicked are people , that no warning of the untimely ends or other punishments of their fellow criminals , can deter them from the same evil courses : so that there scarce ever fails to be a great number to receive justice for their demerits at every jayl-delivery . thus was it now at this time : of the most notorious i shall here give you a particular account . two women were severally tryed for and co●victed of felony , for shopli●ting ( as they c 〈…〉 ) a practice become so frequent , that a tradesm●n scarce dares trust his wares to customers v●ew , they have so often been robb'd under pretence of buying . these two has ( 't is said ) long followed the same trade , and are no strangers to the formality of holding up their hands ; but 't is thought they will scarce ev●r have liberty to practise their villany abroad again . two other several persons were indicted for stealing an horse ; but besides that one was a person of competent estate and credit , he made it appear that he bought him , though at a place where it seems there was no toll-book kept , so that the property was not altered ; yet it not appearing he had reason to think the nag was unlawfully come by , they were both acquitted . a gentleman took a tryal for killing a man , but there was no sufficient evidence that the prisoner was the party ; onely one young woman pr●ssed somewhat largely divers circumstances , to whose credit there were on the other side several witnesses examined : so that on the whole matter the prisoner was brought in not guilty . a person was tried on two indictments for several felonies , one for stealing a sorrel guelding valued in the bill at four pound , on the twelfth of january last ; the other for stealing a hundred fifty six yards of say , valued at twelve pound . the facts were done at the town of bury in suffolk , the guelding taken out of the stable in the night , but the stuff was stolen some time before , and the prisoner partly charged with it , his house being searcht , but nothing found , at last a naughty woman that he kept company with , b●ing apprehended and sent to jayl , he fearing she might discover him , resolv'd to run the country , anct to that purpose stole the guelding ; which at the ball in leaden hall street he truck● away for fourteen shillings boot : but at last the horse being found by the hue and cry , the party was likewise taken , and part of the say found upon the hostler of the house . he having sold a whole piece in the inne , pretending he had been robb'd as he came up , and wanted money : so that having no colour of excuse , he was convicted and condemned . the next was a very considerable tryal , three women being tried for high treason , for clipping eight half-crowns of king charles the first 's coin , and ten other half-crowns of king jam●s's , and taking six pence off of each of them . notice was first taken of them thus : a shoop-keeper without temple-bar hath oft observed a little girl come to him to change five or ten shi●lings of small money into greater , as six pences or shillings into half-crowns ; and that she would not take any mill-money , nor money that was clipt : whereupon he watching the girl , in fleet-street saw one of the prisoners ( her mother ) waiting for her , who sent her into several shops in fleet-street on the like errand . at last he dogg'd them into an house near stonecutters-street in sho lane , very suspitiously scituate ; so that declaring the same , and going with an officer to search , they took one woman , and in her hand● a basket , in which , amongst several papers , there was one that had clippings and filings . the other woman was abroad ; but breaking open her door , they observ'd filings on the floor , found clippings under a bed , a file and a pair of sheers hid under the board , to which part of the new-cut silver still stuck , a melting-pot not quite cold , &c. the chi●de being examined whither she used to carry her h●lf crowns , said , to such an one , naming the third woman now indicted , living in golden-lane ; but nothing being found in her house , she was acquitted . of the other two , one pleaded ignorance ; the other , that she had these tools of one benjamin smith , executed two or three sessions ago ; but that appearing frivolous , and the crime evident , as pieces of silver , and their touch stones , and old gloves to smoothen and al●ay the colour , &c. being produced in court , they were both found guilty of the felony and treason , and received sentence to be burnt . a poor mechanick fellow was likewise tried for clipping : going to w●rk early , he found a parcel of clippings in longlane , and carried them to a goldsmith , to know what they were : who saying it was course silver , bought it of him for five shillings six pence , but gave him a naughty half crown ; which coming several times to have changed , they at last apprehended him ; but no other proof coming against him , he was acquitted . a young man was convicted of a misdemeanour , for offering to put off a naughty guinny at a tavern in cornhil , knowing it to be such ▪ he al●eadged , he took it for good of a watch ; maker , and it appeared he had it of him ; but when he got it , which was under a pretence of borrowing it , he said it was n●●ght , and that he would keep it to have it 〈◊〉 , &c so that 't is thought his design● was to de●raud the watch-maker first , and the vi●tner afterwards , if not thus discovered . h●re was a lamentable spectacle , almost a whole family confederates in villany , being two brothers ▪ and their sister , and one that pretended to be her husband : there were several indictments against them respectively , the husband being found guilty of stealing a brown mare in kent , and upon another indictment for stealing four flitches of bacon and a fowling-piece , which were taken with them ; but the woman alleadging her self his wife , and consequently what she did , was done by his coertion , could not be found guilty , though she were taken upon the mare . the three men were likewise found guilty of another felony discovered in golden lane , for stealing the goods of a person unknown ; they were onely the rubbish of some burglary , the best goods being disposed of before they were seized ; so that it was brought in under the value of ten pence . another indictment against the the same w●man by four or five names , for stealing a black guelding valued at eight pounds , and selling him in st. gileses ; but it appearing that her pretended husband brought him to t●e inne , she was for the reason before mentioned acquitted ; hereby obtaining two happy certificates of her marriage . 〈…〉 brief , 't was declared by the court that this very gang had lately stolen above forty horses : nor did they deal altogether in horsefl●sh , but lov'd mutten too , an indictment being against them for stealing nine fat sheep ; for which being taken , they lately made an escape out of the gatehouse ; and the prosecutor not knowing they were retaken , was not ready with his witnesses . a fellow , with one arm , was convicted for robbery on the high-way ; he and or more of his gang lurking on foot about bunhil fields , knockt down an honest man , and rifled him of several small things , for money he had none : his crying out brought the constable and watch , who seized the prisoner on the place , the rest made their escape . he had been concern'd on such foot-pad rogueries before , and now received sentence of death . there were in all nine persons condemn'd to die , seven men , viz. two for horse-stealing and other felonies , one for burglary and stealing goods to the value of seventy pounds , and three others for several felonies ; having been all burnt in the hand before ; and one for the foot-pad , or robbing on the highway . and as for the two women , they received sentence to be drawn on a hurdle to the place of execution , and there their bodies to be burnt . four men and three women burnt in the hand , and five ordered to be whip . finis . a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayley, december , , , & , containing the tryal of the woman for coyning, who is condemn'd to be burnt : with an account of the highway-men : also the tryals and condemnation of several other notorious malefactors : and also the number of those that are condemn'd, burn'd in the hand, transported, and to be whipt. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t b_variant estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayley, december , , , & , containing the tryal of the woman for coyning, who is condemn'd to be burnt : with an account of the highway-men : also the tryals and condemnation of several other notorious malefactors : and also the number of those that are condemn'd, burn'd in the hand, transported, and to be whipt. england and wales. court of oyer and terminer and gaol delivery (london and middlesex). p. printed for d.m., london : . imperfect: pages stained and with print show-through. reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng trials -- england. crime -- england. criminals -- england. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a true narrative of the proceedings at the seffions-house in the old-bayly , december , , , & . . containing the tryal of the woman for coyning , who is condemn'd to be burnt . with an account of the highway-men . also the tryals and condemnation of several other notorious malefactors . and also the number of those that are condemn'd , burn'd in the hand , transported , and to be whipt . with permission . ro. l'estrange . london : printed for d. m. . the proceedings at the sessions for london and middlesex . amongst such a multitude of various crimes , the story of every petty felony with its trivial circumstances here examined or punisht , cannot reasonably be expected to be published ; such an undertaking would be no less tedious than unuseful , and in some cases unfit : but as to whatever was transacted considerable or remarkable , this sheet dares promise you a brief , yet sufficient , account both of the manner of fact , and what became of the prisoner charged therewith . the first relation we are to make , is of a very sad and unhappy accident . a gentleman was indicted ( according to form in such cases ) for murder ; but upon evidence the business appeared onely thus : a burglary about four or five a clock in the morning being made , or at least attempted , and discovered by the noise , and the people crying out thieves , the person now tried , generously came forth of his bed with his sword in his hand to help his friends and seize the robbers , but casually meets three or four journymen - shoomakers , who working hard by and taking the alarm , came likewise running out with the like honest intentions : but in that hurry and passion , mutually mistaking each other for some of the malefactors ( who in truth were all escaped before ) and the gentleman demanding of the person deceased who they were ? and he , under that misapprehension , roughly replying , you shall know by our actions , or to that effect , and withal striking him ; the now prisoner concluding him one of the thieves , unfortunately gave him a wound which occasion'd his death : so that it appearing to be done partly by misadventure and partly se defendendo , he was wholly acquitted . another person was arraigned for a murder committed about three years ago neer islington , and for which his own brother , being above a twelvemonth since convicted of manslaughter , and not able to read when he had pray'd the benefit of clergy , was executed : but though this man was in his company when the fact was done , and some circumstances seemed to lie heavie upon him , yet for want of cleer evidence he was discharged : as likewise were two more concerning killing of a man neer holborn , it not appearing that he received any blow or wound from either of them that might occasion his death . but one for killing his comrade by tower hill , upon a quarrel arising between them about a reckoning at an ale-house , was found guilty of manslaughter . a poor charewoman intrusted sometimes to sweep the hall of one of the city-companies , and scour their pewter when need required , made bold at several times to exchange a considerable quantity thereof for silver . she very penitently confest the fact , and had endeavour'd restitution as far as she could , begging mercy of the honourable bench , which was afforded her . another coming with three or four other confederates to an ale-house , some of them got up stairs , and breaking open a chest of drawers took away twenty guinnies , five rings , and several other things of value . the prisoner being proved to be one of the company , and that she paid the reckoning , was convicted . a notorious criminal after many fair warnings and not a few convictions , having some time since obtained the mercy of transportation , finding , it seems , the place not to agree so well with her as that of newgate , whereunto she had been so oft accustomed , or at least that the customes of the country were not fit for her trade , sugars and tobacco not being so conveniently stolen , harbour'd , or put off there , as watches , rings , plate , silks , &c. are here ; thought fit to come back and follow her old profession of shoplifting , being lately taken with a scarf , which she alleadged stuck to her clothes when she went out of a shop at the exchange , though the jury were of opinion that she stole it : which , together with her too early return , 't is verily believed , may cause her to take a surer transportation by a turn at tyburn ; which , no doubt , will be much lamented as an untimely end , because it happen'd no sooner . the next considerable , was an indictment against a man and a woman , pretended to be intermarried , for coyning . the woman had been an old offender , and now no less than nine or ten indictments found against her for felonies ; being so frugal and industrious , as first to steal plate , and afterwards make money of it , to save the trouble of exchange and the charge of coynage . yet as cunning as she was , she became accessary to her own discovery : for upon promise of secrecy , she tells an acquaintance that she knew some persons that had store of cash , and were resolved to set up a private mint ; and she would order it so , that he should surprize them at work , and then get a good sum for concealment , wherein she was to go snips . he seemingly consents , but honestly imparts it to a gentleman to whose care and office it belongs to inspect such offences . several times she came to him , and sometimes brought him new-coyn'd counterfeit-money to put off ; but still on pretences the business was not ripe , and perhaps then somewhat distrusting him , delay'd the discovery ; so that at last having learnt that she had taken a house about hounslow for carrying on the intrigue , he with a warrant and officers went down , and found her blowing the fire in a room where there were several sorts of metals , divers pieces of stolen plate , a coyning-press , and some other tools , now produced in court ; but her husband was in another room in bed . she did not much deny the fact , but wholly clear'd him ( to whom not above a fortnight before she had been married ) protesting that he was not privie to any of her actions of that kinde . the court asking the man upon his tryal whether he were content to part with his wife , he , like a kind husband , replied , i am very willing the law should have its course : better one than both . so that , he was acquitted , and she convicted of high treason , and by law to be burnt . the court had much trouble given them by a fellow and his wife , the man being indicted for two facts , stealing of a mare , and of linnen ; the woman for a smock : both refused to plead , insomuch that the terrible sentence of pein fort & dure ( or pressing ) past , but not being recorded , and they on view of the press , and mr. ordinary's pressing and pious exhortations not at once to cast away their lives and their souls , submitting themselves , were admitted to tryal , and for want of exact proof acquitted on both indictments . another remarkable thing was of a lusty young wench , who coming to an office of intelligence to inquire for a service , was by them directed to one at westminster , and entertain'd , pretending her self to be a quaker , on which account her master and mistriss the more freely trusted her ; but the second day in the evening she robb'd them of several pieces of plate , clothes , &c. above the value of fifty pound , and putting her self in mans apparel went off with the prize , but was soon pursued and ( notwithstanding her disguise ) discovered , and in her masculine habit carried to newgate ; but now appeared in a female dress . before the justice she accused one for taking the goods by her invitation or consent , and afterwards denied that he knew any thing of it , and charged another ; but still acknowledging 't was done by her privity , was found guilty of the felony . several persons were found guilty of felony and burnt in the hand for stealing of silver tankards , &c. out of victualing-houses : wherein there was little observable besides this , that people after so many examples should be so far infatuated as to run the hazzard of forfeiting their licenses , and losing their plate , by exposing it in common use , meerly to gratifie their pride , or a worse humour of covetousness , which abateth the quantity of the liquor , proportionably to the tempting quality of the cups they vend it in . a woman in the strand coming to buy one pair of silk stockings which she paid for , fearing ( it seems ) she might have a hard bargain , had been so kind to her self as to take about seven and twenty pair more privately into her apron without the useless ceremony of asking the price ; but being discovered by a by-stander , was forc'd to make legal satisfaction , and take an acquittance for the same in her hand ; to which squire ketch vouchsafed to be a witness , and subscribe his mark. a lusty fellow arraign'd for stealing a horse , absolutely denied any knowledge of the business ; but being suddenly ask'd what boot he had when he swapt him away , affirm'd , but five and thirty shillings ▪ which amounting to a plain confession , he was brought in guilty . another for stealing of goods ▪ pleaded the general pardon he had lately obtained for another robbery ; but the words thereof being read , and not extending to this case , he was likewise convicted , it serving rather to aggravate than extenuate his fact. after this a woman was tried for the most unnatural crime of murdering her bastard-child , and a man for the prodigious trick of killing almost threescore sheep onely to steal fourscore pounds of tallow ; a piece of villany never till within these few years practised : he pleaded guilty , and was burnt in the hand . there were three bargemen arraigned for murder , drowning a boy in a fisher-boat on the thames . it was endeavoured to be proved that they did it wilfully ; but they alleadged , that by the violent current of the tide they could not help it . the jury sound the matter of fact specially , and left it to judges to determine the crime in point of law. several persons in custody for robberies on the high-ways were not tried , there being no prosecution in middlesex against them ; but are to be sent to the respective counties where they did the facts , to take their tryals at the assizes . there were in all five persons condemned to die : two men and two women ( old notorious and incorrigible thieves ) to be hang'd , and one woman to be burnt : four set by , before judgement , for transportation ; fourteen burnt in the hand ; and six for petty larceny to be whipt . finis . a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayley, at a sessions there held on the st and d of june, being a true relation of the tryal and condemnation of the grand highway-man that robbed the ministers near uxbridg : with the tryal of the midwife for pretending to be deliverd of a stone dead child, with the tryal of the two searchers that were her confederates : and all other considerable transactions there, with the number of those condemned to die, burnt in the hand, to be transported and whipt. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayley, at a sessions there held on the st and d of june, being a true relation of the tryal and condemnation of the grand highway-man that robbed the ministers near uxbridg : with the tryal of the midwife for pretending to be deliverd of a stone dead child, with the tryal of the two searchers that were her confederates : and all other considerable transactions there, with the number of those condemned to die, burnt in the hand, to be transported and whipt. england and wales. court of quarter sessions of the peace (london) [ ], p. printed for d.m., london : . "with allowance. ro. l'estrange." imperfect: pages stained, with print show-through. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng trials -- england. crime -- england. criminals -- england. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly at a sessions there held on the st . and d . of june . being a true relation of the tryal and condemnation of the grand highway-man that robbed the ministers near vxbridg . with the tryal of the midwife for pretending to be deliverd of a stone dead child , with the tryal of the two searchers that were her confederates . and all other considerable transactions there , with the number of those condemned to die , burnt in the hand , to be transported and whipt . with allowance . ro. l'estrange . london : printed for d. m. . a narrative of the proceedings at the sessions in the old-baily , june the st . . the first tryal was of a young fellow that on the . of may last came early in the morning to drink with one of his acquaintance , and afterwards the same forenoon came again all alone by himself , call'd for a pot of drink and must needs have a cup to drink out of , they brought him a silver beaker valued at shillings , he pretended to wait for his friend , lingered away sometime , but at last spying an opportunity when the maid of the house was gone into the stables , stole the plate and left his reckoning to pay , he made severall slight ridiculous excuses , as that he was drunk , that his friend came and took it away , &c. but confessed he himself offered the plate to sale , and thereupon was found guilty . the next was a pickpocket who on the . of may seeing a young maiden dancing with the milkwoman made shift to steal a box and shillings . pence in money out of her pocket , and according to method , forthwith delivered it to a boy his confederate , who immediately ran away and is not yet taken . but our young practitioner was not so much mr. of art as to perform the exploit clerely , for he was both perceived by the girl , diving in her pocket and seen by another deliver away the prize , so that he was found guilty . a young girl of st. giles cripplegate parish was indicted for stealing at several times ounces of their silver plate , she very sorrowfully confest the fact , and declared that apple women that received it of her prompted and encouraged her to it saying , 't is a good girl get some more , the jury found that value under pence so that she s only like to be whipt , but her wicked deducers deserve a severer punishment . in middlesex was arraigned a highway-man formerly as he pretended belonging to the guard , but now prisoner to the fleet , but being not in execution upon bail had favour or i know not how , got his liberty , which he made this ill use of , viz. having got a confederate not yet taken being both well mounted about miles on this side vxbridge between and a clock in the evening they happened upon ministers , of whom one had a man with a sword by his side they had vizor-masks on their faces , and riding by cryed good-night sirs but forthwith turned back and one setting a pistol to the foremost ministers breast dam ye deliver your money was the word , the parsons being both unarmed and by their office ambassadors of peace . answer'd very complyingly assuring them they had but very little money but the servingman being a sturdy fellow forthwith drew his sword , which the highway men perceiving rode up to him , and a fierce conflict began between them for almost a quarter of an hour the fellow driving them before them attempted to shoot him , but their pistols did not go off ; at last they rid away about a furlong fitted up their pistols , and so came down again ; one of them skirmishes the man , whilst the other ransacks the master and his fellow traveller . from one they took six shillings , or thereabouts ; from the other , only some silver halfted knives , a silver box , &c. for in the mean time they had both conveyed away what money considerable they had about them : then both attaqu'd the servingman , and no intrea●ies wou●● serve but they would kill him ; he had 〈◊〉 one groat about him , which he shewed , telling them if they could get it they should have it . at last being wearied , and there being two of them which put him hard to it : his master ve●y generously , rather than so stout a fellow should lose his life , to hazard his own , and thereupon alighting on a sudden , catches one of the thieves and puls him almost from his horse , holding him so , that he was forc'd to cry out , and quickly fell down , where the servant gave him two or three wounds . his fellow rogue seeing this , basely ( for there is a kind of gallantry even amongst some villains ) leaves him , and provides for his own safety , who cannot yet be heard of ; but the other being disarm'd , was carried by his conquerors before a justice of peace , and thence committed to newgate . at bar he denied any intention of robbery , carried up himself very impudently , casts reflexions on his accusers , that his friend was drunk , and 't was only an accidental quarrel ; but the evidence was two plain and apparent . so that he was deservedly found guilty . a victualer in st. giles in the fields was arraigned for killing a woman by beating her when she came to pay restitution of her goods , which he had seized being her landlord , and at the same time cast her husband into goal for rent . it was proved , that he did fling her down and beat her , but she lived above a quarter of a year after , viz. from the of december to the . of may , that on candlemas-day she was delivered of a child , which lived or days . there was some discourse that she was afterward delivered of several parts of a dead child , but that did not sufficiently appear , nor any positive proof that she died of this beating , but rather circumstances to the contrary . upon all which , after many witnesses heard on his behalf , the prisoner was acquitted . after this was the tryal of a midwife of the parish of st. giles cripplegate , who was indicted by her self , and immediately after two very aged poor women being searchers towards wapping indicted joyntly for murdering a certain male child by choaking the same with their hands , &c. some account has already been given in print of this business , but very false and imperfect , upon full evidence it appeared only to be thus . this midwife whether to satisfie her husband ( as she now alleadges ) who was very impatient to have a child , or whether it were to preserve her credit in her imploy which she thought somwhat prejudiced by the imputation of barrenness , i cannot say , but so it was she resolved to pretend to have a child , in order hereunto by wearing a small pillow , &c. she had perswaded many of her neighbors that she was great , and about a week before her pretended labour enquired very earnestly of a poor woman if she could not help her to a young child as soon almost as born , either alive or dead , for says she there is a lady whose husband will not live with her because she never had a child , and he is now in the country and if i could get a child , i should do a good office in rendering love between them , and get something my self , but this woman as she now swore , refused not knowing how to assist her ; whereupon it seems she applyed her self to the two searchers of whitechappel , who having gratified her extravagant desires , on the . of april our midwife pretends to fall in labour , but would not let any of the women touch her ; and having dismist all save one in the chamber , when she was got to bed , pretending great pains , her friend offering to put her hands into the bed for better satisfying her self of her condition , she cried out murder ! murder ! which raising a further suspicion in the woman , she did at last take out of the bed a cold naked dead child , which had , as appeared , been wrapt up in a cloth , and seemed to have been a day or two old ; whereupon she told the prisoner this could be none of her child , who wickedly replyed with a horrid curse and imprecation on her self , if it were not her own child , born of her own body : however neighbours being called , several sober matrons now deposed , that having searched her , they were confident she had no child at all , and that this was some other persons child , &c. the prisoner being demande where she had the child , declared of the two searchers , which they being called to the bar acknowledged , and that they brought it to her the same day , and had s. being promised l. more : that they had it on saltpeter bank. the mother appeared in court , and her midwife , who testified it to be still born , and that they coming to search it , and seeing her a very poor woman , told her they would save her the charge of a burial , &c. but the mother denyed she had any money for it : upon full examination of all which no suspicion of murder appearing , but only a strange extravagant humour , both the midwife and two searchers were by the jury brought in not guilty of the several indictments whereof they stood charged . a gentleman indicted as accessary to the killing of a man in st. margarets westminster , on the of august , in the year of the raign of our soveraign lord king charles the second , on the whole matter it appearing that there was no prepensed malice ; there could be nothing but accessary to manslaughter be charged upon him . a person of white chappel was arraigned for murdering another . man with an half-pike , the case appeared to be thus a quarrel arising between the prisoner and his wife , and he pursuing her to beat her ; a certain tub-man going by , concern'd himself so far as to expostulate with the husband enquiring why he so much abused his wife ▪ whereupon the now prisoner in a rage taking in his hand an half pike run at the said tub-man , and by an unlucky pass kil'd him upon the place , several other petty circumstances there were which we here think not necessary to mention , on consideration of all circumstances he was found guilty only of man-slaughter . a woman for clipping , after long examination was not found guilty . a young man arraigned for betraying the trust reposed in him by his master and defrauding him of certain pieces of plate , contrary to the form of the statute , was found guilty according to the act , the sum charged was about pound . there are two men and a woman condemn'd to die , eight burnt in the hand , and seven to be whipt . finis . a full and true account of the proceedings at the sessions of oyer and terminer, holden for the city of london, county of middlesex, and goal-delivery of newgate; which began at the sessions-house in the old-bayly, on thursday, iune st. and ended on fryday, iune d. wherein is contained the tryal of many notorious malefactors, for murders, fellonies, burglary, and other misdemeanours, but more especially the tryal of jane kent for witch-craft. together, with the names of those that received sentence of death, the number of those burn'd in the hand, transported, and vvhip'd. as likewise some proceedings in relation to the persons that violently took the lady out of the coach on hounslow-heath. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing f estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a full and true account of the proceedings at the sessions of oyer and terminer, holden for the city of london, county of middlesex, and goal-delivery of newgate; which began at the sessions-house in the old-bayly, on thursday, iune st. and ended on fryday, iune d. wherein is contained the tryal of many notorious malefactors, for murders, fellonies, burglary, and other misdemeanours, but more especially the tryal of jane kent for witch-craft. together, with the names of those that received sentence of death, the number of those burn'd in the hand, transported, and vvhip'd. as likewise some proceedings in relation to the persons that violently took the lady out of the coach on hounslow-heath. england and wales. court of quarter sessions of the peace (london) p. printed for t. benskin, [[london] : ] caption title. place of publication from wing; printer's name and publication date from colophon. reproduction of the original in the lincloln's inn library, london. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng crime -- england -- early works to . criminals -- england -- early works to . trials -- england -- early works to . trials (witchcraft) -- england -- early works to . witchcraft -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a full and true account of the proceedings at the sessions of oyer and terminer , holden for the city of london , county of middlesex , and goal-delivery of newgate ; which began at the sessions-house in the old-bayly , on thursday , iune st . and ended on fryday , iune d . . wherein is con●ain●d the tryal of many notorious malefactors , for murders , fellonies , burglary , and other misdemeanours , but more especially the tryal of iane kent for witch-craft . together , with the names of those that received sentence of death , the number of those burn'd in the hand , transported , and vvhip'd . as likewise some proceedings in relation to the persons that violently took the lady out of the coach on hounslow-heath . london , iune st . . this day the sessions of oyer and terminer , began at the sessions-house in old bayly , holden there for the city of london , county of middlesex , and goal-delivery of newgate , until the d. of the aforesaid instant , where the proceedings were as followeth . elizabeth hunt was indicted for picking the pocket of mary rome , of shillings ; the manner ( as it appeared to be upon evidence ) was thus : the prosecutor going through a narrow lane in cheapside , to avoid being hurt by a coach that was coming stood up in a door way , whereupon the prisoner and two more , supposed to be of her gang , shoulder'd her up , and in the mean while the prisoner picked her pocket , delivering the money to the comrades , who went off with it ; but the prosecutor immediately perceiving that she was robbed , apprehended the prisoner , who desired her to make no noise and she would give her satisfaction , and thereupon pulled out a considerable parcel of money , but upon her tryal she denied it , but the proofs being plain , not only by another witness , but also by her former confession , she was found guilty . katherine cook was indicted for stealing seaven silver spoons from sir robert iason , in the parish of st. dunstans in the west ; she at that time living with him in the nature of a servant , which appeared upon evidence thus : the spoons which were judg'd to the value of pounds , being used at dinner , they were delivered to her to make clean , when as she carried them into the pantry , from whence she alledged , they were conveyed by a woman that came in to ask whether such a person did not live there , naming a strange name ; but the witness swore , that upon her masters charging her with the fellony , she offered to pay one half of the value ; but she producing several witnesses to testifie her honesty and good behaviour in her former services , and there being no positive proof that she stole them , she was acquitted . lydia littleworth was tryed for robbing william theed her master , in the parish of st. michaels in the querry , on the th . of may last , and taking from him four broad pieces of gold , four guinnies , three and twenty shillings in silver , four gold rings , and some other things , the which she delivered to a woman to keep for her , and upon inquiry absolutely denied the fact ; but the woman suspecting she had stole the gold , made inquiry , so that the evidence being plain against her , she in court confessed that she took the money , expressing a great deal of sorrow for her wickedness , and upon the jury's return of their verdict , she was found guilty . ann bland had an indictment preferred against her , for taking three shillings privily from the person of elizabeth bennet , a butchers wife , on the th . of may last , the circumstances , as they appeared upon oath , being these : the prisoner coming to her stall in honey-lane-market , under pretence of buying a neck of veal , began to question the sweetness of it , desiring the prosecutor to smell , the which whilst she was doing , the prisoner watching her opportunity , put her hand into her apron-pocket , and taking her money departed ; but within a few hours , she was taken doing such another exploit ; to this she pleaded innocence , but it plainly appearing she was an old offender , and the prosecutor swearing positively that she was the woman that robbed her , the jury found her guilty . iohn cotton of the parish of st. mary matpellier , otherwise white-chappel , was indicted for stealing a hood and scarfe from iudith wheeler ; whereupon ( having well learnt his lesson in newgate ) he pleaded guilty to that and all other indictments within the benefit of the clergy . abraham kent was tryed for stealing iron bolts for ships and other things , from iames yeames of wapping , on the th . of april last ; one of them upon evidence , appearing to be found in his breeches , yet he denied that he ever stole any , but that coming through the yard , he gathered up some chips , amongst which was the bolt ; then being demanded why he concealed it in his breeches , he alledged that his breeches being ragged , it droped into them contrary to his knowledge ; but these silly excuses excused him not , for it appearing that he was a notorious pilferer , the jury brought him in guilty . thomas hermitage was indicted for robbing the lady williamses house on the th . of april , and taking thence two feather-beds , a pair of grates , coverleds , carpets , and linnen , to a considerable value , which upon search , were found at a broakers , where he had disposed of them , whereupon he pleaded guilty to the indictment . robert sutor , late servant to the earl of arglass , deceased , was indicted for robbing william crelling his lords gentleman , by breaking open a door , and taking thence a pormantle , in which was a gold pendilum watch , valued at pounds , a gold locket and gold buttons , pieces of broad gold , guinnies , shillings in silver , a siver-hilted sword , and other things of value , taking them from the aforesaid earls house in druery-lane , on the the th . past , for which , upon his being apprehended , he confessed that he was privy to the robbery , but that it was not he that committed it , but an irish man whom he named , alledging that he renched the door with a fork , and then taking the pormantle , perswaded him to go with him , which he consented to , and that for his share he gave him the watch and guinnies , which watch was taken about him , but with the money he had bought a horse , but upon his tryal he at first denied what he had said ; but finding the evidence to be strong against him , he again confessed the fact , and thereupon was found guilty . a woman was tryed for stealing several pieces of silk out of a shop in pater-noster-row , on the th . of may last , which being taken about her e're she could dispose of it , notwithstanding she pleaded that they were given her by a strange woman ; that excuse prevailed not , for she was found guilty . william stafford a life-guard-man , was indicted for killng mr. roundwaite , another of the guards , on the th . of may last , which upon evidence , appeared as followeth : the prisoner and the deceased came into a field near knightsbridge , where they equally drew , and made several passes at each other , and often pausing , fought again , which they continued till the deceased received seven wounds , one of which was under the left pap , inches , insomuch that he fell to the ground ; whereupon the prisoner walked off , but being pursued , was taken , the prisoner pleaded that he came to take a friendly walk with the deceased , and that being in the fields , the deceased drew upon him , and that what he did was in the defence of his life ; and indeed , there being no kind of former malice between them proved in court , the prisoner was found guilty of mans-slaughter only . iane kent , a woman of about years of age , was indicted for witch-craft , and using several diabolick arts , whereby she compassed the death of one elizabeth chamblet , a girl about years of age ; the father of the deceased gave evidence , that she first bewitched his swine , by reason she having bargained with him for two pigs , which he refused to deliver her without money ; and that a while after his daughter fell into a most piteous condition , swelling all over her body , which was discoloured after a strange rate : he farther deposed , that she also bewitched his wife , and that after the death of his daughter , he went to one dr. ha●●ks in spittle-fields , who advised him to take a quart of his wives water , the pairing of her nails , some of her hair , and such like , and boyl them , which he did , in a pipkin , at which time he swore he heard the prisoners voice at his door , and that she screimed out as if she were murdered , and that the next day she appeared to be much swelled and bloated : a woman that searched her likewise swore , that she had a teat on her back , and unusual holes behind her ears : a coach-man likewise swore , that upon his refusing to carry her and her goods , his coach overthrew ; but she producing evidence that she had lived honestly , and was a great pains-taker , and that she went to church , with many other circumstances , the jury found her not guilty . captain pursell who was lately committed to newgate , upon the account of violently forcing mrs. selleger out of her coach , upon hounslow-heath , petitioned the court that he might be admitted of bail ; but the court replyed , there was an indictment intended against him for fellony ; upon which , the gentleman that brought the petition , desired that he might be tryed , whereupon the court replyed , if the evidence for the king were ready he might . ann hi● was indicted for robbing the house of iane kinthorne , in the parish of st. gilis's in the fields , about two years since , but it appearing that the prisoner had taken them into her custody , by order of the prosecutor , to secure them from being taken by the landlord for rent , the jury acquitted the prisoner , and the prosecutor received a 〈…〉 . iohn welling , a youth about years of age , was in●icted for picking a gentlewomans pocket in honey-lane , of shillings , which appearing plain , he was found guilty . iohn iohnson was indicted for breaking open the chamber of chistopher turner , a gentleman of the temple , on the th . of may last , and for assaulting a laundress that was then in the chamber where it was , proved that he broke open the chamber door with an iron , after he had attempted to pick the lock , and found it bolted ; then entring and finding the laundress there , he swore an oath that he was betrayed , yet pulled out a pistol , he set it to her breast , and bid her kneel , and swear she would not discover him , which at present she promised , but afterwards shutting her self into a study , and cryed out , so that he being pursued was taken with much difficulty , and now being found guilty , was fined pounds . henry arnold was tryed for picking the pocket of one vox , of a watch , and silver tobacco-box , but for want of evidence , the iury acquited him . iohn lush was likewise indicted for breaking open the chamber of squire hoyle , in the temple , and stealing silk curtains and other things , to the worth of above l. for which he was found guilty . at this most remarkable session elizabeth hunt , lydia littleworth , ann bland , and iohn welling received sentence of death . thomas michael , iohn cotton , thomas hermitage , edward stafford , robert sutor , and thomas lush , were burnt in the hand iohn spittle ordered for transportation , iohn austin and abraham kent to be whip'● and iohn iohnson fined ● pounds . printed for ● . 〈◊〉 . . murther unparalel'd, or, an account of the bloudy murther of thomas thyn, esq. on sunday the th of february j. m. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing m estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) murther unparalel'd, or, an account of the bloudy murther of thomas thyn, esq. on sunday the th of february j. m. sheet ([ ] p.) printed for the author, j. m., london : . "to the tune of troy town." in columns. in verse. caption title. reproduction of original in . created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng thynne, thomas, - . crime -- england. criminals -- england. broadsides -- london -- th century - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion murther unparalel'd : or , an account of the bloudy murther of thomas thyn , esq on sunday the th . of february . to the tune of troy town . [ ] come and assist my trembling pen , while i endeavour to explain , the bloody minds of cruel men , that will no wickedness refrain . but bloudy humors to fulfill , innocent blood they daily spill , [ ] now my sad story i 'le begin , the like i think you n'er did hear , how that the great esquire thin , was murther'd it doth plain appear . their bloudy minds for to fulfill , this squire most horridly they kill . [ ] on sunday last this gentleman , clear of all scandals and reproach , at several places he had been , accompany'd with his grace in coach. this worthy person thought no ill , whilst villains sought his bloud to spill . [ ] and thus they pass'd the streets along , till seven or eight a clock at night , and then his grace he would be gone , in whom so much he did delight . poor soul he little thought of ill , while villains sought his bloud to spill . [ ] his grace he was no sooner gone , but this sad accident befell , by villains he was set upon , near to a place that 's called pell-mell . their hellish minds they did fulfill , and there his precious bloud did spill . [ ] up to his coach these villains ride , as by his servants it is said , with weapons which they did provide , whil'st he poor soul was not afraid , for harmless souls do fear no ill , while villains seek their bloud to spill . [ ] meeting with him as they desir'd , their hellish courage then grew hot , into his coach at him they fir'd . and to him many bullets shot . and so like villains him they kill'd , and his most precious bloud they spill'd . [ ] away like villains then they fled , with horror doubtless in their mind , this worthy soul three quarters dead , bleeding i' th coach they left behind . now had the villains got their will , that sought his precious bloud to spill . [ ] when these unwelcom tidings came , unto the dukes astonish'd ear , his wond'rous sorrow for the same , did on a suddain plain appear . he strait pursu'd those that did spill , his precious bloud that thought no ill . [ ] this person then did all the night , pursue these murtherers in vain , till sol with his resplendent light , did to our sight return again . but could not find those that did kill , that harmless soul as thought no ill . [ ] but heaven did presently find out what with great care he could not do , 't was well he was the coach gone out , or he might have been murther'd too , for they who did this squire kill , would fear the bloud of none to spill . [ ] these villains they were seiz'd at last , and brought before his majesty , this horrid thing they then confest , now prisoners theyin newgate lie . and be condemned no doubt they will , that squire thyn's sweet blood did spill . london , printed for the author , j. m. : a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly; from friday the th of this instant january, to munday the th; being a full and true account of the tryals, examinations, and condemnations of several malefactors, for several crimes. and also an account of the tryal of four several persons for committing four several murthers. a man for killing a bayliff, a boy for killing his fellow prentice, a man for killing his fellow-workman, and another for killing a man in black fryers. with an account how many are condemn'd, how many burn'd in the hand, to be transported, whipt at the carts tail, and to stand in the pillory. with permission, roger l'estrange approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly; from friday the th of this instant january, to munday the th; being a full and true account of the tryals, examinations, and condemnations of several malefactors, for several crimes. and also an account of the tryal of four several persons for committing four several murthers. a man for killing a bayliff, a boy for killing his fellow prentice, a man for killing his fellow-workman, and another for killing a man in black fryers. with an account how many are condemn'd, how many burn'd in the hand, to be transported, whipt at the carts tail, and to stand in the pillory. with permission, roger l'estrange england and wales. court of quarter sessions of the peace (london) p. printed for d.m., london : in the year . copy has print show-through. reproduction of the original in the guildhall library, london. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng trials -- england -- early works to . crime -- england -- early works to . criminals -- england -- early works to . murder -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - derek lee sampled and proofread - derek lee text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly ; from friday the th of this instant january , to munday the th ; being a full and true account of the tryals , examinations , and condemnations of several malefactors , for several crimes . and also an account of the tryal of four several persons for committing four several murthers . a man for killing a bayliff , a boy for killing his fellow-prentice , a man for killing his fellow-workman , and another for killing a man in black fryers . with an account how many are condemn'd , how many burn'd in the hand , to be transported , whipt at the carts tail , and to stand in the pillory . with permission , roger l'estrange . london : printed for d. m. in the year . a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly . i shall , with as much brevity and truth as may be , give you a candid account of the trials of the several prisoners at the old-bayly ; and begin first with an irish man servant to a person of quality , who was indicted for stealing two hundred pounds from his said master ; but though some circumstances seem'd to stick close to him , yet he was acquitted by the jury . the next were two youngsters that came to a pastery cook's house , and called for a chamber and a fire , and there continued till they had ordered their business , so as to take two silver tankards away with them : one went out of the door , and the other out of the window by a small rope . the first was taken and tried ; and found guilty ; the last escaped with the booty . after this a milliner was indicted for breaking open a shop in covent garden ; but the principal evidence was one who had encouraged the sufferers to prosecute the said millener ; but in regard several pieces of ribbin were found in the milleners shop , that were taken out of the said shop in covent garden : the judge gave orders for another bill to be drawn against the milliner , and that he should be indicted as an accessary , upon which he was found guilty . after this , one was indicted for stealing several sheep , four of which were found in his custody , and also the skins of many more ; so that he pleaded guilty to all felonies within the benefit of the clergy upon his first indictment . the next was one who was arraigned and tried for a burglary committed in the house of a person of quality in the parish of st. giles's in the fields ; he running from thence was stopped by a blackamore : but nothing being taken away , he was acquitted . after this a woman was indicted , for that she together with two men , not yet taken , went into a house in the city , and pretended themselves persons of quality , one of the men saying he was steward to a person of honour , and the other a gentleman newly come from ireland ; they desired lodgings , and their requests were answered , and at night , it being christmas time , they desired to play a game at cards , for their divertisement , with their landlord , and he to oblidge them readily compli'd ; but the landlady being gone a gossiping or visiting , and none left but her husband and these new-come-gentlefolks at home , they desired him to send out for some double beer for them ; he stept to the next door and bid the maid bring it in : after that they called for wine , and he sent the same maid to fetch it ; then a little after they desired that he would fetch them some more double beer himself , and as soon as he was gone they took a candle and run up stairs to his chamber and broke his closet open , and took stom thence a silver tankard and money , to the value of twenty pounds , and left him only a light upon the stairs to see his losses : away march'd they , but some days after this woman was met with and brought , to newgate , and from thence to the bar , where she pleaded that one of the men that took away the money and plate was her husband , and produced a certificate from the parson of pancross to affirm it ; but the jury supposing it to be counterfeit , found her guilty , and the chiefest comfort she is like to have is transportation . now follows a bloody murther committed by one in whitechappel ; as soon as a bayliff had told him that he arrested him , he with a strange weapon run the officer into the belly , and made a pass at another , but though he mift his body , he hit his clothes : this hector with new supplies , was quickly secur'd ; and when one told him that he had kill'd the bayliff , he repli'd , if i have not i wish i had , and being sent from the justice of peace to newgate , he told his guard , if he had not killed him he should have gone to prison on foot , but now in a coach ; but for all he made so slight on 't then , he was in a more serious and sensible humour at the bar , and labour'd to excuse it with all the rhetorick he had , and all was too little , for the jury brought him in guilty , and jack ketch will make him free . another unhappy murther haypened at westminster by the discord of two young lads , who quarrel'd about cutting their apron-strings , being shoomakers , the younger not knowing how to revenge him self , took a threepeny knife and stabb'd the other , who run out of the shop with his bowels in his hands , cri'd , lord have mercie upon my soul , daniel has kill'd me . the lord chief baron after he had heard the evidence , wish'd the jury to consider whether the boy understood what he had done or not , he being but thirteen years and a month old , the jury afterwards brought him in guilty of man's slaughter . then a woman was indicted for high-treason ; she came into a shop and desired the master thereof to give her two sixpences for a shilling , he took the shillling , and perceiving it to be clipt , told her that she deserved to be questioned how she came by it ; upon which she run out of the shop as fast as she could , then persuite was made after her , and she was overtaken and brought back and carried before a justice of peace , who upon ezamination , said , her husband gave it to her ; they asked where she lodged , and having found her lodgings out , they found pots and sheers , and other necessaries for that imployment ; but in regard they rather supposed her absent husband to be guilty than her ; the jury favourably brought her in not guilty . after this , anothtr was indicted for killing one at clarendon house with a saw ; he was making a tool , and the deceased told him he should make none there , the other said he would ; then the deceased struck at him two or three times , which occasioned the other to strike him upon the arm with a mallet , which he was then using , the deceased challeng'd the other to sight , but he desired quietness , and would not ; then the deceased went to lock him in , the other prevented him by being too quick ; then he giving some more blows , the other struck him with the back of a saw which he had in his hand , and his hat being off he split his skull almost to his brains , of which wound he died in a little time ; and in regard , it did not appear to be a premeditated quarrel , the offender was only found guilty of mansslaughter . another was tried for murther , who happened into a house in black fryers with a young man : after breakfast was ended , they had a few quarrelsome words ; he that was kill'd affronted the other both in words and blows , and not being satisfi'd with that , urged him to wrestle with him , who refus'd it and left the room ; then he followed him and continued his abuses so long till at last he threw him down two or three times ; they parted then , and he that occasion'd the quarrel was arrested the next day ; and continuing in a poor condition upon the boards , and induring other hardship he died ; so that one made affidavit that the deceased charged him that quarrelled with him , for the murthering of him , by throwing him down several times and falling upon him , but the chyrurgeon clear'd him of that guilt , who supposed it a natural death , therefore he was acquitted . readers , what can subdue , what can asswage the bloody hands of men this sinful age ? a fervent prayer from a religious heart . these and far greater judgments can divert . then labour hard for such a frame as this , by which you heav'n may gain , and hell may miss . a yong man and woman were tried for a fellony committed by them at wapping , the woman being entertained as a servant , did the next day run away with a silver tankard , a farrenden-gown , and many other things . the gentlewoman missing them , used all the endeavours she could to procure them , and employing a thief-catcher , by the description given of her , he directed her ro the servant-maid that stole them from her ; who being apprehended told them where they were pawn'd and sold , and how the young man bid her sell them , and if she was questioned , he would come to justifie that the goods belonged to her mistress , who employed her to sell them . there being proof enough to make him appear an accessary , they were both found guilty of fellony . a porter was tryed for burglary , but it appeared that the woman prosecuted him out of envy ; for she said , that he came and broke open her house one morning ; whereas others of more repute said , that he was very familiar with her , and that same night did continue with her from five at night till seven in the morning , and he pawn'd his silver ticket for five shillings , and sent for six penny worth of ale , and call'd in a black-pudding man to give her a treat . several persons spoke in his behalf , and said , that he was a very honest man : and there being no proof that he had taken any thing from her , he was acquitted . there was an irishman tryed for a cheat , which was as follows , he with a footman came to a watch-makers shop , and desired to see some watches for his master ; after he had seen several , he pitch'd upon two , and desired that he would carry them or send them to his master , he therefore sent his man with them , the one being a gold the other a silver watch , and when they came to the temple he desired to carry them up to his master , whom he pretended was in bed , but as soon as he had got them he run away with them ; the other persued him , and afterwards brought him to a justice of peace , and he committed him to prison , and upon his tryal was found guilty of the cheat. there were three men and three women condemned , four ordered to be transported , and sixteen burn'd in the hand , and five to be whipt at the carts tail , and the said cheat design'd for the pillory . finis . the true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly which began on wednesday the th of this instant april and ended on thursday the th following giving an account of most of the remarkable trials there, viz. for murder fellonies and burglaries, &c. with a particular relation of their names, and the places of their committing their facts, with the number of those condemned to die, burn'd in the hand, transported and to be whipt. but more especially of the trial and condemnation of that notorious highway-man randolph poulson, and john francis dickison for high-treason, who received sentence to be hang'd drawn and quartered, and ann price for murther approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly which began on wednesday the th of this instant april and ended on thursday the th following giving an account of most of the remarkable trials there, viz. for murder fellonies and burglaries, &c. with a particular relation of their names, and the places of their committing their facts, with the number of those condemned to die, burn'd in the hand, transported and to be whipt. but more especially of the trial and condemnation of that notorious highway-man randolph poulson, and john francis dickison for high-treason, who received sentence to be hang'd drawn and quartered, and ann price for murther england and wales. court of quarter sessions of the peace (london) p. printed by d. mallet, [london : ] caption title. imprint from colophon. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng poulson, randolph, d. -- early works to . dickison, john francis, d. -- early works to . price, ann, d. -- early works to . crime -- england -- early works to . criminals -- england -- early works to . trials -- england -- early works to . murder -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly which began on wednesday the th of this instant april and ended on thursday the th following . giving an account of most of the remarkable trials there , viz. for murder fellonies and burglaries , &c. with a particular relation of their names , and the places of their committing their facts , with the number of those condemned to die , burn'd in the hand , transported and to be whipt . but more especially of the trial and condemnation of that notorious highway-man randolph poulson , and john francis dickison for high-treason , who received sentence to be hang'd drawn and quartered , and ann price for murther ann price was arraigned and tried for felloniously murthering her bastard male-infant in the parish of st. margaret's westminster ; the circumstances thus , she having lived in the nature of a servant with a gentlewoman ; as she confessed , was got with child by a man that was her fellow servant ; and carried it so cuningly , that no person in the house did in the least suspect her till after she was delivered , which was without help , when wraping the child in an apron . she locked it up in her box ; and rising betimes in the morning , made a fire and went to bed again ; so that her mistris finding her out of order , began to examine the cause ; whereupon supspecting what had happen'd , she got a midwife , who upon inquiry found she had been delivered ; the which she stoutly denied , but at last confessed she had , the child being still born , and that she had locked it in her box. where it was accordingly found , this being sworn by the witness ; her answer was , that she finding her pains come fast upon her : knckked with her shoo , as loud as possible , but could make none hear her , by reason she lay up three pair of stairs ; but the concealing of the child , being a material point of evidence against her ; upon the reciting the statute , she was found guilty of murther . sibel thomas was indicted for the murther of one mary hut , a maid of about eighteen years of age , living in white-chappel ; the manner thus , some angry words rising between the mother of the deceased , and the prisoner , the deceased , in taking her mothers part , gave the prisoner such bad language as provoked her to strike her , and after having thrown her in the kenel , to tread upon her ; who in a fortnights time after died ; but she being proved to be a sickly maid , and upon search no bruses being found about her , the prisoner was acquited . ann foster was tried for stealing of wearing apparel , lace , puter , silver spoons and other things to a very considerable value from a gentleman , living in the parish of st. clements deans , on the twenty-fourth of march last , several of the goods being found where she had disposed of them ; and the evidence being plain against her she was found guilty of the fellony . randol polson , who had formerly kept a lime-wharf near the horse-ferry , was indicted for stealing a mare , valued at six pounds , a saddle , bridle and whip , from one mr. mead ; the circumstances according to evidence thus , the prosecuter coming from dedford , met the prisoner and another near the halph-way-house , who bid him stand and deliver ; whereupon he turning his mare about , made up to the adjacent houses ; but they firing after him , caused him to dismount and stand to their mercy , who took about seven shillings in money , a pocket-book , and some ribon from him ; and after that his mare , the which was afterwards found in an inn in westminster , being brought thither by the prisoner and a boy , aud described to be kept private . so that upon this , and the prisoners own confession during his imprisonment in the gate-house , he was found guilty of stealing the mare , &c. joseph wood-all was indicted for murthering john crafts , of the parish of st. martins in the fields ; according to evidence thus , the prisoner being labourer to the deceased , who was a brick-layer , and not minding his work , the deceased told him , if he neglected it , he must employ another , upon which the prisoner told him if he would pay him his wages , he would be gon , but the deceased denying he owed him any ; having passed his word to secure the house where he lodged ; whereupon a quarrel arose , and the prisoner beat the deceased so unmercifully , that he died in three weeks afterward , and laid his death to the prisoner , who thereupon was found guilty of man-slaughter . edward richardson who had been formerly condemned for cliping and had got pardon for transportation , was indicted for several roberys on the high-way , to all which he pleaded guilty . john bully , who about three sessions's since was indicted upon the statute of the twenty-fifth of elizabeth , for that he having received orders from the see of rome , came over into england and acted as a priest , whose trial was put off once for his pretending want of evidence , and last sessions by reason of a special plea he brought , to which the kings attorny general made a demur , being now called up and his indictment read ; he pleaded guilty desiring the court to pardon him for the trouble he had put them to ; saying , that he had been ill advised in so doing , and that it was his full intent after his being cleared at lancaster to depart the kindom ▪ and that he had writtent a book touching the unlawfulness of murthering or deposing princes and had perswaded very many catholicks to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacie , after which he desired the court would have a favourable opinion of him , and threw himself wholly upon their mercy . martha du boardas , of the parish of st. martins in the fields being a french woman ▪ and not able to speak english , was indicted for robing stephen beamont a french marchant , with whom she lived as a servant or house-keeper , on the third of this instant , of a silver watch , a diamond ring valued at four pounds , three gold chains , thirty guinies , pounds worth of plate ▪ & in moneys l. the which upon the death of her master , she had conveyed away ; the plate and moneys upon the constables searching the house , being found in her custody , she aledged that her master gave them to her in his life time and brought witness to prove it , but notwithstanding she was found guilty of the fellony . richard eaton , a seaman was arraigned for breaking open a ship that lay in the river of thames over against waping , and taking thence sea-cloaths , beds , blankets , rugs , shifts , a pistol and several other things belonging to the captain , and other of the ships crue , the which he geting on shoar , called a porter to carry them away ; but being pursued a great part of the goods were found , where he had laid them ; being asked what he could plead for himself , his answer was , that he bought them of a sea-man ; but to producing the man , nor proving the buying of them , he was found guilty . sarah star was indicted for that she on the of this instant robed one john weller , with whom she was a servant ; of goods to the value of fourteen shillings ; being a servant in his house ; the things being sheets , table cloaths and napkins , which were found at an old womans house , where she hod carried them to have shifts made of them ; she pleaded a lodger gave them to her , but that excuse being groundless she was found guilty to the value of three shilling . john francis dickison , a notorious popish priest being taken in newgate , as he came to pervert on martha cook a convict , his indictment being grounded upon a statute made in the third year of king james , to prevent drawing away the king's subjects from their allegiance ; the manner thus , martha cook about three quarters of a year since being condemned for cliping and coyning , and remaining in newgate , two women that were her fellow prisoners , perswaded her to embrace the rom●sh religion , and after some yielding to their proposition ; the prisoner was sent by the priests into the press-yard to visit her , who upon promise to get her a pardon , made her renounce the protestant religion gave her the sacrament , confessed her , &c. and to encourage her to perservere in what she had embraced , oftentimes brought her money ; the which she disclosing to on partridg a presbyterian minister , he discovered it to the ordinary , who acquainted captain richardson with the same ▪ so that about the twenty-first of october last , the prisoner coming to visit his proselite , was seised in the hole , and after some time carried before sir william turner , where he owned himself to be a priest ; and that he was chaplain to the portugal embassadour ; whereupon he was commited , upon his trial he likewise owned himself a priest ; and but faintly denied the pervertion , mr. ordinary , mr. partridg , and martha cook giving evidence against him ▪ after the jury were satisfied of the statute , they brought him in guilty ; and he was sentenced to be drawn , hang'd and quartered as a traitor , &c. an indictment was preferred by one william roman against mary snell and sarah chapman , alias wood , for stealing a silver taster ' and a silver tankard vallued at seven pounds , which the former coming into his house to drink stole , and the other disposed of them , but the evidence not being positive against her , only mary snell was found guilty of this fellony . but a second indictment was preferred against sarah chapman , alias wood , for stealing corrals , vallued at pounds , from one mr. harding in the parish of st. mary woolnoth , the which she sold for about three pounds to a goldsmith in fleetstreet , which being plainly proved , she was found guilty . susanna hern and elizabeth rycroft , were found guilty , the former for stealing a silver tankard , the latter for robing her master of linnen cloth. there were men and women received sentence of death , viz. randolph poulson for stealing a mare and other things on the high-way , john francis dickason for high-treason . ann price for murdering her bastard ▪ child , martha beardos , ▪ susannah hern , sarah chapman , elizabeth rycroft and mary snell for fellonies and burglaries . burn'd in the hand , to be transported , and to be whipt . london , printed by d. mallet . . the confession of the four high-way-men as it was written by one of them and allowed by the rest the th of this instant april (being the day before their appointed execution ), viz. john williams, alias tho. matchet, francis jackson, alias dixie, john white, alias fowler, walter parkhurst. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the confession of the four high-way-men as it was written by one of them and allowed by the rest the th of this instant april (being the day before their appointed execution ), viz. john williams, alias tho. matchet, francis jackson, alias dixie, john white, alias fowler, walter parkhurst. williams, john, d. . p. printed for d.m., london : . "this being desired to be made publick by the persons themselves to prevent false reports of them when they are dead." reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng brigands and robbers -- great britain. crime -- england. criminals -- england. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the confession of the four high-way-men ; as it was written by one of them , and allowed by the rest the th . of this instant april ( being the day before their appointed execution ) . viz. john williams , alias tho. matchet . francis jackson , alias dixie . john white , alias fowler . walter parkhurst . this being desired to be made publick by the persons themselves , to prevent false reports of them when they are dead . with allowance . london , printed for d. m. . the confession of the four high-way-men . upon the request of a friend , but chiefly to prevent false pamphlets which may a●ise of our deaths , as it did at our taking ; we have given this truth under our hands , the day before execution , that on monday the th of march , walter parkhurst , james slader , and john williams : committed a robbery upon windsor-coach near hounslow-heath , being in sight of about a dozen gentlemen , well armed and mounted , who pursued us for five or six miles before we could lose sight of them . that on the th of the same moneth , we the forementioned parties took john white , and francis jaekson along with us , and beyond hounslow in bedfond-lane near stains , robb'd two coaches . we struck off from thence into acton road supposing our selves discovered by a gentle mans man in a green-livery , who was a hunting ; who upon the sight of us , made haste the nearest way over t●e f●elds to acton ; we thought it o●r best course to make harrow on the hill , and did suppose our selves pursued all the way , though we never saw any certain evidence of it until we came there , where in the town we found about fo●ty or fifty men ready to receive us with guns , p●●chforks and all sorts of weapons , so that we rode down the hill by the side of the town , at the bottom of which we found a great number of horse and foot ready to receive us ; which we soon made run in●o the houses for shelter , and so rode on towards paddington , and from thence towards kilburn and hendon , and from thence to hampstead-heath ; but was so hotly engag'd all the way by our pursuers , that it was about ten or eleven a clock , when we were at harrow on the the hill , and it was six of the clock when we recovered hampstead-heath , our powder and shot being all gone , and some of our swords , and most of us sorely wounded & bruised about two of the clock . there was a life-guard man that fought with a great deal of courage most part of that day . there was about two hundred men upon hampstead-heath , which was near about an hour before they could take us ; having nothing but our swords , and some of us not them : from thence to newgate ; from thence to the sessions house , where parkhurst and williams pleaded guilty to their indictments ; the others the contrary ; but all cast. we write not this as if we glorified in the action , the cause being so criminal and bad ; and yet if the cause had been good there could not have been a nobler defence . and we wish that all people may take warning by our miserable end , which shall be the substance of our discourse at the place of execution : concluding with a prayer . john williams . francis jackson . john white . walter parkhurst . a relation of their tryal . a middlesex jury being called , the aforesaid prisoners were set to the bar , and were severally arraigned upon no less than . indictments that were brought against them by several persons whom they had robbed at hounslow , hendon and several other places upon the road the th . and th . days of march last ; and taken from them their horses , gold , silver , watches , lace , rings , linnen and several other things in the said indictments particularly recited ; ten of these indictments were for felony and robbery , the four last were for murther of two of those honest country men that assisted to take them ; their names were henry miller and edward kemp ; the two first indictments were taken upon the coroners inquest for the killing of henry miller , against francis jackson one of the prisoners at the bar , who run him through with his rapier , and against the other three as aiding and assisting him in the murther . the other two indictments were upon the inquest of the grand jury of middlesex for the murther of the said edward kemp , by james slader deceased , and against the other four prisoners for aiding and assisting him , as in the former indictment . it was held convenient to lay these indictments several ways , although the facts were the same in both . the first indictment upon which they were arraigned was for a robbery at hounslow upon the th . of march last , where they robbed one james hepper and several others in a stage-coach , and took from them a watch , rings , monies and other things of a considerable value ; to which parker and williams pleaded not guilty , but the other two viz. jackson and white refused to plead . white insisted that his wife was taken prisoner ( upon her going upon his occasions ) upon suspicion of felony , whereas there was no just cause against her , therefore desired that the court would call her to a trial before he pleaded ; that he might vindicate her in that particular . the court replied ; there was no inditement as then ready against her , and therefore could not proceed upon her trial , but that at her trial she should have justice done her , and willed him to plead . jackson likewise refused to plead , alledging , that the country had robbed him , instead of his robbing of them , and had taken away s , of his own mony from him , which he desired might be restored before he pleaded . the court answered , he should have all justice done him , but he must plead first ; and that if he should be convicted , the moneys ought not to be restored to him , for it was then forfeited . notwithstanding neither the said jackson nor white would plead to the inditement . hereupon a second indictment was read against them and the other two , for the robbing of several persons upon the of march last , to which they all ●leaded not guilty . a third indictment was read against them for the robing of one mr. periant about the same time . to which again the said jackson and white refused to plead , insisting as before . they were told , they had already pleaded not guilty to one inditement ; and if they refused to plead now , they would be accessary to their own deaths , and be convicted as mutes ; and thereupon caused the words of the statute to be read to them . wherein were set forth the dreadful punishments that were to be inflicted upon such convicts , by pressing . notwithstanding which , the many arguments that were tryed by the court against such a destructive obstinacy , they wilfully stood it out till all the indictments were read over ; to which the other two , viz. parker and williams severally pleaded not guilty . at last , after being urged with the danger of their refusals , and advised to consult together for their own safety , they pleaded severally not guilty , to all the indictments . then the jury being sworn , and the witnesses called ; the first robbery was apparently proved by a watch and other things that were taken from them by the countrymen at hampstead ; which were owned by their owners upon oath . and so the second , third , fourth , and the rest of the robberies were so manifestly clear , that to most of them they could say nothing ; and what they could say , was over-ruled by undeniable proofs that were brought against them ; as to the murther , it was proved by several of the country-men that took them , that jackson run henry miller in at the left-side , upon which he immediately dyed : and that the other , edward kemp , was shot by slader deceased . it being then urged , that they were all guilty of the murther , in that they were all together assisting one another against a power that was lawfully raised to take them upo● the hue-and-cry sent after them . parker insisted , that he was altogether innocent of the murther , being before his company as far as islington , when the murther was done at hampstead ; but that was disproved by several witnesses that swore they were all together , or within a little one of another when the murthers were committed . hereupon the tryal having lasted above six hours in all , the jury were sent out to consider of their verdict ; which after a quarter of an hours stay , they brought in thus , that they were all guilty of the several facts laid in their indictments of felony and robbery ; except in the two first , which could not be so apparently proved against two of them . upon the two first indictments for the murther of miller , jackson , parker and williams were found guilty ; but white was acquitted , for that he was taken before that murther was committed ; but upon the two last indictments for the murther of kemp ▪ they were all four found guilty . and the next day they had sentence of death pass'd upon them . finis . a full and true account of the proceedings at the sessions of oyer and terminer, holden for the city of london, county of middlesex, and goal-delivery of newgate; which began at the sessions-house in the old-baily, on wednesday, septemb. th. and ended on thursday, september th. wherein is contained the tryal of many notorious malefactors, for murders, fellonies, burglary, and other misdemeanours, as likewise the tryal of ralph benton for killing the boy in walbrook, and what relates to the sister of stephen colledge. together, with the names of those that received sentence of death, the number of those burn'd in the hand, transported, and to be vvhipp'd. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing f aa estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a full and true account of the proceedings at the sessions of oyer and terminer, holden for the city of london, county of middlesex, and goal-delivery of newgate; which began at the sessions-house in the old-baily, on wednesday, septemb. th. and ended on thursday, september th. wherein is contained the tryal of many notorious malefactors, for murders, fellonies, burglary, and other misdemeanours, as likewise the tryal of ralph benton for killing the boy in walbrook, and what relates to the sister of stephen colledge. together, with the names of those that received sentence of death, the number of those burn'd in the hand, transported, and to be vvhipp'd. england and wales. court of quarter sessions of the peace (london) p. printed for t. benskin in st. brides church-yard, [[london] : ] caption title. place of publication from wing; printer's name and publication date from colophon. copy has print show-through. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng crime -- england -- early works to . criminals -- england -- early works to . trials -- england -- early works to . trials (murder) -- england -- early works to . trials (burglary) -- england -- early works to . trials (robbery) -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a full and true accovnt of the proceedings at the sessions of oyer and terminer , holden for the city of london , county of middlesex , and goal-delivery of newgate ; which began at the sessions-house in the old-baily , on wednesday , septemb. th . and ended on thursday , septemb. th . . wherein is contained the tryal of many notorious malefactors , for murders , fellonies , burglary , and other misdemeanours , as likewise the tryal of ralph benton for killing the boy in walbrook , and what relates to the sister of stephen colledge . together , with the names of those that received sentence of death , the number of those burn'd in the hand , transported , and to be vvhip'd . london , septemb. th . . this day the sessions of oyer and terminer , began at the sessions-house in the old-bayly , holden there for the city of london , county of middlesex , and goal-delivery of newgate , until the th . of the said instant , where the proceedings were as followeth . james farrel and robert hurling were indicted for the murther of john price a brick-maker , at hammersmith , the manner , as it appeared upon evidence , thus ; the two prisoners coming into an ale-house , called for drink , and within a while after for cards ; but there being no cards in the house , one of them pulled a pack out of his pocket , and seeing several brick makers and such like labouring men drinking , euticed them to play with them , which they did , till a quarrel happened about the reckoning , aud foul play ; whereupon farrel drew his sword , and his companion , and pursued one of the country-men out into the street , then returning and finding his companion scuffling with price , he run him into the body inches , and after that another was run through the arm : they pleaded they did it in their own defence , and expressed a great deal of sorrow , notwithstanding which they were both found guilty of wilful murther . john clifford an under-chamberlain in an inn , was indicted for robbing a gentleman that lodged in his masters house , of a piece of gold , valued at shillings , which he afterwards sold to a gold-smith in fleet-street , where in conclusion , it was found he made many frivilous excuses , but notwithstanding was found guilty . ann purkinson was indicted for robbing her mistris of six silver spoons , two silver dishes , a silver porenger , several parcels of linnen and wearing apparel , part of which , upon her being apprehended , 〈◊〉 found about her , and other things she confessed were sold and pawned , but being tutered in newgate , upon her tryal she denyed her former confession , yet the proof being positive by sir william turners clerk , and others that apprehended her , she was found guilty . hester wainwright was indicted for robbing a gentlewoman in st. andrews holborn , on the th of july last , of a mantua gown , several silk petticoats , linnen , wearing apparel , and ten pounds eleven shillings in money , the gown and several other things being taken about her ; she pleaded that she took them up amongst her own cloaths , and knew not but that they were her own till she came to open them ; but it being proved that she stole them , and wore the gowns publickly , she was found guilty . sarah chambden was indicted for robbing the house of nicholas finch , in the papish of st. clements danes , of plate linnen , bedding , and other things of great value , the person robbed being her sisters husband , but all the proof lay upon two porengers that were found in her lodging , which she alledged were given her by the prosecutors wife deceased , and the fact pretended to be committed , being of a long standing , the jury brought her in not guilty . one mary wilson was indicted by her husband of that name , for marrying with one hambleton , whom he alledged she was married to several years after she was his wife , but she denying that marriage , and alledgeing that she was wife to none but the prosecutor , he produced justice boly's clerk with her examination , wherein she confessed both marriages , alledging that her other husband was in town , but that he had so great a love for her , that he would not appear against her for fear of taking away her life , and the proof being defective , she was acquitted . thomas white was indicted for breaking open the house of edward hull , and taking from thence goods of a considerable value , which he absolutely denyed , but not being able to give a testimony of his good living , or having any to appear for him , and some of the goods being proved to be found of his disposing , he was found guilty of fellony only . catherine arnold was indicted for breaking open the house of william harvy , in the day-time , and taking thence several goods of value , but the evidence being only circumstantial , and no positive proof , she was acquitted . rebecca handcock was indicted for stealing a silver tankard , valued at l . from one mr. mekins in st. giles's in the fields , on the th of july last , the circumstances was these ; she in the company of another , who now gave evidence against her , coming to the prosecutors door to beg an alms , ( as the witness swore ) went into the house , and came out with something bulky in her lap , and it was proved by the servants , that at that time the tankard was lost , and that upon a warrants being taken out against her , she absented her self from the place of her abode for three weeks , but she alledged upon demand of what she had in her lap , that it was a loaf , which when she went in , she had in her pocket , and there pulling it out , she put it in her lap , so that the jury perceiving her to be a simple indigent woman , they , upon return of their verdict acquitted her . ann jaxon was indicted for stealing of coney_skins , to the value of pounds , from a furrier , the evidence against her was a youth , who at that time was confederate with her , who swore that she gave him two shillings to let her into the shop , and promised he should not want money ; he swore likewise , that she being in , packed up the skins into a bag , and went away with them , but there being no material evidence , the jury acquitted her . simon beale was found guilty for stealing a brandy taster , which he said the woman of the house droped into his pocket unknown to him . jeffery coleman was found guilty of robbing his master , viz. one mr. tann of hornsey , of cloth and other things , part of which were found about him , as he was going to dispose of them . william cook and william chaple two leighter-men , were indicted for stealing several hanks of raw silk out of a baile , as they were towing it from on board a ship. peter hodges and robert rogers were indicted for breaking open a house at eling , and stealing cloth , pewter , brass , bedding , and other things with which they were taken upon the road ; one of them pleaded he had no relation to 'um , but that he overtook the party that had them upon the road ; the other pleaded he was hired for six-pence to carry them to brainford , but they being in several stories , and the proof being plain that they were seen about the house at the time it was robbed , they were both found guilty . martin aubry being indicted for stealing a tankard , pleaded guilty : samuel neve was indicted for stealing a horse and a mare , which he stole in glocester-shire , and brought to the black lyon inn in water-lane , to which indictment he pleaded not guilty , and layed all the fault upon one that was dead in prison , saying ; they were his horses and mare , and that he only got him to let him ride from henly to london upon one of them , for which he gave him two shillings ; but it appearing he upon his coming to the inn had owned one of them , the jury found him guilty of the fellony . john how being indicted for stealing a silver tankard valued at ten pounds , pleaded guilty . one stephen aslington was indicted for killing francis featherstone of kinsington , in july last , the circumstances as appeared upon tryal , were these , the prisoner and the deceased drinking together , with several others , the prisoner went down into the garden , and the deceased followed him , where they fought , not any words of provocation having passed on either side , in which encounter e're any could come in , the latter received a desperate wound , of which he instantly died , but the prisoner alledging that what he did was in his own defence , and that he knew not of any fighting when he came out , but that the other forced him to it , the jury brought it in se defendendo . ralph benton an ensign of the train'd-bands , and pewterer in walbrook , was tryed for the death of andrew williams a youth , who on the th of may , was by mr. benton knocked down for attemping to destroy the bone-fire made before his door , but it appeared by the chyrugeon who dressed him , that his wound was perfectly cured , and that he had been in the country , and upon hi● return confessed himself well , that an agreement had been offered to be made in his behalf , but that he afterwards falling sick dyed ; many eminent physitians gave their testimony , declared that he dyed of a malignant feavor , and that the feavour was not caused by the wound ; but others affirming that great quantities of blood issued out of his mouth and nostrils , after he was dead , and that they believed the wound caused the feavor , and the feavor his death , the prisoner was found guilty of man's-slaughter . fardinando hews , elizabeth mays , and dorothy watson , were indicted for high-treason , in clipping his majesties coin , but there being but one witness against them , which is not sufficient in that case , they were acquitted . no indictment was this sessions preferred against godwins vvife , sister to stephen colledge lately executed , who was committed upon the accusation of her husband , for speaking treasonable words . there were this sessions persons received sentence of death , viz. hester wainwright , james farrel , robert hurling , peter hodges , robert rogers , ann parkinson , mary panks , richard wolley , and thomas stocdale ; burnt in the hand . to be vvhipp'd , and one set aside for transportation . finis : printed for t. benskin in st. brides church-yard . : retsah, a cry against a crying sinne, or, a just complaint to the magistrates, against them who have broken the statute laws of god, by killing of men meerly for theft manifested in a petition long since presented to the common councel of the city of london, on the behalfe of transgressours : together with certaine proposals, presented by col. pride to the right honourable the generall counsell for the army, and the committee appointed by the parliament of england, to consider of the inconveniences, mischiefes, chargeablenesse, and irregularities in their law. chidley, samuel. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing c ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing c estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) retsah, a cry against a crying sinne, or, a just complaint to the magistrates, against them who have broken the statute laws of god, by killing of men meerly for theft manifested in a petition long since presented to the common councel of the city of london, on the behalfe of transgressours : together with certaine proposals, presented by col. pride to the right honourable the generall counsell for the army, and the committee appointed by the parliament of england, to consider of the inconveniences, mischiefes, chargeablenesse, and irregularities in their law. chidley, samuel. england and wales. parliament. england and wales. army. council. city of london (england). court of common council. [i.e. ] p. for samuel chidley ..., printed at london : . title partly transliterated from hebrew. all letters signed: samuel chidley. reproduction of original in huntington library. eng crime -- england. criminals -- england. thieves -- england. capital punishment -- england -- early works to . a r (wing c ). civilwar no retsah a cry against a crying sinne: or, a just complaint to the magistrates, against them who have broken the statute laws of god, by killi chidley, samuel f the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the f category of texts with or more defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} a cry against a crying sinne : or , a just complaint to the magistrates , against them who have broken the statute laws of god , by killing of men meerly for theft . manifested in a petition long since presented to the common councel of the city of london , on the behalfe of transgressours . together with certaine proposals , presented by col. pride to the right honourable the generall counsell for the army , and the committee appointed by the parliament of england , to consider of the inconveniences , mischiefes , chargeablenesse , and irregularities in their law . jer. . , , . therefore i said , surely these are poore , they are foolish , for they know not the way of iehovah , nor the iudgement of their god . i will get me unto the great men , and will speake unto them , for they have knowne the way of iehovah , the iudgement of their god but these have altogether broken the yoke , and burst the bonds ▪ wherefore a lion out of the forrest shall stay them , a wolfe of the evenings shall spoyle them , a leopard shall watch over their cities , every one that goeth out thence shall be torne in pieces , because their transgressions are many , their back-sliding are strong . hosea . , , . the princes of judah were like them that removed the bound i wi●● poure out my wrath upon them like water , ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgement , because he willingly walked after the commandement . therefore will i be unto ephraim as a moth , and to the house of judah as rottennesse . hosea . . i have written to him the gre●t things of my law , but they were counted as a strange thing . printed at london for samuel chidley dwelling in bow lane , at the signe of the chequer . . the preface . this little book reflecteth upon all those who have broken the statute lawes of god , by killing of men me●rly for theft , let such sinners who are the judges , or executioners of such over-much justice , be ashamed , and confounded for defiling the land with bloud ; if they hold on this their wonted course , now the light of lawfull liberty breaketh forth ; will not the land spue them out ? for the earth cryeth against this sin , which cannot be cleansed in an ordinary way without the bloud of him that sheddeth it ; this is one of the abominations of the time , for which the saints ought to mourne . it is long since this following petition was presented to tho. andrewes esquire , the then lord mayor , and to the aldermen , and common counsell , but had they done but their duties , i had no need to print and publish these books in red letters , and present the same to them in the middest of their jollity , and to the learned judges of the land , yea to the commissioners of oyer and terminer , and goale delivery , at the sessions at newgate , before whom i appeared , to put them in minde of their duty , and of the law of god , which they had forgotten , and rested too much upon an arme of flesh ; yea , if they had done what they were bound in conscience to doe , and had observed that most righteous law to which they were sworne , it would have saved me a labour of going to the counsell of state , generall counsell of the army , or the parliament . now seeing little fruit yet appeare , for the establishing of the lawes of god in this nation , ( for the lives of men are taken away meerely for unvaluable trifles ) i am once more pressed in spirit to publish the same in manner and forme following , thus sounding an alarme against the workers of iniquity , that they may rep●●t , and turne from their evill wayes ; so delivering my soule , and clearing my selfe of that bloud-guiltinesse which lyeth upon others , and ●specially upon rich men , who are called to weepe and hewle for the miseries that shall come upon them ▪ for the bread of the needy is the life of the poore , and be that de●rou●eth him of it is a murtherer ; and the scripture saith , thou shall take no ransome for the life of a murtherer that is guilty of death , but he shall surely be put to death : but i hope that some righteous men will take the matt●r into serious con●ideration ; these our indeavours tending not only to the g●od of those transgres●ors who have not deserved death by the lawes of god , but also of those who put them to death unjustly , left the justice of god take hol● upon those who are the causers of it , and that the like ●●nishment he inf●icte● j●stly upon them , which they inflict upon ●ther● unjustly . and indeed i doe admire that men who prof●sse to be governed by gods lawes , and stand against tyranny , s●ould have a ●inger in such a worke ▪ surely such men though they pretend never so much religion ▪ are not f●t to pray , not to be pray●d with ; for when they stretch forth their hands , god will ●ide his eyes , and though they make many prayers , he will not heare them whose hands are full of ●i●ud . to the right honourable the lord mayor , aldermen , and commons in common counsell assembled . the mo●●n●●ll petiti●n of many inhabitants of the city of london , in the ●ehalfe of many thousand transgressors . 〈◊〉 that for as much as the righteous god exacteth no more of sinfull man then his iniquities deserveth , no magistrate is to punish a wicked man for his iniquity beyond the rule of ●quity ; that seeing it is evident that whatsoever is good is of god , and the contrary of abadon , and that no mans will though great is good , unlesse it be correspondent to the will of him who is greater then the greatest nor the law of any authority whatsoever , unlesse it be according to the law of him who is higher then the highest . therefore when great ungodly men have by their owne wils , and inhumaine lawes for many yeares , destroyed not only the righteous for conscience sake , but also the wicked undeservedly , this was iniquity to be punished by the judge , though done by judges themselves , who by their over-much righteousnesse , and over-much wickednesse , the people abetting them , hath brought death and destruction upon this land , and the hand of the lord is stretched out still against this sinfull nation , and unlesse they repent they shall surely perish . that the head of this land is the sinfull city of london , who instead of bringing forth monthly good for the healing of the nation , doth bring forth that which tendeth to the destruction thereof ; gray haires being sprinkled here and there upon them , and they not aware , for they consider not how many are destroyed every month by the law of man , contrary to the law of god , who hath declared , that if a thief be found breaking through ( the sun being risen upon him ) and be smitten that he dye , bloud shall be shed for him , exod. ▪ . from whence it appeareth that those are guilty before the lord , who take away the life of any man meerly for stealing , when the lord requireth that he should make ●ull resticution out of his estate , or if he have nothing , that he should be sold for his theft : but contrariwise their lives are taken away meerly for stealing , and commonly many though found notorious theeves , yet have been discharged with little or no punishment either in person or purse , to the great damage of those who have lost their goods , and to the imboldening of the malefactors , and the want of the due execution of the law of god upon them , and not setting them in a way to make restitution to the owners , tendeth to the utter destruction both of their bodies and soules . therefore our desire is , that ye would take these things into serious consideration , and ( in your wisdomes ) take such a prudent and effectuall course , that in the execution of iustice the remedy may not ●e worse then the disease , like those who kill their wounded patients , and wound themselves , but that punishment may be equalized proportionable to the offences , that the prosecutors , or executors of the law ma● have no cause to repent , and that one witnesse may not rise against any man for any iniquity , but that at the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter may be established ; and that ye would by no meanes make the wils of any men , or any humaine lawes whatsoever any rules for you to walk by , further then you see them agreeable to the holy will and word of god , and that ye would according to your power , seek to remove the dishonourable badges of infamy from off your sinful city and nation , though never so antient , familier , common , and customary , and that ye would addresse your selves to the parliament for we obtaining of these things . and your affectionate petitioners shall pray . here followeth a letter written to thomas andrewes , the lord mayor that then was . right honourable : i hope your lordship hath not forgotten our petition in the behalfe of transgressors , christ made intercession to god for transgressors , who were guilty of eternall death before god , we make intercession for men who are not guilty of temporall death before men ; divers petitions have bin promoted in the behalf of saints , and it was a very good and acceptable service , this is for sinners whom it may be god will call eff●ctually , for christ dyed for the ungodly , and received gifts for the rebellious . i have written this inclosed paper to further the petition , i desire that my councel may be acceptable unto your honour , so long as it is agreeable with gods word , and if it be agreeable to your lordships affection , i hope you will assist in it according to your power , and prosecute it with all your might , and make haste and not delay to keep the righteous judgements of the god of judgement , who hath promised to be for a spirit of judgement to him that sitteth in judgement . right honourable , you may be pleased to remember what i said , i know no friend of mine that is guilty of theft , what i have done is in conscience to god , and compassion to my native country , and in tender respect to your honour , that the heavie wrath of god may not fall upon you and the whole nation ; at least that some of the rods of god may be taken away , or that some o● his judgements may be stayed , i desire to be a good example to th● 〈◊〉 ●en , that they may cleare themselves of bloud gu●l●●nes●e ▪ i desire your lordship againe to consider seriously of t●is inclosed writing , i have shewed it to just men and they ●●●●ove 〈◊〉 your lordship in your wisdome may take cou●●●●l of 〈◊〉 men , and of the ancients concerning this mat●●r , and ●●●●te what they say thereunto ; but above all search 〈◊〉 scripture , for whatsoever is not according to that hath no light in it ; and it is a maxime in law , that all lawes which are not according to gods law and pure reason , are v●yd and null , and if so , then not binding to a citizen , or to any other under heaven , and so are no rules for me to walke by ▪ but it is the word of god , which is binding and y●● is not bound . honourable sir , i am your lordships humble servant . samuell chidley . london-bridge iune● th ● . certaine reasons of weighty consideration in reference to the petitio● to the common councel● in behalfe of transgressors . although there be ground sufficient enough in the petition it selfe to ●ince that no malefactou●s life should be taken away meerly for theft , when the lord requireth ●hat satisfaction should be made out of his estate , and if he have nothing , that he should be sold for his theft , yet because of the ignorance and hardnesse of mens hearts , and thei● cruelty and revenge , i shall for their regulation propose some things to their consideration . to take away the life of any man only for theft as aforesaid , is iniquity , because it is against the rule of equity ; it is not good because not of god , it is not correspondent with his will , it hath no agreement with his most righteous law , but is in humane , bloudy , barbarous , and tyrannicall , and provoketh the god of judgement to execute his judgements upon the nation that abetteth the same ; yea it tendeth to their utter destruction , to destroy men by the lawes of men , contrary to the lawes of god , consider i say , how contrary it is to the rule of equity , the blessed and righteous law of god . according to the rule of equity , there is required life for life , eye for eye , tooth for tooth , hand for hand , foot for foot , burning for burning , wound for woun● , st●ipe for stripe , exod. . , , . it is not life for eye , but eye for eye ; not eye for tooth , but tooth for tooth ; so that if a man require more it is iniquity , prov. . . therefore if a man put out his neighbours ey● , st●ike out his tooth , and bruise his hand , but doth not kill , he ought not to be killed for this , but must ●oose his eye , and his tooth , and as he ha●h done to his neighbour , so it must be done to him , as it is written , breach for breach ▪ eye for eye , tooth for tooth , as he hath caused a ●lemish in a man , so shall it be done to him againe ; and he that killeth a beast shall rest●re it , and he that killeth a man shall be surely put to death ; and the sam● ▪ lord saith , ye shall have one manner of law as well for the stranger , as for one of your owne c●untry , levit. . , , , ● , , . the lord of life hath expresly declared ( and it is knowne to all men living ) that the life is more then meat , and the body is more then rayment , luk. . . if then the life be more then meat , no mans life should be taken away for meat , much lesse for ra●ment , which is inferiour ; and all things necessary for the temporall life and body of man are comprehended in these termes , food and rayment , deut. . ● . tim. . . the god of the spirits of all flesh hath declared plainly , in his most just and righteous law , that if a thiefe be found breaking through ( the sun being risen upon him ) and be smitten that be dye , bloud shall be shed for him , exod. . . and he ●enders this reason , for he should make full restitution , and if he have nothing , he shal be fold for his theft ; and the lord hath not said that he that stealeth food , or rayment , shall be put to death , or that his bloud shall be shed ; but whose sheddeth mans bloud , by man shall his bloud be shed , gen. . . so then it appeareth , that it is murther by the law of god to kill a man meerly for stealing , when the lord saith he should make full restitution , and if he have nothing , he shall be sold ( not killed ) for his theft ; and amongst his statute lawes hath stated particular cases in this , as well as in other things , and made them so plaine that mean capacities may decide controversies of this nature . and as there is no precept nor consequence in the word of god for this unjust practice , so there is no president in israel , but many in england , the more is their misery : but as their ancient father austin saith , that man is miserable who is not sensible of his misery , which may wel be applyed unto this sinful and miserable nation , who are not sensible of the dangerous consequence of this one deadly evill amongst the rest ; how unjust a thing it is to kill a man for stealing xiiij d. let all men reasonable judge , for so is the law of this land , according to which the people are forced to prosecute the theeves ; but in king salomons time men did not despise a thiefe in some case , prov. . . and he whō is greater then salomon , even the lord iesus christ who is the prince of the kings of the earth , hath not given the least hint that he● that stealeth food or rayment should be killed , but he that ●ad●th into captivity , shall goe into captivity , and he that killeth with the sword , must be killed with the sword , revel. ● . . but concerning these it is said , let them that stole ●●eale no more , he doth not say let him be hanged , but rather let him labour with his hands the thing that is good , that he may have to distribute to him that needeth , ephes. . . and it is expressely commanded , that he that will not worke , nei●●●r should he eate , thes. . . many precepts , president● , and propositions may be brought to confirme the premise● , ●ut this is enough at this time . a word to the 〈◊〉 is su●●icient . a letter written the . of decemb. . by samuel chidley , to the right honorable , the commissioners of oyer and terminer , and goale delivery of new gate . right ( worshipfull and ) honourable , although i know not any of my acquaintance to bee guilty of theft : yet i seeke to save the lives of the so siner● whom god would have preserved : and i coming downe to this judgement seat , it being as free for me a● another to see justice done ; and observing your proceedings from the beginning hitherto , how in many things you goe against the very letter and equity of the law of the onely law-maker , by whom , and by which your selves must be judged ▪ caused me to call to mind , how that great men are not alwayes wise , neither doe the aged alwayes understand iudgement . right honourable , i am sorry to see you goe on still in your wonted course , of arraiging men for their lives meerly for theft . i have observed that the persons who are arraigned before your honours , are poor labourers , and such creatures who stole things of a small value , peradventure for meer necessity , yet you arraigne them for their lives , when the law of god requireth their preservation in such a way , that they may make satisfaction , and not ( if disabled ) to force them into a necessity of stealing againe , but they are great sinners indeed , who rob men of their precious lives . and the worst of men are such as despise and destroy theeves that steale , meerly to satisfie their hunger : it seems some of the theeves you will presse , for not holding up their hands at your command , or for not answering to that interogatory guil●y ? or not guilty ? consider i pray you , how circumstantiall these things are : the weight of tryals depends not hereupon ( as i humbly con●eive . ) for its possible that a murderer , when he is arraigned may want his hands , and another may be dumb ; yet you may proceed to judgement against him , if sufficient evidence come in , & that the jury , who are judges in matters of fact , ( and if they will , in matters of law ) finde them guilty , surely you must take no ransome for the life of a murderer , though he cannot , or will not hold up his hand at the bar , or say that he is guilty : for by the law no man is bound to a●cuse himselfe , therefore the guilty person is not bound to say he is guilty , and if he should say , not guilty what is he the better ? this is my opinion , which i humbly leave to the serious consideration of this honourable bench : i would to god that you would try such men by the lawes of god , who cast themselves upon god and the country ▪ and oh that you would put the judgements of god in execution ! seeing you are his stewards ; all lawes being subordinate to gods lawes , as the country is to god himselfe , then your tranquillity would be lengthened . consider what i say in the feare of god , for life is above liberty and estate . the jewell of one mans life , all your estates cannot ballance . i tooke notice of a passage of the lord cheife justice rolls , and it was we i observed , how that the theeves are honest before they come in goale , and there they become naught ; and learn to lye , by saying not guilty , when they had confessed it before . if it be so , then great pitty it is that they should not be in such a place , where they may be put in a way , and course , to make satisfaction according to the direction of the wisdome of god , by whom princes and nobles , yea , all the iudges of the earth are said to rule : so leaving these consciencious dictates to your serious thoughts , i subscribe my selfe , your humble servant , devoted to the feare of god , and service of the common-wealth , according to the law of god , and not otherwise ; samuel chidley . sessions . decemb. in the year of christ , . this letter was delivered unto the bench about the third houre of the day , where when mr. chidley was called , he made answer , and came to the board , and the letter was there publickly owned by him , as his owne hand-writing , which he would stand by and justifie , it being ( as he said ) a discharging of his conscience , as a testimony before them all , which he left to their serious consideration ; wherupon he was commanded by the bench to depart , and was put out of the court , he speaking in the justification of the statutes of god to be right , and the precepts of men to be wrong , in taking away mens lives for such triviall matters . after he was put out , they gave sentence against the prisoner at the bar , who was arraigned for stealing , and would not hold up his hand , nor plead , but besought them that the letter might be read publickly , that all the bench might hear , and then , saith he , afterwards i will plead whatsoever comes of it , whether i live , or dye ; but they would not hearken unto him but proceeded , and by the recorder m. steele , who was their mouth , gave sentence against him , which was to this effect ; that he should goe from thence to the place from whence he came , and be led into a dark room where there was no light , and should be stript naked , only his privy members covered , & his head covered , & his arms to be stretched forth , both on the one side and on the other , as far as they could be stretched , and that he should be laid along on his back , and have as much weight laid upon him , as he was able to beare , and more ; and the next day he should have only three morse●s of barly-bread , without any drink , and the day following three draughts of the kennel water-running under new-gate , as much as he could drinke , and so to remaine in that condition from day to day till he dyed . psal. . , , . it is time for thee lord to worke for they have made void thy law ; therefore i love thy commandements above gold , yea , above fine gold . therefore i esteem all thy precepts , concerning all things to be right , and i ha●e every false way . to the right honorable the councell of state . the humble petition of samuel chidley . sheweth , that your petitioner setting the feare of the lord of lords before his eyes , and advancing the judgements and lawes of the god of gods in his heart before the precepts of fraile man , was moved in zeale to his most sacred majesty , to discharge his conscience in the best and most peaceable way he could devise , and accordingly hath given testimony of the truth , at the judgement seat before the sessions in the old baily , the eleventh of this month , as may appear unto your honours by the printed relation hereunto annexed ; yet notwithstanding they proceed according to the usuall custome , which is against the law of god , the good things contained in the solemne league and covenant of the nation , the oath of every free-man of london , reason it selfe , the witnesse of conscience well checked , or rightly rectified and the whole creation of god : my humble desire is , that this honourable councell would be pleased in their prudence to take such a speedy course that the condemned persons yet alive ( who are not guilty of death by the lawes of god , nature , or equity ) may be repreeved till the parliament of this commonwealth hath heard and determined the matter ; so shall you find much comfort : iehovah will be with the good . and your petitioner shall pray , &c. samvel chidley . to the right honourable the generall councell for the army , the humble proposals of samuel c●idley . sheweth : that for as much as the lord of lords hath anoynted you to be the heads of the forces , which he hath mustered up , for the destruction of that generation of sinfull men , who are compacted together , as one man , to establish iniquity by ther lawes , which they have set up in direct opposi●ion to the lawes of god , and have made use of the kings of the earth ( as their hornes ) to protect them in the exercise of their bloudy cruelty ; and seeing the lord of hosts hath in a great measure subdued your enemies , and that your swords are not returned empty , it concernes you ( right honourable ) to testifie your thankfulnesse by yeelding obedience unto the statvtes-lawes of god , which at this day in the maine fundamentall parts thereof are trampled upon , by those who have a forme of godlinesse , and deny the power thereof in their practices ; as may appeare by their putting of men to death for triviall matters , contrary to the law of god ; for gods law saith , if a thiefe steale , he shall make restitution ●ut of his estate ; and if he have nothing , he is to be sold for his theft , but not killed . now although my soule abhorres the sinne of th●ft , i● deserving the punishment of eternall death before god ( how much more the crying sin of murder ? ) and though i know not any of them , and ( for ought i know ) not one of them knowes me , yet because i see no man valiant for god , nor stand to make up the gap , i ( for want of a better ) ●m moved in zeal for gods glory , to cry out against the irrationall and irregular proceedings of men , who set up or maintaine a flag or standard of defiance against their owne consciences , and the most righteous lawes of the onely law-maker ; and this i have indeavoured to do in such ● peaceable way , that my transaction of this businesse for god may not savour of any bitternesse of spirit in me , against the persons of those me● or contempt of their lawfull authority , who sit in judgement , and doe erre therein ▪ ( as i humbly conceive ) but seeing god hath said , he will mag●if●e his law , and make it honovrable , and that it hath been a usual course with him to make choyce of weak instruments , to make his truth known ; i therefore upon this account was resolved to put forth my selfe , and ingage my heart in this businesse , the consequence whereof , when accomplished , will be more then i will speake of at this time ; and although i indure some reproaches for it , some saying ; what a theife is this to attempt such a work ? and that none but theeves would do it , ye● i am led forward by such a spirit , as ( i hope ) will so carry me upon the wings of his providence in the managing hereof , that i shall not be discouraged ( notwithstanding humane frailty , ) and because i have a seasonable opportunity to acquaint your honours with this businesse , and to crave your assistance , i desire you in the first place to consider my printed papers , wherein i have shewed my dislike of putting men to death for stealing , and for the further amplification and inlargement thereof , i desire you to consider of these positions . . that god is the only law-maker ; and that his law is the ancientest and the best that ever was , or can be possibly invented by any parliament , to which all men are bound under paine of damnation : and that whatsoever lawes and proceedings are opposite thereunto in the smallest measure , are unjust , and the executioners thereof doe sinne ; and by how much the greater the precept is , by so much the more doe they offend , that violate the ●ame . . god hath no where given liberty , but hath prohibited , that the life of any man should be taken away for stealing , and hath manifested , he would have their lives preserved , therefore to take away their lives is a sin , a crying sin ; yea , ( i may say ) its a nationall sin , for which , god hath , and will visit them with his arrowes of of indignation ; yea , the people are so blinded with this ●orrupt custome , that they know it not , neither will they understand , but thinke they doe well , and that they shall have peace , though they walke on in darknesse , while the foundations of the earth are out of course . obj. and wereas they object , that it is the law of the land to put theeves to death for stealing to the value of d . ob . i answer , that no law is to be observed , if it be against the law of god , especially in the taking away of mens lives ; yea , god was so far from commanding such theeves to be put to death , that he requireth their blood , at the hands of them that shed it , though done in the very act of breaking through , if the sun be risen upon them . . the putting them to death is expresly against the law of god , because it disableth them for ever making satisfaction to the owners of the goods , yea , such is the corruption of the lawes and customes of this land , that he that discovers the theif is bound over to prosecute him , though is ●e to the taking away of his life ; and after hee hath done that , the owner shall sustaine damage neverthelesse , and hee can have no more then the life of the theefe ; and some men are so ignorant , cruell , hard-hearted , and revengefull , that they will take away the lives of the pe●tty theeve● in revenge , taking an opportunity upon the advantage of the law to exercise their bloody cruelty upon them . and such is the corruption of the lawes , that if the theife steale to the value of d. ob . he shall be hanged , as judge byron in his cases hath declared ; and sometimes their lives are taken away upon a single evidence , whereas there ou●ht to be two witnesses to prove every fact ; and one witnesse ought not rise up against any man to put him to death ; so god hath said , whose word is a law amongst saints , though sinners cast the same behind their backs . . this law of putting poore theeves to death for sealing , that are not able to make restitution out of their estates , is against gods law , because in such case● god hath said they shall be soled for their theft , now though they are worth some what while they are living , yet when they are dead they are worth nothing , yea a living dog , is better then a dead lyon ; men would rather in such cases bury dead men , then buy them , and how unjust a thing it is to put them to death , seeing the apostle saith , let them labour with their hands , let all rationall men judge . the apostle saith , they should labour with their hands , no saith the bench , they shall be hanged , tye up their hands , and he that hath bene●it of clergy , and can read his necke verse , burne him on the hand ; by thi● he is disabled for the present that he cannot labour with his hand ; and if he would , he is forced into a necessity of stealing againe , if no man will set him on worke , which thing men will be cautions to doe , to one that carryeth such a brand of infamy upon him . . this murdering law is the cause wherefore many murders are committed by robbers in the act of stealing , for the theeves know its a hanging matter to steale , and it s no more to commit murder , and then for safety of their lives , and 〈…〉 theft they commit murder , for feare least the party should come and witnesse against them , to the taking away of their lives . . this law is the cause wherefore many theeves escape , because they find that the remedy would be wo●●● then the disease , for if they prosecute them , they shal be put to a great deal of expence and charge , and peradve●●ure the thief shall lose his life , and the parties their goods , whereas if there were a way for restitution by them , there would be 〈◊〉 prosecution of them . obj. but it is objected , what sh●ll we doe with them ? ans. i answer ; he that hath 〈◊〉 , if the theft be found in his hands , is to forfeit 〈…〉 ; if he have made it away , he is to forfeit four-fold , are his estate i● to be taken to satisfie the debt . obj. but what if he have no estate , it may be he is some poor● rogue that is worth nothing ? ans. i answer , he must be sold for his theft . obj. but who will buy him , no body will be troubled with him ? ans. i answer ; either the party who hath sustained the damage is to take him , or he may be set on worke in our owne country , by land or by water , being chained up , they might worke in mines , heave coal● ▪ and earne three or four shillings a day , or row in gallies , or be put in worke houses , for to punne . hemp , or other servile imployment● . and why cannot we put them to it here , as well as the hollanders there , til they have made satisfaction ) and not put the theeves in such places , which is a hell on earth ; where they learne to be worse then ever they were before , or they may be transported to some of our owne plantations , where some that have been in the like condition transported , have soone become honest , and being very ingenuous have been able to teach the planters , which maketh the merchants to prize the theeves farre above the ordinary vagrants , or other persons that are taken up by the spirits in the 〈◊〉 because they want that ingenuity that the theeves have , for generally the wittyest rogues are the greatest cut-purses . obj. but would not this be great ●yranny , that men should be sold as slaves ? a●s . i answer to that ; they are not sold for ever , but only for their theft , and its a worser slavery , and a great tyranny indeed , to take away their live● . obj. but what if they run away ? ans. then they contract upon themseves a double deb● ▪ obj. but what if they will not worke ? ans. they must not eate , and before such a one will dy● for hunger , doubtlesse he will eate the flesh , of his arme , and before he will eate his owne flesh it may be he will worke , hunger will breake through stone walls , and if any thing f●rce him to worke , this wil , for his bel●y requires it of him ; bu● , if he will perish let him perish , his owne bloud is upon his owne head , and the common-wealth is discharged of it . such c●u●ses as these would be a meanes to terrifye the theeves , and suppresse theft for many of them would rather ●e hanged ; but if a man would be hang'd , he must not have his desire , unlesse the law requireth it , so though theeves cause to dye against the law of god , rather then to live according to it , they must be kept alive notwithstanding , and set hard at worke to earne their bread , and the over-plus must pay for their theft ; and then if any ( as i hope many ) will be converted in this their captive condition , o how will they blesse the time that ever such compulsion was us●d , whereby they learned to know themselves , and to remember their creator : and he that is an instrumentall means of converting one poore sinner , shall have no cause to be sorry for it in the day of accompt . another abuse in the proceedings of the law of this land is that whereas gods law requireth that the witnesses should be executioners of death on their mal●factor , a condemned executioner doth it , who is the notoriousest rogue that can be found , and one that knowes nothing of the businesse , whether he , whom he hangs be an honest man , or a knave ; he will hang a martyr as well as a thiefe , but doubtlesse he hath a check of conscien●e as wel as his masters , else why will he aske them forgivenesse before he turnes them off ? now all that can be alledged , for the hang-man is , he doth but his office , he is but an executioner of the law , and sentence . and the like the judges doe alledge for themselves , alas , ( ●ay they ) what can we doe , we are but the executioners of the law of the land , and till the parliament alter the law , we must observe our ordinary rules ; why doe you come to us ? what would your have us doe ? we have no power ! but iudges ought to be men of courage , fearing god , and hating covetousnesse , and such as will observe gods lawes , and judge according to his statvte booke , and by the lawes of god . no executioner ought to inflict death upon any man , unlesse he in the execution of him be satisfied in his owne conscience , that the man ought to dye , else he is a murderer after a manner , though the offender deserveth deathe ; yet if a man be not convinced of it , he ought not to put him to death , by any command whatsoever , and if the witnesses will not doe it , they must be severely dealt with . this is my opinion , which i humbly submit to the consideration of those who have more understanding then my selfe . ● . another abuse which i finde in the pro●eedings of the law , is in the pressing men to deat● , because they wil not hold up their hands at the barre , or say they are guilty , or not guilty , upon which circumstantiall n●●ety , they condemne them to be prest in such a tyrannicall manner , that the very sentence it selfe is enough to terrifie the poore creatures , and make them op●n their mouthes to confesse their owne guiltinesse , or else to lye against their own● consciences . obj. but t is objected , that they are prest to death within halfe an houre at the most , and that they are not kept in such a lingering condition , according to the sentence ? ans. i answer ; if they put them to death before their t●me , herein they goe bey●nd their commission ; but indeed the executioners do● it ●●t of compassion to the condemned to dispatch him out of his torment ; something like to a phisitian , that will give his patient something in pitty , to rid him out of his paine , because he beleeveth he must dye , and cannot escape his fit of sicknesse , so making more has● then good speed . now the proceedings against such malefactors , who will not hold up their hands , and plead , it without examination of witnesses , yet they will take his life away pro confess● ; b●● by what law i know not , unlesse a law of antichrist ; i am sure such precepts came neither from mount sion , nor mount sinai ; these have out-●tripped h●r●d , and p●ntius pilate , the gentil●s that knew not the law , did not compell men to lye , by saying not guilty , when they were guilty ; nor to goe against the law of nature , to accuse themselves by con●essing their owne g●il● ▪ but of all cruelty there is none li●e that of antichrist , the man of sinne , and that beast with seven heads , and ten hornes , spoken of in revel. . and they exercise it upon their owne brethren , even the members 〈◊〉 their church . thus the crowned loenus in the midst o●●gyptian darknesse are a plague to the men of the earth . but the way to try a th●efe is to examine the witnesses , ●nd if they prove matter of fact , the judge is to decla●e ▪ how much he must pay , and to command that law to b● put in execution ; that his estate should be seized , and if it will not satisfie , he must deliver up his person , not so much as to loose a limb , or any member of his body , but to goe immediatly to the work-house , or place where he may be safely kep● with sufficient food , and work enough , as much as he is able to doe , and ply it constantly early and late every day ( lords day excepted and to have sufficient time to sleep and rest ; and when they have wrought out their theft , then to be free● 〈◊〉 if , they steal again to serve them in the same kind : as if the theefe st●ale a li . he shoul● pay ●li . if it be found with him , but if he have spent the money he shall pay li . if this course were well followed , tyburne would lose many customers , for it would much abate the number of theev●s , and murderers . my desi●e i● , that your honou●● would move the parliament to put gods law in execution concerning this thing , and what it is i have declared before . it hath been desired tha● lawes should be drawne up from gods word , for the government of this nation , but unlesse the parliament will bee pleased to confirme them , what are wee the better ? ordinary men cannot impose , all they can doe is onely to propose , onely god hath declared , his testimonies must be bound up , and his law sealed amongst his disciples . but others doe take upon them to make lawes besides , and contrary to the lawes of god ; moreover , if the parliament should countenance such a thing that certain men should b● appointed to draw up lawes according to the lawes of god , it will a●ke a great deale of time ; and it is a work that the wisest and holiest men in the world , will find too great for them to undertake to doe without errours , unlesse they were infallibly inspired by the holy ghost . moses was in the mount with god forty day●s and forty nights , and neither eate nor dranke ; and forty daies and forty nights after that likewise ; neither do we read , that he saw sleep with his eyes in all that time ; and after he wrote the lawes and precepts for all israel , with the statutes and iudgem●nts , he was therein guid●d by the immediate direction of the spi●it of god infallibly , and how long he was writing them wee know not , but they are very full and brief , and very sufficient for the government of that nation , neither had any nation such an excellent law as israel had , neither was there so excelle●● a government amongst any people , as amongst the people of the iew● , so long at they forsooke not the law of the lord , nor cast aside the word of the holy one of israel ; their chief city was called the city of righteousnesse , the faithfull city , righteousnesse lodged in it ; their iudges and counsellours were gods , and children of the most high , becaus● the word of god was committed unto them , now it may be it will bee a long time before the parliament wil establish the lawes of god , or give way for lawes to be imposed upon this nation , which are suitable thereunto ; and when such a worke is set upon , it will be long before it be accomplished , for whosoever taketh it upon them , must devote themselves wholly to the worke , and when they have used their best indeavours , a wond●r it will be if the lawes they draw up , with manner of proceedings , will be so perfect that they need no amendments , in respect of matter and form ; and a long time wil be spent in debate , before such a work be admitted to be attempted ; and therefore i humbly conceive , that it is meer , that this businesse concerning the preservation or the petty theeves should be concluded now with al speed , being out of controversie , and afterwards to doe the rest according as time , and opportunity will afford . for this doth concern life which is above person name , liberty , and ●state : and this thing being done will render the antichristian priests and lying lawyers , the basest of men , who have lived upon the souls and bodies of men , and have not bad the fear of god before their eyes , but have made their belly god and their glory is their shame , end shall be destruction and their unlesse they repent . and as a testimony of the truth of god , in this particular , i set to my hand this of decem. . samvel chidley . a letter written to the regulaters of the law , appointed by the parliament , and sent , and presented to that committee . honourable gentlemen : for as much as you are appointed by the parliament to consider of the inconveniencies ▪ mischeifes , chargeablenesse , and irregularit●es in your law , and that you have pro●essed your willingnesse to receive whatsoever persons have to offer in relation thereunto : i hold it meet to present you with these inclosed papers , which p●radventure may be a meanes to shorten your seven yeares tedious worke , and wherein you may observe that i have indeavoured to discharge my conscience before all ▪ witnessing against that hatefull sinne of puting men to death meerely for theft ▪ although the god of nature doth teach a contrary lesson : but who is so blind as those that will not see ? surely covetousnesse is the roo● of all evill , and gifts destroy the heart● , an● blind the eyes of the wise , and pervert the judgement of the righteous , and men in the greatest places , are the greatest unbeleevers , for they have not so much faith as to trust god with their substance , but use indirect meanes to make uncertaine riches certaine ; as may appeare by their putting theeves to death for stealing . now when i found so little fruit in the magistrates of the city of london , as you may see by my printed relations , i was sorry that my indeavours produced no better effect amongst them , whose predecessors have alwayes been very forward to put the lawes of man in execution , though they were never so ridiculous , and contrary to reason and religion . i sent , and went unto others , whom it likewise principally concerned , even to those who are called the learned iudges of the land , and declared my judgement to as many of them as i could meet with , that they migh● not suffer their mouth to cause their flesh to sinne , by pronouncing unjust murdering sentences . i went downe also to the sessions , but i could gather no grapes of thornes . and after i had delivered a letter to the lord president bradshaw , to be presented unto the councell of state ; i remembred that the officers of the army were men professing grea●●hings , for the advancement of gods glory ; so i presented some humble proposals to those honourable gentlemen , which were well resented by them , a copy of which i have sent you here inclosed with this petition , which should have been presented to the house , but some of the members conceived the businesse to be proper for you t● take cognizance of , because you are appointed to consider , and make report of the evils of your law , for reformation thereof ; therefore you ought to cry out against murder b●fore you doe any thing else , for this concerneth mens live● ▪ the best of your actions herein in my judgement having been at the most but a tything of mint , anis , and cummin ▪ and you have neglected mercy , one of the weighty matters of the l●w , for i am verily perswaded , that it was in your powers to have put a stop to the murdering of those men which w●re hanged at tiburne the last sessions , for stealing five shilling● and six pence ; i hoped that you would have gone to the root , and not cropt only the branches of wicked lawes ; i am angry , and grieved at the heart , that you should so dally in gods matters ▪ as not to acquaint the house with such a grosse , unnaturall , inhumane practise of the law , as killing of the petty theeves . i desire the lord to give you repenting and relenting hearts , for doing his worke so negligently , to value mens lives no more ; for it is a sinne , and shame , that the ●and should still be defiled with more bloud , and how you can answer it in the day of accompt , for not pre●enting such mischiefe when you knew how to doe it , and had an opportunity in your hands , i know not ; in my opi●ion , if you follow your worke never so close , if you omit this businesse of weight , you will make a long harvest of a little fruit ; no doubt but the time will be long before you have swimmed through the ocean sea of your troublesome lawes , for what is the chaffe to the corne ? or the heap of ashes to the sparke that 's hid under it ? may not the parliament by the west wind of their legislative power , blow such combustible stubble away ? you sit as refiners , but time is precious , and drosse is not worth the labour of refining , and a leaden law is too heavie for an honest heart , and we ought not to thinke that such a law , because it is a law , will be a sufficient excuse to the executioners thereof , so long as it is idolatrous , prophane , rebellious , bloudy , adulterous , theevish , lying , and covetous ; certainly that law cannot be good , that force●h all men to preferre the meanest thing before the greatest ; ( that is , ) a little wicked mammon with an idolations badge upon it , before a mans precious life ; salomon esteemed m●re of a living d●gge , then those who have killed men meerly for stealing , have ( or had ) of living men . now if god doe touch your hearts , and make you throughly sensible of the abominations of the time , and set you in a thou●●ing posture , that you may bewaile your neglect in suffering the poore theeves to be put to death , when it was in y●ur power to have prevented 〈◊〉 ; then you may the better goe on , like iosiah's men , whom he set to spy out the abominations in the land , and set up a sign , wheresoever you ●inde a bone of haman-gog unburied , and go on , and let the nation know the idolatry , and superstition of their law , and its prophanenesse , and the sabbath-breaking thereof , the rebellion of their law , the murder of their law , the adultery of their law , the thef● of their law , the lying of their law , and the covetousnesse of their law , and lastly , the uncharitablenesse of their law , which is the end thereof , and so i end . yours ( and the common-wealths servant ) in all lawfull things . samuel chidley . from my mothers house in soper lane london , febr. . . reader , where are they that are valiant for the truth , and will do the work of the lord diligently ? if thou hast any spark of love or zeal to maintaine the wonderful statutes of god , which my soul keeps ; i charge thee , as thou wilt answer before the tribunal seate of gods eternal vengeance , that thou hinder not the publication of this to all persons who have an eare open to hear , neither conceal this precious truth , which will maintaine him , that maintaineth it , and bring him into more acquaintance with god . for doubtlesse the standing for the statutes and judgements of the holy and blessed god , is a most blessed work , and the establishment thereof in this nation will work a more blessed reformation then ye● hath been , or shall be spoken of at this time . finis . by the king, a proclamation against steelets, pocket daggers, pocket dagges and pistols england and wales. sovereign ( - : james i) approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) by the king, a proclamation against steelets, pocket daggers, pocket dagges and pistols england and wales. sovereign ( - : james i) james i, king of england, - . broadside. by robert barker ..., imprinted at london : . "giuen at white-hall, the . day of march, in the fourteenth yeere of our reigne of great britaine, france and ireland, and of scotland the nine and fourtieth"--colophon. reproduction of original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng crime prevention -- england. weapons -- england. armor -- england. proclamations -- great britain. great britain -- politics and government -- - . great britain -- history -- james i, - . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion honi soit qvi mal y pense royal blazon or coat of arms ❧ by the king. ❧ a proclamation against steelets , pocket daggers , pocket dagges and pistols . the loue and care wee haue towards the preseruation of our subiects , and the keeping of our lande from being polluted with blood ; doth make us striue with the euill humors and depraued customes of the times , to reforme and suppresse them by our princely policy and iustice ; to which end and purpose , we haue by the seueritie of our edict , ( proceeding from our owne pen , and by the exemplar censure and decrees of our court of starre-chamber ) put downe , and in good part mastered that audacious custome of duelles and challenges , and haue likewise by a statute made in our time , taken away the benefit of clergie in case of stabbing , and the like odious man-slaughters : wherefore it being alwayes the more principall in our intention to preuent , then to punish , being giuen to vnderstand of the vse of steelets , pocket daggers , and pocket dags and pistols , which are weapons vtterly vnseruiceable for defence , militarie practise , or other lawfull vse , but odious , and noted instruments of murther , and mischiefe ; we doe straightly will and command all persons whatsoeuer , that they doe not hencefoorth presume to weare or carie about them any such steelet or pocket dagger , pocket dagge or pistoll , vpon paine of our princely indignation and displeasure , imprisonment and censure in the starre-chamber ; and we doe likewise straightly forbid vpon like paine all cutlers , or other person , to make or sell any of the said steelets , pocket daggers , pocket dagges or pistols . giuen at white-hall , the . day of march , in the fourteenth yeere of our reigne of great britaine , france and ireland , and of scotland the nine and fourtieth . god saue the king imprinted at london by robert barker , printer to the kings most excellent maiestie . anno dom. . the seuen deadly sinnes of london drawne in seuen seuerall coaches, through the seuen seuerall gates of the citie bringing the plague with them. opus septem dierum. tho: dekker. dekker, thomas, ca. - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the seuen deadly sinnes of london drawne in seuen seuerall coaches, through the seuen seuerall gates of the citie bringing the plague with them. opus septem dierum. tho: dekker. dekker, thomas, ca. - . [ ], , - , [ ] p. printed by e[dward] a[llde and s. stafford] for nathaniel butter, and are to be solde at his shop neere saint austens gate, at london : . the title page is in four settings, all in red and black: ( ) title has "deadlie sinns"; ( ) with good shepherd device; ( ) with device of a lion's head atop a shield; ( ) with an ornament with female head and laurel leaves at top, dated . there are some minor variations in imprints. "allde app[arently]. pr[inted]. at least pia , (dedic[ation]. and to reader); stafford pr[inted]. at least a-c (induction and beginning of text)"--stc. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng crime -- england -- london -- early works to . criminals -- england -- london -- early works to . london (england) -- social life and customs -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the seuen deadly sinnes of london : drawne in seuen seuerall coaches , through the seuen seuerall gates of the citie bringing the plague with them . opus septem dierum . tho : dekker . at london printed by e.a. for nathaniel butter , and are to bee sold at his shop neere saint austens gate . . reader , it is as ordinarie a custome ( for vs that are bookish ) to haue about with thee , after wee haue done with a patron , as for schollers ( in the noble science ) to play at the woodden rapier and dagger at the ende of a maisters prize . in doing which we know not vpon what speeding points wee runne , for you ( that are readers ) are the most despe●ate and fowlest players in the world , you will strike when a mans backe is toward you , and kill him ( if you ●ould for shame ) when he lies vnder your feete . you are able ( if you haue the tokens of deadly ignorance , and boldnes at one time vpon you ) to breede more infection on in pauls church-yard , then all the bodies that were buried there in the plague-time , if they had beene left still aboue ground . you stand somtimes at a stationers stal , looking scuruily ( like mules champing vpon thistles ) on the face of a new booke bee it neuer so worthy : & goe ( as il fauouredly ) mewing away : but what get you by it ? the booke-seller euer after when you passe by , pinnes on your backes the badge of fooles to make you be laught to scorne , or of sillie carpers to make you be pitted : comadus gesner neuer writ of the nature of such strange beasts as you are : for where as we call you lectores , readers , you turne your selues into lictores , executioners , & tormenters . i wold not haue him that writes better than i , to reade this , nor him that cannot doe so well , to raile , or if hee cannot chuse but raile , let him doe it to my face : otherwise ●me being absent ) it is done cowardly : for leonem mortuum mordent etiam catuli : cats dare scratch lions by the face when they lie dead , and none but colliers will threaten a lord maior when they are farre enough from the cittie . i haue laide no blockes in thy way : if thou findest strawes , ( vade , vale , ) caue ne titubes . the names of the actors in this old enterlude of iniquitie . politike bankeruptisme . lying . candle-light . sloth . apishnesse . shauing . crueltie . seuen may easily play this , but not without a diuell . the induction to the booke . i finde it written in that booke where no vntruthes can be read : in that booke whose leaues shall out-last sheetes of brasse , and whose lynes leade to eternity : yea euen in that booke that was pend by the best author of the best wisedome , allowed by a deity , licensed by the omnipotent , and published ( in all languages to all nations ) by the greatest , truest , and onely diuine , thus i find it written , that for sinne , angels were throwne out of heauen ; for sinne , the first man that euer was made , was made an outcast : he was driuen ouf of his liuing that was left vnto him by his creator : it was a goodlier liuing , than the inheritance of princes : he lost paradice by it ( he lost his house of pleasure : ) hee lost eden by it , a garden , where winter could neuer haue nipt him with cold , nor summer haue scorcht him with heate . he had there all fruits growing to delight his taste , all flowers flourishing to allure his eye , all birds singing to content his eare ; he had more than he could desire : yet because he desired more than was fit for him , he lost all . for sinne , all those buildings which that great worke-master of the world had in sixe dayes raysed , were swallowed at the first by waters , and shall at last be consumed in fire . how many families hath this leuiathan deuoured ? how many cities ? how many kingdoms ? let vs a while leaue kingdomes , and enter into citties . sodom and gomorrah were burnt to the ground with brinstone that dropt in flakes from heauen : a hot and dreadfull vengeance . ierusalem hath not a stone left vpon another of her first glorious foundation : a heauy and fearefull downefall . ierusalem , that was gods owne dwelling house ; the schoole where those hebrew lectures , which he himselfe read , were taught ; the very nursery where the prince of heauen was brought vp ; that ierusalem , whose rulers were princes , & whose citizens were like the sonnes of kings : whose temples were paued with gold , and whose houses stood like rowes of tall cedars ; that ierusalem is now a dezert ; it is vnhallowed , and vnt● odden : no monument is left to shew it was a citty , but only the memoriall of the iewes hard-hartednes , in making away their sauiour : it is now a place for barbarous turks , and poore despised grecians ; it is rather now ( for the abominations committed in it ) no place at all . let vs hoyst vp more sayles , and lanch into other seas , till wee come in ken of our owne countrey . antwerp ( the eldest daughter of brabant ) hath falne in her pride , the citties of rich burgundy in theyr greatnes . those seuenteene dutch virgins of belgia , ( that had kingdomes to theyr dowries , and were worthy to be courted by nations ) are now no more virgins : the souldier hath deflowred them , and robd them of theyr mayden honor : warre hath still vse of their noble bodyes , and discouereth theyr nakednes like prostituted strumpets . famine hath dryed vp the fresh bloud in theyr cheekes , whilst the pestilence digd vp theyr fields , and turned them into graues . neither haue these punishments bin layd vpon them onely ; for bloud hath bin also drawne of their very next neighbours . france lyes yet panting vnder the blowes which her owne children haue giuen her . thirty yeeres together suffred she her bowels to be torne out by those that were bred within them : she was full of princes , and saw them all lye mangled at her feete : she was full of people , and saw in one night a hundred thousand massacred in her streetes : her kings were eaten vp by ciuill warres , and her subiects by fire and famine . o gallant monarchy , what hard fate hadst thou , that when none were left to conquer thee , thou shouldst triumph ouer thy selfe ! thou hast wynes flowing in thy veynes : but thou madest thy selfe druncke with thine owne bloud . the english , the dutch , and the spanish , stoode aloofe and gaue ayme , whilst thou shotst arrowes vpright , that fell vpon thine owne head , and wounded thee to death . wouldst thou ( and the rest ) know the reason , why your bones haue bin bruzed with rods of iron ? it was , because you haue risen in arch-rebellion against the supremest soueraigne : you haue bin traytors to your lord , the king of heauen and earth , and haue armed your selues to fight against the holy land. can the father of the world measure out his loue so vnequally , that one people ( like to a mans yongest child ) should be more made of than all the rest , being more vnruly than the rest ? o london , thou art great in glory , and enuied for thy greatnes : thy towers , thy temples , and thy pinnacles stand vpon thy head like borders of fine gold , thy waters like frindges of siluer hang at the hemmes of thy garments . thou art the goodliest of thy neighbors , but the prowdest ; the welthiest , but the most wanton . thou hast all things in thee to make thee fairest , and all things in thee to make thee foulest : for thou art attir'de like a bride , drawing all that looke vpon thee , to be in loue with thee , but there is much harlot in thine eyes . thou sitst in thy gates heated with wines , and in thy chambers with lust . what miseries haue of late ouertaken thee ? yet ( like a foole that laughs when hee is putting on fetters ) thou hast bin merry in height of thy misfortunes . she ( that for almost halfe a hundred of yeeres ) of thy nurse became thy mother , and layd thee in her bosome , whose head was full of cares for thee , whilst thine slept vpon softer pillowes than downe . she that wore thee alwayes on her brest as the richest iewell in her kingdome , who had continually her eye vpon thee , and her heart with thee : whose chaste hand clothed thy rulers in scarlet , and thy inhabitants in roabes of peace : euen she was taken from thee , when thou wert most in feare to lose her : when thou didst tremble ( as at an earth-quake ) to thinke that bloud should runne in thy channels , that the canon should make away through thy portcullises , and fire rifle thy wealthy houses , then , euen then wert thou left full of teares , and becamst an orphan . but behold , thou hadst not sat many howres on the banks of sorrow , but thou hadst a louing father that adopted thee to be his owne : thy mourning turnd presently to gladnes , thy terrors into triumphs . yet , lest this fulnesse of ioy should beget in thee a wantonnes , and to try how wisely thou couldst take vp affliction , sicknes was sent to breathe her vnholsome ayres into thy nosthrils , so that thou , that wert before the only gallant and minion of the world , hadst in a short time more diseases ( then a common harlot hath ) hanging vpon thee ; thou suddenly becamst the by-talke of neighbors , the scorne and contempt of nations . heere could i make thee weepe thy selfe away into waters , by calling back those sad and dismall houres , wherein thou consumedst almost to nothing with shrikes and lamentations , in that * wonderfull yeere , when these miserable calamities entred in at thy gates , slaying . and more as thou heldst them in thine armes , but they are fresh in thy memory , and the story of them ( but halfe read ouer ) would strike so coldly to thy heart , and lay such heauy sorrow vpon mine ( namque animus meminisse horret , luctuque refugit ) that i will not be thine and my owne tormentor with the memory of them . how quickly notwithstanding didst thou forget that beating ? the wrath of him that smot thee , was no sooner ( in meere pitty of thy stripes ) appeased , but howrely ( againe ) thou wert in the company of euill doers , euen before thou couldst finde leysure to aske him forgiuenes . euer since that time hath hee winckt at thy errors , and suffred thee ( though now thou art growne old , and lookest very ancient ) to goe on still in the follyes of thy youth : he hath ten-fold restor'de thy lost sonnes and daughters , and such sweete , liuely , fresh colours hath hee put vpon thy cheekes , that kings haue come to behold thee , and princes to delight their eyes with thy bewty . none of all these fauours ( for all this ) can draw thee from thy wickednes : graces haue powrd downe out of heauen vpon thee , and thou art rich in all things , sauing in goodnes : so that now once againe hath he gone about ( and but gone about ) to call thee to the dreadfull barre of his iudgement . and no maruaile : for whereas other citties ( as glorious as thy selfe , ) and other people ( as deare vnto him as thine ) haue in his indignation bin quite taken from the face of the earth , for some one peculiar sinne , what hope hast thou to grow vp still in the pride of thy strength , gallantnes and health , hauing seuen deadly and detestable sinnes lying night by night by thy lasciuious sides ? o thou beawtifullest daughter of two vnited monarchies ! from thy womb receiued i my being , frō thy brests my nourishment ; yet giue me leaue to tell thee , that thou hast seuen diuels within thee , and till they be cleane cast out , the arrowes of pestilence will fall vpon thee by day , and the hand of the inuader strike thee by night . the sunne will shine , but not be a comfort to thee , and the moone looke pale with anger , whē she giues thee light . thy louers will disdayne to court thee : thy temples will no more send out diuine oracles : iustice will take her flight , and dwell else-where ; and that desolation , which now for three yeeres together hath houered round about thee , will at last enter , and turne thy gardens of pleasure , into church-yards ; thy fields that seru'd thee for walks , into golgotha ; and thy hye built houses , into heapes of dead mens sculs . i call him to witnes , who is all truth , i call the cittizens of heauen to witnes , who are all spotlesse , that i slander thee not , in saying thou nourishest seuen serpents at thy brests , that will destroy thee : let all thy magistrates and thy officers speake for me : let strangers that haue but seene thy behauiour , be my iudges : let all that are gathered vnder thy wings , and those that sleepe in thy bosome , giue their verdict vpon me ; yea , try me ( as thy brabblings are ) by all thy petit and graund iurors , and if i belye thee , let my country ( when i expire ) deny me her common blessing , buriall , lift vp therefore thy head ( thou mother of so many people : ) awaken out of thy dead and dangerous slumbers , and with a full and fearelesse eye behold those seuen monsters , that with extended iawes gape to swallow vp thy memory : for i will into so large a field single euery one of them , that thou and all the world shall see their vglinesse , for by seeing them , thou mayst auoyd them , and by auoyding them , be the happiest and most renowned of citties . politick bankruptisme , or , the first dayes triumph of the first sinne. it is a custome in all countries , when great personages are to be entertained , to haue great preparation made for them : and because london disdaines to come short of any city , either in magnificence , state , or expences vpon such an occasion , solemne order was set downe , and seuen seuerall solemne dayes were appointed to receiue these seuen potentates : for they carry the names of princes on the earth , and wheresoe're they inhabit , in a short time are they lords of great dominions . the first dayes triumphs were spent in méeting and conducting politick bankruptisme into the fréedome : to receiue whom , the master , the kéepers , and all the prisoners of ludgate in their best clothes stood most officiously readie : for at that gate , his deadlinesse challenges a kind of prerogatiue by the custome of the citie , and there loues he most to be let in . the thing they stood vpon , was a scaffold erected for the purpose , stuck round about with a few gréene boughes ( like an alehouse booth at a fayre ) and couered with two or thrée thréed-bare carpets ( for prisoners haue no better ) to hide the vnhandsomnes of the carpenters worke : the boughes with the very strong breath that was prest out of the vulgar , withered , & like autumnian leaues dropt to the ground , which made the broken gentleman to hasten his progresse the more , and the rather , because lud and his two sonnes stood in a very cold place , waiting for his comming . being vnder the gate , there stood one arm'd with an extemporall speech , to giue him the onset of his welcome : it was not ( i would you should well know ) the clarke of a country parish , or the schoolemaster of a corporate towne , the euery yéere has a saying to master maior , but it was a bird pickt out of purpose ( amongst the ludgathians ) that had the basest and lowdest voice , and was able in a terme time , for a throat , to giue any prisoner great ods for the bor at the grate : this organ-pipe was ●unde to rore for the rest , who with a hye sound & glib deliuery , made an encomiastick paradoxicall oration in praise of a prison , prouing , that captiuity was the only blessing that could happen ●o man , and that a politick bankrupt ( because he makes himselfe for euer by his owne wit ) is able to liue in any common wealth , and deserues to go vp the ladder of promotion , whē fiue hundred shallowp●ted feollwes shall be turnd off . the poore orator hauing made vp his mouth , bankruptisme gaue him very good words , & a handful or two of thanks , vowing he would euer liue in his debt . at which , all the prisoners rending the ayre with shouts , the key was turnd , & vp ( in state ) was he led into king luds house of bondage , to suruey the building , and to take possession of the lodgings ; where he no sooner en●red , but a ●usty peale of welcomes was shot out of kannes in stead of canons , and though the powder was excéeding wet , yet off they went thick and thréefold . the day was proclaymed holiday in all the wardes ; euery prisoner swore if he would stay amongst them , they would take no order about their debts , because they would lye by it too ; and for that purpose swa●md about him like bées about comfit-makers , and were drunke , according to all the learned rules of drunkennes , as vpsy-freeze , cra●bo , parmizant , &c. the pimples of this ranck and full-humord ioy rising thus in their faces , because they all knew , that though he himselfe was broken , the linings of his bags were whole ; & though he had no conscience ( but a crackt one ) yet he had crownes that were ●ound . none of all these ●ookes could fasten him to them : he was ( like their clocks ) to strike in more places than one , & though he knew many citizens hated him , and that if he were encountred by some of them , it might cost him déere , yet vnder so good a protection did he go ( as he said ) because he owed no ill will euen to those that most sought his vndoing ; and therefore tooke his leaue of the house , with promise , to be with them , or send to thē once euery quarter at the least . so that now , by his wise instructions , if a puny were there amongst them , he might learne more cases , and more quiddits in law within seuen dayes , that he does at his inne in fourtéene moneths . the politician béeing thus got into the city , caries himself to discreetly , that he steales into the hearts of many : in words , is he circumspect : in lookes , graue : in attire , ciuill : in diet , temperate : in company affable ; in his affaires serious : and so cunningly dooes he lay on these colours , that in the end he is welcome to , and familiar with the best . so that now , there is not any one of all the twelue companies , in which ( at one time or other ) there are not those that haue forsaken their owne hall , to be frée of his : yea some of your best shop-kéepers hath he entited to shut themselues vp from the cares and busines of the world , to liue a priuate life ; nay , there is not any great and famous streete in the city , wherein there hath not ( or now doth not ) dwell , some one , or other , that hold the points of his religion . for you must vnderstand , that the politick bankrupt is a harpy that lookes smoothly , a hyena that enchants subtilly , a mermaid that sings swéetly , and a cameleon , that can put himselfe into all colours . sometimes hée 's a puritane , he sweares by nothing but indéede , or rather does not sweare at al● , and wrapping his crafty serpents body in the cloake of religion , he does those acts that would become none but a diuell . sometimes hee 's a protestant , and deales iustly with all men , till he sée his time , but in the end he turnes turke . because you shall beléeue me , i will giue you his length by the scale , and anatomize his body from head to foote . héere it is . whether he be a tradesman , or a marchant , when he first sets himselfe vp , and séekes to get the world into his hands , ( yet not to go out of the city ) or first talks of countries he neuer saw ( vpon the change ) he will be sure to kéepe his dayes of payments more truly , then lawyers kéepe their termes , or than executors kéepe the last lawes that the dead inioyned them to , which euen infidels themselues will not violate : his hand goes to his head , to his meanest customer , ( to expresse his humilitie ; ) he is vp earlier then a sarieant , and downe later then a constable , to proclaime his thrift . by such artificiall whéeles as these , he winds himselfe vp into the height of rich mens fauors , till he grow rich himselfe , and when he sées that they dare build vpon his credit , knowing the ground to be good , he takes vpon him the condition of an asse , to any man that will loade him with gold ; and vseth his credit like a ship freighted with all sorts of merchandize by ventrous pilots : for after he hath gotten into his hands so much of other mens goods or money , as will fill him to the vpper deck , away he sayles with it , and politickly runnes himselfe on ground , to make the world beléeue he had sufferd shipwrack . then flyes he out like an irish rebell , and kéepes aloofe , hiding his head , when he cannot hide his shame : and though he haue fethers on his back puld frō sundry birds , yet to himselfe is he more wretched , then the cuckoo in winter , that dares not be séene . the troupes of honest citizens ( his creditors ) with whom he hath broken league and hath thus defyed , muster themselues together , and proclaime open warre : their bands consist of tall yeomen , that serue on foot , cōmanded by certaine sarieants of their bands , who for leading of men , are knowne to be of more experiēce th●n the best low-countrey captaines . in ambuscado do these lye day & night , to cut off this enemy to the city , if he dare but come downe . but the politick bankrupt barricadoing his sconce with double locks , treble dores , inuincible bolts , and pieces of ●imber . or . storyes hye , victuals himselfe for a moneth or so ; and then in the dead of night , marches vp higher into the country with bag and baggage : parlies then are summond ; compositions off●ed ; a truce is sometimes taken for . or . yéeres ; or ( which is more common ) a dishonorable peace ( séeing no other remedy ) is on both sides concluded , he ( like the states ) being the only gayner by such ciuill warres , whilst the citizen that is the lender , is the loser : nam crimine ab vno disce omnes , looke how much he snatches from one mans ●hea●e , hée gleanes from euery one , if they bée a hundred . the victory being thus gotten by basenes & trechery , back comes he marching with spred colours againe to the city ; aduances in the open stréete as he did before ; se●s the goods of his neighbor before his face without blushing : he iets vp and downe in silks wouen out of other mens stocke , féeds deliciously vpō other mēs purses , rides on his ten pound geldings , in other mens saddles , & is now a new man made out of wax , that 's to say , out of those bonds , whose seales he most dishonestly hath canceld . o veluet-garded theeues ! o yea-and-by-nay cheaters ! o ciuill , ô graue and right worshipfull couzeners ! what a wretchednes is it , by such steps to clime to a counterfetted happines ? so to be made for euer , is to be vtterly vndone for euer : so for a man to saue himselfe , is to venture his own damnation ; like those that laboring by all meanes to escape shipwrack , do afterwards desperatly ●rown themselues . but alas ! how rotten at the bottom are buildings thus raised ! how soone do such leases grow out of date ! the third house to them is neuer heard of . what slaues then doth mony ( so pur●hast ) make of those , who by such wayes thinke to find out perfect fréedome ? but they are most truly miserable in midst of their ioyes : for their neighbors scorne them , strangers poynt at them , good men neglect them , the rich man will no more trust them , the begger in his rage vpbrayde● them . yet if this were all , this all were nothing . o thou that on thy pillow ( lyke a spider in his ●oome ) weauest mischeuous nets , beating thy braynes , how by casting downe others , to rayse vp thy selfe ! thou politick bankrupt , poore rich man , thou ill-painted foole , when thou art to lye in thy last inne ( thy loathsome graue ) how heauy a loade will thy wealth bée to thy weake corrupted conscience ! those heapes of siluer , in telling of which thou hast worne out thy fingers ends , will be a passing bell , ●olling in thine ●are , and calling thée to a fearefull audit. thou canst not dispose of thy riches , but the naming of euery parcell will strike to thy heart , worse then the pangs of thy departure : thy last will , at the last day , will be an inditement to cast thée ; for thou art guilty of offending those two lawes ( enacted in the vpper house of heauen ) which directly forbid thee to steale , or to couet thy neighbors goods . but this is not all neither : for thou lyest on thy bed of death , and art not carde for : thou goest out of the world , and art not lamented : thou art put into the last linnen y● euer thou shalt weare , ( thy winding-shéete ) with reproch , and art sent into thy graue with curses : he that makes thy funerall sermon , dares not speake well of thée , because he is asham'd to belye the dead : and vpon so hate full a fyle doest thou hang the records of thy life , that euen when the wormes haue pickt thée to the bare bones , those that goe ouer thee , will set vpon thée no epitaph but this , here lyes a knaue . alack ! this is not the worst neither : thy wife being in the heate of her youth , in the pride of her beawty , and in all the brauery of a rich london widow , flyes from her nest ( where she was thus fledg'd before her time ) the city , to shake off the imputation of a bankrupts wife , and perhaps marries with some gallāt : thy bags then are emptied , to hold him vp in riots : those hundreds , which thou subtilly tookst vp vpon thy bonds , do sinfully serue him to pay tauerne bills , and what by knauery thou got●t ●rom honest men , is as villanously spent vpon pandars and whores : thy widow being thus brought to a low ebbe , grows desperat : curses her birth , her life , her fortunes , yea perhaps curses thée , when thou art in thy euerlasting sléepe , her conscience perswading strongly , that she is punished from aboue , for thy faults : and being poore , friendlesse , comfortlesse , she findes no meanes to raise her selfe , but by falling , and therfore growes to be a common womā . doth not the thought of this torment thée ? she liues basely by the abuse of that body , to maintaine which in costly garments , thou didst wrong to thine owne soule : nay more to afflict thée , thy children are ready to beg their bread in that very place , where the father hath sat at his dore in purple , and at his boord like diues , surfeting on those dishes which were earnd by the sweat of other mens browes . the infortunate marchant , whose estate is swallowed vp by the mercilesse seas , and the prouident trades-man , whom riotous seruants at home , or hard-hearted debters abroad vndermine and euerthrow , blotting them with the name of bankrupts , deserue to be pitied and relieued , when thou that hast cozend euen thine owne brother of his birth-right , art laught at , and not remembred , but in scorne , when thou art plagued in thy generation . be wise therefore , you graue , and wealthy cittizens ; play with these whales of the sea , till you escape them that are deuourers of your merchants ; hunt these english wolues to death , and rid the land of them : for these are the rats that eate vp the prouision of the people : these are the grashoppers of egypt , that spoyle the corne-fields of the husband-man and the rich mans uineyards : they will haue poore naboths piece of ground from him , though they eate a piece of his heart for it . these are indéede ( and none but these ) the forreners that liue without the fréedome of your city , better than you within it ; they liue without the freedome of honestly , of conscience , and of christianitie . ten dicing-houses cheate not yong gentlemen of so much mony in a years , as these do you in a moneth . the théefe that dyes at tyburne for a robbery , is not halfe so dangerous a wéede in a common-wealth , as the politick bankrupt , i would there were a derick to hang vp him too . the russians haue an excellent custome : they beate them on the shinnes , that haue mony , and will not pay their debts ; if that law were w●ll cudgeld from thence into england , barbar-surgeons might in a few yéeres build vp a hall for their company , larger then powles , only with the cure of bankrupt broken-shinnes . i would faine sée a prize set vp , that the welfed usurer , and the politick bankrupt might rayle one against another for it : ô , it would heget a riming comedy . the challenge of the germayne against all the masters of the noble science , would not bring in a quarter of the money : for there is not halfe so much loue betweene the iron and the loadestone , as there is mortall hate betwéene those two furies . the usurer liues by the lechery of mony , and is bawd to his owne bags , taking a fée , that they may ingender . the politick bankrupt liues by the gelding of bags of siluer . the usurer puts out a hundred poūd to bréede , and lets it run in a good pasture ( that 's to say , in the lands that are mortgag'd for it ) till it grow great with foale , and bring forth ten pound more . but the politick bankrupt playes the alchimist , and hauing taken a hundred pound to multiply it , he kéepes a puffing and a blowing , as if he would fetch the philosophers stone out of it , yet melts your hundred pound so l●ng in his crusibles , till at length to either melt it cleane away , or ( at the least ) makes him that lends it thinke good , if euery hundred bring him home ●iue , with principall and interest . you may behold now in this perspectiue piece which i haue drawne before you , how deadly and dangerous an enemy to the state this politick bankrupusme hath bin , & still is : it hath bin long enough in the citty , and for anything i sée , makes no great haste to get out . his triumphs haue bin great , his entertainement rich and magnificent . he purposes to lye héere as lucifers legiar : let him therefore alone in his lodging ( in what part of the citty soeuer it be ) tossed and turmoyled with godlesse slumbers , and let vs take vp a standing néere some other gate , to behold the entrance of the second sinne : but before you go , looke vpō the chariot that this first is drawne in , and take speciall note of all his attendants . the habit , the qualities and complexion of this embassador sent from hell , are set downe before . he rides in a chariot drawne vpon three whéeles , that run fastest away , when they beare the greatest loades . the bewty of the chariot is all in-layd work , cunningly & artificially wrought , but yet so strangely , and of so many seuerall-fashiond pieces , ( none like another ) that a sound wit would mis●rust they had bin stolne from sundry worke-men . by this prowd counterfet ran two pages ; on the left side conscience , raggedly attirde , ill-fac'd , ill-coloured , and misshapen in body . on the right side runs beggery , who if he out-liue him , goes to serue his children . hipocrisy driues the chariot , hauing a couple of fat well-coloured and lusty coach-horses to the eye , cald couetousnes and cosenage , but full of diseases , & rotten about the heart . behind him follow a crowd of trades-men , and merchants , euery one of them holding either a shop-booke , or an obligation in his hand , their seruants , wiues and children strawing the way before him with curses , but he carelesly runnes ouer the one , and out-rides the other ; at the tayle of whom ( like the pioners of an army ) march troopewise , and without any drum struck vp , because the leader can abide no noyse , a company of old expert sarieants , bold yeomen , hungry baylifs , and other braue martiall men , who because ( like the switzers ) they are well payd , are still in action , and oftentimes haue the enemy in execution ; following the héeles of this citty-conqueror , so close , not for any loue they owe him , but only ( as all those that follow great men do ) to get mony by him . we will leaue them lying in ambush , or holding their courts of gard , and take a muster of our next regiment . the seuen deadly . lying . or , the second dayes triumph . when it came to the eares of the sinfull synagogue , how the rich iew of london , ( barabbas bankruptisme ) their brother , was receyued into the citty , and what a lus●y reueler he was become , the rest of the same progeny ( being . in number ) vowd to ryde thither in their greatest state , and that euery one should challenge to himselfe ( if be could enter ) a seuerall day of tryumph ; for so he might doe by their owne customes . another therefore of the broode , being presently aptly accon●●red , and armed cap-a-pe , with all furniture fit for such an inuader , sets forward the very next morning , and arriu'de at one of the gates , before any porters eyes were vnglewd . to knocke , hee thought it no policy , because such fellowes are commonly most churlish , when they are most intreated , and are key-cold in their comming downe to strangers , except they be brybed : to stay there with such ● confusion of faces round about him , till light should betray him , might call his arriuall , being strange and hidden , into question ; besides , he durst not send any spy he had , to listen what newes went amongst the people , and whether any preparation were made for him , or that they did expect his approche , because indéede there was not any one of the damned crewe that followed his tayle , whom he durst trust for a true word . he resolues therefore to make his entrance , not by the sword , but by some sleyght , what storme or fayre weather soeuer should happen : and for that purpose , taking asunder his charriot , ( for it stood altogether like a germane clock , or an english , iack or turne-spit , vpon skrewes and vices ) he scatters his troope vpon the fields and hye-way , into small companies , as if they had bene irish beggers ; till at last espying certayne colliers with carts most sinfully loaden , for the citty , and behind them certayne light country horse-women ryding to the markets , hée mingled his footemen carelesly , amongst these , and by this stratagem of coales , brauely thorow moore-gate , got within the walles ; where marching not like a plodding grasyer with his droues before him , but like a citty-captayne , with a company ( as pert as taylours at a wedding ) close at his héeles , because nowe they knewe they were out of feare ) hée musters together all the hackneymen and horse-courses in and about colman-streete . no sooner had these sonnes and heyres vnto horse-shooes , got him into their eyes , but they wept for ioy to behold him ; yet in the ende , putting vp their teares into bottles of hay , which they held vnder their armes , and wyping their slubberd chéekes with wispes of cleane strawe , ( prouyded for the nonce ) they harnessed the grand signiors caroach , mounted his cauallery vpon curtals , and so sent him most pompously ( like a new elected dutch burgomaster ) into the citty . he was lookt vpon strangely by all whom he met , for at the first , few or none knew him , few followed him , few bid him welcome : but after hée had spent héere a very little péece of time , after it was voyc'd that monsieur mendax came to dwell amongst them , and had brought with him all sorts of politick falshood and lying , what a number of men , women and children fell presently in loue with him ! there was of euery trade in the city , and of euery profession some , that instantly were dealers with him : for you must note , that in a state so multitudinous , where so many flocks of people must be fed , it is impossible to haue some trades to stand , if they should not lye. how quickly after the art of lying was once publiquely profest , were false weights and false measures inuented ! and they haue since done as much hurt to the inhabitants of cities , as the inuention of gunnes hath done to their walles : for though a lye haue but short legs ( like a dwarfes ) yet it goes farre in a little time , et crescit eundo , and at last prooues a tall fellow : the reason is , that truth had euer but one father , but lyes are a thousand mens bastards , and are begotten euery where . looke vp then ( thou thy countryes darling , ) and behold what a diuelish inmate thou hast intertained . the genealogy of truth is well knowne , for she was borne in heauen , and dwels in heauen : falshood then and lying must of necessity come out of that hot country of hell , from the line of diuels : for those two are as opposite , as day and darkenes . what an vngracious generation wilt thou mingle with thine , if thou draw not this from thée : what a number of vnhappy and cursed childrē will be left vpō thy hand ? for lying is father to falshood , and grandsire to periury : frawd ( with two faces ) is his daughter , a very monster : treason ( with haires like snakes ) is his kinseman ; a very fury ! how art thou inclos'd with danger ? the lye first deceiues thée , and to shoote the deceit off cleanly , an oath ( like an arrow ) is drawne to the head , and that hits the marke . if a lye , after it is molded , be not smooth enough , there is no instrumēt to burnish it , but an oath : swearing giues it cullor , & a bright complexion . so that oathes are crutches , vpon which lyes ( like lame soldiers ) go , & néede no other pasport . little oathes are able to beare vp great lyes : but great lyes are able to beate downe great families : for oathes are wounds that a man stabs into himselfe , yea , they are burning words that consume those who kindle them . what fooles then are thy buyers and sellers to be abused by such hell-hounds ? swearing and forswearing put into their hands perhaps the gaines of a little siluer , but like those pieces which iudas receiued , they are their destruction . welth so gotten , is like a trée set in the depth of winter , it prospers not . but is it possible ( thou leader of so great a kingdome ) that heretofore so many bonfires of mens bodies should be made before thée in the good quarrell of trueth ? and that now thou shouldst take part wish her enemy ? haue so many triple-pointed darts of treason bin shot at the heads of thy princes , because they would not take truth out of thy temples , and art thou now in league with false witches the would kill thée ? thou art no traueler , the habit of lying therefore will not become thée , cast it off . he that giues a soldier the lye , lookes to receiue the stab : but what danger does he run vpon , that giues a whole city the lye ? yet must i venture to giue it thée . let me tell thée then , that thou doest lye with pride , and though thou art not so gawdy , yet are thou more costly in attiring thy selfe than the court , because pride is the queene of sinnes , thou hast chosen her to be thy concubine , and hast begotten many base sonnes and daughters vpon her body , as vainglory , curiosity , disobedience , opinion , disdaine , &c. pride , by thy lying with her , is growne impudent : she is now a common harlot , and euery one hath vse of her body . the taylor calls her his lemman , he hath often got her great with child of phantasticallity and fashions , who no sooner came into the world , but the fairest wiues of thy tennants snatcht them vp into their armes , layd them in their laps and to their brests , and after they had plaid with them their pleasure , into the country were those two children ( of the taylors ) sent to be nurst vp , so that they liue sometimes there , but euer and anon with thée . thou doest likewise lye with vsury : how often hast thou bin found in bed with her ! how often hath she bin openly disgraced at the crosse for a strumpet ! yet still doest thou kéepe her company , and art not ashamed of it , because you commit sinne together , euen in those houses that haue paynted posts standing at the gates . what vngodly brats and kindred hath she brought thée ? for vpon vsury hast thou begotten extortion , ( a strong , but an vnmannerly child , ) hardnes of heart , a very murderer , and bad conscience , who is so vnruly , that he séemes to be sent vnto thée , to be thy euerlasting paine . then hath she sonnes in law , and they are all scriueners : those scriueners haue base sonnes , and they are all common brokers ; those brokers likewise send a number into the world , & they are all common theeues . all of these may easily giue armes : for they fetch their discent from hell , where are as many gentlemen , as in any one place , in any kingdome . thou doost lye with sundrie others , and committest strange whoredomes , which by vse and boldnesse growe so common , that they seeme to be no whoredomes at all , yet thine owne abhominations would not appeare so vilely , but that thou makest thy buildings a brothelry to others : for thou sufferest religion to lye with hipocrisie : charity to lye with ostentation : friendship to lye with hollow-heartednes : the churle to lye with simony : iustice to lye with bribery , and last of all , conscience to lye with euerie one . so that now shee is full of diseases : but thou knowest the medicine for al these feauers that shake thée : be therfore to thy selfe thine owne phisitian , and by strong pilles purge away this second infection that is breeding vpon thee , before it strike to the heart . falshood and lying thus haue had their day , and like almanackes of the last yeare , are now gon out : let vs follow them a step or two farther to see how they ride , and then ( if we can ) leaue them , for i perceiue it growes late , because candle-light ( who is next to enter vpō the stage ) is making himself ready to act his comicall scenes . the chariot then that lying is drawne in , is made al of whetstones ; wantonnes and euil custome are his horses : a foole is the coachman that driues them : a couple of swearing fencers sometimes leade the horses by the reynes , and sometimes flourish before them to make roome . worshipfully is this lord of limbo attended , for knights thīselues follow close at his heeles ; mary they are not post and poyre-knightes but one of the post. amongst whose traine is shuffled in a company of scambling ignorant petti-foggars , leane knaues and hungrie , for they liue vpon nothing but the scraps of the law , and heere and there ( like a prune in white-broth , is stucke a spruice but a meer● prating vnpractised lawyer● clarke all in blacke . at the tayle of all ( when this goodly pageant is passed by ) ollow a crowde of euerie trade some , amongst whome least we be smothered , and bee taken to bee of the same list , let vs strike downe my way . nam● 〈◊〉 vulgus . ● . candle-light . or , the nocturnall tryumph . o candle-light : and art thou one of the cursed crew ? hast thou bin set at the table of princes , & noble men ? haue all su●es of peop●e ●oone reuerence vnto thee and stood b●re 〈…〉 ●ey haue seene thee ? haue theeues , traytors , and murderers been affraide to come in thy presence , because they knewe thee iust , and that thou wouldest discouer them ? and act thou now a harborer of all kindes of vices ? nay , doost thou play the capitall vice thy selfe ? hast thou had so many learned lectures read before thee , & is the light of thy vnderstanding now cleane put out , and haue so many profound schollers profited by thee ? hast thou doone such good to vniuersities , beene such a guide to the lame , and seene the dooing of so many good workes , yet doest thou now looke dimly , and with a dull eye vpon al goodnes ? what comfort haue sickmen taken ( in weary and irkesome nights ) but onely in thee ? thou hast been their phisition and apothecary , and when the rellish of nothing could please them , the very shadow of thee hath beene to them a restoritiue consolation . the nurse hath stilled her way ward infant , shewing it but to thee : what gladnes hast thou put into mariners bosomes , when thou hast met them on the sea ? what ioy into the faint and benighted trauailer when he has met thee on the land ? how many poore handy-craftes men by thee haue earned the best part of their liuing ? and art thou now become a companion for drunkards , for ●eachers , and for prodigalles ? art thou turnd reprobate ? thou wilt burne for it in hell , and so odious is this thy apostacy , and hiding thy self frō the light of the truth , the at thy death & going out of the world , euen they y● loue thée best , wil tread thee vnder their feete : yea i that haue thus plaid the herrald , & proclaimd thy good parts , wil now play the cryer and cal thee into open count , to arraigne thee for thy misdemeanors . let the world therefore vnderstand , that this tallowfacde gentleman ( cald candle-light ) so soone as euer the sunne was gon out of sight , and that darkenes like a thief out of a hedge crept vpon the earth , sweate till hee dropt agen , with bustling to come into the cittie . for hauing no more but one onely eye ) and that ster●er●● with drinking & sitting vp late ) he was ashamed to be seene by day , knowing he should be laught to scorne , and hoo●ed at . he makes his entrance therefore at aldersgate of set purpose , for though the streete be faire and spatious , yet few lightes in mistie euenings , vsing there to thrust out their goldē heads he thought that the aptest circle for him to be raised in , because ●here his glittering would make greatest show . what expectation was there of his cōming ? setting aside the 〈◊〉 , there is not more triumphing on midsommer night . no sooner was he aduaunced vp into the moste famous streetes , but a number of shops for ioy beganne to shut in : mercers ●olde vp their silkes and ueluets : the goldsmithes drew backe their plate , & all the citty lookt like a priuate play-house , when the windowes are clapt downe , as 〈◊〉 some nocturnal , or dismall tragedy were presently to be acted before all the trades-men . but caualiero candle-light came for no such solemnitie : no he had other crackers in hand to which hee watcht but his houre to giue fire ▪ sc●rce was his entrance blown abroad , but the banckrupt , the fello● , and all that owed any mony , and for feare of arrests , or iustices warrants , had like so many snayles kept their houses ouer their heads al the day before , began now to creep out of their shel● , & so stalke vp & down the streets as vprightly , & with as proud a gate as if they meant to knock against the starres with the crownes of their heads . the damask coated cittizen , that sat in his sh●p both fo●●noone and afternoone , and lookt more sowerly on his poore neighbore , th●n if he had drunke a quart of uineger at a draught , sneakes out of his owne doores , and slips into a tauerne , where either alone , or with some other that battles their money together , they so plye themselues with penny pots , which ( like small-shot ) goe off , powring into their fat paunches , that at length th●y haue not an eye to see withall , nor a good legge to stand vpon . in which pickle if anye of them happen to be iustled downe by a post ( that in spite of them will take the wall ) and so reeles them into the kennell , who takes them vp or leades them home ? who has them to bed , and with a pillow smothes this stealing so of good liquor , but that brazen-face candle-light ? nay more , hee intices their verie prentices to make their desperate sallyes out , & quicke retyres in ( contrarie to the oath of their indentures ) which are seauen yeares a swearing , onely for their pintes , and away . tush , this is nothing : yong shopkeepers that haue but newly ventured vpon the pikes of marriage , who are euery houre shewing their wares to their customers , plying their businesse harder all day then vulcan does his anuile , and seeme better husbands than fidlers that scrape for a poore liuing both day and night , yet euen these if they can but get candle-light , to sit vp all night with them in any house of reckning ( that 's to say in a tauerne ) they fall roundly to play the london prize , and that 's at three seuerall weapons , drinking , dauncing , & dicing , their wiues lying all that time in their beds sighing like widowes , which is lamentable : the giddie-braind husbāds wasting the portions they had with them , which lost once , they are ( like maiden-heades ) neuer recouerable . or which is worse , this going a bat-fowling a nights , beeing noted by some wise yong-man or other , that knowes how to handle such cases , the hush is beaten for them at home , whilest they catch the bird abraode , but what bird is it ? the woodcocke . neuer did any cittie pocket vp such wrong at the hands of one , ouer whom she is so iealous , and so tender , that in winter nights if he be but missing , and hide himselfe in the darke , i know not how many beadles are sent vp and downe the streetes to crie him : yet you see , there is more cause she should send out to curse him for what uillanies are not abroad so long as candle-light is stirring ? the seruing-man dare then walke with his wench : the priuate puncke ( otherwise called one that boords in london ) who like a pigeon sits billing all day within doores , and feares to steppe ouer the thresholde , does then walke the round till midnight , after she hath beene swaggering amongst pottle pots and uintners boyes . nay , the sober perpetuana suited puritane , that dares not ( so much as by moone-light ) come neere the suburb-shadow of a house , where they set stewed prunes befor you , raps as boldly at the hatch , when he knowes candle-light is within , as if he were a new chosen constable . when al doores are lockt vp , when no eyes are open , when birds sit silent in bushes , and beasts lie sleeping vnder hedges , when no creature can be smelt to be vp but they that may be smelt euery night a streets length ere you come at them , euen then doth this ignis fatuus ( candle-light ) walke like a fire-drake into sundrie corners . if you will not beleeue this , shoote but your eye through the iron grates into the cellers of uintners , there you shall see him hold his necke in a iin , made of a clift hoope-sticke , to throttle him from telling tales , whilest they most abhominably iumble together all the papisticall drinkes that are brought from beyond-sea : the poore wines are rackt and made to confesse anie thing : the spanish & the french meeting both in the bottome of the cellar , conspire together in their cups , to lay the englishman ( if he euercome into their company ) vnder the boord . to be short , such strange mad musick doe they play vpon their sacke-buttes , that if candle-light beeing ouer come with the steeme of newe sweete wines , when they are at worke , shoulde not tell them t is time to goe to bedde , they would make all the hogges-heads that vse to come to the house , to dannce the cannaries till they reeld againe . when the grape-mongers and hee are parted , hee walkes vp and downe the streetes squiring olde midwiues to anie house , ( ●e●e s●cretly ) where any bastards ●re to be brought into the worlde . from them , ( about the houre when spirits wal●e , and cats goe a gossipping ) hee visits the w●tch where creeping into the beadles cothouse ( which handes betweene his legges , that are lapt rounde about with peeces of rugge , as if he had newe strucke of sh●ckles ) and seeing the watch-men to nodde at him , hee 〈◊〉 himselfe presently , ( knowing the token ) vnder the slapp● 〈…〉 and teaches them ( by instinct ) howe to st 〈…〉 into their heades , because hee sees all their cloakes cannot one good nappe vppon them and vppon his warrant snort they so lowde , that to those night walkers ( whose wittes are vp so late ) it serues as a watch-worde so keepe out of the teach of their ●rowne 〈◊〉 : by which meanes they neuer come to aunswere the matter b●●ore maister constable , and the benc● vppon which his men ( t●at shoulde watch ) doe sitte : in that the coun●e●s are cheated of prisoners , to the great ●amm●ge o● these that shoulde haue their mornings draught out of the garnish . o candle-light , candle-light ! to howe manie costly sacke-posse●s ▪ and rea●s banquets hast thou beene musted by prentices and 〈◊〉 - maiden● ? when the bell-man for anger to spie ( such a purloyner of cittizens goods ) so many , hath bounced 〈◊〉 the doore like a madde man , at which ( as if robin good-fellow had beene coniur'd vp amongst them the we●ches haue , falne into the handes of the greene-sicknesse , and the yong fellowes into colde agues , with verie feare least their maister ( like olde ieronimo and isabella his wife after him ) starting out of his naked bed should came downe ( with a weapon in his hande ) and this in his mouth : what outcryes pull vs from our naked bedde ? who calles ? &c. as the players can tell you . o candle-light , howe hast thou stuncke then , when they haue popt thee out of their compayne : howe hast thou taken it in snuffe , when thou hast beene smelt out especially the maister of the house exclayming , that by day that deede of darknesse had not beene . one uennie more with thee , and then i haue done . how many lips haue beene worne out with kissing at she street doore , or in that entry ( in a winking blind euening ? ) how many odde matches and vneuen mariages haue been made there betwéene young prentises and there maisters daughters , whilest thou ( o candle-light ) hast stood watching at the staires h●ade , that none could come stealing downe by thee , but they must bee seene ? it appeares by these articles put in agaynst thee , that thou art partly a bawd to diuerse loose sinnes , and partly a coozener : for if any in the cittie haue badde wares lying deade vppon their handes , thou art better than aqua vitae to fetch life into them , and to sende them packing . thou shalt therefore bee taken out of thy proude chariot , and bee carted : yet first will wee see what workmanship , and what stoffe it is made of , to the intent that if it bee not daungerous for a cittie to keepe anie relique belonging to such a crooked saint , it may bee hung vp as a monument to shewe with what dishonour thou wert driuen out of so noble a lodging , to deface whose buildings thou hast béene so enuious , that when thou hast beene left alone by any thing that woulde take fire , thou hast burnt to the ground many of her goodlyest houses . candle lights ceath is made all of hor●e , shauen as thin as changel●●yes ate . it is drawne ( with ease ) by two rats : the coachman is a chaundler who so s●ears wi●h yea●king them , that he drops tallowe , and t●at f●eors them as prouend●r : yet a●e the lashes that hee giues the squeaking vermine more deadly to them then al the rats-bane in buckle●sb●rie . painefulnesse and studdy are his two lac●ey●s and run by him : darknesse , conspiracy , opportunitie , stratagems and feare , are his attend●nts : hee 's sued vnto by diggars in mines , grauers , schollers , mariners , nurses , drunkards , vnthriftes and shrote husbands : hee destroyes that which feedes him , & therefore ingratitude comes behinde all this , driuing them before her . the next diuel that is to be commaunded vp , is a very lazie one , and will be long in rising : let vs therefore vnbinde this , and fall to other charmes . . sloth : or the fourth dayes tryumph . man ( doubtlesse ) was not created to bee an idle fellow , for then he should bee gods vagabond : he was made for other purpose then to be euer eating as swine : euer sleeping as dormise : euer dumb as fishes in the sea , or euer prating to no purpose , as birdes of the ayre : he was not set in this vniuersall orchard to stand still as a tree and so to bee cut downe , but to be cut downe if he should stand still . and to haue him remember this , he carries certaine watches with larums about him , that are euer striking : for all the enginous wheeles of the soule are continually going : though the body lye neuer so fast bownde in slumbers , the imagination runnes too and fro , the phantasie flyes round about , the vitall spirits walke vp and downe , yea the very pulses shew actiuitie , and their hammers are still beating , so that euen in his very dreames it is whispered in his eare that hee must bee dooing something . if hee had not these prompters at his elbowe , yet euerie member of his body ( if it could speake would chide him ) if they were put to no vse , cōsidering what noble workmanship is bestowed vpon them . for man no sooner gets vpon his legges , but they are made so that either hee may run or goe : when he is weary , they can giue him ●ase by stāding still , if he will not stand , the knees le●ue like hindges to bow vp and downe , and to let him kneele his armes haue artificiall cordes and stringes , which shorten or flye ●ut to their length at pleasure : they winde about the bodye like a siluer girdle , and being held out before , are weapōs to defend it : at the end of the armes , are two beautiful mathematicall instruments , with fiue seuerall motions in each of them , and thirtie other mouing engines , by which they stirre both . his head likewise standes vppon three skrewes , the one is directly forward to teach him prouidence , the other two are on eather side one , to arme him with circumspection : how busie are both the eyes , to keepe d●nger from him euerie way . but admit hée had none of these wonderfull volumes to reade ouer , yet hee sees the clowdes alwaies working : the waters euer labouring : the earth continuallye bringing foorth : he sees the sunne haue a hye co●our with taking paines for the day . the moone pale and sickly , with sitting vp for the night : the stars mustring their armyes together to guard the moone . ●ll of them , and all that is in the world , seruing as schoolemaisters , & the world it selfe as an academ to bring vp man in knowledge , and to put him still into action . how then dares this nastie , and loathsome sin of sloth venture into a ci●ie amongst so many people ? who doth he hope wil giue him entertainmēt ? what lodging ( thinks he ) can be tame vp , where he & his ●eauy-headed cōpany may take their afternoones nay soundly ? for in euery stréet , carts and coaches make such a thundring as if the world ranne vpon wheeles : at euerie corner , men , women , and children meete in such shoales , that postes are sette vp of purpose to strengthen the houses , least with iustling one another they should shoulder them downe . besides , hammers are beating in one place , tube hooping in another , pots clincking in a third , water-tankards running at tilt in a fourth : heere are porters sweating vnder burdens , there marchants-men bearing bags of money , chapmen ( as if they were at leape-frog ) skippe out of one shop into another : tradesmen ( as if they were daūcing galliards ( are iusly ) at legges and neuer stand still : all are as busie as countrie atturneyes at an assises : how then can idlenes thinke to inhabit heere ? yet the worshipfull sir , ( that leades a gentlemans life , and dooth nothing ) though he comes but slowly on ( as if hee trodde a french march ) yet hee comes and with a great trayne at his tayle , as if the countrie had brought vp some fellon to one of our gayles , so is hee connaide by nine or tenne drowsie malt-men , that lye nodding ouer their sackes , and euen a moste sléepie and still triumph begins his entrance at bishopsgate . an armie of substantiall housholders ( moste of them liuing by the hardnesse of the hand ) came in battaile array , with spred banners , bearing the armes of their seuerall occupations to meete this cowardly generall and to beate him backe . but hee sommoning a parlee , hammered out such a strong oration in praise of ease ▪ that they all strucke vp their drums , flung vp their round-cappes , ( and as if it had beene another william the conqueror came marching in with him ) and lodged him in the quietest streete in the cittie , for so his lazinesse requested . hee then presently gaue licenses to all the uintners , to keepe open house , and to emptye their hogsheades to all commers , who did so , dying their grates into a drunkards blush ( to make them knowne from the grates of a prison ) least customers should re●le away from them , and hanging out new bushes , that if men at their going out , could not sée the signe , yet they might not loose themselues in the bush . he likewise gaue order that dicing-houses , and bowling alleyes should be erected , wherupon a number of poore handy crafts-men , that before wrought night and day , made stocks to thēselues of ten groates , & crowns a peece , and what by betting , lurches , rubbers and such tricks , they neuer tooke care for a good daies worke afterwards . for as letchery is patron of al your suburb colledges , and sets vp vaulting-houses , and daunsing-schooles : and as drunkennesse when it least can stand , does best hold vp alehouses , so sloth is a founder of the almes-houses first mentioned , & is a good benefactor to these last . the players prayed for his comming , they lost nothing by it , the comming in of tenne embassadors was neuer so sweete to them , as this our sinne was : their houses smoakt euerye after noone with stinkards , who were so glewed together in crowdes with the steames of strong breath , that when they came foorth , their faces lookt as if they had beene perboylde : and this comicall tearme-time they hoped for , at the least all the summer , because t is giuen out that sloth himselfe will come , and sit in the two-pennie galleries amongst the gentlemen , and see their knaueries and their pastimes . but alas ! if these were the sorest diseases ( thou noblest city of the now-noblest nation ) that idlenes does infect thee with : thou hast phisick sufficient in thy selfe , to purge thy bodie of them . no , no , hee is not slothfull , that is onelye lazie , that onelye wastes his good houres , and his siluer in luxury , & licentious ease , or that onely ( like a standing water ) does nothing , but gather corruption : no , hee is the true slothfull man that does no good . and how many would crie guilty vnto thee , if this were there inditement ? thy maiestrate● ( that when they see thee most in danger ) put vp the swordes that iustice hath guided , to their loynes , & flie into the conntrie , leauing thee destitute of their counsell , they would crie guilty , they are slothfull . thy phisitions , that feari●g to die by that which they liue , ( sicknes ) doe most vnkindely leaue thee when y●●rt ready to lye vpon thy death bed , they are slothful , they would crie guilty . thy great men , and such as haue been thy rulers ▪ that being taken out of poore cradles , & nursed vp by thee , haue fild their cofers with golde , and their names with honour , yet afterwards growing weary of thee , ( like mules hauing suckt their dammes ) most ingratefully haue they stolne from thee , spending those blessings which were thine , vpon those that no way deserue them , are not these slothfull ? they would crie guiltye . there is yet one more , whome i would not heare to cry guilty , because ( of al● others ) i would not haue them slothfull . o you that speake the language of angels , and should indeed be angels amōgst vs , you that haue offices aboue those of kinges , that haue warrāt to cōmaund princes , & controle them , if they doe amisse : you that are stewards ouer the kings house of heauen , and lye heere as embassadors about the greatest state-matters in the world : what a dishonour were it to your places , if it should bee knowne that you are sloathfull ? you are sworne labourers , to worke in a uineyard , which if you dresse not carefully , if you cut it not artificially , if you vnderprop it not wisely whē you see it laden , if you gather not the fruites in it , when they bee ripe , but suffer them to drop downe , and bee eaten vp by swine . o what a deere account are you to make him that must giue you your hire ? you are the beames of the sun that must ripen the grapes of the uine , & if you shine not cleerely , he will eclipse you for euer : your tongues are the instruments y● must cut off rancke & idle sprigs , to make the bearing-braunches to spred , and vnlesse you keep them sharpe and be euer pruning with them , he will cast you by , and you shall be eaten vp with rust . the church is a garden and you must weede it : it is a fountaine , & you must keepe it cleere : it is her husbands iewell , and you must pollish it : it is his best belooued , and you must keepe her chast . many merchants hath this cittie to her sonnes , of al which you are the most noble , you trafficke onely for mens soules , sending them to the land of promise , and to the heauenly ierusalem , and receiuing from thence ( in exchange ) the ritchest commoditie in the world , your owne saluation . o therefore bee not you slothfull : for if being chosen pilots , you sleepe , and so sticke vpon reckes , you hazard your owne shipwracke more then theirs that venture with you . what a number of colours are here grounded , to paint out sloth in his vglines , and to make him loathed , whilst he ( yawning , and his chin knocking nods into his brest ) regardes not the whips of the moste crabbish satyristes . let vs therfore looke vpon his horse-litter that hee rides in , and so leaue him . a couple of vnshodde asses carry it betweene them , it is all fluttishly euergrowne with mosse on the out-side , and on the inside quilted through out with downe pillowes : sleepe and plenty leade the fore-asse ; a pursie double chind laena , riding by on a sump●er-horse with prouāder at his mouth , & she is the litter-driuer : shee keepes two pages , & those are an irish beggar on the one side , & one that sayes he has been a soldier on the other side . his attendants are sicknes , want , ignorāce , infamy , bōdage , palenes , blockishnes and carelesnes . the retayners that wear his cloth are anglers , dumb ministers players , exchange-wenches , gamsters , panders , whores and fidlers . apishnesse : or the fift dayes triumph . sloth was not so slow in his march , when hee entred the citie , but apishnesse ( that was to take his turne next ) was as quick . do you not know him ? it cannot be read in any chronicle , that he was euer with henrie the eight at bulloigne or at the winning of turwin & turnay : for ( not to belle the sweete gentleman , ) he was neither in the shell then , no nor then when paules-steeple and the weathercocke were on fire ; by which markes ( without looking in his mouth ) you may safely sweare , that hee s but yong , for hee s a feirse , dapper fellow , more light headed then a musitian : as phantastically attyred as a court ieaster : wanton in discourse : lasciuious in behauiour : iocond in good companie : nice in his trencher , and yet he feedes verie hungerly on scraps of songs : be drinkes in a glasse well , but vilely in a deepe french-bowle : yet much about the year● when monsieur came in , was hee begotten , betweene a french tayler , and an english court-seamster . this signior ioculento ( as the diuell would haue it ) comes prawncing in at cripplegate , and he may well doe it , for indeede all the parts hee playes are but cou'd speeches stolne from others , whose voices and actions hee counterfestes : but so lamely , that all the cripples in tenne spittle-houses , sh●we not more halting . the grauer browes were bent against him , and by the awfull charmes of reuerend authoritie , would haue sent him downe from whence he came , for they knew howe smooth soeuer his lookes were , there was a diuell in his bosome : but hee hauing the stronger faction on his side , set them in a mutenie , saeu●que animis ignobile vulgus , the manie headed monster fought as it had beene against saint george , won the gate , and then with showtes was the gaueston of the time , brought in . but who brought him in ? none but ●ichmens sonnes that were left wel● , and had more money giuen by will , then they had wit how to bestow it : none but prentises almost out of their yéers , and all the tailors , haberdashers , and embroderers that could be got for loue or money , for these were prest secretly to the seruice , by the yong and wanton dames of the citie , because they would not be seene to shewe their loue to him themselues . man is gods ape , and an ape is zani to a man , doing ouer those trickes ( especially if they be knauish ) which hee sees done before him : so that apishnesse is nothing but counterfetting or imitation : and this flower when it first came into the citie , had a prettie scent , and a delightfull colour , hath bene let to run so high , that it is now feeded , and where it fals there rises vp a stinking weede . for as man is gods ape , striuing to make artificiall flowers , birdes , &c. like to the naturall : so for the same reason are women , mens shee apes , for they will not bee behind them the bredth of a taylors yard ( which is nothing to speake of ) in anie new-fangled vpstart fashion . if men get vp french standing collers , women will haue the french standing coller too ●● dublets with little thick skirts , ( so sh●rt that none are able to sit vpon them . ) womens foreparts are thicke skirted too : by sur●etting vpon which kinde of phantasticall apishnesse in a short time , they fall into the disease of pride : pride is infectious , and breedes prodigalitie : prodigalitie after it has runne a little , closes vp and ●ester● , and then turnes to beggerie . wittie was that painter therefore , that when hee had limned one of euery nation in th●●r proper attyres , and beeing at his wittes endes howe to drawe an englishman : at the last ( to giue him a quipp● for his follie in apparell ) drewe him starke naked , with sheeres in his hand , and cloth on his arme , because mans could cut out his fashions but himselfe . for an english-mans suite is ●ke a traitors bodie that hath beene hanged , drawne , and quart , red , and is set vp in se●erall places : his co●peece is in denmarke , the collor of his duble a●d the belly in france : the wing and narrow sleeue in ●taly : the short tras●● hangs ouer a dutch botchers stall in vtrich : his huge stoppes speakes spanish : polonia giues him the bootes : the blocke for his heade alters faster then the feltmaker can fit●e him , and thereupon we are called in scorne blockheades . and thus we that mocke euerie . nation , for keeping one fashion , yet steale patches from euerie one of them , to peece out our pride , are now laughing-stocks to them , because their cut so scuruily becomes vs : this sinne of apishnesse ▪ whether it bee in apparell ▪ or in diet , is not of such long life as his fellowes , and for seeing none but women and fooles keepe him companie , the one wil be ashamed of him when they begin to haue wrinckles , the other when they feele their purses light . the magistrate , the wealthy commoner ▪ and the auncient cittizen , disdaine to come neare him : wee were best therefore , take note of such things as are aboute him , least on a suddaine hee slip out of sight . apishnesse ri●es in a chariot made of nothing but cages , in which are all the strangest out-landish birds that can be gotten : the cages are slucke full of parats feathers : the coach-man is an italian mownti-banck who driues a ●awne and a lambe , for they drawe this gew-g●w in winter , when such beasts are r●rest to be had : in sommer , it goes alone by the motion of wheeles : two pages in light coloured suites , embrodered full of butterflies , with wings ●●at slutter vp with the winde , run by him , the one being a dauncing boy the other a t●●●bler : his attend●nts are folly ▪ laughter , inconstancie , riot , nicenesse , and vainglorie : when his court remoues hee is folowed by tobacconists , shittlecock-makers , feather-makers , cob-web-lawne-weauers , perfumers , young countrie gentlemen , and fooles . in whose ship whilest they all are sayling , let vs obserue what other abuses the verdimotes inquest doe present on the lande , albeit they bee neuer reformed , till a second chaos is to bee refined . in the meane time , in nouafert animus . shauing : or the sixt dayes triumph . how ? shauing ! me thinkes barbers should crie to their customers winck hard and come running out of their shoppes into the open streetes , throwing all their suddes out of their learned latin basons into my face for presuming to name the mysterie of shauing in so vil●anous a companie as these seuen are . is that trade ( say they ) that for so many yeares hath beene held vp by so many heades , and has out-hearded the stowtest in england to their faces , is that trade , that because it is euermore trimming the citie , hath beene for many yéers past made vp into a societie , and ●a●e their guild , and their priuiledges with as much freedome as the best , must that nowe bee counted a sinne ( 〈◊〉 and one of the deadly sinnes ) of the cittie ? no , no● be not angry with me , ( o you that bandie away none but sweete washing balles , and cast none other then rose-waters for any mans pleasure ) for there is shauing within the walles of this great metropolis , which you neuer ●reamed of : a shauing that takes not only away the rebellious h●ltes , but brings the flesh with it too : and if that cannot suffice , the very bones must follow . if therfore you , and fiue companies greater then yours , should chuse a colonel to lead you against this mightie tamburlaine , you are too weake to make him retire , and if you should come to a battell , you would loose the day . for behold what troopes forsake the standard of the citie , and flie to him : neither are they base & commōn souldiers , but euen those that haue borne armes a long time . be silent therfore , and be patient : and since there is no remedie but that ▪ ( this combatant that is so cunning at the sharp ) wil come in , mark in what triumphant and proud manner , he is marshalled through newgate : at which bulwarke ( & none other ) did he ( in policy ) desire to shew himself . first , because he knew if the citie should play with him as they did with wiat , newgate held a nūber , that though they were false to all the world , would be true to him . couragiouously therfore does he enter : all of them that had once serued vnder his colors ( and were now to suffer for the truth , which they had abused ) leaping vp to the iron lattaces , to beholde their general , & making such a ratling with shaking their chaines for ●oy , as if cerberus had bin come frō hell to liue and die amongst them . shauing is now lodged in the heart of the citie , but by whom ? and at whose charges ? mary at a common purse , to which many are tributaries , & therfore no maruell if he be feasted royally . the first that paid their mony towards it , are cruel and couetous land-lords , who for the building vp of a chimny , which stands them not aboue . s. and for whiting the wals of a tenement , which is searce worth the daubing raise the rent presently ( as if it were new put into the subsidy book , assessing it at . li. a yéer more then euer it went for before : fi●thy wide-mouthd bandogs they are , that for a quarters rent will pull out their ministers throte , if he were their tenāt : and ( though it turn to the vtter vndoing of a man ) being rubd with quicksiluer , which they loue because they haue mangyconsciences , they will let to a drunken flemming a house ouer his own coūtry-mans head , thinking hee s safe enough from the thunderbolts of their wiues & children , and from curses , and the very vengeance of heauen , if he get by the bargaine but so many angels as will couer the crowne of his head . the next that laide downe his share , was no sharer among the players , but a shauer of yong gentlemen , before euer a haire dare peepe out of their chinnes : and these are vsurers : who for a little money , and a greate deale of trash : ( as fire-shouels , browne-paper , motley cloake-bags , &c. bring yong nouices into a ●ooles paradice till they haue sealed the morgage of their landes , and then like pedlers , goe they ( or some familiar spirit for them ra●zde by the vsurer ) vp and downe to cry commodities ) which scarce yeeld the third part of the sum for which they take them vp . there are like wise other barbers , who are so well customed , that they shaue a whole citie sometymes in three dayes , and they doe it ( as bankes his horse did his tricks ) onely by the eye , and the eare : for if they either see no magistrate comming towardes them ▪ ( as being called back by the common-weale for more serious imployments ) or doe but heare that hee lyes sicke , vpon whom the health of a cittie is put in haza●d : they presently ( like prentises vpon shroue-tuesday ) take the lawe into their owne handes , and doe what they list . and this legion consists of market-folkes , bakers , brewers , all that weigh their consciences in scales . and lastly , of the two degrees of colliers , viz. those of char-coles , and those of newcastle . then haue you the shauing of fatherlesse children , and of widowes , and that 's done by executors , the shauing of poore clients especially by the atturneyes clearkes of your courts , and that 's done by writing their billes of costs vpon cheuerell . the shauing of prisoners by extortion , first , taken by their kéepers , for a prison is builded on such ranke and fertil ground , that if poore wretches sow it with hand-fulles of small debts when they come in if thery lie thee but a while to see the comming vp of them : the charges of the house will bee treble the demaund of the creditor . then haue you brokers that shaue poor men by most iewish interest : marry the diuils trimme them so soone as they haue washed ▪ others . i wil not tell how uintners shaue their guestes with a little peece of paper not aboue three fingers broade ; for their roomes are like barbars chaires : men come into them willingly to bee shauen . onely ( which is worst ) bee it knowne ●o thee ( o thou queene of cities ) thy inhabitants shaue their consciences so close , that in the ende they growe baloe , and bring foorth no goodnesse . wee haue beene quicke ( you see ) in trimming this cutter of queene hith , because t is his propertie to handle others so , let vs bee as nymble in praysing his houshold-stuffe : the best part of which is his chariot , richly adorned , it is drawen by foure beasts : the . formost are a wolfe ( which will eate till he be readie to burst ) and hee is coach-fellow to a she-bea●e , who is cruell euen to women great with childe : behinde them are a couple of blood-houndes : the coach-man is an informer . two pettifoggers that haue beene turned ouer the barre , a●e his lackies : his houshold seruants are wit ( who is his steward ) audacitie : shifting : inexorabilitie : and disq●ietnesse of mind : the meanie are ( besides some person , before named ) skeldring soldiers , and begging schel●ces . crueltie : or the seuenth and last dayes triumph . what a weeke of sinfull reueling hath heere bin with these six p●oud lords of miscu●e ? to which of your hundred parishes ( o you citizens ) haue not some one of these ( if not all ) remoued their courts , and feasted you with them ? your percuilises are not strong inough to keepe them out by day your watchmen are too sleepy to spie their ●●ealing in by night . there is yet another to enter , as great in power as his fellowes , as subtill , as full of mischiefe : if i shoulde name him to you , you would laugh mee to scorne , because you cannot bee perswaded that such a one should euer bee suffered to liue within the freedome : yet if i name him not to you , you may in time , by him ( as by the rest ) bee vndone . it is crueltie , o strange ! mee thinkes london should start vp out of her sollid foundation , and in anger bee ready to fall vppon him , and grinde him to dust that durst say , shee is possest with such a deuill . cruelty ! the verie sound of it shewes that it is no english word : it is a fury sent out of hel , not to inhabit within such beautifull walles , but amongst turkes and tarta●s . the other sixe monsters transforme themselues into amiable shapes , and set golden , inticing charmes to winne men to their circaean loue , they haue angelical faces to allure , and bewitching tongues to inchaunt : but cruelty is a hag , horred in forme , terrible in voice , formidable in threates , a tyrant in his very lockes , and a murderer in all his actions . how then comm●th it to passe that heere he seekes entertainment ? for what cittie in the world , does more drie vp the teares of the widdowe , and giues more warmth to the fatherlesse then this ancient and reuerend grandam of citties ? where hath the orphan ( that is to receiue great portions ) lesse cause to mourne the losse o● parents ? he findes foure and twentie graue senators to bee his fathers instead of one : the cittie it selfe to bee his mother : her officers to bee his seruants , who see that hee want nothing : her lawes to suffer none to doe him wrong : and though he be neuer so simple in wit , or ●o ●ender in yeares , shee lookes as warily to that welth which is left him , as to the apple of her owne eye . where haue the leaper and the lunatick surgery , and phisicke so good cheape as heere ? their payment is onely than●es : large hospitalls are erected ( of purpose to make them lodgings ) and the rent is most easie , onely their prayers : yet for all this that charitie hath her armes full of children , & that ●ender brested compassion is still in one street or other dooing good workes : off from the hindges are one of the . gates readie to bee lifted , to make roome for this giant : the whiflers of your inferior and chiefe companies cleere the wayes before him , men of all trades with shoutes & acclamations followed in thrōges behinde him , yea euen the siluer-bearded , & seuearest lookt cittizēs haue giuen him welcomes in their parlors . there are in lond & within the buildings , that roūd about touch her sides , & stand within her reach , thirteene strong houses of sorrow , where the prisoner hath his heart wasting away sometimes a whole prentiship of yeres in cares . they are most of them built of fréestone , but none are frée within thē : cold are their imbracemēts : vnwholsom is their chear●● dispaireful their lodgings , vncōfortable their s●ocieties , miserable their inhabitants : o what a deale of wretchednes can make shift to lye in a little roome ! ●f those houses were built al together , how rich wold griefe be , hauing such large inclosures ? doth cruelty challēge a fréemans roome in the city because of these places : no , the politicke body of the republike wold be infected , if such houses as these were not maintained , to keep vp those that are vnsound . claimes he then an inheritance here , because you haue whipping postes in your streete● for the uagabond ? the stocks and the cage for the vnruely beggar ? or because you haue carts for the bawde and the harlot , and beadles for the lecher ? neither . or is it because so many mōthly sessions are held ? so many men , women and children cald to a reconing at the bar of death for their liues ? and so many lamentable hempen tragedies acted at tiburne ? nor for this : iustice should haue wrong , to haue it so reported . no ( you inhabitants of this little world of people ) crueltie is a large tree & you all stand vnder it : you are cruel in compelling your children ( for wealth ) to goe into loathed beds , for therby you make them bond-slaues : what ploughman is so foolish to yoake young hecfars & old bullocks together ? yet such is your husbandry . in fitting your coaches with horses , you are very curious to haue them ( so neere as you cā , both of a colour , both of a height , of an age , of proportion , and will you bee carelesse in coupling your children ? he into whose bosome threescore winters haue thrust their frozen fingars , if hee be rich ( though his breath bee rancker then a muck-hill , his bodye more drye than mummi , and his minde more lame than ignorance if selfe ) shall haue offered vnto him ( but it is offered as a sacrifice ) the tender bossome of a uirgin , vpon whose fore-head was neuer written sixteene yeares : if she refuse this liuing death ( for lesse than a death it cannot be vnto her ) she is threatned to bee left an out-cast , cursd for disobedience , raild at daily , and reuylde howerlye : to saue herselfe from which basenes , she desprately runnes into a bondage , and goes to church to be married , as if she went to be buried . but what glorye atcheiue you in these conquests ? you doe wrong to time , inforcing may to embrace december : you dishonour age , in bringing it into scorne for insufficiency , into a loathing for dotage , into all mens laughter for iealousie . you make your daughters looke wrinckled with sorrowes , before they be olde , & your sonnes by riot , to be beggars in midst of their youth . hence comes it , the murders are often contriued , & as often acted : our countrie is woful in fresh examples hence ●omes it , that the courtiers giues you an open scoffe , the clown a secret mock , the cittizen that dwels at your threshald , a ieery frūp : hence it is , that if you goe by water in the calmest day , you are driuen by some fatall storme into the vnlucky & dangerous hauen betwéene greenewich & london . you haue another cruelty in keeping men in prison so long , til sicknes & death deal mildely with them , and ( in despite of al tyranny ) baile them out of all executions . when you see a poore wretch that to keep life in a loathed body hath not a house left to couer his head from the tempestes , nor a bed ( but the common bedde which our mother the earth allowes him ) for his cares to sleepe vppon , when you haue ( by keeping or locking him vp , robd him of all meanes to get , what seeke you to haue him loose but his life ? the miserable prisoner is ready to famish , yet that cānot mooue you , the more miserable wife is readye to runne mad with dispaire , yet that cannot melt you● the moste of all miserable , his children lye crying at your dores , yet nothin● can awakenin you compassion : if his debts be heauie , the greater and more glorious is your pitt● to worke his freedome , if they be light , the sharper is the vengeance that will be heaped vpon your heades for your hardnes of hea●t . wee are moste like to god that made vs , when 〈…〉 one to another , and doe moste looke like th● di●ell that would destroy vs , when wee are one another st●rme 〈◊〉 if any haue so much flint growing about his bosome , that he will needes make d●ce of mens bones . i would the●e were a lawe to compell him to make drinking bowles of their sculs too : and that euerie miserable debter that so dyes , might be buried at his creditors doore , that when hée strides ouer him he might thinke he still rises vp ( like the ghost in ieronimo ) crying reuenge . crueltie hath yet another part to play , it is acted ( like the old morralls at maningtree ) by trades-men , marrye seuerall companies in the cittie haue it in study , and they are neuer perfect in it , till the end of seauen yeares at least , at which time , they come off with it roundly . and this it is : when your seruants haue made themselues bondmen to inioy your fruitefull hand-maides , that 's to lay , to haue an honest and thriuing art to liue by : when they haue fared hardly with you by indenture , & like your beasts which carry you haue patiently borne al labours , and all wrongs you could lay vpon them . when you haue gathered the blossomes of their youth , and reaped the fruites of their strength , and that you can no longer ( for shame ) hold them in captiuitie , but that by the lawes of your country and of conscience you must vndoe their fetters , then , euen then doe you hang moste weightes at their heeles , to make them sincke downe for euer : when you are bound to send them into the world to liue , you send them into the world to beg : they seru'd you seuen yéeres to pick vp a poore liuing , and therein you are iust , for you will be sure it shall be a poore liuing indéede they shall pick vp : for what do the rich cubs ? like foxes they lay their heats together in conspiracy , burying their leaden consciences vnder the earth , to the intent that all waters that are wholesome in taste , and haue the swéetnes of gaine in going downe , may he drawne through them only , being the great pipes of their company , because they sée t is the custome of the citty , to haue all waters that come thither , conueyed by such large vessels , and they will not breake the customes of the citty . when they haue the fullnesse of welth to the brim , that it runs ouer , they scarce will suffer their poore seruant to take that which runs at waste , nor to gather vp the wind-fals , when all the great trées , as if they grew in the garden of the hesperides , are laden with golden apples : no , they would not haue them gleane the scattered eares of corne , though they themselues cary away the full sheafes : as if trades that were ordaind to be communities , had lost their first priuiledges , and were now turnd to monopolyes . but remember ( ô you rich men ) that your seruants are your adopted children , they are naturalized into your bloud , and if you hurt theirs , you are guilty of letting out your owne , than which , what cruelty can be greater ? what gallenist or paracelsian in the world , by all his water-casting , and minerall extractions , would iudge , that this fairest-fa●●●e daughter of brute , ( and good daughter to king lud , who gaue her her name ) should haue so much corruption in her body ? vnlesse ( that béeing now two thousand and seuen hundred yéeres old ) extreme age should fill her full of diseases ! who durst not haue sworne for her , that of all loathsome sinnes that euer bred within her , she had neuer toucht the sinne of cruelty ? it had wont to be a spanish sicknes , and hang long ( incurably ) vpon the body of their inquisition ; or else a french disease , running all ouer that kingdome in a massacre ; but that it had infected the english , especially the people of this now once-againe new-reard-troy , it was beyond beliefe . but is she cléerely purg'd of it by those pills that haue before bin giuen her ? is she now sound ? are there no dregs of this thick and pestilenciall poyson , eating still through her bowels ? yes : the vgliest serpent hath not vncurld himselfe . she hath sharper and more black inuenomed stings within her , than yet haue bin shot forth . there is a cruelty within thée ( faire troynouant ) worse and more barbarous then all the rest , because it is halfe against thy owne selfe , and halfe against thy dead sonnes and daughters . against thy dead children wert thou cruell in that dreadfull , horrid , and tragicall yeere , when . of them ( struck with plagues from heauen ) dropt downe in winding-shéets at thy feet . thou didst then take away all ceremonies due vnto them , and haledst them rudely to their last beds ( like drunkards ) without the dead mans musick ( his bell. ) alack , this was nothing : but thou tumbledst them into their euerlasting lodgings ( ten in one heape , and twenty in another ) as if all the roomes vpō earth had ●in full . the gallant and the begger lay together ; the scholler and the carter in one bed : the husband saw his wife , and his deadly enemy whom he hated , within a paire of sheetes . sad & vnséemely are such funeralls : so felons that are cu● downe from the trée of shame and dishonor , are couered in the earth : so souldiers , after a mercilesse battaile , receiue vnhansome buriall . but suppose the pestiferous deluge should againe drowne this little world of thine , and that thou must be compeld to breake open those caues of horror and gastlinesse , so hide more of thy dead houshold in them , what rotten st●nches , and contagious damps would strike vp into thy nosthrils ? thou couldst not lift vp thy head into the aire , for that ( with her condensed sinnes ) would stifle thée ; thou couldst not dine into the waters , for that they being teinted by the ayre , would poison thée . art thou now not cruell against thy selfe , in not prouiding ( before the land-waters of affliction come downe againe vpon thée ) more and more conuenient cabins to lay those in , that are to goe into such farre countries , who neuer looke to come back againe ? if thou shouldst deny it , the graues when they open , will be witnesses against thée . nay , thou hast yet another cruelty gnawing in thy bosome ; for what hope is there that thou shouldst haue pitty ouer others , when thou art vnmercifull to thy selfe ! looke ouer thy walls into thy orchards and gardens , and thou shalt sée thy seruants and apprentises sent out cunningly by their masters at noone day vpon deadly errands , when they perceiue that the armed man hath struck them , yea euen whē they sée they haue tokens deliuered them from heauen to hasten thither , then send they them forth to walke vpon their graues , and to gather the flowers thēselues that shall stick their own herse . and this thy inhabitants do , because they are loth & ashamd to haue a writing ouer their dores , to tell that god hath bin there , they had rather all their enemies in the world should put them to trouble , then that he should visit them . looke againe ouer thy walls into thy fields , and thou shalt heare poore and forsaken wretches lye groaning in ditches , and traualling to seeke out death vpon thy common hye wayes . hauing found him , he there throwes downe their infected carcases , towards which , all that passe by , looke , but ( till common shame , and common necessity compell● none st●p in to giue them buriall . thou setst vp pos●s to whip them when they are aliue : set vp an hospitall to comfort them being sick , or purchase ground for them to dwell in when they be well , and that is , when they be dead . is it not now hye time to so●nd a retreate , after so terrible a battaile fought betwéene the seuen electors of the low internall countryes , and one little city ? what armyes come marching along with them ? what bloudy ●●●lors do they spread ? what ●rtillery do they mount to batter the walls ? how valiant are their seuen generalls ? how expert ? how full of fortune to conquer ? yet nothing sooner ouerthrowes them , than to bid them battaile fi●st , and to giue them defiance . who can deny● now , but that sinne ( like the seuen-headed nylus ) hath ouerflowed thy banks and thy buildings ( o thou glory of great brittaine ) and made thée fertile ( for many yéeres together ) in all kindes of vices ? volga , that hath fifty streames falling one into another , neuer ranne with ●o swift and vnreststable a current as these black-waters do , to bring vpon thee an inundation . if thou ( as thou hast done ) knéelest to worship this beast with seuen crowned heads , and the whore that sits vpon it , the fall of thée ( that hast out-stood so many citties ) will be greater then that of babylon . she is now gotten within thy walls ; she rides vp and downe thy stréetes , making thee drunke out of her cup , and marking thée in the forhead with pestilence for her owne . she causes violls of wrath to be powred vpon thee , and goes in triump● away , when she sées thée falling . if thou wilt be safe therefore and recouer health rise vp in armes against her , and driue her ( and the monster that beares her ) out at thy gates . thou seest how prowdly and impetuously sixe of these centaures ( that are halfe man , halfe beast , and halfe diuell ) come thundring alongst thy habitations , and what rabbles they bring at their heeles ; take now but note of the last , and marke how the seuenth rides : for if thou findest but the least worthy quality in any one of them to make thee loue him , i will write a retractation of what is inucyd against them before , and pollish such an apology in their defence , that thou shal● be enamored of them all . the body and face of this tyrannous commander , that leades thus the reareward , are already drawne : his chariot is tramed all of ragged flint so artificially bestowed , that as it runnes , they strike one another , and beate out fire that is able to consume citties : the wheeles are many , and swift : the spokes of the wheeles , are the shin-bones of wretches that haue bin eaten by misery out of prison . a couple of vnruly , fierce , and vntamed tygers ( cal● murder and rashnes ) drew the char●ot : ignorance holds the reynes of the one , and obduration of the other : selfe-will is the coach-man . in the vpper end of the coach , sits cruelty alone , vpon a bench made of dead mens sculls . all the way that he rides , he sucks the hearts of widdowes and father-lesse children . he kéepes neither foote-men nor pages , for none will stay long with him . he hath onely one attendant that euer followes him , called repentance , but the beast that drawes him , runnes away with his good lord and master so fast before , that repentance being lame ( and therefore slow ) t is alwayes very late ere he comes to him . it is to be feared , that cruelty is of great authority where he is knowne , for few or none dare stand against him : law only now and then beards him , and stayes him , in contempt of those that so terribly gallop before him : but out of the lawes hands , if he can but snatch a sheathed sword ( as oftentimes hée does ) presently hée whip● it out , smiting and wounding with it euery one that giues him the least crosse word . he comes into the citty , commonly at all-gate , beeing drawne that way by the smell of bloud about the barres , ( for by his good will he drinks no other liquour : ) but when hee findes it to be the bloud of beasts ( amongst the butchers ) and not of men , he flyes like lightning along the causey in a madnes , threatning to ouer-runne all whom he méetes : but spying the brokers of hownsditch shuffling themselues so long together ( like a false paire of cards ) till the knaues be vppermost , onely to doe homage to him , he stops , kissing all their chéekes , calling them all his déerest sonnes ; and bestowing a damnable deale of his blessing vpon them , they cry , roome for cruelty , and are the onely men that bring him into the citty : to follow whom vp and downe so farre as they meane to goe with him , — dii me terrent , & iupiter hostis . finis . tho. dekker . warres . the purple whip of vengeance , ( the plague hauing beaten many thousands of mē , women , & children to death , and still marking the people of this cittie , ( euery weeke ) by hundreds for the graue , is the onely cause , that al her inhabitance walke vp & downe like mourners at some great soleme funeral , the citie her selfe being the chiefe mourners . the poyson of this lingering infection , strikes so déepe into all mens harts , that their cheekes ( like cowardly souldiers ) haue lost their colours ? their eyes , ( as if they were in debt , and durst not looke abroad , ) doe scarce péepe out of their heads ; and their tongues ( like phisitions ill payd ) giue but cold comfort . by the power of their pestilent charmes , all mercy méetings are cut off . all frolick assemblyes dissolued , and in their circles are raised vp , the blacke , sullen and dogged spirits of sadnesse , of melancholy , and so ( consequently ) of mischiefe . mirth is departed , and lyes dead & buryed in mens bosomes , laughter dares not looke a man in the face ; iests are ( like musicke to the deafe , not regarded : pleasure it selfe finds now no pleasure , but in seghing , and bewailing the miseries of the time. for ( alack ) what string is there ( now ) to bée played vpon whose tench can make vs merry ? play-houses , stand ( like tauernes , that haue cast out their maisters ) the dores locked vp , the flagges ( like their bushes ) taken down , or rather like houses lately infected , from whence the affrited dwellers are fled , in hope to liue better in the country . the players themselues did neuer worke till now , there comodies are all turned to tragedies , there tragedies to nocturnals , and the best of them all are weary of playing in those nocturnall tragedies . thinke you to delight your selues by kéeping company with our poets ? proh dolor ! their muses are more sullen then old monkeys , now that mony is not stirring , they neuer plead chéerfully , but in their tearme times , when the two-peny clients , and peny stinkards swarme together to héere the stagerites : playing vocations are diseases now as common and as hurtful to them , as the fowle euill to a northen man , or the pox to a french man. o pittifull poetry , what a lamentable prentiship hast thou serued , and ( which is the greatest spite ) canst not yet be made free ! no , no , there is no good doings in these dayes but amongst lawyers , amongst vintners , in bawdy houses and at pimlico . there is all the musick , ( that is of any reckning ) there all the méetings , there all the mirth , and there all the mony . to walke euery day into the fields is wearisome ; to drink vp the day and night in a tauerne , loathsome : to bée euer ryding vpon that beast with two heades , letchery ) most damnable , and yet to be euer idle , is as detestable . what merry gale shall wée then wish for ? vnles it bée to ferry ouer the hellespont , and to crosse from sestus to abidus , that is to say , from london to the beare garden ? the company of the beares hold together still ; they play their tragi-comaedies as liuely as euer they did : the pide bul héere kéepes a tossing and a roaring , when the red bull dares not stir . into this i le of dogs did i therefore transport my selfe , after i had made tryall of all other pastimes . no sooner was i entred but the very noyse of the place put me in mind of hel : the beare ( dragd to the stake ) shewed like a black rugged soule , that was damned , and newly committed to the infernall charle , the dogges like so many diuels , inflicting torments vpon it . but when i called to mind , that al their tugging together was but to make sport to the beholders , i held a better and not so damnable an opinion of their beastly doings : for the beares , or the buls fighting with the dogs , was a liuely represētation ( me thought ) of poore men going to lawe with the rich and mightie . the dogs ( in whom i figured the poore creatures ) and fitly may i doe so , because when they stand at the dore of diues , they haue nothing ( if they haue thē but bare bones throwne vnto them , might now & then pinch the great ones , & perhaps vex them a little by drawing a few drops of blood from them : but in the end , they commonly were crushed , & either were carried away with ribs broken , or their skins torne & hanging about their eares , or else ( how great so euer their hearts were at the first encounter ) they ( stood at the last ) whining and barking at their strong aduersaries , when they durst . not , or could not bite them . at length a blinde beare was tyed to the stake , and in stead of baiting him with dogges , a company of creatures that had the shapes of men , & faces of christians ( being either colliers , carters , or watermen ) tooke the office of beadles vpon them , and whipt monsieur hunkes , till the blood ran downe his old shoulders : it was some sport to sée innocence triumph ouer tyranny , by beholding those vnnecessary tormentors go away with scratchd hands , or torne legs from a poore beast , arm'd onely by nature to defend himselfe against violence : yet me thought this whipping of the blinde beare , moued as much pittie in my breast towards him , as y● leading of poore starued wretches to the whipping posts in london ( when they had more néede to be reléeued with foode ) ought to moue the hearts of cittizens , though it be the fashion now to laugh at the punishment . the last chorus that came in , was an old ape drest vp in a coate of changeable cullers ( on horsebacke ) and he rode his circuit with a couple of curres muzled , that like two footemen ran on each side of his old apes face , euer and anon leaping vp towards him and making a villanous noise with their chappes , as if they had had some great suites to his apishnes , and that he by the haste he made had no leisure to heare such base and bashfull petitioners . the hunny that i sucked out of this weede , was this : that by séeing these , i called to minde the infortunate cōdition of soldiers ▪ and old seruitors , who when the stormes of troubles are blowne ouer , being curbd of meanes ▪ and so burying that courage and worth that is in their bosoms , are compeld ( by the vilenesse of the tune ) to follow y● heeles of asles with gay trappings , not daring so much as once to open their lips in reprehension of those apish beastly and ridiculous vices , vpon whose monstrous backes they are carried vp and downe the world , and they are flattered onely for their greatnes , whilst those of merit liue in a slauish subiection vnder them . no pleasure thus , nor any place being able to giue perfect contentment to the minde : i left swimming in those common sensuall streames , wherein the world hath béene so often in danger of béeing drowned , and waded onely in those cleare brookes , whose waters had their currents from the springs of learning . i spent my howres in reading of histories , and for the laying out of a little time , receiued larger interest then the greatest vsurers doe for their money . by looking on those perspectiue glasses . i beheld kingdomes and people a farre off , came acquainted with their manners , their pollicies , their gouernement , their risings , and their downefalles : was present at their battailes , and ( without danger to my selfe ) vnlesse it were in gréeuing to sée states so ouerthrowne by the mutabilitie of fortune , i saw those empires vtterly brought to subuersion , which had béene terrours and triumphers ouer all the nations vppon earth . the backe of time which was next to mine eie , ( because he was gone from me ) was written full of tragicall wonders : but the hinder part of his reuerend head was bare and made bald by mens abusing it , o histories ! you soueraigne balmes to the bodyes of the dead , that preserue them more fresh then if they were aliue , kéepe the fames of princes from perishing , when marble monuments cannot not saue their bones from being rotten , you faithfull entelligensers , betwéene kingdomes and kingdomes , your truest councellors to kings , euen in their greatest dangers ! hast thou an ambition to be equall to princes ! read such bookes as are the chronicles of ages , gone before thée : there maiest thou finde lines drawre ( if vertue be thy guide ) to make thee paralell with the greatest monarch : wouldest thou be aboue him ▪ there is the scale of him ascending huntst thou after glory ? marke in those pathes how others haue run , and follow thou in the same course . art thou sicke in minde ? ( and so to be diseased , is to be sicke euen to the death ) there shalt thou finde physicke to cure thée . art thou sad ? where is swéeter musicke then in reading ? art thou poore ? open those closets , and inualuable treasures are powred into thy hands . whilest i dwelt vpon the contemplation of this happinesse , the dreames of infants were not more harmelesse then my thoughts were , nor the slumbers of a conscience that hath no sting to kéepe it waking more delicate then the musicke which i found in reading ; but the swéetest flower hath his withering , and euery pleasure his ending . this full sea had a quicke fall , and the day that was warme and bright in the morning , had frosts and gloomy darknesse to spoile the beauty of it ere it grew to be noone : for on a suddaine all the aire was filled with noise , as if heauen had bin angry , and chid the earth for her villanies , people rush headlong together , like torrents running into the sea , full of fury in shew , but loosing the effect of doing violence ▪ because they know not how to do it , their rage and madnesse burning in them like fire in wet straw , it made a great stinking smoake , but had no flame . wildnesse and afrightment were ill fauouredly drawne in euery face , as if they had all come from acting some fresh murder , and that at euery step they were pursued , arme was cryed , and swords were drawne , but either they had no hearts to strike , or no hands , for ( like so many s. georges on horse-backe ) they threatned , but gaue not a blow , euery one fearing to smite first , least the rest should make that an occasion to kill him for beginning the quarrell . but at the last drummes were heard to thunder , and trumpets to sound alarums , murmure ran vp & downe euery streete , and confusion did beate at the gates of euery city , men met together , and ran in heards like deere frighted , or rather like beares chased , or else séeking for prey . but what wild beasts ( thinke you ) were these that thus kept such a roaring ? it was a people sauage and desperate , a nation patchd vp ( like a beggers cloake of the worst péeces ) that could be gathered out of all nations and put into one . they were more scattered then the iewes , and more hated ; more beggerly then the irish , and more vnciuill ; more hardy then the switzers , and more brutish : giuen to drinke , more then the dutch , to pride more then the french , to irreligion more then the italian . they were like the dunkirkes , a mingle mangle of countries , a confusion of languages , yet all vnderstanding one another . such as the people were , such was the princesse whom they followed , she had all their conditions , & they all hers , séeming to be made for no other purpose then to gouerne them , because none else could be bad inough to be their gouernour . they obeyed her not for loue , nor feare , but made her onely great amongst them , because it was their will to haue it so , she ( amongst a number of vices , that reigned in her ) hauing onely this vertue of a prince , not to see her people take wrong . into armes therfore as well for her owne chastity ▪ as defence of her subiects doth she determine to put her selfe presently . a faithful & serious inquisition made i to vnderstād the cause of this suddaine and vniversall vprore , and by true intelligence ( from persons of either side ) found that the quarrell was old , the enmity mortall , the enemies puissant and fierce , many leagues had béene made , and all were broken , no conditious of peace would now be looked vpon , open warre must be the the sword to stricke open wrong . the fires ( kindled by guizian leagues ) set not france in hotter combustions then these are likely to proue , if the flames in time be not wisely quenched . the showers of bloud which once rained downe vpon the heads of the two kingly families in england , neuer drowned more people , not that braue romane tragedy acted in our time , at the battel of neuport , not the siege of bommell , where heads flew from sholders faster then bullets from the cannon . no , nor all those late acts of warre and death , commenced by hispaniolized netherlanders , able to make vp a chronicle to hold all the world reading : did euer giue rumour cause to speak so much as the battailes of these two mighty enemies ( so mortally falling out ) will force her to proclaime abroade , vnlesse they grow to a reconcilement , to which , by the coniecture of all strangers , that haue trauailed into both their dominions , and know the hot and ambitious spirits of the quarrellers , they cannot easily be drawne : for no one paire of scales being able to hold two kings at one time : and this law being ingrauen on the very inside of euery kings crowne ( because it is the wedding ring of his empire to which hée is the bride-groome ) that , nulla fides socijs regni ▪ omnisque potestas , impatiens consortis erit . at the sterne of a kingdome , two pilots must not sit , nor principality endure a partner , and againe , that non capit regnum duos , a kingdome is heauen , and loues not two suns shining in it . how is it possible , or how agréeable to the politick grounds of state , that two such potentates should be vnited in firme friendship , sithence their quarrel is deriued from an equall claime of soueraignety . ouer citties is there ambition to bée superiours , yet not together but alone . and not onely ouer london ( the great metropolis of england ) but also ouer paris in the kingdom of fraunce ; ouer ciuil , and madril in spaine ; ouer rome in italy : francfurt and colin in high germany : antwerp in brabant , elsinor in denmarke , prage in bohemia ; craconia in poland : belgrad in hungary , and so ouer all the other capitall citties , that bewtifies the greatest kingdomes of europe . for signority in these doe they contend . haue you not a longing desire , to know the names of the generals that are to commaund these expected armies ; and from what countries they come ? what forces march with them ? and what warlike stratagems they stand vpon ? i haue a little before roughly drawne the picture of one of them ; the princesse her selfe being barbarous , néedy , of great power by reason of her people , but far vnable to kéepe them in pay , or in order , they themselues ( how valiant soeuer they bée ) being likewise all together , vntrained and indisciplinable , yet full of courage , and desire to set vpon the enemy . whose army though it consist not of such multitudes , ( number being oftentimes the confusions of battailes ) yet is the empresse , vnder whose collours they fight , full of riches ( which are the sinews of warre ) of great commaund , feared and loued , yea adored as a diety , of a maiesticall presence of incomparable bewty . such a one , that euen the very sight of her is a charme strong enough to make mē venture their liues in the quarrell of her right . kings are to her beholden , for she often sends them suplies , and therefore pay they homage vnto her . her captaines are pollitik & fight rather vpon aduantages , then vpon equality , her soldiers braue & resolute , hardly drawne to venture into dangres , but when they are in , a thousand stratagems vse they to saue themselues : what they get they kéepe , which is one of the noblest points belonging to a souldier , for it is more hard to vse a victory wel after it is gotten , then it is to get it . the name of this latter princesse , is the renowned empres argurion ( mony ) the name of the former , is that warlike virago famd ouer all the earth , for her hardines , called pouerty . now to the intent that the whole world ( as an indifferent iudge may arbitrate the wrongs done by betwéene these two states , & by that meanes find out which of them both come into the field with vniust armes : you shal vnderstand the pouerty being sundry waies déeply indebted to the kingdome of money , as hauing beene from time to time relieued by her ▪ and not being well able to maintaine herselfe in her owne dominions , but that money hath sent her in prouision , it had béene neither policy , neither could it stand with her honour , that pouerty should first breake the league , neither indéede hath she , but hath euer had a de●ire to be in amity rather with the excellent princesse , then with any other monarch whatsoeuer . but the golden mines of the west & east indies , ( ouer which the other empresse is sole soueraigne , swelling vp her bosome with pride , couetousnesse , and ambition , as they doe her coffers with treasure , made her to disdaine the miserable poore quéene , & in that height of scorne , to hate the holding of any confederacy with her , that she on the soddaine , ( most treacherously and most tyrannously ) laboured by all possible courses , not onely to driue the subiects of pouerty from hauing commerce in any of her rich & so populous cities , but also wrought ( by the cruelty of her own ministers , and those about her ) to roote the name , not onely of that infortunate and deiected princesse , from the earth , but euen to banish all her people to wander into desarts , & to perish , she cared not how or where . hereupon strict proclamation went thundring , vp and downe her dominions , charging her wealthy subiects , not to negotiate any longer with these beggers , that flocke dayly to her kingdome , strong guards were planted at euery gate , to barre their entrance into cities , whipping-postes and other terrible engines , were aduaunced in euery street to send thē home bléeding new , if they were takē wandring ( like shéep broken out of leane pastures into fat ) out of their owne liberties , constables were chosen of purpose that had marble in their hearts , thornes in their tonges , and flint-stones like pearles ) in their eies , and none cou●d be admitted into the office of a beadle , vnles he brought a certificate from paris garden , that he had béene a beare-ward , and could play the bandog brauely in baiting poore christians at a stake , better then curres ( there ) baite the bull , or then butchers mastiues , when they worry one another . these peales of small shot , thus terribly going off , the poore hungarians ( with their pennilesse princesse ) did not onely not shew a fowle paire of héeles , to flye to saue themselues ( as it was to be feared they would haue done , like cowardly peasants ) but rather they grew desperate , and sticking closly , ( like prentises vpon shrouetwuesday one to another , they vowed ( come death ) , come diuels ) to stand against whole bands of browne rusty bille-men , though for their labours they were sure to be knockt downe like oxen for the slaughter ; but a number of ●ack-strawes being amongst them , and opening whole cades of councell in a cause so dangerous , they were all turned to dry powder , took fire of resolution , and so went off with this thundring noise , that they would dy like men , though they were but poore knaues , and counted the stinkards and scum of the world : and yet as rash as they were they would not run headlong vpon the mouth of the canon ▪ no , but like snailes pulling in the hornes of their fury , they hid their heades for a time , either ( like spies to watch for aduantages , or to try if this rotten whéele of fortune would turne , and that the broken world could mend , but all the waters of chastity and goodnesse being poisoned , of which they both thirsted , & hoped to drinke : and all the wayes to come to the presence of money , at whose féete they would haue fallen , and complained of their wrongs , being likewise cut off , & none of their thréed-bare company , vpon paine of death , daring to stand within ten miles of her court gates , for feare they should either lift them off the hinges and steale them quite away , ( being all of beaten gold ) or else cunningly in the night time , should file off handfuls ( like pin-dust , thereby to enrich themselues , she being their vowed enemie . it was therefore by a generall voice concluded , that they would all put themselues into armes , and for that purpose went in swarmes to the court of pouerty , ( their good lady and mistresse ) and neuer gaue ouer balling in their eares , till shee had sworne by her crowne , though she had scarce two shillings in her purse , that open warre should presently be proclaimed against that arrogant haughty , ambitious tyrant money . hereupon pouerty summoned her councel for war , together they came , and being set , shée at large laide open what wrongs and dishonors her enemy had done to her & her subiects , withal declaring how willing her poore people were to venture their liues in her quarrell , and that their very fingers itched to be doing with the rich chuffes , and usurers , and others that were seruants , or rather slaues to money , adding moreouer , that a number of her enemies subiects too wel known by the name of banck-rupts ( being a great and auncient family in her greatest city ) haue of late gotten other mens goods into their hands , spending them basely and villanously in prisons , colouring this their politicke theft , by giuing out , that they are subiects to pouerty , albeit they were neuer suffered to harbour in her dominions . to cleare herselfe of these , and such like imputations and dishonorable scandals , as also to let money know , that she hath more right to those townes & cities to which she pretendeth sole claime then money hath her selfe , and that like a prince , though her coffers be not so full , nor he● forces so able , she purposeth to defend her owne title , & not to loose one foote of that which was left to herby her ancestors , all of them comming out of old & ancient houses , it is therefore her resolution , to send defiance to her insolent enemy , and to that end ( for their aide and aduice , hath she thos called them before her . her councellors applauded the courage of their princesse , and ( being first brought on their knées ) g●ue her reasons to goe forward in so iust a warre . all of them for the most part being glad , that the golden age should now come amongst them , and proudly reioycing that they should bid battaile to so rich an enemy as money and her 〈◊〉 to haue about with whom , they haue for a long time had both a desire , and waited for aduantage to picke a quarrell . those that were at this time of pouerties counsel , were then well beaten to the world ▪ all of them great 〈◊〉 , such as had seene many countries : as hardy as they were wise , i● shall not be amisse in this place , to draw the liuelie pictures of them , because if any of their owne countrimen happen to behold them their report may cō●irme the trueth of all that is h●re related . their names are these : councellors to pouerty . discontent . hunger . sloth . industry . despaire . carelesnesse . repining . beggery . miserie . discontent had a graue coun●enance , somewhat inclining to melancholie , temperate of spéech , and sparing in diet , not caring either for pleasures , or gréedy of honours : but ( as a man that is wearie of the world for the impieties in it ) wishing rather to die then to liue . one thing was noted in him more then in any other courtier , that in all his life time , hee had neuer béene a teuellor , nor euer courted lady , he séem'd indifferent whether the warres went forward or not : yet inwardly more gréeued at the wrongs of his prince , then at any iniuries that could be done to himselfe . despaire and carelesnesse were brothers , & in great fauour with pouety ( their princess● ) she neuer was well but when one of them was in her company , yet the wiser sort thought that they did much mischéefe to the state. despaire was not bel●ued by reason of his crueltie : for if hee got any man into his hands , hee hung him vp presentlie . hunger was one of the best commanders for warre , that was in all the land : a man of almost an inuincible stomack , hée had euerthrowne many armies , & sped most fortunately at the besieging of a towne or cittie , where continually he vseth to behaue himselfe so valiantly that no stone w●ll ( of what height or strength whatsoeuer ) is able to hold him out : yet is hee not accounted so ●ound a common wealths man as some of the rest , for that it is imagined , hee loues the enemy better then his owne country , & if occasion were offered , would rather fly to money then serue pouerty ( his soueraigne . ) a great transporter of corne he hath beene from time to time : for which cause the people hate him in their hearts , and d ee now and then openly cry out against him with such clamor● , that he hath béene glad to stop their mouthes . the onely good that he doth , and indéede the only cause for which the kingdome loues him , is that when hee leads men on in any hot piece of seruice , they get such stomacks by séeing ho●● brauely he laies about him , that they neuer come off stil they be satisfied , 〈◊〉 béeing as good to them as meate and ●rinke . sloth , by reason that he is troubled with the gout , bu●ies himselfe little with state matters , he hath lyen bed-●id for many yéeres , and gréeues that any stir should be made in the common wealth he was neuer either ●ilter or trauellor , his body being weake and subiect to diseases , which made him vnapt for both . repining w●s the onely man , that whetted on both his prince and her subiects to go forward in these warres : for he could by no means abide either money or her followers , it fretted him more to sée any of them prosper , then if himselfe had fallen into the lowest misfortune . he dealt altogether in monopolies : for which the people gaue him many bitter curses , and those ( i thinke ) kéepe his body so leane . industry , was a goodly personage , a faithfull friend to his prince , and a father to his country , a great lawyer , & a déepe scholler , stout in warre , and prouident in peace . pouerty ( whom he serued ) did often say , that two such councellors ( as industry ) were able vpon their shoulders onely to support any state in the world . in deare yeeres , when the land had beene ready to sterue , hath he reléeued it , and turned dearth into plenty : his head is euer full of cares , not for himselfe so much as for the people , whom hee loues and tenders as déerely as if they were his kindred : yet stand they not so well affected to him , because he compelles them to take paines , when t is their naturall inclination ( like drones ) to liue basely , and to féede upon the bread that the sweat of other mens browes doe earne . a good states man he is , and a louer of peace , séeking rather to draw money to be stil in league with pouerty , then to haue them thus at defiance one against another . beggery , and miserie , are so well knowne to vs , i shall not néede to draw their faces . these councellors , after many arguments , weighed out to prooue the necessity either of warre or peace ▪ at the last concluded vpon the former . the drumme was therefore struck vp , to ●ry what voluntaries would offer themselues : but few uoluntaries ( or none at all ) came in . then went forth a uery streight command , to presse not onely all masterlesse men , but all others of what condition or profession soeuer , that liued vnder the subiection of pouerty . the captaines lieftenants , corporals , serieants , and the companies that were casheard and cast , vpon concluding of the late league in the low countries , hearing of these new wa●res , threw vp their old weather-beaten hattes with torne fethers in them , fetcht capers aboue ground , danced , swere , drunke tobacko , and dutch béere , and after they had fallen on their knées cursing for halfe an howre together , all truces , leagues , confederacies , & combinations of peace , they bitterly cryed out vpon the proud and tyranous gouernement of money : some of them damning themselues to the pit of hell , if euer they could but finger her , they would see an vtter confusion and end of her : because for her sake , and vpon her golden promises they had ventured their liues , spent their blood , lost legs and armes , had béene pinched with cold parched with heate ▪ fed vpon cabbage , vpon rootes , & vpon christmas day ( in stead of minched pyes ) had no better chéere then prouant ( mouldy holland chéfe , and course browne bread ) not a rag to their backes , yes , rags more thē they cared for : but not thrée sti●ers among fiue of them . they therefore uowed to serue pouerty , to liue and dye with her , and with all their forces to set vpon money , who had made them slaues to the world , not rewarding thē to their merit : and thereupon striking vp their drum , and spreading their tottered cullors which hung full of honour , because it was full of holes , and was indéede no bigger , nay scarce so big , as the flagge of a play-house , away they came ( troopewise ) with bag and baggage marching , and were receiued ( as old soldiers should be ) at the hands of pouerty , she sweating by her birth , and the fame of her ancestors ( who were well knowne farre and néere ) that she would neuer forsake their company , but sticke to them euen to the death . the businesse thus successefully thriuing at the first , gaue encouragement to all to haue it set forward , so that precepts were forthwith directed to the hals of euery company , who albeit they had furnished the queene of siluer and gold ( mony ) with certaine voluntary hands of sound approued souldiers : yet ( because they themselues , that were old growne okes , cared not how many paltry low bushes that nestled vnder their shadowes were cut downe ) they prest ten times more of euery trade , to fight vnder the banner of pouerty , than those were that went to serue her enemy . yet was it a long time ere the handicrafts men could be mustred together : for carelessenes ( one of the former councellours ) whose ambition consisted in popular greatnesse , and had stolne the hearts of the common people , gaue them a pr●uy inck●●ng of the presse before it ca●●●orth , and wished them to shut for themselues , by being dispersed , ●or a time abroad , whose counsel they following , threw by their tooles , neglected their trades fled from their shops , and spent both their gettings and their goods in common bowling-allies , dicing houses and alehouses . but proclamation being made , that vpon paine of death they should all ( by such an howre ) be ready to come into the field , and fight for pouerty ( their soueraigne lady and mistres . ) it is incredible to be spoken , what infinite multitudes of all occupations , ( some yong , some old , were in a short time assembled together . schollers hearing of this , fled from the uniuersities , and made such hast to be in pay with pouerty ( whom they had knowne a long time ) that some of them had scarce put shoes to their seete : the queene bestowed very good words vppon them , because schollers had alwayes béene fauored by her progenitors , and ( vpon her bare command ) they tooke such place vnder her in the army , as was sutable to their professions . young gentlemen , that neither durst walke vp and downe the citty , for feare of rauens and rites , that houered to catch them in their tallons , and could get no entertainement in the court of money , because they were yonger brothers , and condemned by the verduict of silkemen and mercers to be most desperate fellowes : yet were they all wellcome to pouerty . these yonger brothers were appointed to stand insans perdus ( or the forlorne hope ) because though they had little to loose but their liues : yet they should wi●ne honour , nay perhaps knighthood , which in these dayes are better then lands : is fat widdewes can be but drawne to nibble at that worshipfull ba●te . and for that purpose did a goodly troupe of knights put them selues ( as knights errant ) into armes , in defence of the innocent wronged lady , ( pouerty ) which cheualiers , though they durst not ( as some ill-tongd people gaue out ) shew their heads in the cittie : yet were they appointed masters of the field , and had the charge of the most resolute troopes that were to scale the cittie ( if the enemie should cowardly happen to fly thether ) and to ransacke all the mercers and gold-smiths shops , not so much to set frée the silkes , veluets , plate and iewels imprisond most cruelly in them , as to vndoe the old cittizens , & then to marry their yong wiues , and so to raise them vp to honour in their most knightly posteritie . a regiment of old seruingmen were sworne the guard to pouerties person , of whom there was great hope , that they would both stand stifly to her in any danger , and if the maine battailes did euer ioyne , would be the onely canonéeres to breake their ranckes , because they had such excellent skill in charging and discharging of the great bombard . there came in some seuen thousand banckrouts , offering their seruice to the distressed and wronged princesse , who gaue them thankes for their loue : yet was she fearefull to trust them , because a number in her owne army exclaimed vpon them , as the ranckest villaines in a common wealth , and that they had vndone them , their wiues and children : but the dangers wherein they now all stoode , requiring rather hands to punish the wrongs done by an enemie , then to rip vp old wounds of their owne . those seuen thousand had the ordering of all fire-workes , mines , and countermines , as béeing the onely rare fellowes for damnable and spéedy blowing vp of men in any assault . the vanguard béeing filled vp thus with their troopes before named , a stoute company of honest housholders , ( whose seruants like acteons dogs , had with whoring , dicing ▪ and drinking eaten vp their masters ) came brauely vp in the reare : their wings consisted of schoolemasters , husbandmen , fencers , knights of the poste , and such like , who had all vowed by the crosse of their swords , and by the honour of a souldier to die at pouerties féete . it was in the middle of a terme , when the fire of these ciuill broiles first began to kindle : but law hauing with many hard words on both sides taken vp a number of brabling matters , and for her healths sake beeing rid into the country , whereby a great crew of her followers , that were not able with bag and baggage to march after her in that progresse ) were ready to giue vp their cloakes , ( the summer was so hot for them ) and because all their practise was but to set people together by the eares , a number of them therfore vpon their bare knées , begd that they might serue pouertie in her warres , whereupon certaine broken-héeld , gowtie-legd , durty-hamd pettifoggers , with some lack-latine prowling pennurious country attorneys , were promoted to be clarkes of bands , pandors , pimpes , and apple-squires came thicke and thréefold , and had the leading of the pioners , because they had déepest skill in digging of trenches . the victualers to the camp , were a company of double-chind polt-footed , stincking-breathd bauds , who with pewter bottles of aqua vitae at their girdles , rings with deaths heads on their fore fingers , and old stitchd hats , out of fashion on their heads , came along with the bag & baggage , and were ready if any poore soldier fainted , to put life into him againe by a sip from their bottles , and to lift vp his spirits . the whole army being thus leuyed , pouerty was found to be one hundred thousand strong in the field , whom martialling in the best order of warre , they marched forward with full resolution , either to take money and her subiects prisoners , or else neuer to come out of the field , so long as they & pouertie ( their mistresse and powrefull commander ) could be able to hold life and soule together . the preparation , strength , and stratagems of the second armie . no treason was euer so secretly contriued , so cunningly carried , nor so resolutely attempted : but either in the very growing vp it hath beene discouered , or the head of it cut off , where it was at point to come to the full ripenesse . the workes of princes are great , and require many hands to finish them , and a number of engines cannot be set , going so closely , that no eare shall heare them : ioue may talke in his big voice of thunder as soone and not be vnderstoode , as a kingdome may call vp her owne subiects with the yron tongue of warre , and not awaken those people that are her neighbours . the eies of a true state do neuer sléepe , princes are quickest of hearing , the blowes that forraine enemies giue , are broken for the most part : because the weapon is alwaies séene and put by , otherwise they would cut déepe , and draw blood , where ( by such preuention ) they scarce giue bruises . this mercilesse tyrant therefore ( pouerty ) could not kindle such fires of vprores , and ciuill mischiefes , but that the flames ( like burning beacons ) armed her enemies with safetie , euen as they put them into feare . her ragged troopes were more apt to betray themselues and their procéedings , then polliticke to betray the foe into any danger . with swift wings therefore did the newes of this inuasion fly abroad into all countries , and at last alighted before that glorious and most adored empresse ( money ) whom néerest it concerned , because all the arrowes of their enuie and intended malice were shot at her bosome . the drom of warre beate in her eare , not in the dead of night , when her glories and beauties were darkened and eclipsed , but when she was seated in the throne of all her pleasures ( which a whole world was rifled and trauailed ouer to maintaine in height and fulnesse ) when her pallate surfeited on the variety of dishes and delicacy of féeding , when her body shone brighter then the sunne it selfe , who ( in his lusty heate begot her ) strucke an amazement into those that beh●ld her , by the splendor of those maiesticall roabes which she wore : when musicke went into her eare in ten thousand seuerall shapes , when her walkes were perfumed , her sports varied euery hower , when her chéekes were dimpled with laughters at her iesters her parasites , her pandors , and all the rest of those seruile soothing apes , that in pide colours waite vpon and shew trickes to sate the appetite of that lord of flesh and bloud , the blacke prince of the world , her husband . then , euen then , in the full sea of all these iollities , pompes , and whorish ceremonies , the onely bewitchers of mankinde , came sayling in , the newes of a suddaine insurrection , and an vnexpected inuasion , by that common , fatall , and barbarous spoiler of so many kingdoms , infamous amongst al nations by that beggerly name of pouerty . these newes ( vpon the first arriuall ) did no more moue the great indian empresse ( money ) then the bleating of a shéepe terrifies the king of forrests ( the lyon. ) money was rich , strong in friends , held league with princes , had whole countries at her becke , nations were her slaues , no people but did loue her . on the contrary side , pouerty ( her enemy ) had small reuenues , fewer friends , a world of followers , but none of any reckoning , except a few philosophers , alchemists , &c. she held many townes , and was obeyed in most kingdomes , but how ? as théeues are obeyed by true men , for feare , and because they cannot otherwise choose , her owne strength therefore being so good , and her enemies fuller of spite then of power , she onely laughed at the thunder of her threates , and resolued that her pleasure should spread larger sailes . but her councell being prouident , carefull , and iealous of their owne estates , wisely considering the dangers that a weake enemy ( being desperate , and hauing little to loose ) may put the best fortefied kingdome to , & the most valiant nation did in the end , with one consent fall on their knées , most humbly intreating thier soueraigne mistresse to giue ouer her reuellings , maskes , and other court-pleasures for a time , and that aswell for the safety of her owne royall person ( to take héede of them : for many plots were now , and had oftentimes bin laid ) as also for themselues , whose liues and liberties wholly depended on her , either to leuy present forces , which should méete this beggerly monarch in the field , and so vtterly to driue her out of the kingdome , or else to giue the rich men of her empire leaue to make strict and seuere lawes to take away the liues of that wretched & scattered people that follow pouerty in these commotions , wheresoeuer or whensoeuer they take them medling in any of her wealthy dominions . these words brake forth with such lighning , that money stampd for very anger , that so base an enemy should put her subiects into feare . their vigilance awaked her , and like a good prince that would loose her life rather then her subiects should perish , she began ( with the eagle ) to shake her royall wings , and to be rouz'd out of her late golden slumbers , & securities , that lay vpon her like enchantments . to their requests she yéelded , and thereupon to fortifie her kingdome against all the shot of villany & vengeance , shee summoned those of her councell together , whom shee know to be most faithfull and most seruiceable in a busines of this nature , state & importance . her councellors names were these . councellors to money . couetousnesse . parsimony . deceipt . prouidence . monopoly . violence . vsury . couetousnesse was an old wretched leane fac'd fellow , that seldome sléep'd : for his eyes ( though they were great , and suncke at least two inches into his head ) neuer stood still , but rolled vp and downe , expressing a very enuious longing gréedinesse to enioy euery thing that they looked vpon . he neuer pared his nailes , and being often asked the reason why , he alwaies answered , that he saued them for his heire , for béeing cut off , after hée himselfe was dead , they might be put to sundry good thrifty purposes , as to make hornes ( being thinly scraped ) for a scriueners lanthorne to write by a nights , or to nocke arrowes , &c. hée kept not so much as a barber , but shaued his owne head and beard himselfe , and when it came to wey a pound , hée sold it to a frenchman to stuffe tennis balles . money ( his soueraigne ) cared not so much for him , as he did for her , she could make him do any vile office how base soeuer ; but because he was saucy , and would often checke her for taking her pleasures , séeking to restraine her of her liberties , she hated him , and was neuer more merry then when one brought her newes once that couetousnesse lay a dying . yet was he well beloued af the best citizens , and neuer rode through the city but he was staid , and feasted by many aldermen , and wealthy commoners , few courtiers loued him heartily , but onely made vse of him , because he was great , and could do much with money ( their empresse . ) prouidence was but of meane birth , the ladder by which he climbd to such high fortunes , as to be a councellor to money , being made by himselfe , much giuen to study , yet no great scholler , as desiring rather to be frée of the city , then to serue a long thréed-bare prentiship in the uniuersities . he is rarely séene in minerals , and distillations , and will draw aurum potabile , or fetch quick-siluer out of horse-dung , he will grow rich , and be in time the head warden of a company , though he were left by his friends but thrée shillings thrée pence stocke to set vp , such another he was as whittington , a very cat shall raise him if he be set vpon● , he is the best that writes almanackes in these times , and where the rest write whole calenders of lies for bar● forty shillings a yéere , ( seruingmens wages ) he foreséeing what will happen , buies vp all the commodities of one or two countries at one bargaine , when he knowes they will bee déere , and so makes vp his owne mouth , and for it , gets much fauour at the hands of couetousnesse his elder brother . parsimonie is kinsman to those two that go before , he is not vp yet : for he vseth to lie a bed till afternoone , onely to saue dinners , when he rises ( which will be presently ) the motion shall be shewen and interpreted to you . monopoly is a very good man where he takes , that is to say , . maner of waies . deceipt lookes a little a squint , yet is of déeper reach then any of the rest : for he doth oftentimes fetch ouer couetousnesse himselfe . he is great in lawyers bookes , and tradesmen not onely loue him , but their yongest wiues , thinke themselues highly happy , if at a running at tilt , at a maske or a play at court , or so ( as he oftē doth ) he will but voutchsafe to place them ( and the sports done ) he commonly sends them home lighted . he hath more followers then the . péeres of france , he studies machiauell , and hath a french face . violence hath borne many great offices , and money hath done much for him . he purchaseth lands daily : but looseth : mens hearts , some of the richer sort follow him & loue him : yet he cannot go thorough the stréetes , but the common people curse him , hee reades law as men reade hebrew ( backward ) and neuer makes one lawe , but he breaks two . of all men , he cannot abide a iustice of peace , yet oftentimes is hee séene at the sessions : many of his ancestors haue béene traytors , and by that meanes were still cut off before they were old men , the nobilitie hate him , he is a méere martiall man. vsurie was the first that euer taught money to commit incest with gold and siluer , her néerest kinsmen brokers are now their baudes , and kéepe the dores till the letchery of ten in the hundred be sated : he hath made many a man , but how ? to be damned , he is a great housekéeper , for thousands in the cittie liue vpon him ▪ and would hang themselues but for his sauing them . there is no more conscience in him then in tauerne faggots , yet yong gentlemen pray for him daily that he may be fetched quick to hell . he is an insatiable féeder : for a scriuener and he will eate vp foure men at a breakefast , and picke them to the bare bones . he loues not a preacher , because hee frights him out of his wits : for he neuer heares any of them talke to him but he thinkes himselfe damned . he hath no skill in arithmeticke , but onely in the rule of interest . he is the diuels tole-taker , and when he dies , lies buried with his ancestors in the widest vault of hell . these were the councellors whom money assembled together , to consult vpon hers and their owne safeties , from the base assaults of their wild and desperate enemy : who being solemnely set in their due places and the quéene of riches her selfe beeing aduanced vp into her imperial chaire , parsimonie ( who by this time was gotten vp and ready ) tooke vpon him to be speaker for all the rest . this parsimonie is a nasty batcheller of fourescore , one that neuer went trussed ( to preuent hanging ) to which end he will not be at charges of a paire of garters ( though they were but woollen lists ) for feare of temptation , his breches once were veluet , when his great grandfather wore them , and thrée-piled , but the pox of any pile can be seene there now , vnlesse betwéene the clifts of his buttocks , to saue a pennie , hee will damne halfe his soule , hee weares cloathes long , and will sooner alter his religion ten times , then his doublet once , his hatte is like his head , of the old blocke , he buies no gloues but of a groat a paire , and hauing worne them two daies hee quarrels with the poore glouer that they are too wide , or too ill stitched , & by base scolding and lorldly words gets his money againe , and the wearing of so much leather for nothing . he will be knowne by a paire of white pumpes some . or . yeares , onely by repairing their decaied complection with a péece of chalke . this whining parsimonie ( that for a supper of . pence will budge & slip his necke out of the coller from his owne father ) and that vowes neuer to marry , because he will not spend so much as may kéepe a childe , stood vp so well as he could stand with his crinckling hammes , and knowing that it was high time for him to be stirre his ●tumps , thus shot his bolt after much stammering , coughing and hemming , silence béeing first cryed , which accordingly was giuen him . the oration which parsimonie made before his empresse . o sacred money ! queene of kingdomes , mistres ouer the mines of gold and siluer , regent of the whole world : goddesse of courtiers , patronesse of schollers , protectresse of souldiers , fortresse of cittizens , & the onely comfort to saylors . me seemeth good and fit , ( brightest-facde lady ) sithence that bold and saucie begger , with her pennurious sunne-burnt troopes , armed onely with short troncheons vnder their arme-pits , and most commonly walking in thred-bare plimoth cloakes , haue made their impudent and contagious insurrection , that you ( at whose feete lie crownes to tread vpon ) being queene mother of the west and east indies , do presently giue ouer your needlesse expences and open houshkeeping in the country , where your swarming enemies lye in ambushes to attach you vpon the least issuing forth , and betake your selfe to the close safetie of the cittie , where your seame-rent and white bitten foes dare not ( within gun-shot approch , to be further sure of which , and least any spies should be sent to looke into the strength and wealth of that your principall and most secure fortresse , we haue ordeined that through euery ward ( for your happie safetie , and their vtter terrifying ) there be erected one sound , sufficient , and well painted whipping poste , the very sight of which wil not only scarre them , worse then the scowting face of a serieant being seen peeping through a red lettice , frights a yong gallant , but also in time driue the whole band of tatterdemalions from poste to piller . dixi. no sooner was dixi sounded , but the maine points of this parsimonions oration , came backe againe like an eccho from all the rest of the voices there present . all their breath blew one way , all their councels were directed and went only by this compasse . money weighing ( in the vpright scales of her iudgement ) their wise and thirsty opinions , found them not halfe a graine too light , and therefore very royally y●elded to whatsoeuer they consulted vpon , whereupon sodaine order was giuen , and all speedy preparation made for the entertainment and receiuing of money into the citie , whose presence all the cittizens day and night thirsted to behold . to set downe all the deuices , the intended merriments , the sh●wes , the ceremonies , the diligence of workemen for standings and scaffoldings , the inexplicable ioy of poets , who did nothing but pen encomious gratulatorie to bid her welcome , drinking healths in rich malago to the honour of her , and their mistresses , ( the nine muses ) and on the other side , to point to the life , the seuerall glad faces , gestures and action of the players , who had pined for her absence a long and tedious vacation : or to t 〈◊〉 what dressing vp of howses there were , by all the neate dames and ladies within the fréedome , what starching of ruffes , what poaking , wha● stiffning of falles , what painting of chéekes & lips , as if they had béene y● two leaued gates of a new chosē alderman , are able ( if they were set down at large ) to adde a third volume to our english chronicles . time at length turned vp his glasse , and the holliday ( so gapingly looked for ( was come . diuisum imperium cum ioue , nummus habet , had ioue béen hidden to dinner to the guyld hall on simon and iudes day , he could not haue had more welcomes giuen him then money had . oh! with what iocund hearts did the cittizens receiue her ? the mercers swore by their maydenhead , that all their polliticke pent-houses should bee clothed in cloth of siluer , & so they were . the silkemen guarded their very posts with gold lace , and thereupon euer since , the fashion of larding suites with so much lace is come vp : but aboue all , the company of the goldsmiths receiued her with the greatest honour , and she againe to pay their loues home , did as much or more honour them : for they spread all their stalles with gréene cotten , and so adorned their shoppes , that they looked like a spring garden , in which grew flowers of gold , set in such order , & comely equipage , it would haue rauished any poore mans eie to behold them . here ( in the very midst of the rowe ) she allighted from her chariot , staid a prety space , & enriched both the shopkéepers and their wiues with her presence , cheapning of . or . of them some of their fairest iewels , the beautie of their faces béeing of farre richer value then the costliest iewels there , and more worth ( beeing rightly estimated ) then the best stone in the whole rowe , and by this her staying at their stalles , heaped on their heads this grace besides . all her chosen courtiers came hereby acquainted with their delicate wiues , and euer after their husbands had of them perpetuall custome . at last mounting againe into her chariot she rode on : being as richly attended as her selfe was glorious , desert and learning ran by her side as her footemē , bounty guided the horses that drew her , lust , epicurisme , pride , and follie , were . querries of the stable , and had much adoe to leade a goodly-coloured fatte beast called sensualitie , that ( for more state ) went emptie by , money neuer riding on the backe of that spotted panther , but onely for speede and to ride away . beautie , honestie , youth and pleasure , came in a caroach behinde her , as her wayting women . old age ( her treasurer ) rode bare-headed before her : thrift carried the priuie purse : riot ( a smooth-fac'd ganimed ) slept in her lap , whose chéeke she would so often ki●●e , that he grew proud and carelesse of her fauours . what a world it was to see men ( whose backe bones were almost growne compasse , because their eies should still be fixed vppon their graues ) running more gréedily after her , then after physitions , to take off those diseases that hang most spitefully vpon age. some ran out of the church to sée her , with greater deuotion following her all the way that she went , then the former deitie they worshipped . young men did onely cast a glaunce at her , and staid not long in her ●●ght , other women pleased them better , if they we●e young courtiers , they had their mistresses , if merchants men , their maisters maides , that go fine by weight and measure , imitating in darke corners , their maisters profession : if seruingmen , the waiting wenches doe commonly fit them a peniworth , in this state magnificence and royalty this empresse arriues in the very heart of the city , a strong guard being planted about her , trenches , bulwarkes and fortifications ( inuincible as walles of iron ) being cast , raised vp , and manned against the assaults of her tottred enemies , who brake like so many wilde irish , and are left without the citie ▪ onely to rub their backes against the walles . presently ( for more defence ) were all the gates shut , the porcullises let downe , double lockes put to making , thicke barres to hammering , and all the subtilties which the wit of man could possibly find out , were put in practise to kéepe money safe within the city . to second which prouident courses proclamations went presently forth to banish all those that were like to be of pouerties company , for feare they should reuolt in time of most néede , wherupon many thousands , with bagge and baggage , were compelled to leaue the citie , and cling onely to the suburbs . in whose roomes money entertaines rich strangers of al nations , hauing those ( that should be ) these she puts into office , and traines them vp for soldiers , to be néerest about her , because shee sées they come well prouided and armed out of forraine countries : and therefore dares trust their diligence against those her halfe-shirted enemies , the rather because they cannot abide to sée a begger amongst them , especially if he be of their owne nation . the fires of this dissention growing hotter and hotter on both sides , were more likely to flame more fiercely then to be quenched by the aproach of pouerty and her ragged regiments , who by her scoutes vnderstanding that the golden idoll ( which so many fooles knéele to ) was carryed and kept close within the walles of the city , being as the pollodium was to troy , thither she marches with all spéed , but perceiuing all places of entrance barred vp , she pitcheth her tents round about the suburbs , planteth her artilery against the walles , leuelleth her great ordnance vpon the very wickets of the city gates , and by the sound of trumpet , did often summon money to appeare in her likenesse , and not to hide her proud & cowardly head . parlies were nine or ten times called on the forreners part that dwelt without , but no answere returned from those that slept within the frée-dome . which scornefull disdaine being taken in snuffe by the poore snakes ( who already began to shiuer with cold ) pouertie , ( their ringleader ) quickned the chilnesse of ther frozen spirits , by the heate of a braue resolution newly kindled in her owne bloud : for calling scatter-good her owne herald , that still rides before her , when any tempest of warre is towards , him she chargeth vpon his life and allegiance , to go to the walles , and boldly to throw in her name , a proud defiance in the very face of money , telling her , that for the safety of liues ( which ly in the ballance of warre ) she desires that two onely may arbitrate the quarrell in a monarchy , and that therefore pouerty challengeth money to leaue the city if she dare , and hand to hand to grapple with her . scatter-good ( because he was knowne to be an herald ) was admitted to haue a sight of money , and vpon first presenting himselfe , very stoutly deliuered his ladies defiance . money was no●ed to change colour , and to looke excéeding pale , all the while the challenge was breathing forth , either for very anger , or extreame feare , but those that knew her qualities swore it was with anger , and the conclusion iustified their oath , for on a soddaine shaking her golden tresses with a maiesticall brauery , she defied that base defiance in regard the sender was of slauish and beggerly condition . her selfe being high-borne , of bloud royall , of noble discent , the other a penurious fugitiue , a méere canting mort , traytor to all kingdomes , corrupter to all learning , & mother of none but such as are ●urdensome to euery common-wealth . they both standing therefore vpon so vnequall bases , money may by the law of armes , refuse the combat , and in plaine tearmes did so , disdaining to defile her glorious hands vpon so wretched and infamous an enemy , but with a full oath swore and vowed to weary pouerty and all her lank-bellied army , by driuing them quite from the gates of the city , or else to hold her and them play within so long , till she and her suncke-eyed company , famish and dye vnder the walles . and for that purpose , albeit she her selfe swim in pleasures and in plenty , and though the earth opens her wombe liberally , powring forth her blessing to all thankfull creatures , yet will she ( onely to vndo them and punish their carkases with pennury and famine , send her precepts into euery shire , to all rich farmers , land-lords , and graziers , that they ( by exprrsse commandement from her and her lords , vpon their allegiance and loue they owe to money , and as they are her slaues , vas●●iles and subiects , cause hard times to be made , onely to pinch the poore hungarians , and to disable their sallow facd empresse from once approaching the walles . these words she vttred with indignation , and high colour in her chéekes , and hauing eased the greatnesse of her wrath , commanded the messenger away : yet ere he went ( to shew that a true prince when he wrastleth hardest with his owne passions , should be carefull still of his renowne , fame and honours , she bestowed a golden chaine on scatter-good , which pouerty tooke from him , as scorning to sée any fauours ( giuen by her enemy ) worne by any of her subiects , especially her housholde seruants . scarce was the herald turnd out at the citty gates , but the glorious mother of plenty , checking her owne great spirit , for giuing her enemy so much cause to triumph ouer her as to proclaime her a coward , was halfe mad with rage at her owne folly , and in that heate of bloud , charged her droms to strike vp , her colours to be spread , her armies to be put in array , and the gates of the city to be set wide open for ( in a brauado ) she vowed to issue forth , and bid battaile to the beggerly tartarians that beleagerd her . but her councel ( wiser then so ) kept her in perforce , doubling the guards about her , and inchaunting her eare with all the bewitched tunes of musicke to cast her into a slumber till these stormes in her were at quiet , which if they had not done , but had pitched the field , as she once determined , it is ▪ by many probabilities ) thought , that pouerty had had a great hand ouer her , and would haue put her to the worst . they therefore locked her vp , as it were by iron force , compelling her against her frée-borne nature and condition , to be directed by them , and to lye close for a time , till noble aduantage should call her into action : and making present vse of her owne former spéeches , a common councell was called : where by the generall head it was ordered that hard-heartednesse should haue the keyes of the city in kéeping , his office and charge being , not to suffer money to goe out of the gates , though she her selfe in proper person commanded it , and was further ordained that precepts should presently be drawne , into all shires , countries and cities . the tenor of which precepts followeth . by the queene of gold and siluer . to all and singular our shires , countries , cities , corporations , townes , villages hamblets , &c. by what name or title soeuer , to whom these presents shall come , and to all you our obedient subiects , slaues and vassailes , commonly stiled by the names of money-mongers , viz. rich farmers , yong land-lords , engrossers , graziers , forestallers , hucksters haglers , &c. with all the residue of our industrious , hearty & louing people , in all or any of these our shires or places formerly recited , either now resident , or at any time or times hereafter to be resident , greeting . these are to will and require you vpon especial and expresse commandement deliuered in our owne person , and as you will answere the contrary at your vtmost perrils . first that you ( the said rich farmers ) by your best power , meanes , sleights , pollicies , by-waies , and thrifty endeuours , cast all the nets you can , to get all manner of graine that growes within your reach , and being so gotten to aduance , raise , and heighthen the prices of them , worke vpon the least inch of aduantage , make vse of all seasons , hot , cold , wet , dry , foule or faire , in one rainy weeke your wheate may swell from foure shillings the bushell , to six shillings , seuen shillings , nay eight shillings . sweepe whole markets before you , as you passe through one towne , if you finde the corne ( like mens consciences , and womens honesties ) low-prized , & sell the same in other townes when the price is enhanced . let the times be deere , though the grounds be fruitfull , and the markets kept empty though your barnes ( like cormorants bellies ) breake their butten-holes , and rather then any of pouerties soldiers , who now range vp and downe the kingdome , besieging our cities , & threatning the confusion , spoile and dishonour both of you and vs , should haue bread to relieue them . i charge you all vpon your allegiance , to hoord vp your corne till it be musty , and then bring it forth to infect these needy barbarians , that the rot , scuruy , or some other infectious pestilent disease , may ●un through the most part of their enfeebled army : ori● i , who may command , may perswade you , let mice and rats rather bee feast●d by you , and fare well in your garners , then the least and weakest amongst pouerties starued infantery , should get but one mout●full , let them leape at crusts , it shall be sport enough for vs and our wealthy subiects about vs , to laugh at them whilest they nibble at the baite , and yet be choaked with the hooke . next , we will and command , that you the young land-lords , who haue cause to go dancing to church after your old rotten fathers funerals , with all might & main stretch your rents , til the heart strings of those that dwell in them be ready to cracke in sunder . racke your poore neighbours , call in old leases , and turne out old tenants , those which your forefathers haue suffered quietly to enioy their liuings , and thereby to raise fat commodities to themselues , and begger families : change you their coppy , cancell their old euidences , race out all workes of charity , vndoe them in a minute , that haue stood the stormes of many an age , make the most of your riches , and the least of such poore snakes . when you let your land , carry many e●es in your head , looke into euery acre , into euery bush , euery ditch , euery turfe , wey euery blade of grasse to the full , that those who take it , may saue nothing by it , no not so much as shall keepe a black-bird , or a sparrow , turne forty pence an acre , into forty shillings , and laugh at the simplicity of your forefathers , make bitter iests vpon your dead gaffers , now you are made gentlemen of the first head , though it be by their digging in muck-hils , & in your queanes company pittie the capacity of the kerzy stockingd vvhoresons , for not hauing so much wit to raise profit as you their sonnes haue , nor had euer the meanes to spend it so fast . thirdly our high pleasure is , that all you engrosers of what name soeuer , buy vp the prime and pride of all commodities , that done , keepe them in your hands , to cause a dearth , and in the time of deerenes , marke them with what price you list . first and principally , i charge you , as you loue me , and for my only sake , who haue euer beene good lady to you all , that in times of plenty you transport your corne , butter , cheese and all needfull commoditiess into other countries , of purpose to famish and impouerish these hated whining wretches , that lye vpon the hands of your owne . hire ware-houses , vaults vnder ground , and cellers in the city , and in them imprison all necessary prouision for the belly , till the long nailes of famine breake open the dores , but suffer not you those treasured victuals , to haue their free liberties till you may make what prey you please of the buyers and cheapners . at which time i will prepare a certaine people that shall giue you your owne asking , and buy vp all you bring by the great , who shall afterwards sell it deerer then it was bought , by three parts , of purpose to choake this starueling scallion-eaters , whose breath is stinking in my nosthrils , and able to infect a quarter of the world . the people whom thus i promise to haue in a readines ▪ are well knowne what they are , some call them huksters or haglers , but they are to me as honest purueyers and takers , and these politicke smooth faced harpyes , shall out of a dearth raise a second deerenesse . these and such like omitting my precepts , to bakers , whose vpright dealing is not now to be weied , no , nor stood vpon , are the effects of my pleasure , which on your allegiance to me your empresse , i strictly command you to obserue and put in practise . no sooner was this precept drawne , but it went post into the country , no sooner was it read there ▪ but the world was new moulded , yet some say it neuer looked with a more ill-fauoured face . the farmers clapt their hands , 〈◊〉 went vp and downe shrugging their shoulders , land-lords set all the scriueners in the country to worke to draw leases , conueiances , defeisances , and i know not what , in thrée market daies , dearth was made clearke of the maket , the rich curmudgeons made as though they were sorry , but the poore husbandman looked heauily , his wife wrang her hands his children pined , his hyndes grumbled , his leane ouer-wrought iades bit on the bridle . they , who were in fauour with money , and were on her si●e sp●d wel enough but pouerties people were driuen to the wal , or rather downe into the kennell : for corne skipt from foure to ten shillings a bushell , from ten to twelue shillings , stones of boose began to be pretious , and for their price had beene w●●re in rings but that the stone cutter spoiled them in the grinding . mutten grew to be doere , two crownes a buttocke of pee●● , and halfe a crowne a wholesome breast of mutton , euery thing ( to say truth ) riz , except desert and honesty , & they could and nothing to rise by . pouerty was somewhat grieued , ( but little dismayed ) at these tyranous , godlesse and base procéedings of her enemy , because she herselfe and most of her army , haue béene old sernitors to the warres , and béen familiarly acquainted with emptinesse and necessity , casting therefore all her troopes into seuerall rings , she went from one to one , and in the middest of each , councelled them all not to be disheartened , but with her to endure what miseries soeuer , sithente she would venture formost and fardest in any danger that could come vpon them . she told them by way of encouragement , that where as money ( their daring enemy ) brags that she is the daughter to the sun , and quéene of both the indies . it is not so : for she is but of base birth bred , and begotten onely of the earth , whom she cannot deny to be her mother : and albeit it cannot be gainsayed , but that by her gripping of riches into her hands , she is owner of many faire buildings , parkes , forrests , &c. yet doth she oftentimes so farre forget her high birth , ( whereof shee vainly boasteth and those beauties of which a company of old misers , churles , & penny-fathers are with dotage enamoured , that now and then ( like a base common harlot ) she will lye with a cobler , a car-man , a collier , nay with the diuels owne sonne and heire , a very damned broker , with these will she ly whole yeares together , they shall handle her , embrace her , abuse her and vse her body after any villainous manner to satisfie their insatiable lust , whereas on the contrary part , quoth she , i that am your leader , famous ouer all the world , by my name and stile of pouerty , vnder whose enfignes , full of rents , as tokens of seruice and honour , you are all now come to fight , am well known to be a princesse , neither so dangerous nor so base as money shewes herselfe to be . money makes all seruice done to her a very bondage in them that do it : those whom she fanours most , are her onely slaues ; but pouerty giues all her subiects liberty to range whither they list , to speake what they list , and to do what they list , her easist impositions are burdens , but the burdens which i throw vpon any , grow light by being bor●e . who hath béene the foundresse of hospitals but i ? who hath brought vp charity but i ? am not i the mother of almes-doedes , and the onely nurse of deuotion ? do not i inspire poets with those sacred raptures that bind men , how dull and brutish soeuer , to listen to their powerfull charmes , and so to become regular ? doe not i sharpen their inuention , and put life into their verse ? and whereas money vaunts and beares her head high , by reason of her glorious and gallant troops that attend her , you all know , and the whole world can witnes with you , that kings , lords , knights , gentlemen , aldermen , with infinite others that were her deerest and wantonnest minions , haue vtterly forsaken her and her lasciuious pleasures , onely to liue with pouerty ( your quéene ) though now she be a little deiected in the eye of the world , though not in her owne worth . thus she spake , and her spéeches kindled such fi●es of resolution in the hearts of her soldiers , that the allarum was strucke vp , ordnance planted for batterie , sealing ladders made ready , and all the instruments of terrour and death put in tune , which were set to be played vpon at the assault of a cittie . they that kept their dennes like foxes in their holes , slept not , hearing such thundring : but armed themselues with as braue resolution to defend , as the other had to inuade . it was excellent musicke ( considering how many discords there were ) to heare how euery particular regiment in pouerties camp , threatned to plague the gold-finches of the cittie , and to pluck their feathers , if euer they made a breach . taylors swore to tickle the mercers , & measure out their sattins & velvets without a yard before their faces , when the prowdest of them all should not dare to say bo to a taylors goose. shoomakers , had a spite to none but the rich curriers , and swore with their very awle , to flea off their skins ( and the tanners ) ouer their eares , like old d●ad rabbets . euery souldier prickt downe one goldsmiths name or another , or else the signe in stead of the name , as the goate , the vnicorne , the bull , the hart. &c. swearing damnable oathes to pisse in nothing but siluer , in méers scorne , because he had oftentimes walked by a stall , when his teeth hath watred at the golden bits lying there : yet could not so much as licke his lips after them . there was one little dwarfish cobler with a bald pate , and a nose indented like a scotch saddle , who tooke bread and salt , and praid god it might be his last , if he ran not ouer all the fine dames that withstoode him , in blacke reuenge that hee neuer had their custome in his shop , because it could neuer be found out or séene , that any of them did euer treade her shooe awry . and thus as they without shot their terrible threatnings into the aire , so did those within , laugh to thinke how they should domineere ouer the shake-rags , if the warres might but cease . all this while were trenches cast vp of a great height by the poldauies to saue them from shot of the walles , whilst pouerties pioners had digd at least a quarter of a mile vnder the earth , and the mine with gun powder to blow vp one quarter of the cittie : but this béeing quickly descryed , was as spéedily preuented by a countermine , so that all that labour tooke not such fire as was expected : yet went the artillerie off on both sides , wilde fire flew from one to another , like squibs when doctor faustus goes to the diuell , arrowes flew faster then they did at a catte in a basket , whē prince arthur , or the duke of shordich strucke vp the drumme in the field , many bullets were spent , but no breach into monies quarters could be made : they that fought vnder her cullers were very wary , polliticke strong , and valiant , yet would they not venture forth but on great aduantages , because they had somthing to loose , but pouerties wild bandetti , were desperate , carelesse of danger , gréedy of spoile , and durst haue torne the diuell out of his skinne to haue had their willes of money , but night ( like a surly constable ) commanding them to depart in peace , and to put vp their tooles . this assault ( which was the first ) gaue ouer , euery captaine retyring to his place , the desperueines ( on pouerties side ) comming off at this time with the most losse . few attempts were after made to any purpose : onely certain yong prodigall heires , who ( as voluntaries ) maintained themselues in seruice vnder money , were appointed to be light-horsemen for discouery of the enemies forces ( as she lay incamped ) who now and then in a few light skirmishes had the honour to issue forth , and to set vpon the assailants that beleagured the cittie : but pouertie still draue them either in to their owne shame , or else had them in execution ( euen in despight of the cittie forces ) and put them euer to the worst . the gold-beaters ( who knew themselues on a sure ground within the walles ) lingred of purpose , and would neuer bring it to a battaile , onely to wearie the aduersarie , whom they meant to vndoe by delay , because she could not hold out long for want of victuals . they within cared not though ten thousand diuels amongst them , so money ( their mistresse ) whom they worshipped as a god , would not leaue their company , and the rascoll déere that ( without the walles ) were euery howre hunted out of breath , vowed to eate vp one another , before they would raise the seige , and be hanged vp like dogs ( at the c●ttie gates ) for they were now accounted no better then dogs , but they would haue their peniworths out of money for a number of wrōgs which by her meanes they had endured , when she hath seene them and their children ready to starue , yet scornd to reléeue their necessities . thus both their stomacks beeing great , and aswell the defendants as the assailents resolutely confirmed to sta●d vpon their guard , and to stay the vtmost of any miserie that could waite vppon a lingring warre ▪ behold the rich-plumde estridges , who had most fethers on their backes , and least cause to murmure , began to mutinie amongst themselues , the imprisoning of money ( their sole soueraigne ) so close within stony battlements , did not shew well : they were loyal● subiects to her & would free both her & themselues , vnlesse she might vse her sports and princ●ly pleasures as she had wont mercers had their shops musty , and their silkes moldie for want of customers , goldsmiths had t●eir plate hid in cellors , where it lay most richly , but looked more pittifully and with worse cullour , then prisoners lying in the hole . haberdashers had more hats then they could finde heads to weare them , if they had béene such arrant blockes themselues to haue giuen their wares away , trades had no doings , all the men were out of heart by beeing kept in , and all the women ready to be spoyled for want of walking to th●ir gardens : euerie one spent & spent , but who tasted the sweetenes ? in stead of selling their wares , they plyed nothing now but getting of children , and scowring of péeces . in stead of what doe you lacke ? was heard arme , arme , arme. this géere was to be looked into , and therefore they desi●ed their gratious empresse ( money ) not to lye lasing thus in a chamber , but either that she would be more stirring , that they ( her subiects might haue better stirrings too , and ( opening the cittie gates ) to fight it out brauely , or else they vowed there were at least ten thousand ( whose names stood now in her muster booke ) that shortly if this world lasted , would shut vp their dores , shew her a faire paire of héeles , and from her fly into the hands of pouertie their enemie . upon the necke of this , came likewise a supplication from certaine troopes of uintners without the barres , inkéepers , common uictuallers and such like , who plaid y● iackes on both sides , and were indéede neuters , a linsey-wolsey people , that tooke no part , but stood indifferent betwéene money , and pouerty , the tenor of which petition presents it selfe thus to the world . the pittifull petition of vintners , victuallers , inkeepers , &c. without the barres : to the great empresse of old mens harts , and yong mens pleasures , yclipped money . hvmbly sueth to you● currant excellency , your vncustom'd drooping suppliants , the vintners , and innekeepers , and others of the ale-draperie , that are bard out of the cittie : whereas through the extreame deadnesse of time and terme , we all run backward in our condition , hauing great rents to pay , and greater scores , which will neuer bee paid , guests now being glad if they can make vs take chalke for cheese , our wines lying dead vpon our hands , and complaining for want of good doings : we our selues making many signes to passengers , but few comming at vs , and hanging vp new bushes , yet hauing onely beggers hansell , trimming our roomes for no better men then barbers and taylors , a rapier scarce beeing seene in a veluet scabert within . yards of our precincts . — quis talia fando , myrmidonum , dolopumi●e , aut duri miles vlissi temperet a lach●imis ! o neither the mermaide , no● the dolphin , not he at mile-end greene , can when he list be in good temper when he lackes his mistres ( that is to say money . ) may it therefore please thee ( o thou pay-mistresse to all the fidlers that should haunt our howses , if thou wouldest put them in tune ) to send ( at least ) some of thy harpers to sound their nine-penie musicke in our eares , but we rather humbly beg it , that thou wouldest enrich vs with thy angellike-presence , be no longer percullized vp in the citie , visit the subburbes , against thy comming all her cawseies shall be paued & made euen , how broken soeuer her conscience be left and vnmended . our houses stand emptie , as if the plague were in them , onely for want of thee , our drawers cannot be drawne to any goodnesse , nor our hostlers to deale honestly with horse or man , onely by reason of thee : issue therefore forth amongst good fellows , that will sooner fight for thee , then those snudges & miserable cormorants that now feede vpon thee . this lamentable supplication ( together with the feare of a mutiny amongst her soldiers ) so wrought with the empresse , that ( cleane against the perswasion of her councell ) she determined to leaue the cittie , and to march into the field : hereupon her army royall was set in order , to the intent she might take a full view of all her colonels , generals , captaines and men of warre . she went from squadron to squadron , not so much delighting her owne eies with beholding so many thousands ready to fight in her defence , as they were gréedy to enioy her presence , which with braue encouragement lifted vp the deadest spirit , all swore to follow her , none to leaue her , or if any did , a curse was laid vpon him to die a begger . the first regiment consisted of courtiers , some of them being lords ( who came very well prouided ) some knights , ( but most of the valiant knights that were true soldiers indéed , serued in the other armie ( councellors at law gaue directions where to encampe , what ground was best to defend themselues and annoy the foe , by what trickes and stratagems to circumuent her , how to leade the troopes on , how to come off , and by plaine demonstration shewed how easie it was to put pouertie to her shifts , and to haue her & her troopes in execution , if money would be pleased to say the word , and for that purpose they made orations to set the armies together by the eares , which accordingly tooke effect , attorneys were very busie , and serued as clarkes to the bandes , running vp and downe from one rancke to another expressing a kinde of puzled and dizzie distraction in all their businesses . but that which made the best shew of all , was a lane of brokers , who handled their pieces passing well , & were old dog at a marke , they had skill in any weapon , musket , caliuer , petronel , harguibusse , a crock , pollax , holbert , browne-hill , pike , dimilance , sword , bow and arrowes , nothing came amisse to them , and which was most strange they fought by the booke , at a breach none so forward as they , they had beene at the ransacking of many a house , and would vndertake to vndoe all the troopes that were led by pouertie . these brokers were armed with thrumd cappes , ( but they should haue had murrions ) and those they wore to keepe their wits from taking cold : for they had all diuellish heads , and were suited in sparke of veluet iackets with out sleeues , tuft taffatie bréeches , close to them like irish stroozes , sattin doublets with sagging bellies , as if ●agpuddins had bumbasted them , and huge dutch aldermens sleeues , armed strongly with back péeces of canuas , dugeon daggers instead of pistols hanging by their sides , fine p●●d silke stockens on their legs , tyed vp smoothly with caddis garters , all which had béene taken as spoiles from the other armie . the inuader vnderstanding that the quarrell would be decided in a pitcht field , and that crackt crownes would be both giuen and taken on either side , grew excéeding ioyfull : and therefore calling for sharker ( one of her boldest & wittiest heralds ) him she sent to money , to know where the rendeuous should be made for both armies to meete in , and what péece of ground should be best famous to posterities by their battaile . money tooke aduice vpon this , most of her old beaten captaines , laboured earnestly to haue it at bagshot , but all the gallants cryed baw waw at him that named bagshot , so that for a quarter of an hower , none could be heard to speake , there was such a baw wawing . the herald sharker , in name of his mistresse , who sent him , requested it might be at beggers bush . but euery soldier swore that was a lowzy place , and so for a day or two , it rested vncertaine and vndetermined . in which interim , a murmuring went vp and downe that not onely pouerty had maintained this terrible siege against the city , but that dearth also , famine and the plague , were lately ioyned with the same army , besides many strange and incurable diseases were crept into the camp , that followed money : for ryot her minion , was almost spent , and lay in a consumption . a hundred in a company were drowned in one night in french bowles : fiue times as many more were tormented with a terrible gnawing about their consciences . all the usurers in the army had hung themselues in chaines , within lesse then three howers , and all the brokers , being their bastards , went crying vp and downe , the diuell , the diuell , and thereupon because they should not disquiet the rest of the soldiers , they were fetched away . these and such other vnexpected mischifes , put money into many feares , doubts and distractions , so that she inwardly wished that these vnlucky warres had either neuer béene begun , or else that they were well ended ▪ by the conclusion , if it might be , of some honourable peace . and as these stormes of misery fell upon money and her troopes , so was the army of pouerty plagued as much , or more on the other side : nothing could be heard amongst the souldiers but cries , complaints , cursings , blasphemies , oathes , and ten thousand other blacke and damned spirits , which euer hawnted them and their generall herselfe . want pinched them in the day , and wildnesse and rage kept them waking and raueing all the night . their soules were desperate , their bodies consumed , they were weary of their liues , yet compelled to liue for furder miseries , and nothing did comfort them but a foolish hope they had to be reuenged vpon money . so that so many plagues , so many diseases , so many troubles and inconueniencies following both the armies ( by meanes of the tedious siege ) a perpetuall truce , league and confederacy was confirmed by money and pouerty , and the councellors on either part : that in euery kingdome , euery shire , and euery city , the one should haue as much to doe as the other : that pouerties subiects should be euer in a redinesse ( as the switzers are for pay ) to fight for money , if she craued their aid , & that money againe should help them whensoeuer they did néede : and that sithence they were two nations so mighty and so mingled together , and so dispersed into all parts of the world , that it was impossible to seuer them . a 〈…〉 presently enacted , that fortune should no longer bee blinde , but that all the doctors and surgeons should by waters , and other 〈◊〉 helpe her to eies , that she might see those vpon whom shee bestowes her blessings , because fooles are serued at her doale with riches , which they know not how to vse , & wise men are sent away like beggers from a misers gate with empty wallets . the armies hereupon brake vp , the siege raised , the citty gates set wide open . shop keepers fel●●● their old , what doe you lacke : the rich men feast one another ( as they were w●nt ) and the poore were kept poore 〈◊〉 in pollicy , because they should doe no more hurt . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 eliza●eth● death . king iames his coronation . * a booke so called , written by the author , describing the horror of the plague in , when there dyed . of that disease . king of england , and christierne king of denmarke . notes for div a -e the maner how bank●uptisme is entertained , and at what gate . solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris . misery makes men cunning . his qualities . his disguises . his policy . against forced mariages . against cruell creditors . against vnconsionable maisters . and odde yee●es since london was first builded by b●ute . against want of places for buriall in extremity of sicknes . . against want of prouision for those that dye in the fields . the conclusion . notes for div a -e the miseres that a plague brings to men. play-houses stand empty . poets walke in me●ancholy . ne● dant proceres ●eque histriones . ignauum corrumpunt otia corpus . the beares are hardly put downe . paris garden an image of hell . poore men cōtending with rich men , are as dog● fighting with beares . innocence punished . no slaue like the soothing vp of fooles in their vices . nulla est sincera ●ai●●ta● . excellence of histories . et quae mox imitêre legas . discitur hinc nullos mer●tis obsifiere casus . discitur hinc quantum pau● pertas sobre● possit . a commotion . o quantum cogit egestus vvhat vices are companions ( for the most part ) with pouerty . the quarrel betweene money and pouerty . diuitis hoc viti●●● e●t auri . ciuell wa●res of fraunce . diuision of the two houses . low country warres . the chiefe cities of christendome . the princes that raise these warres . pouerty & her army . mony and her army . auri sacra ●ames quid non mortalia cog●s pectora . poore men fall not first out with the rich , but the rich with them . rich men hate poore men . the poore may begge . o nosiri infami● 〈◊〉 . onites diomedi● equi eusidis ●ra . clementes . sors vbi pe●●i●● ri●um sub pedibus timor est . qui nil potest sperare desperet nihil . money hard to be spoken with . open warre . pouerties speech to her councell . the villany of bank-routes . dum ciuitas erit , pauperes er unt . pouertie brings any man on his knees . discontent described . a●●●ic●●●ga●dereget . despaire . hunger . sloth . repining . industry . beggery . misery . a presse for soldier● to serue pouerty . low country soldiers come from thence to fight vnder pouerty here . hals of euery company furnish men on both sides . carelesnesse learning held ●n contempt . yonger brothers . old seruingmen the gaurd to pouerty . banckrowtes come to pourty but as spies . masters vndon by seruants , serue in the rareward . poore attorneys . pandors euer poore . baudes seldom rich . notes for div a -e the life of a sensuall man. riches make men cowards . councellors to money . couetousnesse couetous men are slaues to that which is a slaue to them . prouidence . parsimonie . monopoly . deceipt hath many great friends in the cittie . violence . might ouercomes right . nullum violentum perpetuum . vsurie . a broker is an v●●●ers baude . parsimony . praises of money . 〈…〉 mana 〈…〉 . paren● . money entertayned into the citty . and by whom● mercers . silkemen . goldsmiths . hee is wise enough that hath wealth enough . any thing to be had for money . old men most greedy of mony when money & they are vpon pa●ting for euer . some for money will sell religion . riches are yong mens har●ots . how carefull rich men are of their wealth . strangers . pouerty layes siege to the city . rich men are deafe , and cannot heare poore mens cries . scatter good ●ent to mony . they that haue nothing en●y 〈◊〉 that are wealthy . money giues men courage . how scarcity of victuals gro●●● in the land. couetousnesse of ●●ch farmers makes the country poore , and the people to pine . how corne riseth in prise , & maketh deere the markets . cruelty of land-lords in ●acking of 〈◊〉 is the vndoing of many ●ousholders . how 〈◊〉 & chee●e grow deere . hagglers . bakers . euery man pin ▪ 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 . pouerty comforteth her followers . paupertatemque ferendo , ●ffe●ere le●em nec iniqua mente ferendo . et laris et sundi paupertas mapulet a●dax vt versus face . em . no trade loues one another . the citty besi●ged . tutum carpit inanis iter prodigall heirs meete soonest with pouerty . dead termes & times that are cold in doings pinch the rich as well as ●he poore . a supplication from the inhabitants of the suburbs . mony takes a view of all her army . lords , knights , lawyers . aturnies . brokers come well armde . famine and the plague come along with pouerty to besiege the city . nulla salus b●ll● pacem to poscimus omnes . a truce . the siege is raised . a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayley, on the and days of july, containing the tryals of several persons for murder, many for robberies : one young fellow found guilty of a rape, also the tryal of a female-muggleton for blasphemy, and for all the other malefactors that for any considerable crimes were there arraigned : with the number of those that are condemn'd, burn'd in the hand, and to be whipt, &c. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayley, on the and days of july, containing the tryals of several persons for murder, many for robberies : one young fellow found guilty of a rape, also the tryal of a female-muggleton for blasphemy, and for all the other malefactors that for any considerable crimes were there arraigned : with the number of those that are condemn'd, burn'd in the hand, and to be whipt, &c. england and wales. court of quarter sessions of the peace (london) [ ], p. printed for d.m., london : . "with allowance." imperfect: pages faded with print show-through. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng trials -- england. crime -- england. criminals -- england. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - derek lee sampled and proofread - derek lee text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly , on the , and , days of july , . containing the tryals of several persons for murder ; many for robberies . one young fellow found guilty of a rape . also the tryal of a female-muggleton for blasphemy . and all other the malefactors that for any considerable crimes were there arraigned . with the number of those that are condemn'd , burn'd in the hand , and to be whipt , &c. with allowance . london : printed for d. m. . a narrative of the proceedings at the session for london and middlesex , holden at the old bailey , on the third and fourth days of july , . the first brought to a tryal was a young man charged with stealing a silver tankard of the value of l. s. out of a gentlemans house in the parish of st. brides ; the prisoner appeared to be of an idle loose conversation , but no proof being made directly of his taking the plate , nor its being found with , or disposed of by him , ( for indeed it never was heard of ) he was thereupon brought in not guilty . an elderly comely woman was convicted of stealing a green silk petticoat on the first of july , from a shop keeper near pauls , whither she came on pretence of buying , but it being missed before she was out of sight , she was brought back , and at the end of the shop , droped the petticoat , but the jury were so favorable , as to value it but at d. so that her back is like to pay the wages due to the activity of her fingers . the next was a young fellow for a filthy bruitish offence being arrained on the statute of eliz. cap. . for having the carnal knowledge of a maiden child , under the age of ten years , the case was thus , ( as far as 't is necessary or fit with modesty to be related ) on the twenty fifth of may last , a poor woman-sent her child being between eight and nine years old to a masters house of hers for six pence , which she had before earned ; this gentleman happened then to be abroad , and the prisoner ( a lusty lad of about or years old ) being his prentice , invited the girl in , but she refusing , he pluckt her in and carried her into a back room , telling her he would give her the six pence anon , but having shut the door , laid her on the chairs , and fell to practice his brutality , the consequence of which is , that the child to this day has a disease , as was attested by a chirurgeon belonging to the hospital where she is in cure ; the child fearing the mother would have beat her , did not presently declare the matter , though she came home crying , but there was little notice taken then , nor indeed till on the wednesday following , some unusual symptomes caused the mother to inquire into it , and then had a full discovery ; nor did the prisoner when soon after she taxed him much deny it , but seemed to make some overtures of paying d. a week toward her cure ; so that the matter of fact was proved as was possible in such a case by the testimony of a midwife , and other matrons , and the child 's own relation who declared it very plainly in court , upon all which he was found guilty , and being by the statute excluded from benefit of clergy was condemn'd to dye . another young fellow was convicted for stealing a silver tankard valued at five pound ten shillings at stepney , on the thirteeth of may , it was taken with him before he was far gone , viz. in the house of office , being seen by one who told the master of the house to take it out of the room , where he and another companion of his were a drinking ; he now pretended that fearing his associate might be naught , he took the tankard with him to the necessary house , only to secure it , and meant to have presently brought it in , having no thoughts of stealing it , but the jury had little reason to believe him , and therefore brought him in guilty . a woman was indicted for stealing a very great quantity of apparel , and rich linnen , divers pieces of gold , and three l. in silver , to which she resolutely pleaded guilty , and was afterwards tryed for another felony , but upon that acquitted being an old offender , she was for the first condemned , but by a jury of women was found quick with child . there were several indictments brought against a fellow , one for stealing a wheelbarrow and shovel , another for horses harness at maribone , &c. but he pleaded guilty to them , all within benefit , which yet was like to be no benefit to him , for it was said he had been burnt in the hand at kingston , and tyed up at maidston before , however that not appearing , he was now for surety sake burnt foundly . after this succeeded indictments of murder against four several persons . the first , a young fellow , who on the th of june at pancrass , going to drink in a nine-pin-yard with a man that wrought together with him ; the other was trying his skill to tip the four corner-pins , and the prisoner to interrupt him flung his hat at them : whereupon the other person now dead took his hat , and carried it over a bank , and there flung it into water , and stamped on it ; but still in a way of merriment , which the now prisoner thought to answer by taking up one of the pins , and with both hands heaving or tossing it towards him , intending , as he alleadged , and some of the witnesses believed , onely to dash up the water upon him : but the pin unhappily hit him on the left part of the head nigh the ear , and so fatally , that it knockt him down for the present ; and though he got up and went home , seeming pretty well , yet the next day he died . however , there appearing no malice preceding , the prisoner was onely found guilty of manslaughter , and burnt in the hand . the second , was a person charged with killing his wife . the matter of fact was thus : on the of may , about eleven a clock at night a noise , and , as some said , a crying out was heard ; and neighbours coming out , found this woman lying at her own door almost dead ; but no body near her : they carried her into an house , and using means brought her to life , so as to speak , desiring to be put to bed ; but though asked , she did not declare any body had wronged her . however there was a suspition her husband had beaten her ; and some asking him about it , he at first denied it ; but afterwards said , if he did , it was onely with his hands and feet , as one witness alleadged . the woman died about two hours after , and there was no bruise found about her that could be judged mortal : besides , it was proved she had most part of her life been troubled with fits , and especially of late ; and likewise had a little before received some hurt by a cows kicking . upon the whole matter , there appeared no reason for judging him the means of her death ; and therefore he was acquitted . the third , was a carpenters man , who getting up on a strange horse to ride him to water , assoon as he was on his back the horse run away with him , and in fanchurch-street flung down a deaf and dumb lad of about years old , so violently , that he soon after died ; but it being evident that the prisoner could not rule the horse , but had his own life at the same time endangered by a fall , he was likewise discharged . the fourth was more black and fatal , which was of a foot souldier , who on the th of june , marching towards brainford , had it seems drank too much , and lay asleep in a field in chiswick parish , where a countryman was cutting pease , who observing that he had neither sword nor belt , concluded somebody in that condition might have stoln them from him ; and therefore seeing afterwards three other soldiers come along , desired them to wake him , and take him with them , which they , though strangers , were willing to do . they found him lying on his musquet , and that cockt , which one of them uncockt , and with much difficulty awaked him , desiring him very civilly to go along with them , and not lie there , lest he should lose his arms ; withal asking him if his musquet were loaden , who answered swearing , that it was both with powder and ball ; but instead of going with them turned back towards london ; whereupon the person killed , very courteously and with kinde words , took him by the arm and turned him the other way , telling him that was the way they were to march , and he would help him along ; but the prisoner tumbling down , and as they were standing at a small distance , rising up again upon his knees , cocks his musquet again , and presents it at them , and giving fire , shot one of the three souldiers into the right part of the belly , just below the sash , making a wound of two inches broad and ten deep , of which he instantly died without speaking a word , and his comrade and the rest seiz'd the prisoner , who had now nothing to say for himself , save only that he was in drink , but that was an insufficient excuse in law , it appeared he knew his musket , to be charged with a bullet , and that he voluntarily cockt it again , when they out of their care had uncockt it , so that he was necessarily found guilty of murder , and received sentance of death . a notable shop-jilt , was tryed for stealing of yards of taffata ribbon , on the tenth of june , out of a shop in cornhill , the gentlewoman that prosecuted being alone in her shop , and finding her customer so nice and hard to be pleased suspected her , and turning up her scarfe , saw the piece of ribbon under her arm , which thereupon she dropt ; all that she had now to alleadge was , that it was her way , to put her hands under her scarfe , but she had no intention good-woman to steal the ribbon ; however , she is like to be led and drove both at once another way , being sentenced to be whipt at the carts tail , the jury finding it but of the value of ten pence . a country fellow was indicted for having two wives , married to the first about six years agoe in cheshire , to the second about two years ago at dukes place , the last he owned , but denied the first , though he had formerly confest it before a magistrate , yet there being no other proof , for the woman her self could be none , he was acquitted . a souldier was convicted of felony , for departing from his colours without leave , contrary to the form of the statute , it was proved that he had been mustered and received pay , and had absented himself , and torn the lace off his hat , and changed his habit , that he might not be known , for which offence he was condemned . a man and his wife having been lodgers at a butchers , were indicted , together with another woman for stealing of two hundred and ten pound out of one of his rooms , when all the family were at their shop in newgate market , which 't was supposed was done by counterfeiting a key to the door ; there were divers witnesses examined , but none that could directly or expresly fasten it on the prisoners , so that they came off not guilty . the last tryed were a woman for stealing a silver tankard , worth seven pound ten , about three years ago , and a man for stealing another silver tankard , sept. last from an ale-house in st. martins in the fields , who were both found guilty , the man having been burnt in the hand before was set by for transportation , and the woman having been an old offender , received sentance of death . in all there were five condemned , three men , and two women , six burnt in the hand , and five ordered to be whipt , several that were in goal on suspition of robberies on the highway , and burglaries in the country , were ordered to be carried the respective circuits , and in calling over the goal , the maid formerly committed for blasphemy was brought to the bar , and askt several questions , to which she modestly answered , seeming to confess her having taken upon her to be god , and yet declaring that she went to church , and being demanded the reasons why she went thither , replyed , to hear the word of god , so that the court having gravely advised her to repent , askt if she could procure good bail , and who would do so much for her , she said , she did not doubt but some of her masters that she had lived with would be her sureties , having as she declared , lived in london twenty years ; in the mean time till she could provide such bail , she was sent back to prison . finis . greenes ghost haunting conie-catchers wherein is set downe, the arte of humouring. the arte of carrying stones. will. st. lift. ia. fost. law. ned bro. catch. and blacke robins kindnesse. with the conceits of doctor pinch-backe a notable makeshift. ten times more pleasant than anything yet published of this matter. rowlands, samuel, ?- ? approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) greenes ghost haunting conie-catchers wherein is set downe, the arte of humouring. the arte of carrying stones. will. st. lift. ia. fost. law. ned bro. catch. and blacke robins kindnesse. with the conceits of doctor pinch-backe a notable makeshift. ten times more pleasant than anything yet published of this matter. rowlands, samuel, ?- ? greene, robert, ?- . [ ] p. printed [by p[eter] short?] for r[oger] iackson, and i. north, and are to be sold in fleetstreete, a little aboue the conduit, london : . dedication signed: s.r., i.e. samuel rowlands. also sometimes attributed to robert greene, and in fact partly plagiarized from him and others. identification of publisher from and printer's name conjectured by stc. signatures: a-f⁴ g² . running title reads: greenes ghost haunting conicatchers. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the 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site . eng crime -- england -- early works to . criminals -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (oxford) sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion greenes ghost havnting coniecatchers . wherein is set downe , the arte of humouring . the arte of carrying stones . will. st. lift. ia. fost. law. ned bro. catch . and blacke robins kindnesse . with the conceits of doctor pinch-backe a notable makeshift . ten times more pleasant then any thing yet published of this matter . non ad imitandum , sed ad euitandum . london , printed for r. iackson , and i. north , and are to be sold in fleetstreete , a little aboue the conduit . . to all gentlemen , merchants , apprentises , farmers , and plaine countrimen , health . it is most true , gentlemen , and wofull experience dayly teacheth vs , that the more carefull princes are in erecting & establishing good lawes , for the rooting out of vice in the common wealth , the more repugnant ( the diuell altogether predominant ouer them ) do euil disposed persons , caterpillers , and the off-scumme of the world ( and therfore to be reiected and excommunicated from the fellowship of all honest men ) oppose themselues against god and good gouernement , and in steede of an honest and ciuill cariage ( which the lawe prescribes them ) betake them to a most hatefull , vicious , and detestable life : who , as they may well be compared to vipers , most venimous and spitefull beasts , that for their venime and poison are hated and shunned of all men , as most preiudiciall creatures : so these base people , not once thinking of an honest course of life , trusting vpon their owne mother wits , dayly deuise newe shifts and policies , to fleece the plaine dealing man , and by that meanes growe into more hate amongst honest men , then do the hated iewes at this day : and the name of conicatchers is so odious , that now a dayes it is had vp , and vsed for an opprobrious name for euerie one that sheweth the least occasion of deceit . the bookes that were not long ago set forth , concerning conie-catching and crosse-biting , and the discouerie of each ( if anie sparke of grace were ) might haue beene so manie restraints and bridles to call them from that abominable life , but they that are giuen ouer to their owne hearts lust , with all their might inueigh both against them and their authour . i haue therefore , gentlemen , as one inforced ( amore patriae ) taken in hand to publish this little pamphlet ( which by a very friend came by a chance to my hands , and adding somewhat of mine owne knowledge , and vpon verie credible information ) most necessarie in my mind for the good of the common wealth , both for all men to see , what grosse villanies are now practised in the bright sunne-shine , that thereby they may be forewarned to take heede how they conuerse with such cosoning companions : as also a iust checke and controll to such wicked liuers , that they perceiuing their goodnesse set abroch , may with remorse and penitencie forsake their abominable course of life , and betake them to a more honest and ciuill behauiour . if any with the spider heere seeke to sucke poison , let such a one take heede , that in practising his villany he chaunce commence bachelor in whittington colledge , and so in good time take his degrees and proceede doctor , and thence with a solemne procession take possession of doctor stories cappe ; to which some of the worshipfull companie of conicatchers haue worthily heretofore attained . in this treatise ( louing countrimen ) you shall see what shifts this crue of helhounds haue put in practise since the bookes of conicatching came forth vnder these names . viz. the art of humoring . the art of carrying stones ; w. st lift. ia. lame . ned br. catch , and blacke robins kindnesse : wherin are manifested the nature of humorists , such as can insinuate themselues into euerie mans companie : & as they see him addicted , so will they verse vpon him , what policies they haue to purloine goods out of shops vnder the pretence of plainnesse , what shifts they haue to cosen poore alewiues , by the art of carrying stones , what inconuenience may come by following slattering strumpets , i know not i what should be the cause why so innumerable harlots and curtizans abide about london , but because that good lawes are not looked vnto : is there not one appointed for the apprehending of such hellmoths , that eat a man out of bodie & soule ? and yet there be more notorious strumpets & their mates about the citie and the suburbs , then euer were before the marshall was appointed : idle mates i meane , that vnder the habit of a gentleman or seruing man , think themselues free from the whip , although they can giue no honest account of their life . i could wish , and so it is to be wished of euery honest subiect , that amasis lawe were receiued , who ordained that euerie man at the yeares end should giue an account to the magistrate how hee liued , and he that did not so , or could not make an account of an honest life to be put to death as a fellon , without fauor or pardon : what then should become of a number of our vpstart gallants , that liue only by the sweate of other mens browes , and are the decay of the sorwardest gentlemen and best wits ? then should we haue fewer conicatching strumpets , who are the verie causes of all the plagues that happen to this flourishing common wealth . they are the destruction of so manie gentlemen in england . by them many lordships come to ruine . what dangers growe by dallying with such vnchast libertines , and what inconuenience followes by their inordinat pleasures , let those that haue had wofull experience and maister surgeon together testifie : nay , they not onely indanger the bodie by lothsom diseases , but ingraue a perpetuall shame in the forehead of the partie , and finally consume his soule and make him fit for the diuell . to leaue these base companions ( that can by no wholsom counsell , nor aduised perswasions bee disswaded from their lothsom kind of lise , nor called to any honest course of liuing ) in the dregges of their dishonesty . would it please the honorable and worshipfull of the land to take order for the cutting off of these cosoners , and consuming cankers of this common wealth , they should not only cause a blessing to be powred on this flourishing state , but haue the prayers of euery good subiect for their prosperous health : and welfare . and thus gentlemen , i conclude with this farewell : god either conuert or confound such base companions . yours to vse , s. r. to the reader . vse and peruse not with a curious eye , for truth oft's blamde , yet neuer telleth lie . i tell not i , what forraine men haue done , but follow that which others haue begun . no learned clearke in schooles that vse to write , but enuie makes their labours some to spite . what then shall i , that write a homely stile , thinke but to haue a homely scoffing smile . but these and those that either mocke or skorne , would they might weare ( faire sight ) acteons horne . but you kind friends , that loue your countries wealth , vouch of my labours , good fortune guide your health . to pleasure most , and profit all 's my end , my greatest care to please both foe and friend . reade then kind friends , my trauell heere you haue , i looke for nought , nought but your loues i craue . greenes ghost haunting conicatchers . there hath béene of late daies published two merrie and pithie pamphlets of the arte of conicatching : wherin the author hath sufficiently expressed his experiēce , as also his loue to his countrie . neuerthelesse with the authors leaue , i will ouerlooke some lawe tearmes expressed in the first part of conicatching : whereunto , as the author saith , is necessarilie required thrée parties : the setter , the verser , and the barnacle . indéed i haue heard some retainers to this ancient trade dispute of his procéedings in this case , and by them in a full synode of quart pots it was thorowlie examined and concluded , that there were no such names , as he hath set downe , nor anie cheating arte so christened as conicatching . marie , in effect there is the like vnderhand traffique daylie vsed and experienced among some fewe start vp gallants disperst about the suburbs of london , who tearmes him that drawes the fish to the bait , the beater , and not the setter : the tauerne where they go , the bush , and the foole so caught , the bird. as for conicatching , they cleape it batfowling , the wine the strap , and the cards the limetwigs . now for the compassing of a woodcocke to worke on , and the fetching him into the wine bench of his wracke , is right beating the bush . the good asse is he will be dealt vpon , stouping to the lure if he be so wise as to kéep aloofe , a haggard : and he whom he makes verser the reiciuer , and the barnacle the pothunter . but all this breakes no square , so long as we concurre in eodem subiecto : yet i wish , that as he hath looked into these wicked actions opened therein , so he had also looked into other grosse sinnes , which are séeded in the hearts of sundrie persons . extortion had béene a large theame to haue wrought vpon : and with the usurers bagges full of gold he might haue handled another pretie treatise : he might haue brought forth justice weying bread , and the baker putting his eares in the ballance to make euen weight . he should haue personated the thames most pitifully complaining , what monstrous hauocke the brewers make of her water , without all remorse or compassion : and how they put in willowe leaues and broome buds into their woort in steed of hoppes . so likewise a christian exhortation to mother bunch would not haue done amisse , that she should not mixe lime with her ale , to make it mightie , or cozen the quéenes liege people of their drink , by fubbing them off with these ●…ender wasted blacke pots and cannes , that will hold little more then a ●…ring . a profitable treatise might haue also béene published for such companions to looke into , as for good fellowship will not sticke to lend two or thrée false oathes to defeate the widdow and fatherlesse of ●…ir right , ●…ough in short space after they lose their eares for ●…ir labour . a perswasion against pride had beene veri●… profitable : and an exhortation against swearing had béene a thing commondable , if he had in a pleasant ●…atise shewed the folly of yong . you●…s and ●…ole queanes ; which entring into the seruice of sundrie honest persons , continue there no longer then they can cleanly conuay some sufficient cariage for their present maintenance . then had he done well , and peraduenture giuen such light to sundrie honest housholders , that they would be carefull what persons they ●…ad receiued into their hou●…s or put in trust about ●…ir businesse . there ●…ght haue also beene co●…piled a d●…able and pleasant tr●…atise of the abuse committed by such as sell bottle ale , who to make it fly vp to the top of the house at the first opening do put gunpowder into the bottles while the ale is new . then by stopping it close , make the people beléeue it is the strength of the ale , when being truly ●…ted it is nothing indéed but the strength of the gunpowder that worketh the effect , to the great heart-burning of the parties that drinke the ●…ante . i would haue had him touch the contrarietie of apparell , and set downe reasons to disswade men from wearing french peake●… , because they are good for nothing but to stab men , as also told the vse of the terrible cut , and the swallow tail●… slash . to leaue daliance and come to the matter . i will informe you what policies haue béene practised since the books of conicatching were set forth . these batfowlers or conicatchers hauing lost a collo●… of their liuing , by communicating their secrets with babling companions , haue now inuented a newe tricke to fetch in the pence . they disguise themselues like apparitors or sumners , and come to a young gentleman , merchant , or old pinchcrust , as it maie fall out , that hath gotten a maid , a mans daughter , or this widdow or ordinarie woman with child , or at least haue béene more neere with them then they should : and them they threaten with processe , citations , the whip , or the white sheete at least , vntill they come to compositiō . the timorous soules fearing to be made a by-word of shame to the whole citie , bribe them with all that euer they can rap and rend , to holde their peace , and saue their honestie . they will vrge the strictnesse of their oath , and the danger of the law in such cases of concealement , vntill they can sée them come off roundly : then they will hamme and han●…ke , and safe they are not euery bodie , and so take their mony , and returne laughing in their sléeues , to thinke how they cosoned them . within short time after they send another of their copesmates after the same sort , and he giues them the like pluck . and 〈◊〉 two or thrée one after the other , shall neuer leaue a●…licting his ghost , till they haue made him as bare as a birds taile , so as he hath not one pennie more to saue him from hanging , if néede were . a monstrons abuse of authoritie , and hindrance to the courts of justice , that haue-the ouersight of such offences . other there be that do nothing but ride vp and downe the countrie , like yong merchants a wooing , and they will marrie euerie moneth a new wife , & then fleece-her of all she hath , that done run away , and learne where another ●…ich widow dwelleth , and serue her after the same sort : so rounding england , til they haue pickt vp their crummes , and got enough to maintaine them all their life after . but excéeding all these are the fine sleights of our italian humourists , who being men for all companies , will by once conuersing with a man so draw him to them , that he shall thinke nothing in the world too deare for them , nor once be able to part them , vntill they haue spent all 〈◊〉 haue on them . if he be lasciuiously addicted they haue aretines tables at his fingers ends , to féede him on with new kinde of filthinesse : they will come in with rowse the french painter , and shew what an vnlawfull vainehe had in ba●…drie : not a whore nor a queane about the towne but they knowe , and can tell her markes , and where , and with whom shée hosts . if they sée you couetously bent , they will discourse wonders of the philosophers stone , and make you beléeue they can make gold of goose-grease , only you must be at some two or thrée hundred pound charge , or such a small trifle , to helpe to set vp their stilles , and then you néede not care where you beg your bread : for they will make you do little better , if you follow their prescriptions . discourse with them of countries , they wi●… set you on fire with tra●…elling : yea what place is it they will not sweare they hau●… béene in , and i warrant you tell such 〈◊〉 sound tale , as if it were all gospell they spake . not a corner in fraunce but they can describe . uenice , ●…y ? it is nothing , for they haue intelligence of it euerie houre , and at euerie word will come in wi●… siado curtizano , tell you such miracles of madame padilia and romana impia , that you will be mad till you be out of england : & if he sée you are caught with this baite he will make as though he will leaue you , and faine businesse about the court , or that such a noble man sent for him , when you will rather consent to robbe all your friends then bee seuered from him one houre . if you request his companie to traueile , he will say , in faith i cannot tell , i would sooner spend my life in your companie , then in anie mans in england . but at this time i am not so prouided of monie as i would : therfore i can make no promise : and if a man should aduenture vpon such a iourney without money , it were miserable and base , and no man will care for vs. 〈◊〉 monie say you ( like a liberall young maister ) take no care for that , for i haue so much land , and i will sell it , my credit●… is worth so much , and i will vse it . i haue the kéeping of a cosens chamber of mine , which is an old counsellour , and he this vacation time is gone downe into the countrie , we will breake vp his studie , rifle his chestes , diue into the bottome of his bagges , but we will haue to serue our turne , rather then saile we will sell his bookes , pawne his bedding & hangings , and make riddance of all his household stuffe to set vs packing . to this he listens a little , and saith , these are some hopes yet , but if he should goe with you , and you haue monie , and he none , you will dominéere ouer him at your pleasure , & then he were wel set vp to leaue such possibilities in englād , & be made a slaue in another countrie . with that you offer to part halfes with him , or put al into his custody , before he should think you meant otherwise then wel with him . he takes you at your offer , and promiseth to husband it so for you , that you shall spend with the best , and yet not wast halfe so much as you do . which makes you ( meaning simplie ) to put him in trust , and giue him the purse . then all a boone voyage into the lowe countries you trudge , and so traueile vp into italy , but per varios casus , & tot discrimina rerum , in a towne of garrison he leaues you , runnes awaie with your monie , and makes you glad to betake your selfe to pro●…ant and become a gentleman of a companie . if he feare you will make after him he will change his name : and i●… there be anie gentleman or other in the countrie , he will borrow his name and creepe into his kinred , or it shall cost him a fall , and make him paie swéetly for it in the end , if he take not the better heed . thus will he be sure to haue one asse or other a foote to kéepe himselfe in pleasing . there is no arte but he will haue a superficiall sight into , and put downe euerie man with talke : and when he hath vttred the most he can , make men b●…ue 〈◊〉 knowes ten times more then he will put into their heads , which are secrets not to be made common to euerie one . he will perswade you he hath twentie rece●…s of loue powders , that he can frame a ring with such a deuise , that if a wench put it on her finger she shal not choose but follow you vp and downe she streetes . if you haue an enemy that you would be 〈◊〉 rid of , he wi●… teach you to poison him with your verie lookes : to stand on the top of poules with a burn●…g glasse in your h●…nd , and cast the same with such a force on a mans face that walkes vnder , that it shall ●…rike him stark dead , more violently then lightning . to fill a letter full of néedles , which shall be laid after such a mathematical order , that when he opens it , to whom it is sent , they shall spring vp and ●…ie into his bodie forcibly , as if they had béene blowne vp with gunpowder , or sent from a ca●…uers mouth like small shot . to conclude , he will haue such probable reasons to procure beléefe to his lies , such a smooth tongue to deliuer them , and set them forth with such a grace , that he should be a verie wise man did not swallow the gudgin at his hands . in this sort haue i knowne sundrie young gentlemen of england trained forth to their owne destruction , which makes me the more willing to publish this discourse , the better to forewarne other of such batfowling companions ; as also for the rooting out of these insinuating moth-wormes that eate men out of their substance vnseene , and are the decaie of the forwardest gentlemen and best wits . how manis haue we about london , the to the disgrace of gentlemen liue gentleman like of themselues hauing neither mony nor land , nor any lawful means to maintain them , some by play , and then they go a mumming into the countrie all the christmas time with false dice , or if there be anie place where gentlemen or merchants frequent in the citis , or anie towne corporate , thither will they , either disguised like to yong merchants , or substantiall citizens , and draw them all drie that euer dealt with them . there are some that doe nothing but walke vp and downe paules , or come to shops to buy wares , with budgets of writings vnder their armes : and these will vrge talke with anie man about their sutes in law , and discourse vnto them how these and these mens bands they haue for money , that are the chiefest dealers in london , norwich , bristow , and such like places , and complaine that they can not get one pennie . why , if such a one ●…oth owe it you ( saith some man that knowes him ) i durst buy the debt of you , let me get it of him as i can . o saith my budgetman , i haue his hand and seale to shewe , looke héere els : and with that pluckes out a counterfeit band ( as all other his writings are ) and reades it to him . whereupon for halfe in halfe they presently compound , and after that hee hath that ten pounds paid him for his band of twentie besides the forfeiture , or so forth , he sayes , faith these lawyers drinke me as drie as a sieue , and i haue mony to pay at such a daie , and i doubt i shall not be able to compasse it : here are all the leases and euidences of my land lying in such a shire , i would you would lend me fortie pounds on them till the ne●…t tearme , or for some sixe moneths , and then either it shall be repayd with interest , or i will forfeit my whole inheritāce , which is better worth then a hundred marks a yeare . the wealthie retailer , citizen , merchant , gentleman or young nouice that hath store of crownes lying by him , gréedy of such a bargaine , thinking perhaps by one clause or other to defeat him of all he hath , lends him the mony , and takes a faire statute merchant of his lands before a iudge , but when all comes to all , he hath no more land in england then seuen foote in the church yard , neither is his inheritance either in posse or esse , then a paire of gallowes in a gréene field , nor do anie such occupiers knowe him , much lesse owe him anie money , whereby the couetous person is cheated fortie or fiftie pounds thick at one clap . not vnlike to these are they , that comming to ordinaries about the exchange where merchants do table for the most part , will saie they haue two or thrée ships of coales late come from newcastle , and wish they could light on a good chapman that would deale for them altogether . what is your price , saith one ? what 's your price , saith another ? he holds them at the first at a very high rate , and sets a good face on it , as though he had such traffique indéed , but afterward comes downe so low , y● euerie man striues ●…o shall giue him earnest first : and ere he be aware , he hath fortie sh●…ings clapt into his hand , to assure the bargaine to some one of them . he puts it vnquietly , and b●…ds them inquire for him at such a signe and place , where he neuer came , signifying also his name , when in troth he is but a cosoning companion , and no such man to be found . thus goes he cleare awaie with fortie shillings in his purse for nothing , and they vnlike euer to sée him againe . there is a certain kind of cosonage called horsecoursing , which is when a man goes to the cariers of cambridge , oxford , burie or norwich , or anie great towne of trade , and hires a horse to ride downe with them , as these odde companions wi●… doe : and what doth me he , but as soone as he hath him , ●…eps aside into some blind towne or other , and there lies till he haue eaten him out lim by lim in wine and capons , and then when he can get no more on him , he sends 〈◊〉 carier word where he is ; who in the end is faine to pay some fiftie shillings or three pounds for his ●…uals that hired him ere he can haue him . ●…ochester hackney-men do knowe what belongs to this trade , for they haue béene often times ●…ced by these ranke riders , who comming to a towne with a cloke-bag of stones caried after them , as if they were men of some worth , hire a horse to canterburie , and ride quite away with him . there be certaine mates called faunguesis , who if they can find a fit anui●… to strike on , will learne what acquaintance he hath in the countrie , and then they will come to him , and say , i am to doe commendations to you from a friend of yours , and he gaue me this bowed sixe pence to drinke a quart of wine with you for his sake : and if he goe to the tauerne , they ●…ill not onely make him paie for the wine , but for all he drinks in besides . ●…o was one in aldergate-stréete lately serued , who drawne to the tauerne after such a like order called for a pinte of wine , the drawer brought it him , and a goblet with it , and set them both on the table , and went his way : ●…hie , quoth this fawneguest , what a ●…let hath the fellow brought vs here , it wil not hold halfe 〈◊〉 draught ? so ho ( quoth he ) no attendance giuen here ? ●…e carie it to him my selfe , since no body will come : for of all things i loue not to drinke in these squirting cups , so downe the staires , forth of the doores he goes with the goblet vnder his cloake , and left his newe acquaintance and small remembrance to paie thrée pound for a thrée-penie shot . such fawneguests were they , that méeting a prentise , who had béene to receiue a hundred pound for his master , sodainly in the middest of cheapside in the daie time , and open market stept to him , as if they had bin familiarly acquainted with him , and sodainly cast the hinder skirt of his cloake ouer his face , making as though they had 〈◊〉 with him , and séeming to ●…ust their cold hands in his necke , one of them thratled him so sore by the wind-pipe , that he could make no noise , but sovainly sunke to the ground mu●…ed in his cloke , while the other took from him the bagge with the money which he had vnder his arme , which done , they ranne away laughing , as if that the déede were done in ●…est . soone after the market folks and people passing by to & fro perceiuing the youth lie still on the ground & not stir vp , stepped to him , and séeing in what state he was , rubbed and chafed him , and gaue him aqua vitae , so that soone after he came againe to himself : then looking about him , & séeing the people so gathered together , he cried vnto them , o , where 's my money ! they wondring to heare him talke of mony , told him both how his companions left him , and they found him , whereby the people knowing how he was deceiued , made a●…er them , but they were neuer heard of till this day . but these are gentlemen batfowlers in comparison of the common rablement of cutpurses and pickpockets , and no man that sées them but would imagine them to be caualiers of verie good sort . marie there be a band of more néedy mates , called terme●…s , who trauell all the yeere from ●…aire to faire , and haue great doing in westminster hall . these are the nips and foists ; whereof the first part of conicatching entreateth , and these haue their cloyers and followers , which are verie troublesome to them , for they can no sooner draw a bung but these come in for their tenths , which they generally tearm snapping , or snappage . now if the cutpurse denie snappage , his cloyer or follower forthwith boyles him , that is , bewrayes hi●… , or seazeth on h●…s cloake , which the nip dares not withstand , so richard farrie a notable lift of sixtie yeares of age was serued , who beeing dogged or followed by a cloyer called iohn gibson , who hauing séene him pierce 〈◊〉 hogshed in the beginning of a faire challenged him for snappage : which old farrie denied , because gibsons wife ( as hee then said ) was a pickpocket , and yet would part w●…th nothing . then did gibson sweare that he shuld not buy one peniworth of ware that day ( which is the right cutpurse ●…ase of getting a purchase ) and thereupon he shadowed him vp and downe , and mard his market quite , as hee had before promised . in reuenge whereof the said richard farrie at wayhill faire last , hearing where gibson had p●…osned a purse with thirtéene nobles in it , sent alustie ●…ellow of his prosession , a yoong dealer in the arte of cloying or following named iames roades , that was since hanged at dorchester , who being apparelled like a seruingman , came to demaund his mistresse purse of gibson , which he said he saw him vnlawfully take awaie , as if indéed he had béene the gentlewomans man that had the gléeke . which gibson at the first vtterly denied , but afterward being further threatned with danger of his life , yeelded the purchase vnto roades , which was immediatelie shared betw●…ne him and old farrie . this thing s●…ne after came to gibsons eare , who was throughly laughed to scorne for his labour . manie there be of these wicked persons , and also lew●… officers who like shadowes or cloyers , do nothing all day long but follow the lifts vp and downe , pinc●…ing them for snappage : and not one of them that hath the right dexteritis in his ●…ngers , but they know , & will conceale and patronize if néede requir●… . marie , if ther●… be a 〈◊〉 , that hath not made hims●…lfe knowne to their congregation , hée shall soone be smelt out , and haue no remission , unl●…●…ée purchase it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . these cutpurses of sturbridge sell their lugg●…ge commonly at a towne called bot●…am , where they kéepe their hall at an odde house , bowzing and quaffing , and ha●… their tr●●es attendant vpon them so 〈◊〉 as may be . how a cheesemonger had his bag cut out of his apo●●● hanging before him . at this ●a●e it was , thougt long 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 monger had h●● pocket cut out of his apo●●● , 〈◊〉 all the whole colledge of cutpurses had assayed , which none but one could bring to passe , and he indéed was a doctor in his arte : for going to the chéesemongers boothe to buy a chéese , he gaue him monie for one of the greatest , and desired him to cut it in péeces , and put it behind him in the cape of his cloake . he did so , and the 〈◊〉 he was thrusting it in , hee cut his rocket with twelue pounds out of his apron before him : for which dred●… he liueth reno●…ed in the cutpurse chronicles , 〈◊〉 for his sake they yearely make a feast , and drinke to the soule of his deceased carkasse . there be diuers sorts of nips and foysts both of the citie ●…d countrie : these cannot one abide the other , but are at deadly hatred , and will boyle and discouer one another , by reason one is hindrance to the other . and these the former bookes haue omitted . there are also sundrie other lawes , not heretofore spoken of , namely iames fosters law , or iames fosters li●… : which grewe thus . how a cosoning life stole a cloake out of a scriuenersshop . this fellow came into a scriueners shop to haue a letter wr●…ten to his wiues mother , signifying that his wife was run ●…waie with another knaue , and had 〈◊〉 awaie all that he had , and that he had rather be hanged then be troubled anie longer with such a whore . but it must ●…be written in haste , for his owne father doth carie it , and he goes awaie straight . all the while he is telling his tale , he cast a l●…ing ●…ye about the shop , to see if there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cloake vpon a by-settle , or 〈◊〉 other 〈◊〉 that he might transport vnséene vnder his owne cloak . by chance 〈◊〉 espied one , so he lea●… against the wall where it lay , and with his hands behind him , he gathered it vp cleanly by little and little : ●…en sodainly starting vp , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my father that would carie it , and i will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he with all spéed , hauing the cloake vnder his arme , crying , ho father , father , leauing the scriuener yet writing his letter , who mist not his cloake till a great while after , that he saw him not returne againe . there is a cunninger kind of list , when a batfowler walking in an euening in the stréetes , will faine he hath let fall a ring or a iewell , and come to a shop well furnished with wares , and desire the prentise of the house to lend his candle to looke it : he suspecteth no guile , lends it him : and the batfowler goes poaring vp and downe by the doores , as if he had lost something in déed , by and by he lets the candle fal to and it goes out . now i pray you good yong man , saith he , do so much as light me this candle againe : so goes the fellow in to light the candle , while hee steales what he will out of the shop , and gets him going while the light commeth . there is a lift called will. st. lift , whose maner is to go vp and downe to faires in a blew coate , sometimes in his doublet and hose , and sometimes in a cloake , which commonly he puts off when he comes thither : this fellow waiteth diligently when any rich yeoman , gentleman , or gentlewoman goes into an inne to laie vp his cloak , capcase , sauegard , portmantua or any other luggage , so following them , marks to whom they are deliuered : then comes he within halfe an houre after puffing and blowing for the cloake , capcase , portmantua , sword , or such like , and in his maisters name demandeth it , giuing the wife , maid , tapster , hostler , or some of the house two pence or a groate for laying it vp . which hauing receiued , he is soone gone , and neuer returneth . this fellow will sometime stand bareheaded , and offer to hold a gentlemans stirop , and verie diligently attend vpon him when he alighteth at anie great inne , and séemeth so seruiceable , as if he were an hostler or chamberlaine belonging to the house : yea and sometimes follow him out of doores as his man , and attend vpon him to the faire very orderly : within halfe an houre after , when he sées his new maister is so bu●…e in the faire , that he cannot hastily returne to his lodging before him , he will come backe to the inne running , and tell them his maister hath sent him to them for his clokebag or portmantua in all haste : for he is vpon paiment of money , and must néeds haue it . they thinking him verllie to be the gentlemans man , because at his comming he was so necessarie about him , they deliuer vnto him whatsoeuer the gentleman left with them , who notwithstanding when the true owner commeth , they are ●…aine to answer it out of their owne purses . a slie tricke of cosonage lately done in cheapeside . besides this , there is a kind of lift called chopchain , as when a gentleman like a batfowler hath hired a chain for a day or two vpon his credit , or hath some of his friends bound for the restoring of it againe , goes to s. martines , and buyes for a little money another copper chaine , as like it as ma●…e be : then comes he to the goldsmith , and vpon the right chaine offers to borrow twentie pounds : the goldsmi●… toucheth it to sée if it be counterfeit or no : ●…en finding it good , he tendereth him his money : which the 〈◊〉 he is doing , and that both money and chaine lies yet vpon the 〈◊〉 , what doth me 〈◊〉 , but ●…mbles and plaies with the linkes carelesly , as if he minded another matter , so by a fine tricke of legerde maine gathers it vp into his hand & chops the copper chaine in place , leauing him that pawne for his twentie pounds . how a man was cosoned in the euening by buying a guilt spoone . vvhilest i was writing this , i was giuen to vnderstand of another like exploit nothing 〈◊〉 to any of the former . a fellowe like a clowne that knew all points in his tables , and had béene maister of his trade manie yeares together , walking through siluer stréete in london suddenly in the dark spurned a faire gilt spoone ( as it séemed ) being wrapt vp in a paper , which before he purposely let fall : the people thinking some other had lost it , and that it had béene his good luck aboue the rest to find it , gan to flocke about him for to looke on it , and admired his fortune in méeting with it , hee counterfeiting the simple foole as well as he could : now a gods will what shall i do with such a gugaw ? would some other bodie had found it for me , for i know not what it is good for . why , said one of the standers by , wilt thou take money for it ? i , quoth he , i would i had a crowne for it . and i will come somwhat néere you , saith the other , for thou shalt haue all the money in my purse , which is foure shillings , so forth he drewe his purse , and gaue him the money . and verie well content with the bargaiue , he put it vp , and said i marie , this money will doe me more good then twentie spoones , and let them kéepe such toies that list , for i had rather haue one groat in my purse then a cart loade of such trumperie . so away he went laughing in hi●… sléeue , to thinke how he had cosoned him that thought to ouer-reach him : & he that was so cosoned , as it were triumphing at his bargaine , could neuer looke enough on the spoone , but went presently and caried it to the goldsmith , to know what it was worth . birlady sir when he came thither , the spoone was found to be but brasse faire gilded ouer , and worth but seuen pence at the : most , if he should sell it , which was a heauie cooling card to his heart , and made him sweare , that for that spoones sake he would neuer be in his plate againe while he liued . thus euerie daie they haue new inuentions for their villanies , and as often as fashions alter , so often do they alter their stratagems , studying as much how to compasse a poore mans purse , as the prince of parma did to win a towne . neither is this ●…neselling the gainfullest of their artes , although in one day they made away a dozen so . i but it is a tricke by the waie for a supper or a breakefas●… fast , which no man at the first can descrie . ouerpassing this catalogue of lifts and cutpurses , gentlemen , i will acquaint you with a strange newe deuised arte of stone-carying , wherein is contained the right vse of the chalke and the poast , as also a necessarie caue ate for victuallers and nickpots , how to beware of such insinuating companions . the arte of carying stones . first and foremost you must note , that leauing an alewife in the lurch , is termed making her carie stones , ●…ich stones be those great oes in chalke that stand behind the doore : the weight of euerie one of which is so great that as manie ●…hillings as there be , so many times shée cries o , as groning vnder the waight thereof . now sir , of these oes twentie shillings make a lust loade , and tenne pound a bargeful . but here lies the cunning , how to compasse an honest a●…e that will vndertake such a burthen : first this is a generall precept amongst them , that he must be some odde drunken companion that they deale vpon , and his wife a good wench , that so she may bee fallen in wi●… , and wipe off her guests scores , if so he haue no monie to discharge it : a thing that manie women of that kind will willingly do to haue sport and saue their honestie . yet if this cannot conueniently be brought to passe , or that in , respect of her age she is not worth the taking vp , then will they be sure their goodman hoast must be a certaine kind of bawd , or a receiuer of cutpurses , pickpockets , or such like , whereby it so fals out , that if he and they square about crownes , they may stop his mouth with threatning to betraie him to the beadle of bridewell , or telling hind of ●…ewgate what hospitalitie he kéepes . nay further , they will obserue if he a●… anie time raile against ante seuere iustice that hath the punishment of such notorious persons , and if he do ( as in some drunken humour or other he will ouershoote himselfe in that kind ) then will they conceale it , neuer disccoer it , but do●…néere ouer them , thro●… the pots against the wall , for he and his house is forfeit vnto them . againe , it maie so happen that hospes meus maie be an old seruingman , who hath belonged in his daies to some famous recusant that hath long since broke vp house , and now being turned out of seruice , he hath no trade to liue on , but must marie a whore , and kéepe victualling ●…ither in westminster , or in the suburbs of london . then co●… a hoope , they are better then euer they were . for if he be of the right stampe he will be exclaiming against the state , or those that héepe his maister , or he will enter into commendations of the old religion : and this is the onely thing they desire , th●…y neuer wish a finer fellow to féed on . a gods name let him set forth his béefe and brewes , and trudge euerie day to the market to buy capons & rabbets : for if they run neuer so much in his debt , if they tell him of a purseuant , he will neuer threaten thē with a sergeant . a number more of these obseruations do appertaine to stone carying , as namely at their first comming to th●…ir lodging they bee as frée as an emperour , and draw all the acquaintance that they can procure to spend their money there before another place , so that the host and hostesse may conceiue great matter of hope of hauing their house customed by their lying in it , and eate no meat but haue either the good man or the good wife still with him at dinner or supper , which will plucke the stones on his shoulders the faster , if so he suffer his guests to run on the score . and this in anie case they set downe for a generall rule , that they lie not aboue two moneths in one place , for longer the alescore is not able to hold out , and the poore man ouerpressed so excessiuely , in a malecontent humour will rather grow desperate , and not care for anie danger they can bring him to , then suffer more then flesh and bloud can endure , or not rather haue his will on them for vsing him so badly . how say you my maisters , you thinke there is no deceit in a pot of ale , and that there are no cosoners but conicatchers , but that 's not so , for london is a lickpenis , and euerie man hash not a mint in his pocket ●…at lines in it , some must practise witcraft , that ha●…e not the gift in kéeping a lanes end with a sword and a buckler , or at the least are so crazed with the italian bone-ache , that they ar●… afraid to bee crusht in péeces , if they should earne their liuing in a crowde . but to be briefe , i will tell you a n●…rie storie how this name of stone-carying first came vp , and thus it followeth . how a carier of norwich was made to carie stones . a gentlewoman that made a shew as if she had béene of good credit , came to the carier of norwich , and told him shee was to remoue houshold , and went to dwell in the countrie , wherfore she craued his friendship in safe transporting of her things to norwich : & so it is ( quoth she ) that most of my substance consists in linnen , money , iewels , and plate , which i put altogether in a great chest , which she brought thither : as for other trash i le neuer trouble my selfe wish remouing . i pray you haue a great care to it that it bee safely laid in the middest of your cart , wher●… théeues maie not easily come at it , 〈◊〉 that it be kept from raine or wet in anie case , promising to content him for the cariage with more then ordinarie 〈◊〉 . after it was séene to come to thrée hundred weight , be laid it vp immediately in his carte , nor would she depart till she saw it safe packed . about an houre after she came to the carier again , telling him that she was afraid she should be constrained to haue recourse to her chest , by reason she had a few trifles to buy ere she departed , ●…d that she wanted som●…●…ue or sixe pound . the carier loa●… to vnload for so small a matter , bid her take no care for money , for what she néeded she should haue of him , till she came downe into the co●…ntrey . so fire pounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him she goes with her man as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be . but comming to 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…er no more : home went the carier , and laid vp the chest verie safe in his storehouse , daily looking when the gentlewoman would come for it . after a moneth was past , and hearing no words of her , fearing he was co●…en , he sent for the constable and sundrie other of his neighbours , and before them brake vp the chest , finding nothing in it but small soft fréestone lapped in straw , mixt wi●… flints and such like stuffe , beeing very speciall things to giue the carier his loading . alas , kind man , this was but heauie tidings for him : for besides the money that he had laid out of his purse , he lost the cariage of other luggage , which would haue returned him greater profit . yet could not this nor ten times as much vndoe him , but setting light of it , in a merie humour he reported to some of his friends the circumstance of all his cariage of stones . and euer since the iest hath beene taken vp by odde companions and ale-knights . i would bee loth by this my publisht discoueri●… to corrupt the simple , or teach them knauerie by my book , that els would haue béene honest , if they had neuer séene them : for that were all one as if a chirurgion that teacheth men what the plague is , that they might eschew it , should bring his patient that hath a plague sore , into the market place , and there lance it , whereby all men that looke on , in stéed of learning to auoid it , should be most dangerously infected with it . but my meaning in this is , but to chase the game which others haue rowsed ; and execute them outright whi●… conicatching only hath branded : and although i do not spend manie leaués in inueighing against the vices which i reckon vp , or time and paper in vrging their o●…ousnesse so far as i might : yet you must not thinke , but i hate them as ●…dly as any , and to make manifest my hatred to them , haue vnderlooke this treatise . but imagine the reader to be of this wisdome and discretion , that hearing some laid open , he can discerne it to be sinne , and can so detest it , though he be not cloid with a common place of exhortation . and sooth to say , i thinke euery man to bee of my mind , that when they sée a fellow leape from the subiect he is handling , to disswade them by stale arguments from the thing they alreadie detest , they should skip it ouer , and neuer reade it , ga●…cope him at the next turning point to his text . to dismisse this parenth●…sis and returne to circa quod . i care not since this occasion of stone-carying hath brought me from talking of the cosonage of men to the trea●…erous sub●…ie of women if i rehearse you a tale or two ●…ore of cr●…ngs lately ●…one by such detestable strumpets . a tale of a whore that crosbit a gentleman of the innesof court. a certaine queane belonging to a close nunnerie about clarkenwell , lighting in the company of a yong punie of the innes of court , trained him home with her to her hospitall : and there couenanting for so much to giue ●…im his ●…seroome all night . to bed they went together like man and wife . at midnight a crue of her copelmates kept a knocking and busling at the doore . she starting sodainly out of her sléepe , arose and went to the window to looke out : wherewith she crying out to him , said , that a justice was at the doore with a companie of billes , and came to search for a seminarie priest , and that there was no remedie but she must open vnto them : wherefore either he must rise and locke himselfe in a studie that was hard by , or they should be both caried to bridewell . the poore silly youth in a trance , as one new start out of sléep , and that knew not where he was , suffered her to leade him whither she would , who hastily thrust him into th●… studie , and there locked him , and went to let them in . then entred sim swashbuckler , captaine gogswounds , and lawrence longsword-man , with their appurtenances , made inquirie as if they had béene officers indéed , for a young seminarie priest that should be lodged there that she simpered it , and made curtesie , & spake reuerently vnto them , as if she had neuer seene them before , and that they had beene such as they séemed , and told them she know of none such , and that none lay there but her selfe . 〈◊〉 that through signes that shee made , they spied where his clothes were fallen downe betwéene the chest and the wall : then they began to raile vpon her , and call her a thous●…nde whoores , saying they would make her an example , i mary would they , and vse her like an infidell for her iying , nor would they stand searching any longer , but shee should be constrained to bring him forth : and that they might bee sure he should not start , they would carie away his clothes with them . as for the closet , because it was a gentlemans out of the towne , they would not rashly breake it open , but they would set watch and ward about the house till the morning , by which time they would resolue further what to do . so out of doores go they with his clothes , doublet , ●…ose , hat , rapier , dagger , shooes , stockings , and twentie marks that he had in his sléeue , which he was to pay vpon a band the next day for his father , to a merchant in canning str●…te , and le●… nicholas nouice staruing and quaking in that doghole . the morning grew on , and yet she yong 〈◊〉 , though he was almost frozen to death , stood still and durst not stirre , till at length the good wise of the house came and let him out , and bad him shift for himselfe , for the house was so 〈◊〉 , that it was not possible for him to escape , 〈◊〉 that she was vtterly vndone through his comming thither . aster manie words it grew to this vpshot ; that he must g●…ue her a ring worth thirtie shillings , which he then had on his ●…nger , onely to helpe him out at a backe doore , and in so doing she would lend him a blanket to cast about him . which béeing perfourmed , like an irish begger he departed on the backeside of the fieldes to his chamber , vowing neuer to pay so déere for one nights lodging during his life . how a curbar was drest with an vnsauourie perfume , and how a notable whore was crosbitten in her owne practise . a notable whoore of late daies compact with a hooker , ●…om conicatching english cals curbar , bargained with a countrie gentleman or tearmer aforesaid , to tell her tales in her eare all night : & according to appointment he did so . the gentleman hauing ●…pt , and readie to go to bed , she willed him to lay his clothes in the windowe , for ( quoth she ) we are so troubled with rats in this place ( which was in peticote lane ) that wee cannot lay any thing out of our hands , but they will in one night be gnawne to péeces , and made worth nothing : but her intent was this , that the curbar with his crome might the more conueniently reach them ; not that she cared so much for his apparell , as for his purse , which she knew was we●… stored wi●… crownes , and lay in the sleeue of his doublet : whereupon he was ruled by her , and so entred the lists . within two houres after , he beeing sore troubled with a laske , rose vp and made a double vse of his chamberpot , which going to throw it out at the window , he remoued the clothes from before it , and set it in the place till he had opened the casement . at that instant the spring of the window leapt open of the one accord . whereat being amazed , he ●…ept backe with a trice , leauing the chamberpot standing still : ●…en fearing the diuell had béene át hand , by and by he spied 〈◊〉 faire iron instrument like a nut came marching in at the window verie solemnly , which in stéede of the doublet and the hose that he ferretted for , arrested that homely seruice in the member vessell , and pluckt goodman jordan with all his contents down pat vpon the corbars head and shoul●…ders . neuer was gentle angler so drest : for his face , his necke and apparell were all besmeared with the soft sir-reuerence , so that i warrant you hee stunke worse then a jakes-farmer . the gentleman hearing one crie out , and séeing his messe altogether thus strongly taken away , began to gather courage to him , and looked out to sée what it was : where , to his no small contentment hee might behold the curbar lying along almost brained , almost drowned , and well neere poisoned with the tragicall euent of the pispot : whereat he laughed merily , and suspecting his leman to haue a share in that conspiracy , and that for ten pounds it was her motion to haue him l●…e his clothes in the windowe , to the end he might haue lost them and his money , she being a sléepe in the bed all this while , he quietly remoued his owne apparell , tooke her gowne and peticoat and laid them in the steed . forthwith the curbar reuiued , in came the hooke againe verie manerlie , and clapt hold on those parcels , which together went downe with a witnesse . all which consorting to his wish , he went round to bed , and in the morning stole awaie early , neither paying da●…e lecherie for her hire , nor leauing her one ragge to put on . here was wilie beguily rightly acted , & an aged rampalion put besides her schoole-trickes . but simply , these crosbiters are necessarie instruments now and then to ta●…e such wanton youths , as will not let a maid or a wife passe a long the stréetes but they will be medling with her : what they do they learne of the tumbler , who lies squat in the brakes till the conie be come forth out of her burrow , and gone a gossipping ouer the way to her next neighbors , & then he goes betwéen her and home , and as she returneth with two or thr●… , fleshly minded rabbets or simplers with them , with whom it maie be she hath made a bargain to go a bucking , then out ●…ies the tumbler like y● crosbiter & seazeth on them all for his praie . i maruell that the book of conicatching had not him vp in his table , since by his first example he corrupted the christian people . but you will say , he is animal irrationale , and therefore to be borne withall , because he doth but his kind . kind me no kind , there is more knauerie in cauilier canis then you are aware of , as you shall perceiue by his discourse following . a notable scholerlike discourse vpon the nature of dogges . now gentlemen , will you giue me leaue to dallie a little for your further recreation , & i will proue vnto you that a dogge is a dangerous man , and not to be dealt withall : yea he is such a kind of creature that he may well be master and gouernour ouer all ordinary beasts : for first and formost , there is no man of experience that will denie but dogs do excell in outward sence , for they will smell better then we , and therby hunt the game when they sée it not . besides , they get the fight of it better then we , and are wonderfull quicke of hearing . but let vs come to speech , which is either inward or outward . now that they haue outward spéech i make no question , although we cannot vnderstand them , for they bark as good old saron as may be ; yea they haue it in more daintie maner thā we , for they haue one kind of voice in the chase , and another when they are beaten , and another when they fight . that they haue the inward spéech of mind , which is chiefly conuersant in those things which agrée with our nature , or are most against it , in knowing those things which stand vs most in steed , & attaining those vertues which belong to our proper life , and are m●…st conuersant in our affections , thus i proue ; first and formost he chooseth those things that are cōmodious vnto him , and shunneth the contrarie : he knoweth what is good for his diet , and seeketh about for it . at the sight of a whip he ranneth away like a theef from a hue and crie . neither is he an idle fellow that liues like a tren●her flie vpon the sweat of other mens browes , but hath naturallie a trade to get his liuing by , as namely the arte of hunting and conicatching , which these late books go about to discredit . yea , there be of them as of men of all occupations , some cariers , and they will fetch ; some watermen , and they will diue and swim when you bid them ; some butchers , and they will kill shéepe ; some cookes , and they turne the spit . neither are they void of vertue , for if that be justice that giues euery one his deserts , out of doubt dog●… are not desttrute of it : for they fawne vpon their familiar friends and acquaintance ; they defend those from danger that haue deserued well of them , and reuenge them of strangers , and such as either haue , or go about to do them iniurie . then if they haue justice , they haue all the vertues , since this is an axioma in philosophy , that one vertue cannot be separated from another . further , we see they are full of magnanimitie , in incountring their enemies . they are wise , as homer witnesseth , who entreating of the returne of vlysles to his owne house , affirmeth that all his houshold had forgotten him but his dogge argus , and him neither could pallas by her s●…btill arte deceiue in the alteration of his body , nor his twentie yeares absence in his beggers wéeds delude anie whit , but he stil retained his forme in his fantasie , which as it appeared was better then any mans of that time . according to chrysippus , they are not ignorant of that excellent facultie of logicke , for he saith that a dogge by canuasing and study doth obtaine the knowledge to distinguish betwéene thrée seuerall things , as for example , where three 〈◊〉 méete , and of these thrée hash staid at two of them , by which he perceiueth the game hath not gone , presently without more adoe hee runneth violently on the third wa●…e : which doth argue ( saith chrysippus ) as if hee should reason thus . either hee went this way , or that way , or yonder waie : but neither that waie , nor yonder waie , therefore this way . againe , when they are sicke , they knowe what disease they haue , and deuise howe they may ease themselues of their griefe ; if one strike them into the flesh with a stake , this policy they vse to get it out . they traile one of their feet vpō 〈◊〉 ground , and gnaweth the flesh where the wound is round about with their téeth , vntill they haue drawne it cleane out . if they chaunce to haue anie vlcer , because vlcers kept foute are hardlie cured , they licke the sore with their tongues , and keepe it cleane . and wonderfull well doe they obserue the precept of hippocrates that the onel●…e medicine for the fo●…e is to rest , for if they haue an●…e hurt in their feete , they beare them vp , and as much as lies in them , take care they be not stirred : when vnprofitable humours trouble them , they eate an hearbe , whereby they vomite vp all ●…hat is offensiue vnto them , and so recouers their health againe . how thinke you my masters , are these vnreasonable creatures , that haue all this naturall reason in them ? no , though they are beasts , yet are they not as other are , inhumane : for they haue more humanitie then any other beasts whatsoeuer . but of them i haue said enough , & therfore i will proceede to my former argument : wherein for your better delight , i will acquaint you with a true storie ●…atelte performeo in poules church by a couple of cutpurses . the matter was of such truth , as i could for neede set downe the gentlemans name , and also the names of all the actors therein , but i craue pardon , because the gentleman was of good place and credit , and for more assurance my selfe was present : the whole matter fell out as followeth . how a countrie gentleman walking in poules had his purse cut by a new kind of conueyance , and in the end by the like wilie beguily got it againe . acountrie gentleman of some credite walking in powles , as tearmers are wont that wait on their lawyers , was seene by a couple of light ●…ngred companions , that had got some gentlemanship vpon them by priu●…e biting in the dark , to haue some store of crownes in his purse coacht in a faire trunke slop , like a boulting hutch . alas , they were mortall , and could not choose but bee tempted with so glorious an obiect . for what maie not gold doe with him that hath neither money nor credit ? wherefore in verie zeale of a bad spirit , they conspired how to make a breach in his pocket , and possesse themselues of their pray . in the end it was concluded ( as necessitie is neuer with out stratagems ) that the one should go behind him , while the other gaue she stroke that should deuide life and soule . as they determined , so they brought it to passe , for the good old fellow walking verie soberly in one of the side iles , deu●…sing where to dine to saue the odde thrée pence , sodainly one of them stept behind him and clapt his hands before his eyes , saying : who am i ? who am i ? while the other gaue the purse the gentle ●…erke , and beguiled his purse of the gilt : which done , hee went sneaking awaie like a dog that had wearied a shéep . the good minded gentlemā that was thus muffled , thinking that it had bin one of his acquaintance , that plaid bo péepe wish him after that sort , cried to him , now for the passion of god , who are you ? who are you ? tell me i prate you who are you ? for i shall neuer reckon while i liue . o , quoth the cauallero cutpurse , you shall know by and by , and therewith plueking awaie his hands , looked him full in the face & laughed , but by and by starting aside , as if he had committed an errour , god forgiue me ( quoth he ) what haue i done , i crie you hartily mercie , i haue mistaken you for my acquaintance , one that is so like you , as one peaze is like another : and therefore i pray you pardon me . no harme done , no harme done , quoth the gentleman , and so they departed . sinior who was to deuide his bootle where his companion attended him , and my neighbour mumpsimus to tyrannize on buls pudding-pies for his sire pence : short tale to make , his hungrie bodie being refreshed , and euerie one satisfied , there entred in a dumbe shewe , the reckoning with a cleane tren●…er in his hand verie orderly , as who should say , lay your hand on the booke . on him attended a well fed lapster in a shining sute of well liquored fustian , wheron was engrauen the triumphs of many full platter , with his apron on his shoulder , and his knife vnder his girdle . at which sight euery man began to draw , 〈◊〉 my honest penifather thought to droppe testers with the rest : but woe alas , his bréeches were like the bottomless●… pit o●… hell , for ther●… was not one crosse to be found . then began he to fume and chafe , and run vp and dow●… like a mad man , saying , well a bay y● euer i was borne ! who am i ? who am i ? where at she rest of the gentlemen wondring , hc vp and told them the whole stor●…e of his misfortune , as is afore recited . and said , now i know who it was that said , who am i ? who am i ? for in troth hè was a cutpurse . but here did he not cease or spend much time in singing a de profundis ouer his emptie pocket , where was nought els saue lent and desolation , but iumbled his braines together like stones in a bladder , and tost ouer his thoughts as a tailer doth his shreds when he hath lost his néedle , to find out some meanes to fetch home his straied purse , and to be euen with those vndermining pioners . in the end his pillow and present pouertie put this policie into his head . the next day early in the morning he went into poules in the same apparell , and walking iust in the same place where he lost the maine chance the day before , hauing bought him a faire new purse with white strings and great tassels , and 〈◊〉 the same with brass●… counters , and thrust it into the stop of his hose , as he was wont , letting the strings thereof hang out for a traine . well , so it ●…ell out , that he had scarce fetcht thrée turnes , but a poore woman that had the shaking ague in her head came to aske his charitie : he glad of anie occasion to boa●… his counterfeit wealth , to entrap the eyes of those hungrie espials , ga●… her a penie , and there with drew forth a number , of counters , making shew as if they had béene french crownes : which was presently perceiued by timothy touch and take , that had beene in the action the day before , who sitting 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 , leaning like one twixt sléeping and wa●…ng , fell into a great longing , how he might haue that purse also to beare the other compan●… . still the olde snudge went plodding in one path , and euer looked vnder his ouerhange●… moss●…e eye-broines , to sée who came néere him , or once o●…er to fustle him . he had bes●…de at either end of the i le on of his men to watch , for feare any more , who am i ? shuld come behind him . at last out step●… my nimble 〈◊〉 , and running hastily by him like some prentise , that had béene sent of an errand , he sliced it smoothly away , so as the gentleman neuer perceiued it . but one of his men who had his senses both of séeing and féeling better then his master , marked when he gaue him the gentle gléeke , and whither he went when hee had obtained his bootie : whereupon dogging him to a cookes shoppe in thames sireet ; to which place also the gentlemā followed 〈◊〉 off . he there laid hands on him , and challenged him for a cutpurse , saying , he had séene him doe such a thing in poules , and told him also from whom he tooke it . he swore and stated , and stood at vtter defiance with him . and the better to outface the matter , his partner , who being then lodged in the same house , came downe and fell in tearmes of doing the gentleman wrong , and that he should answer him , 〈◊〉 any man els . and ( quoth he ) if thou wert well serued thou shouldest be stabd for offering to discredit him thus at his lodging . mean while that these matters were thus disputing , and the poore seruingmans death with manie oathe●… vowed , in came his master , who spying , who am i ? to stand vpon his pantofles so prondly , straight tooke him aside , 〈◊〉 told him a tale in his eare , that did him small good at the heart , and said flatly hee was the man , and no other whom he sought for , and either he would haue restitution for his purse at his hands , or they would trie a conclusion at lyborne . at 〈◊〉 spéech their courage was somewhat abated : and in the end it so fell out , to a●…oid further trouble they restored him both the purses with qu●…etnes , and made him a sufficient recompence for the trespasse . thus at that time they escaped , and all parties were pleased●… but shortly after they were taken for such an other fact , for which they were both condemned and executed at lyborne . now gentlemen , haue you not heard a pretie pranke of wilie beguily , where the cunning cutpurse was 〈◊〉 in his owne practise ? sure i thinke neuer was poor●… 〈◊〉 so nipt before . wherefore i wish all those that are of that facultie to be carefull of the right nip , who if he bee neuer so cunning in his arte , yet at one time or other bee ma●…e hap to méete with bul , and his sturdie iade , on whom if he chance to ride with his necke snarled in an hempen halter , he is like to receiue so sharpe a nip , that it will for cuer more marre his drinking place . a notable exploit performed by a lift. there was not long since one of our former profession , hauing intelligence of a citizen that inuited three or foure of his friends to dinner , came a little before dinner time , and marked when the guestes were all come : when they were all come , as he ●…hought , knowing the goodman of the house safe ( for he was not yet come from the exchange ) steps vp the staires boldly , and comes into the roome where the guests were : when he comes in he salutes them , and askes if his cosen were not yet come from the ex●…hange . they told him no. no ( saith he ) me thinks he is verie long , it is past twelue of the clocke . then after a turne or two , in faith gentlemen ( quoth my new come guest ) it were good to doe something whereat we may be●… merie against my cosen comes home , and to that intent i will take this salt and hide it , that when hee misseth it , we shall sée what he will say to my cosen his wife : so hee tooke the salt , and put it in his pocket , and walked a turne or two more about the roome , within a while when y● other guests were bus●…e in talk , he steps downe the ●…taires faining to make water ; but when he was downe be turned downe théenes 〈◊〉 , and neuer returned againe . the citizen when he came home bid his friends welcome , ●…nd anon he mi●… the salt that should be set on the table , called his wife to know if there were neuer a salt in the house : his wife busle about dinner , tooke her husband vp , as women at such times will do , when they are a little troubled ( for a little thing troubles them god wot ) and asked him if he had no eyes in his head . no , nor you wife ( quoth hee ) if you say there be any now : so there past many shrewd and hot words betwéene them . at length the guests vnwilling they should disagr ée on so small a tri●…e , they vp and told how one came in and asked for his cosen , and tooke away the salt , meaning to make a little mirth at dinner . but when they saw he returned no more , they contented themselues with patience , and went to dinner , as men at such times vse to do , with heauy hearts and cold stomackes . there are a certaine band of 〈◊〉 prentises about the towne , that will abuse anie vpon the smallest occasion that is , and such men ( whom they neuer came to the credit in all their liues to make cleane their shooes ) these dare neuer méete a man in the face to auouch their rogarie , but forsooth they must haue the help of some other their complices . of this base sort you shall commonly find them at playhouses on holy dayes , and th●…re they will be playing their parts , or at some ●…out , as ●…he pulling downe of baudie houses , or at some good exploit or other , so that if you néed helpe , or you thinke your selfe not able to make your part good with anie that you 〈◊〉 a grudge to , no more but repaire to one of these , and for a canne of ale they will do as much as another for a crowne : & these make no more conscsence to beat or lame one , whom they neuer before saw nor knew , then ●…he knights of the poasts when they are feed out of poules to sweare ●…lsly . there are another sort of prentises , that when they sée a gentlewoman or a countriman minded to buy anie thing , they will fawne vpon them with their cap in ●…and , with what lacke you gentlewoman ? what lacke you countriman ? see what you lacke . the gentlewoman 〈◊〉 diuers commodities , flndeth nothing that perhaps likes her : then going away , they come off with their ouer worne frumps . will you buy nothing gentlewoman ? it s no maruell you should sée such choice of good ware . then they begin to discommend her person to their next neighbo●… , as god as themselues , and at next 〈◊〉 , send a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gra●…er h●…r . these ms●… 〈◊〉 ●…ke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that ●…hen 〈◊〉 comes into the house will ●…awne vpon him , but before he goes 〈◊〉 , if hee take not ●…eed , will catch him by the ●…nnes . but if they meete with a countrie-man , he is the 〈◊〉 man in the world to deale vpon . they 〈◊〉 aske him ●…ust 〈◊〉 so much as the wa●… is worth . the plaine simple man offers within a 〈◊〉 little of his price , as they vse in the countrie : which 〈◊〉 apprentise takes , and sweares it was not his for that money , and so makes the poore man a right conte . i think few in the exchange will account this for a 〈◊〉 tricke . but if the countriman leaues them and goes his wa●…e without buying anie thing , either for that ●…ee likes not the ware , or that it is of too high a price : then will they come off with , do you heare countriman , will you giue me 〈◊〉 much , and leaue your blew c●…te for a pawn for the rest ? or they will bid him sell his sword and buy a paire of shoes for such like sco●…ing girds , that the poore man sometimes could find at his heart to giue all the money in his 〈◊〉 , that he had the●…n 〈◊〉 fields , that hee might re●…enge himselfe on them for abusing him : a verie great abuse to their ma●…ters and chapmen . to ●…is societie mate be coupled also another fraternity , viz. water-rat●… , watermen i meane , that will be read●…e 〈◊〉 very diligent for anie man , vntill they can get them to their b●…ates , but when they come to●…and to paie their fare , if you pai●… them not to their owne contentinents , you shall be sure of some gird or other , yea and perhaps if they know they haue an 〈◊〉 to deale with , stop his hat or his cloake , till he haue paid them what they list ; but these are most commonlie seruants and apprentises : for the order is , that for euerie twelue pence they earne their ma●…ster allowes them two pence , so then the more they get , whether by hook or crooke , ●…he more think they their gaine comes in . but this sort now and then méete with their mates , who in stéed of a penie more in siluer , send them to the chirurgians with two penie worth of sorrow . but what need i to spend time in deciphering these common companions ? these few i haue particularly named , but thinke you there are no more of this kind ? but i let passe carmen and dreymen , as verse knaues as the rest , because these are better knowne then i can set them forth : i meane not at this time , nor in this treatise to set forth the guiles and deceits accustomed in all trades and mysteries from the chiefest trade to the basest , but will content my selfe for this time , with that that hath béene alreadie dilated , intending in some other treatise , at one time or other to relate in briefe what hath beene at large too long put in practise . in the meane time curteous citizens , let me exhort you to become good exāples to your family : for as the master is , so commonly is the seruant , as witnes the old verses in the sheppards calender in september . sike as the sheppards , sike beene her sheepe . and be sure , if thy seruant sée thee giuen to spending , and vnchast liuing , there looke thy seruant , when thou thinkest he is about thy businesse , not onely spends his time vainly , but that money , which by thy care in staying at home thou mightest haue saued . such iollie shauers , that are déepe ●●ashers of others , mens hides , haue i knowne ( more is the pitie ) to sit by all night , some at cardes and dice , some quaffing and swillng at the tauerne , and other among their tru●●es , spending in one night some twentie shillings , and thirtie shillings often : some againe that can maintaine to themselues a wench all the yeare , and then they must filch and purloine whole péeces of stuffe for their gownes and peticoats , besides great store of mony : but these are such that can with a wet finger , and by reason of abundance of ware purloine their maisters goods , & not easily be espied . but be sure at one time or other such villains wilcome forth : for the pot goes so oft to the water , that at last it comes home crackt . and take this for a principle and general rule , that whosoeuer he be that giues himselfe to this damnable sinne of l●…st , let him be assored , as sure as he had it alreadie , that a great punishment hangeth ouer his head . therefore it behooues the maister to be wise in gouerning his seruants , that they may bee as markes for their seruants to shoote at , to sée how their seruants bee addi●…ed and giuen , and not to be sterne and seuere towards them , but rather keepe them in , that they wander not abroad more then necessitie forceth , remembring that rule that ouid giueth , parce puer stimulis & fortiùs vtere loris . spare ●…he whip , raine them hard : for such as are growne to yeares will hardly endure blowes , wherefore ●…he raining them from their desires is the next way in my mind to bring them to good . but ●…ere is the griefe that those that should giue light are darke ; those that should be guides haue néed to be lead ; those that should instruct to 〈◊〉 , are inducers to vanitie , according to those verses in ma●…e , those faitors littell regarden their charge , while they letting their sheep runne at large , passen their time that should be sparely spent , in lustinesse and wanton meriment . thilke same be sheppards for the diuels steed , that playen , &c. againe , ●…hat conscience they vse in bargaining and selling , witnesse ●…he whole world , according to diggon in septemb. they setten to sale their shops of shame , and maken a market of their good name . the sheppards there robben one another , and layen baites to beguilde her brother . and againe , or they bine false or sull of couetise , and casten to compasse many wrong emprise . in fine , to conclude with that which we haue so long stood vpon , namely with vncleannesse , how hard it is for men to bee reclaimed from it : and as it is pernicious to all generally , so particularly to young men that haue newlie set vp for themselues , and haue as it were newly entred into the world , soone maie they cast awaie them selues , except they looke the better about them : but most odious for such that haue wi●…es , with whom they may solace themselues . pitie it is that such cannot be noted aboue the rest , it shewes an inordinate lust . and nowe it comes in my mind , i will impart with a tricke serued vpon a maried man , and a tradesman by a good wench , as they call them , reported and heard from her owne mouth not long since . the parties names i will conceale , because some of them are of some credite , although somewhat blemished by this skarre : and it was on this maner . how a citizen was serued by a curtizan . there was one mounsieur libidinoso 〈◊〉 at she signe of incontinencie , hauing cast vp his accounts for the weeke past ( for it was saturday night ) after supper resolued with himselfe to walke , which way he cared not , but as his 〈◊〉 fell , so would he wend : by chance it fell westward , and westward he went , vntill he came to whitestiers . when 〈◊〉 came thither he be thought himselfe , and held it a déed of charitie to sée some of his old acquaintance , whom hee had not visited a long time before : but they according to the ancient custome were remoued , for they vse not to stay long 〈◊〉 a place . he hearing that , made no more 〈◊〉 but fel aboord with one that came next to hand , 〈◊〉 good as the best , one that had béene tried , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a one as would not shrinke at a shower : little intreatie serues , and 〈◊〉 they goe . when after their ●…eastly sport and pleasure mounsieur libid . heat of lust was somewhat asswaged , 〈◊〉 ready to goe , féeling his pocket for a venereall remuneration finds nothing but a lester , or at least so little , that it was not sufficient to please dame pleasure for her hire . he protested and vowed he had no more about him now : for ( said he ) when i came forth i neur thought what money i had about me . my ladie would not belée●…e mons. libid . a great while , but searched and féeled for more coine , but at that time she was frustrate of her expectation : she seeing no remed●…e , set as good a countenance on the matter as she could , and told him she would be contented for that time , hoping hee would bee more beneficiall to her hereafter . they were both contented : where no sooner hee is gone downe the staires , but shee whips off her gowne , and puts on a white wastcoate with a trice , and so dogs m. libidinos . home to his house , and taking a perfect view of his house and signe , returnes back againe . on monday morning she came to his house verie orde●…ly in her gown with her handbasket in her hand , where she found mons. libid . and his wife in the shop : when she came in she called for this sort and that sort of lace , vntill she had calle●… for as much ware as came to twentie shillings : when she was ready to goe , she whispered my gentleman in the ear●… , and asked him , if he be remembred how sleightly such a time he rewarded her kindnesse , but now i am satisfied for this time . m. libid . was in a wonderfull streight , and gaue her not a word for an answer , fearing his wife should knowe an●…e thing . his wife noting her whispering in her husbands eate , and seeing no mony paid , asked her husband when she was gone , who she was . 〈◊〉 verie smoothly told her , shee was a very honest cutters wife , and that hee knew her a long time to bee a good paymaister . this answer contented his wife : but ful well i know he was not cōtented in his mind al the day after . sée here how a man may bee vnawares ouertaken by these 〈◊〉 pitchbarrels . then let this example teach th●…e to forgoe their allurements , least thou in time be defiled with the like blot , or ouerplunged in a deeper bog : remember , foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula ca●…tum . for these night birdes not vnlike the syrens , ●…he more you frequent them , the more you shall be intangled , according to these verses , diggon in sept. for they beene like foule wagmoires ouergrast , that if thy gallage once sticketh fast , the more to wind it out thou doest swincke , thou mought ay deeper and deeper sincke , yet better leaue of with littell losse , then by much wrestling to leese the grosse . these may be motiues to all to auoide such infectiou●… plague-sores : but how hardit is to get vp a tyred 〈◊〉 when he is downe , especially in the dirt enery man knowes , and men wil haue their swinge do all what they can , according to thenot in february . must not the world wend in his common course , from good to bad ; and ●…rom bad to worse ; from worse vnto that is worstof all , and then returne to his former fall . but for my part i am resolued and wish all men of the like mind sticking my sta●…e by peirse in maie . sheppard , i list no accordance make with sheppard that does the right way sorsake , and of the twaine if choise were to me had leuer my foe then my friend to be , the notable , slie , and deceitfull pranks of doctor pinchbacke . anotable fellow of this trade well stricken in yeares●… one that was frée of the nitmongers , trauelled with his boy into yorkeshire . and hauing no mony in his purse , nor other meanes to rel●…eue himselfe but plaine shifting , grewe into vitter despaire of his estate , by reason hee had worne all cosonages thréed ba●…e , and made the vttermost of his wit that was possible . wherefore complaining himself to his trustie page , that had béene patner with him bo●… in weale and woe , and whom hee had brought vp in his occupation , and taught to ●…e as subtill as himselfe : ut maister ( quoth he ) take no care , for when all is gone and nothing left , well fare the dagger with the ●…udgeon haft . i am young and 〈◊〉 crochets in my head : i warrant you , while i haue my fiue senses we will not begge . goe you and take vp your l●…dging in the ●…airest inne in the towne , and call in lustily , sparing for no cost , and let me alone to pay for ●…ll . with 〈◊〉 resolution they went into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , where 〈◊〉 a verse 〈◊〉 lauern , readie to outface thē , according to the boyes abusse , they put into it , & called for a roome , and none might content them but the best chamber in the house . then ●…acke of the clocke house summoned the chamberlaine before him , and tooke an inuentorie what extraordinarie pro●…tsion of victuals they had for dinner , telling them his maister was no common man , nor would he be pleased with ani●… grosse kind of fare . the tapster , who hoping of gaine , seemed verie seruiceable , and told him he should want nothing . and although they had at that time sundrie strangers , by reason the chiefe 〈◊〉 of the shire sate there the same day about a commission , yet promised to giue what attendance he might . ●…hus did the crack-rope triumph , and walking in the yard while dinner was preparing , hāmered in his head , & cast an eye , about the house to see if anie occasion were offered for him to worke vpon . at last going vp a paire of stayres , hee spied in a faire great chamber where the commissioners sate , a side settle , whereon good store of plate stood . yea , thought he ? and it shall go hard but i le make vp my market . so into the ●…hamber closely hee stept , not béeing perce●…uedly by any man , couertly conueyed away vnder his cloake one of the greatest gilt goblets , and went immediately on the backside of the house , where spying an old well , hee flung the same , and went his way vp to his master , to whom ●…ee discouered what he had done , intreating him the better to furnish out the pageant , to change his name , and call himselfe doctor pinchbacke . this done , he went downe into the kitchin to sée if dinner were readie : where the goodman of the house began to question with him what his maister was , and who they called him . sir , quoth he , doctor pinchbacke . what , is he a doctor of physicke quoth the host ? yea marie , quosh the boy , and a speciall good one . with that answer he cease●… questioning any further , but sent vp meat to his dinner , and went vp himselfe to did him welcome . dinner being done and the other g●…ests ready to rise , the goblet sodainly was missed , and great inquiry made for it , but at no hand it would be found : all the seruaunts were examined , the house was thoroughlie searched , none of the gentlemen had it . this news found doctor sware hee sawe it not , the boy den●…d it also , yet still the goodman and the good wife kept a great stirre for it , and were readie to weepe for verie anger that they should kéep such knaues about them as had no more care , but 〈◊〉 let a cuppe of nine pounds bée stollen , and no man knew which waie . then the host made great offers to haue it againe , which the boy hearing , said , if they could entreate his maister to take the paines , he could cast a figure , and fetch it againe with heaue and ho. but not a word ( quoth he ) that i told you so . the good man hearing that , ranne vp in all hast , and besought maister doctor for the passion of god to stand his friend , or els he was vndone . so it is , quoth he , that i vnderstand of your great learning and knowledge , and that by a speciall gift in astronomie that god hath giuen , you can tell of maruellous ma●…ers , and helpe againe to things that are lost . i pra●…e you as euer you came of a woman shewe mee a little feate about my cuppe : and though i haue but small 〈◊〉 of money , yet will i bestow●… fortie shillings on you for your labour . maister doctor at the first made strange of the matter , and séemed verie loth to deale in it , by reason of the daunger of the lawe : yet for that he séemed to bee an honest man , and it 〈◊〉 him that anie such thing should happen whilest hee was in his house , hee would straine a little with his cunning to reléeue him in the best sorte , not so much for his money as for his friendship , and swore hee would not doe it for any other for a hundred pounds , therefore hee destred him to leaue him to himselfe , and to take or●…er that no man came to trouble him for some two houres space , and he should see what he would do for him . two houres hée stayed alone by himselfe tosting him by a good fire till he sweat againe , then painting his face with a deadish colour , which hee caried alwaies about with him for such a purpose , and then calling vp the hoste , told him that hee had laboured sore for him , and almost indaungered himselfe in vndertaking the action , yet by good fortune hee had finished his businesse , and found where the cuppe was . haue you not a well ( quoth hee ) on the backe side of your house that stands thus , and thus , for mine owne part i was neuer there ( that i can tell of ) to see . yes that i haue , sayd the hoste . well ( said maister doctor ) in the bottome of that well is your cuppe : wherefore goe search presently , and you shall finde my words true . the goodman with all expedition did as hee willed him , and drew the well dr●…e : at last hee spied his goblet where it lay . it was no néede to bid him take it vp , for in his owne person hee went downe in the bucket : and full lightly to maister doctour pinchpackes chamber bee trudged , and caried him fortie shillings , offering him besides a mone●…hs boord in requit all of his great curteste . this counterfeit forsooth would seeme to refuse nothing , but there lay and fed vpon the stocke , whilest my goodman hoste did nothing but till the countrie with his praise . not manie daies passed but a gentleman of good credite drawne thi●…her by the ordinarie report , came to vi●…t him , who desirous to make triall of his cunning , he craued to knowe of him ( his wife then beeing big with child ) whether it was a man childe or a woman childe she went withall ? hee answered he could say little thereto except he saw her naked . the gentleman although hee thought it was no vsuall thing for a man to see a woman naked , yet physitions haue more priuiledge then others , and they as well as midwiues are admitted to any sec●ets . wherefore he perswaded his wife to disclose her selfe to him , and to dispence with a little inconuenience , so they may be resolued of so rare a secret . but this was doctor pinchbackes drift , hee thought to haue shifted the gentleman off by this extraordinarie imposition , thinking he would rather haue surceased his sute , then anie waie haue suffered him to sée his wife naked . in conclusion a chamber was prepared warme and close , in which she shewed her selfe , & twise walked vp and down the chamber naked in the presence of m. doctor and her husband , who demanded m. doctors answer to his former question , which was as followeth : quoth he , from meward it is a boy , and to me ward it is a girle : other answer they could get none of him . wherefore the gentleman was greatly offended against him , calling him asse , dolt , patch , cockescombe , knaue , and all the base names he could deuise . but awaie went maister doctor as skilfull in those cases as a blind man when he throweth his staffe : and durst not answer the gentleman one word . and the gentleman greatly repented him that he had been so foolish to shew his wife in that sort before so sottish a companion . about foure dayes after the gentlewoman fell in labour , and was deliuered of a boy and a girle : whereat the gentleman remembring the blunt answer of the doctor , and finding it to be true , was greatly astonished , supposing indéed hee had mightily wronged the doctor : to whom he went immediately crauing pardon for his former follie , shewing himselfe verie sorowfull for his fault , and offered him in recompence of amends all the fauour he might possibly doe him , granting to him his house at commandement , and his boord for so long time as he would continue with him . wherupon in signe of loue and amitie he went and soiourned at the gentlemans house : whereupon the doctors credit still more and more began to increase , so that all the countrie round about told no small tales of the great running of doctor pinchbacke , to whom they resorted early ano late . it fortuned soone after shere was a faire neere to the gentlemans house , where the people diuersly talked of the doctors skill and cunni●… , and that he could doe anie thing , or tell anie thing that was done in anie place . naie ( quosh a plaine countriman ) i will venture twentie nobles that hee shall not doe it . i will my selfe goe personally to him , and hold something in my hand , and if hee tell me what it is i will lose my money . i take you , sayd one or two , and the wager being layd , awaie they went towards the gentlemans house : and passing thorough a meadow , the man tooke vp a grashopper out of the grasse , and put it into his hand , so close that no man might perceiue it . then forward they went , and met with maister doctor , and they desired him to satis●…e them of that secret which was vpon his credit●… , to tell them what one of the companie held in his hand . whereunto the doctor was loth to answer , considering he had no such skill as people bruted abroade : neuer the lesse he cast in his mind , how he might excuse the matter by some pretie sleight , if he should guesse amisse , and therfore concluded in this ●…st , he called to mind that his owne name was grashopper , and if ( quoth he ) i take him by the hand , i may say hee hath a grashopper in his hand , and yet i may ●…ustly defend it for a truth . whereupon the doctor taking him by she hand , said he had a grashopper in his hand : which béeing opened was found true . whereat the cuntrimen wondred , and went their wayes . some said hee was but a cosoning knaue : others reported what wonders hee could perfor●… : some said he could g●…e round about the world in a moment , and that h●… walked euerie night in the aire with spirites : some said hee had a familiar : thus the people gaue their cen●…ure ; some liking , and others mi●…king him . and in a word , so manie men , so manie mindes , but the greater part of the countrey admired his deepe knowledge , ●…nd published his ex●…ellent learninge , so that he became ●…amous amongst the people , and the gentleman not a little proud of so worthy a guest : in so much that hauing one onely daughter , whom he loued most ●…ntierlie , and as parents most desire their children should match the themselues with sucg , by whom they hope preferment should come , on a daie brake his minde to the doctour in his daughters behalfe , assuring him hee should not onely finde her a louing and 〈◊〉 wife , but would giue him foure hundred pounds , and make him assurauce of all his land , which was worth ( say●… hee ) better then two hundred markes a yeare after 〈◊〉 decease , if so it would please his worship to accept hi●… kind offer , which hee assured him proceeded of 〈◊〉 loue . the doctour a while coylié refused the ge●… tlemans offer , but béeing earnestly entreated of the gentleman , he answered him to this effect . sir , for your great friendship hitherto and vnexpected kindnesse , at this time i cannot but confess●… my selfe much indebted to you : and because you are so importunate with me to marie your daughter ( although i protest it is not for my profite ) i doe willingly take her to my wife : for i haue ( saith hée ) refuse●… many faire and personable gentlewomen in mine owne countrey with large dowrtes : but to make you part of amends for your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i here am content to yeeld to your request . the gentleman humbly thanked him , and prolonged not th●… time i warrant you , but with great expedition ha●…ed the mariage daie : where with great feasting and ioy with his friends they passed that day with much pleasure and musicke . the doctour about a moucth after desired the gentleman for his wiues portion , which the gentleman willingly paid him . when two or three dayes were passed he told the gentleman hee would goe into 〈◊〉 owne countrie to see his friends , and withall prepare and make readie his house ( which was let forth to farme ) for himselfe to inhibite , and that he would come againe when all things were readie and fetch his wife . the gentleman was verie vnwilling to leaue the dctors companie ; but séeing the doctor so importunate , at last yéelded , and so lent the doctor and his boy two of his best geldings : who as soone as they were on horsebacke , neuer minding to returne againe , tooke their iourney into deuonshire , and there so long as his foure hundred pounds lasted made merie with their companions , till at last hauing spent all , beganne to renue his olde trade , and after being taken in companie with some suspected persons was apprehended , and by the law ( as i heard ) was condemned to bee hanged for a murtherer . thus although pexaduenture hee was not guiltie of the murther , yet it was a ●…ust punishment for his villanie before practised . the gentleman after a quarter of a yeare was past , beganne to looke for the doctors comming home againe , but in vaine ; so hee passed a twelue moneth , expecting his sonne in lawes returne : at last as happe was one of the gentlemans acquaintance hauing beene at his house , and séeing the doctor there , brought word home to the gentleman that hee sawe the doctor for certaine executed at exceter in 〈◊〉 , for a muder . in what a melancholy humour the gentleman was in , and what grie●…e and sorrowe the young gentlewoman tooke to heart at these heause tidings , i refer it to the reader , and none but ●…hose that haue tasted of those griefes doe sufficiently know . finis . a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly at a sessions there held on wednesday the th of january / . giving a full account of the true tryal and sentence of lodowick muggleton for blasphemous words and books. as also the tryals and condemnation of a vvoman for killing her bastard-child; and of a man for personating another person in giving bayl before a judge. with an account how many are condenmed, burn'd in the hand, to be whipt, and transported. with allowance. roger l'estrange. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly at a sessions there held on wednesday the th of january / . giving a full account of the true tryal and sentence of lodowick muggleton for blasphemous words and books. as also the tryals and condemnation of a vvoman for killing her bastard-child; and of a man for personating another person in giving bayl before a judge. with an account how many are condenmed, burn'd in the hand, to be whipt, and transported. with allowance. roger l'estrange. england and wales. court of quarter sessions of the peace (london) p. printed for d.m., london : / . copy has print show-through. reproduction of the original in the guildhall library, london. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng muggleton, lodowick, - -- early works to . trials -- england -- early works to . crime -- england -- early works to . criminals -- england -- early works to . murder -- england -- early works to . blasphemy -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a true narrative of the proceedings at the sessions-house in the old-bayly , at a sessions there held on wednesday the th of january / . giving a full account of the true tryal and sentence of lodowick muggleton for blasphemous words and books . as also the tryals and condemnation of a vvoman for killing her bastard-child ; and of a man for personating another person in giving bayl before a judge . with an account how many are condemned , burn'd in the hand , to be whipt , and transported . with allowance . roger l'estrange . london : printed for d. m. / . the proceedings at the sessions in the old bayly , on wednesday the th of this instant january / . not to trouble the reader with a tedious relation of things trivial or impertinent , the most considederable or remarkable transactions of this sessions were as follows . first , the tryal of that grand and notorious impostor lodowick muggleton , of whom to give the world a brief account , we must acquaint you , that he was originally a journyman-taylor , and ( some say ) afterwards kept a botchers stall ; but having a strange enthusiastick head , began about the year , to enter into confederacy with one reeves ( another brother of the sheers ) who resolve to cut out a new scheme or fashion of religion ; and to that purpose declare themselves , the two last vvitnesses of god that ever should be upon the earth ; and that they had absolute and irrevocable power to save and damn whom they pleas'd ; to which end one call'd himself the blessing , the other the cursing prophet . and the said reeves dying some years since , muggleton pretends his spirit was left with him , and the whole power of witnessing , blessing , and cursing , devolved into his hands , which he as impiously practised upon the least affront or opposition ; pronouncing persons damn'd by their particular names , blasphemously adding , that god , angels , or men could not afterwards save them . and as all hereticks covet to be authors and ring-leaders to a sect , so by divers printed books and corner conferences , he easily seduced divers weak and instable people ( especially of the female-sex ) to become his proselytes , who from him call themselves muggletonians : so impossible it is for the wildest and most senseless , as well as most impious notions , when broached with impudence among the rabble , not to meet with some heads so irregular as to embrace them for serious truths , or divine revelations . this muggleton's house being searched about august last , a great quantity of his books were seized , some of which , it was now proved , he owned the writing of , and that he had caus'd them to be printed ; for which he was now indicted , many wicked passages out of them being recited in the indictment , but so horrid and blasphemous , that we think fit to spare the christian modesty of each pious ear , by not repeating the same here , where there is no necessity for it . the prisoner pleaded not guilty , but frustrated the general expectation , by saying nothing further either to excuse or justice himself , but had a counsel appear'd for him , who ingenuously declar'd himself asham'd to speak a word in favour of such a cause ; onely desired the court to take notice , that the books were dated before the last act of grace ; but it being usual to antedate or post-date titles of books , as best suits with the publisher's interest , and that he had since that act owned and published the same , that plea was over-rul'd ; and the said muggleton being found guilty by the jury , was afterwards sentenced by the court to stand three days in the pillory at three the most eminent places of the city , with papers shewing his crime ; and his books so seized , divided into three parts , to be burnt over his head upon the pillory : and besides , to be fined five hundred pound , and to continue in goal till the same be paid , and afterwards for his life , unless he procured good bail , such as the court should accept of , and not of his own gang , faction , or sect , for his being of the good behaviour . the next was a woman of about forty years of age , and one that had six children by a husband since dead , but was , it seems , still of too youthful a temper ; for being lately deliver'd , by her self , of a bastard-child on a wednesday-morning , she most barbarously murthered it by crushing the head , and wounding it both in the scull and eyes ( as is supposed ) with a pair of sizzars , and then fairly puts it into a platter and sets it upon a shelf , where it continued till saturday-morning , when a woman lodging above her in the same house , coming down to visit her , and examining her more strictly , by reason of some symptoms the observed , she now prisoner confess'd she had miscarried , and looking for the embryo they found a perfect child murthered , as you have heard . she pretended her self distracted when the fact was done ; but it appearing that she had sense enough to endeavour to conceal it , she was convicted and condemned a man was likewise condemned to die for a kind of unusual crime , but such as the law , by reason of its bad example and mischievous tendency , has thought fit to restrain with capital punishment ; which was , that there being a suit at law depending between two persons , the prisoner comes and personating another man , is bayl for one of the parties before a judge ; upon which afterwards the man whose name he had assumed knowing nothing of the business , was taken up , to his great damage , &c. he begg'd heartily for transportation , but it could not be granted . four bayliffs and followers were arraigned by one they went to arrest , who pretended to have lost some odde trifles ; but they were not found guilty . two persons were condemned to die , two burn'd in the hand , and two sentenced to be whip'd : and so the sessions ended with the day . finis . o per se o. or a new cryer of lanthorne and candle-light being an addition, or lengthening, of the bell-mans second night-walke. in which, are discouered those villanies, which the bell-man (because hee went i'th darke) could not see: now laid open to the world. together with the shooting through the arme, vsed by counterfeit souldiers: the making of the great soare, (commonly called the great cleyme:) the mad-mens markes: their phrase of begging: the articles and oathes giuen to the fraternitie of roagues, vagabonds, and sturdy beggers at their meetings. and last of all, a new canting-song. lanthorne and candle-light dekker, thomas, ca. - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) o per se o. or a new cryer of lanthorne and candle-light being an addition, or lengthening, of the bell-mans second night-walke. in which, are discouered those villanies, which the bell-man (because hee went i'th darke) could not see: now laid open to the world. together with the shooting through the arme, vsed by counterfeit souldiers: the making of the great soare, (commonly called the great cleyme:) the mad-mens markes: their phrase of begging: the articles and oathes giuen to the fraternitie of roagues, vagabonds, and sturdy beggers at their meetings. and last of all, a new canting-song. lanthorne and candle-light dekker, thomas, ca. - . [ ] p. [by thomas snodham] for iohn busbie, and are to be sould at his shop in s. dunstans church-yard in fleete-street, printed at london : . by thomas dekker. an expansion of "lanthorne and candle-light", in turn a continuation of "the belman of london". with a title-page woodcut. printer's name from stc. signatures: a-o⁴ (-o ). "o per se o" has separate dated title page; register is continuous. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng crime -- england -- london -- early works to . criminals -- england -- london -- early works to . cant -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion o per se o. or a new cryer of lanthorne and candle-light . being an addition , or lengthening , of the bell-mans second night-walke . in which , are discouered those villanies , which the bell-man ( because hee went i' th darke ) could not see : now laid open to the world . together with the shooting through the arme vsed by counterfeit souldiers : the making of the great soare , ( commonly called the great cleyme : ) the mad-mens markes : their phrase of begging : the articles and oathes giuen to the fraternitie of roagues , vagabonds , and sturdy beggers at their meetings . and last of all , a new canting-song . printed at london for iohn busbie , and are to be sould at his shop in s. dunstans church-yard in fleete-street . . to my owne nation . readers , after it was proclaymed abroad , that ( vnder the conduct of the bel-man of london ) new forces were ( once more ) to be leauied against certaine wilde and barbarous rebels , that were vp in armes against the tranquilitie of the weale-publicke : it cannot be told what numbers of voluntaries offred themselues daily to fight against so common , so bold , so strange , and so dangerous an enemie . light horse men came in hourely with discouery where these mutiners lay intrenched : deliuering ( in briefe notes of intelligence ) who were their leaders , how they went armed , and that they serued both on horse and foote : onely their strengths could not be discried , because their numbers were held infinite . yet instructions were written , and sent euery minute by those that were fauourers of goodnesse , shewing what militarie discipline the foe vsed in his battailes , and what forts ( if he were put at any time to flight ) he would retire to ; what stratagems he would practise , and where he did determine to lye in ambuscado . they that could not serue in person , in this noble quarrell , sent their auxiliary forces , well armed with counsell . so that the bel-man ( contrary to his hopes ) seeing himselfe so strongly and strangely seconded by friends , doth now brauely aduance forward , in maine battalion . the day of encounter is appointed to be in this michaelmas tearme : the place , paules church-yard , fleetstreete , and other parts of the citie . but before they ioyne let me giue you note of one thing , and that is this . there is an vsurper , that of late hath taken vpon him the name of the bel-man , but being not able to maintaine that title , hee doth now call himselfe the bel-mans brother , his ambition is ( rather out of vaine-glory then the true courage of an experienced souldier ) to haue the leading of the van , but it shall be honor good enough for him ( if not too good ) to come vp with the rere . you shall know him by his habiliments , for ( by the furniture he weares ) he will be taken for a beadle of bridewell . it is thought he is rather a nevvter then a friend to the cause : and therefore the bel-man doth here openly protest that hee comes into the field as no fellow in armes with him. howsoeuer it be strucke , or whosoeuer giues the first blow , the victorie depends vpon the valour of you that are the wings to the bel-mans army , for which conquest he is in hope you will valiantly fight , sithence the quarrell is against the head of monstrous abuses , and the blowes which you must giue are in defence of law , iustice , order , ceremonie , religion , peace , and that honourable title of goodnesse . saint george ▪ i see the two armies moue forward : and behold , the bel-man himselfe first chargeth vpon the face of the enemy , thus : a table of all the matters that are contained in this booke . chap. . of canting . chap. . what matters were tryed at a tearme that was in hell. the proceedings of that court. a counsell held in hell about the bel-man . a messenger sent from thence with instructions . chap. . of gull-groping . how gentlemen are cheated at ordinaries . to furnish which feast , these guests are bidden , viz. the leaders . the forlorne hope . the eagle . the wood-pecker . the gull. the gull-groper . chap. . of ferreting . how gentlemen are vndone by taking vp commodities . which tragedy hath these fiue acts , viz. a tumbler . pursenets . a ferret . rabbet-suckers . a warren . chap. . of hawking . how to catch birds by the booke . which is done with these fiue nets , viz. a falconer . a lure . a tercell-gentle . a bird. a mongril . chap. . of iackes of the clocke-house . chap. . of ranckeriders . how inne-keepers and hackney men are sadled . to make whom goe a round pace , you must haue a colt. a snaffle . a ring . prouander . chap. . of moone-men . chap. . the infection of the suburbs . chap. . of iynglers . the villanie of horse-coursers . who consists of — iynglers . drouers . goades . skip-iackes . chap. . of iack in a boxe , or a new kind of cheating , teaching how to change gold into siluer : vnto which is added a map , by which a man may learne to trauell all ouer england , and haue his charges borne . chap. . the bell mans second nights walke , in which hee meetes with a number of monsters that liue in darkenesse . lanthorne and candle-light . or the bel-mans second nights walke . of canting . how long it hath beene a language : how it comes to be a language : how it is deriued : and by whom it is spoken . chap. . when all the world was but one kingdome , all the people in that kingdome spake but one language . a man could trauell in those dayes neyther by sea nor land , but he met his countreymen , & none others . two could not then stand gabling with strange tongues , and conspire together ( to his owne face ) how to cut a third mans throate , but he might vnderstand them . there was no spaniard ( in that age ) to braue his enemie in the rich and loftie castilian : no romaine orator to plead in the rethoricall and fluent latine : no italian to court his mistressa in the sweet and amorous tuscane : no french-man to parley in the full and stately phrase of orleans no germaine to thunder out the high and ratling dutch : the vnfruitfull crabbed irish , and the voluble significant welch , were not then so much as spoken of : the quicke scottish dialect ( sister to the english ) had not then a tongue , neyther were the strings of the english speech ( in those times ) vntyed . when she first learned to speake , it was but a broken language : the singlest and the simplest words flowed from her vtterance ; for she dealt in nothing but in monosillables , ( as if to haue spoken words of greater length would haue crackt her voyce ) by which meanes her eloquence was ●●rest yet hardest to learne , and so ( but for necessitie ) not regarded amongst strangers . yet afterwards those noblest languages lent her words and phrases , and turning those borrowings into good husbandry , shée is now as rich in elocution , and as abundant , as her prowdest and best-stored neighbours . whilst thus ( as i said before ) there was but one alphabet of letters for all the world to read by : all the people that then liued , might haue wrought vpon one piece of worke in countries farre distant a sunder , without mistaking one another , and not néeding an interpreter to run betwéene them . which thing nymrod ( the first idolater ) perceiuing , and not knowing better how to imploy so many thousand millions of subiects as bowed before him : a fire of ambition burned within him , to climbe vp so high that he might sée what was done in heauen . and for that purpose , work-men were summoned from all the corners of the earth , who presently were set to build the tower of babell . but the maister-workman of this great vniuerse , ( to checke the insolence of such a sawcie builder ) that durst raise vp pinnacles equall to his owne ( aboue ) commanded the selfe-same spirit , that was both bred in the chaos , and had maintained it in disorder , to be both surueyor of those workes , and comptroller of the labourers . this messenger was called confusion . it was a spirit swift of sight , & faithfull of seruice . her lookes wilde , serrible and inconstant : her attire carelesly loose , and of a thousand seuerall colours . in one hand shée grip'd an heape of stormes , with which ( at her pleasure ) she could trouble the waters : in the other she held a whip , to make thrée spirits that drew her to gallop fast before her : the spirits names were treason , sedition ; and warre , who at euery time when they went abroad ; were ready to see kingdomes in an vproare . she roade vpon a chariot of clowdes , which was alwayes furnished with thunder , lightning , windes , raine , haile-stones , snow , and all the other artillerie belonging to the seruice of diuine vengeance : and when she spake , her voyce founded like the roaring of many torrents ; voysterously strugling together , for betwéene her iawes did she carry tongues . this strange linguist stepping to euery artificer that was there at worke , whispered in his eare : whose lookes were there-vpon ( presently ) 〈◊〉 with a strange distraction : and on a sodaine , whilst euery man was speaking to his fellow , his language altered , and no man could vnderstand what his fellow spake . they all stared one vpon another , yet none of them all could tell wherefore , so they stared . their tongues went , and their hands gaue action to their tongues , yet neyther words nor action were vnderstood . it was a noise of a thousand sounds , and yet the sound of the noise was nothing . hée that spake knew hée spake well : and hée that heard , was madde that the other could speake no better . in the end they grew angry one with another , as thinking they had mocked one another of purpose : so that the mason was ready to strike the bricklayer , the bricklayer to beate out the braines of his labourer : the carpenter tooke vp his are to throw at the caruer , whilst the caruer was stabbing at the smith , because he brought him an hammer , when hée should haue made him a chizzell : he that called for timber had stones laid before him : and when one was sent for nayles , hée fetcht a tray of morter . thus babel should haue béene raized , and by this meanes babell fell . the frame could not goe forward , the stuffe was throwne by , the worke-men made holy-day . euery one packd vp his tooles to be gone , yet not to goe the same way that he came , but glad was hée , that could méete another whose speech hée vnderstood : for to what place soeuer hee went , others ( that ran madding vp and downe ) hearing a man speak like themselues , followed onely him : so that they who when the worke began were all countrey-men , before a quarter of it was finished , fled from one another , s from enemies and strangers . and in this manner did men at the first make vp nations : thus were words coyned into languages , & out of those languages haue others béene molded since , onely by the mixture of nations after kingdomes haue béene subdued . but i am now to speake of a people and a language , of both which ( many thousands of yéeres since that wonder wrought at babell ) the world till now neuer made mention : yet confusion neuer dwelt more amongst any creatures . the bell-man ( in his first voyage which he made for discoueries ) found them to be sauages , yet liuing in an iland very temperate , fruitfull , full of a noble nation , rarely gouerned . the lawes , manners , and habits of these wild-men are plainly set downe , as it were in a former painted table . yet least happily a stranger may looke vpon this second picture of them , who neuer beheld the first . it shall not be a misse ( in this place ) to repeate ouer againe , the names of all the tribes , into which they diu●de themselues , both when they serue abroad in the open fields , and when they lye in garrison within townes & walled cities . and these are their ranckes , as they stand in order , viz. rvfflers . vpright-men . hookers , alias anglers . roagues . wilde roagues . priggers of prancers . pallyards . fraters . prigges . swadders . curtals . irish toyles . swigmen . iarkmen . patri-coes . kitchin-coes . abraham-men , mad tom , alias of bedlam . whip-iackes . counterfet crankes . dommerats . glymmerers . bawdy-baskets . autem morts . doxies . dells . kinchin-morts . into thus many regiments are they now deuided : but in former times ( aboue foure hundred yeares now past ) they did consist of fiue squadrons onely . viz. cursitors , alias vagabondes . faytors . robardsemen . draw-latches . sturdy beggars . and as these people are strange both in names and in their conditions , so doe they speake a language ( proper only to thēselues ) called canting , which is more strange . by none but the souldiers of these tottred bandes , is it familiarly or vsually spoken , yet within lesse then foure-score yeares ( now past ) not a word of this language was knowen . the first inuentor of it , was hang'd , yet left he apt schollers behind him , who haue reduced that into methode , which he on his death-bed ( which was a paire of gallowes ) could not so absolutely perfect as he desired . it was necessary , that a people ( so fast increasing , & so daity practising new & strange villanies , should borrow to themselues a spéech , which ( so néere as they could ) none but themselues should vnderstand : & for that cause was this language , ( which some call pedlers french ) inuented , to th' intent that ( albeit any spies should secretly steale into their companies to discouer them ) they might fréely vtter their mindes one to another , yet auoide the danger . the language therefore of canting , they study euen from their infancy , that is to say , from the very first houre , that they take vpón them the names of kinchin coes , till they are growne rufflers , or vpright-men , which are the highest in degrée amongst thē . this word canting séemes to be deriued from the latine verbe ( canto ) which signifies in english , to sing , or to make a sound with words , that is to say , to speake . and very aptly may canting take his deriuation a cantando , from singing , because amongst these beggerly consorts that can play vpon no better instruments , the language of canting is a king of musicke , and hée that in such assemblies can cant best , is counted the best musitian . now as touching the dialect or phrase it selfe , i sée not that it is grounded vpon any certaine rules ; and no meruaile if it haue none , for sithence both the father of this new kinde of learning , and the children that study to speake it after him , haue béene from the beginning and stil are the breeders and norishers of al base disorder , in their liuing and in their manners : how is it possible , they should obserue any method in their spéech , and especialy in such a language , as serues but onely to vtter discourses of villanies ? and yet ( euen out of all that irregularity , vnhansomnesse , and fountaine of barbarisme ) doe they draw a kinde of forme : and in some wordes , ( aswell simple as compounds ) retaine a certaine salte , tasting of some wit , and some learning . as for example , they call a cloake ( in the canting tongue ) a togeman , and in latin , toga signifies a gowne , or an vpper garment . pannam is bread : & panis in lattin is likewise bread , cassan is chéese , and is a word barbarously coynde out of the substantiue caseus , which also signifies chéese . and so of others . then by ioyning of two simples , doe they make almost all their compounds . as for example : nab ( in the canting tongue ) is a head , and nab-cheate , is a hat , or a cap : which word cheate , being coupled to other wordes , stands in very good stead , and does excellent seruice : for a smelling cheate , signifies a nose : a prat-ling cheate , is a tongue crashing cheates , are téeth : hearing . cheates are eares : fambles are hands : and there vpon a ring is called a fambling chete . a muffling chete , signifies a napkin . a belly chete , an apron : a grunting chete , a pig : a cackling chete , a cocke or a capon : a quacking chete , a ducke : a lowghing chete , a cow : a bleating chete , a calfe , or a shéepe : and so may that word be marryed to many others besides . the word coue , or cofe , or cuffin , signifies a man , a fellow , &c. but differs something in his propertie , according as it méetes with other wordes : for a gentleman is called a gentry coue , or cofe : a good fellow is a bene cofe : a churle is called , a quier cuffin ; quier signifies naught , and cuffin ( as i said before ) a man : and in canting they terme a iustice of peace , ( because hée punisheth them belike ) by no other name then by quier cuffin , that is to say , a churle , or a naughty man. and so , ken signifing a house , they call a prison , a quire ken , that is to say , an ill hous . many péeces of this strange coyne could i shew you , but by these small stampes , you may iudge of the greater . now because , a language is nothing els , then heapes of wordes , orderly wouen and composed together : and that ( within so narrow a circle as i haue drawne to my selfe ) it is impossible to imprint a dictionarie of all the canting phrases : i will at this time not make you surfet on too much , but as if you were walking in a garden , you shall openly plurke here a flower , and there another , which ( as i take it ) will bemore delightfull then if you gathered them by handfulls . but before i lead you into that walke , stay and heare a canter in his owne language , making rithmes , albeit ( i thinke ) those tharmes of poesie which ( at the first ) made the barbarous tame , and brought them ciuillity , can ( vpon these sauage monsters ) worke no such wonder . yet thus hée sing● ( vpon demaund whether any of his owne crue did come that way ) to which hée answers , yes ( quoth he . ) canting rithmes . enough with bowsy coue maund nace , tour the patring coue in the darkeman case , docked the dell , for a coper meke , his watch shall feng a prounces nab-chere , cya●●m , by salmon , and thou shalt pek my iere , in thy ga● , for my watch it is nace gere . for the beene bowse my watch hath a win , &c. this short lesson i leaue to be constraued by him that is desirous to try his skill in the language , which he may use by helpe of the following dictionary ; into which way that he may more readily come , i will translate into english , this broken french that followes in prose . two canters hauing wrangled a while about some idle quarrell at length growing friends , thus one of them speakes to the other . viz. a canter in prose . stowe you beene cofe ; and cut benar whiddes and bing wee to rome vile , to nip a boung : so shall wee haue lowre for the bowsing ken , and when wee beng back to the dewese a vile , wee will filch some dudes , off the ruffmans , or mill the ken for a lagge of dudes . thus in english . stowe you beene cofe : hold your peace good fellow , and cut bena● whiddes : and speake better words . and bing we to romevile : and goe we to london . to nip a boung : to cut a purse . so shall we haue lowre : so shall we haue mony . for the bowsing ken , for the ale house . and when wee bing back : and when we come backe . to the dewse-a-vile : into the country . wee will filch some dudes : we will filth some clothes , off the ruffmans : from the hedges , or mill the ken : or rob the house , for a lagge of duddes : for a bucke of clothes , now turne to your dictionary . and because you shall not haue one dish twice set before you , none of those canting wordes that are englished before , shal here be found : for our intent is to frast you with varietie . the canters dictionarie . avtem , a church . autem-mort , a married woman . boung , a purse . borde , a shilling . halfe a borde , six pence . bowse , drinke . bowsing ken , an ale-house . bene , good . beneship , very good : bufe , a dogge . bing a wast , get you hence . caster , a cloake . a commission , a shirt . chates , the gallowes . to cly the ierke , to be whipped . to cut , to speake . to cut bene , to speake gently . to cut bene whiddes , to speake good wordes , to cut quier whiddes , to giue euill language . to cant , to speake . to couch a hogshead , to lye downe a sléepe . drawers , hosen . dudes , clothes . darke mans , the night . dewse-a-vile , the country , dup the giger , open the dore . fambles , hands . fambling chete , a king. flag , a goat . glasiers , eyes . gan , a mouth . gage , a quart pot . grannam , corne. gybe , a writing . glymmer , fire . gigger , a doore . gentry mort , a gentlewoman . gentry cofes ken , a noblemans house . harman beck , a constable . harmans , the stockes . heaue a bough , rob a booth . iarke , a seale . ken , a house . lage of dudes , a bucke of clothes . libbege , a bed. lowre , money . lap , butter , milke , or whay . libkin , a house to lye in . lage , water . light-mans , the day . mynt , golde . a make , a halfe-penny . margery prater , a henne . mawnding , asking . to mill , to steale . mill a ken , rob a house . nosegent , a nunne . niggling , companying with a woman . pratt , a buttocke . peck , meate . poplars , pottage . prancer , a horse . prigging , riding . patrico , a priest . pad , a way . quaromes , a body . ruff-peck , bacon . roger , or tib of the buttry , a goose . rome-vile , london . rome-bowse , wine . rome-mort , a queane . ruffmans , the woodes , or bushes . ruffian , the diuell . stampes : legges . stampers ? shooes . slate : a shéete . skew : a cup. salomon : the masse . stuling ken : a house to receiue stolne goods . skipper : a barne . strommel , straw . smelling chete , an orchard or garden . to scowre the cramp-ring : to weare boults . stalling : making or ordeyning . tryning : hanging . to twore : to sée . wyn : a penny . yarum : milke . and thus haue i builded vp a little mint , where you may coyne wordes for your pleasure . the payment of this was a debt : for the belman at his farewell ( in his first round which hée walk'd ) promised so much . if hée kéepe not touch , by tendring the due summe , he desires forbearance , and if any that is more rich in this canting commodity will lend him any more , or any better , hée will pay his loue double : in the meane time , receiue this , and to giue it a little more weight , you shall haue a canting song , wherein you may learne , how this cursed generation pray , or ( to speake truth ) curse such officers as punish them . a canting song . the ruffin cly the nab of the harman beck , if we mawnd pannam , lap , or ruff pecke , or poplars of yarum : he cuts , bing to the ruffmans , or els he sweares by the light-mans , to put our stamps in the harmans . the ruffian cly the ghost of the harmanbeck , if we heaue a booth we cly the ierke . if we niggle , or mill a bowsing ken , or nip a boung that has but a win , or dup the giger of a gentry cofes ken , to the quier cuffing we bing , and then to the quier ken , to scowre the cramp-ring , and then to the trin'de on the chutes , in the lightmans the bube & ruffian cly the harman beck & harmans . thus englished . the diuell take the constables head , if we beg bacon , butter-milke or bread , or pottage , to the hedge he bids vs hie , or sweares ( by this light ) i th stocks we shall lie . the deuill haunt the constables ghoast , if we rob but a booth , we are whipt at a poast . if an ale-house we rob , or be tane with a whore , or cut a purse that has iust a penny and no more , or come but stealing in at a gentlemans dore , to the iustice straight we goe , and then to the iayle to be shackled : and so , to be hangd on the gallowes i th day time : the pox and the deuill take the constable and his stocks . we haue canted ( i feare ) too much , let vs now giue eare to the bel-man , and heare what he speaks in english . the bel-mans second nights walke . chap. ii. it was terme time in hell ( for you must vnderstand , a lawyer liues there aswell as héere : ) by which meanes don lucifer ( being the iustice for that countie , where the brimstone mines are ) had better dooings and more rapping at his gates , then all the doctors and unpericall quack-saluers of ten cities haue at theirs in a great plague time . the hall where these termers were to try their causes , was very large and strongly built , but it had one fault , it was so hot that people could not indure to walk there : yet to walke there they were compelled , by reason they were drawne thither vpon orcasions , and such iustling there was of one another , that it would haue grieued any man to be in the thronges amongst me . nothing could be heard but noise , and nothing of that noise be vnderstood , but that it was a sound , as of men in a kingdome , when on a sodaine it is in an vprore . euery one brabled with him that he walked with , or if hée did but tell his tale to his councell , heè was so eager in the very deliuery of that tale , that you would haue sworne hée did brabble : and such gnashing of téeth there was when aduersaries met together , that the fyling of ten thousand sawes cannot yéeld a sound more horrible . the iudge of the court had a diuelish countenance , and as cruell he was in punishingthose that were condemned by lawe , as he was crabbed in his lookes , whilst he sat to heare their tryals . but albeit there was no pittie to be expected at his hands , yet was hée so vpright in iustice , that none could euer fasten bribe vpon him , for hée was ready and willing to heare the cryes of all commers . neither durst any pleader ( at the infernall barre ) or any officer of the court , exact any fée of plaintiffes , and such as complained of wrongs and were opprest : but onely they paide that were the wrong dooers , those would they sée dambd ere they should get out of their fingers , such fellowes they were appointed to vexe at the very soule . the matters that here were put in sute , were more then could be bred in twentie vacations , yet should a man be dispached out of hand . in one terme hée had his iudgement , for heare they neuer stand vpon returnes , but presently come to triall . the causes decided here are many ; the clients that complaine many ; the counsellors ( that plead till they be hoarse , ) many ; the attornies ( that runne vp and downe , ) infinite ; the clarkes of the court , not to be numbred . all these haue their hands full ; day and night are they so plagued with the bawling of clients , that they neuer can rest . the inck where-with they write , is the blood of coniurers : they haue no paper , but all things are engrossed in parchment , and that parchment is made of scriueners skinnes flead off , after they haue béene punished for forgerie : their standishes are the seuls of vsurers : their pennes , the bones of vnconscionable brokers , and hard-hearted creditors , that haue made dice of other mens bones , or else of periured excecutors and blind ouer-séeers , that haue eaten vp widdowes and orphanes to the bare bones : and those pennes are made of purpose without nebs , because they may cast incke but slowly , in mockery of those , who in their life time were slowe in yéelding drops of pitty . would you know what actions are tried here ? i will but turne ouer the recordes , and read them vnto you as they hang vpon the fyle . the courtier is sued héere , and condemned for ryots . the soldier is sued héere , and condemned for murders . the scholler is sued héere , & condemned for heresies . the citizen is sued héere , and condemned for the citie-sinnes . the farmer is suedchéere vpon penal statutes , and condemned for spoyling the markets . actions of batterie are brought against swaggerers , and héere they are bound to the peace . actions of waste are brought against drunkards and epicures , and héere they are condemned to begge at the grate for one drop of colde water to coole their tongues , or one crum of breade to stay their hunger , yet are they denyed it . harlots haue processe sued vpon them héere , and are condemned to howling , to rottennesse and to stench . no actes of parliament that haue passed the * vpper-house , can be broken , but here the breach is punished , and that seuerely , and that suddenly : for here they stand vpon no demurres ; no audita queraela can héere be gotten , no writs of errores to reuerse iudgement : héere is no flying to a court of chancery for reléef , yet euerie one that comes hether is serued with a sub-poena . no , they deale altogether in this court vpon the habeas corpus , vpon the capias , vpon the ne exeat regnum , vpon rebellion , vpon heauie fines ( but no recoueries ) vpon writs of out-lary , to attache the body for euer , and last of all vpon executions after iudgement , which being serued vpon a man is his euerlasting vndoing . such are the customes and courses of procéedings in the offices belonging to the prince of darknesse . these hot dooings hath hée in his terme-times . but vpon a day when a great matter was to be tryed betwéene an englishman and a dutchman , which of the two were the fowlest drinkers , and the case being a long time in arguing , by reason that strong euidence came in réeling on both sides , ( yet it was thought that the english-man would carry it away , and cast the dutchman ) on a sodaine all was staid by the sound of a horne that was heard at the lower end of the hall. and euery one looking back ( as wondring at the strangenes ) roome , roome , was cryed and made through the thickest of the crowde , for a certain spirit , in the likenesse of a post , who made away on a little leane nagge vp to the bench where indge radamanth with his two grime brothers ( minos and aecus ) sat . this spirit was an intelligencer sent by belzebub of batharum , into some countries of christendome , to lye there as a spie , and had brought with him a packet of letters from seuerall leigiers that lay in those countries , for the seruice of the tartarian , their lord and maister . which packet being opened , all the letters ( because they concerned the generall good and state of those low countries in hell ) were publikely reade . the contents of that letter that stung most , and put them all out of their law cases , tended to this purpose . that whereas she lord of the fiery lakes had his ministers in all kingdomes aboue the earth , whose offices were not onely to win the subiects of other princes to his obadience , but also to giue notice when any of his owne sworne houshold , or any other that held league with him should reuolt or flie from their allegiance : also discouer from time to time all plots , conspiracies , machinations , or vnderminings , that should be laid ( albeit they that durst lay them should digge déepe inough ) to blow vp his great infernall citie : so that if his horned regiment were not sodainely mustred together , and did not ●●stely bestirre their clouen stumps , his territories would be shaken , his dominions left in time vnpeopled , his forces looked into , and his authoritie which he held in the world , contemned and laughed to scorne . the reason was , that a certaine fellow . the childe of darkenesse , a common night-walker , a man that had no man to waite vpon him but onely a dogge , one that was a disordered person , and at midnight would beate at mens doores , bidding them ( in meere mockerie ) to looke to their candles , when they themselues were in their dead sleepes : and albeit hee was an officer , yet hee was but of light-carriage , being knowne by the name of the bel-man of london , had of late not onely drawne a number of the deuils owne kindred into question for their liues , but had also ( onely by the help of the lanthorn & candle ) lookt into the serrets of the best trades that are taught in hell , laying them open to the broad eye of the world , making them infamous , odious , and ridiculous : yea , and not satisfied with dooing this wrong to his diuelship , very spitefullie hath hée set them out in print , drawing their pictures so to the life , that now a horse-stealer shall not shew his head , but a hailter with the hang-mans noose is ready to be fastned about it : a foyst , nor a nip shall not walke into a fayre or a play-house , but euerie tracke will cry , looke to your purses : nor a poore common rogue come to a mans doore , but he shall be examined if hée can cant . if this baulling fellow therefore haue not his mouth stop'd , she light angels that are coynd below , will neuer be able to passe as they haue done , but be naild vp for counterfeits , hell will haue no dooings , and the deuill be no body . this was the lyking of the letter , and this letter draue them all to a non-plus , because they knew not how to answere it . but at last aduice was taken , the court brake vp , the tearme was adiournd , ( by reason that the hell houndes were thus plagu'd ) & a common counsell in hell was presently called how to redresse these abuses . the sathanicall sinagogue being set , vp startes the father of hell and damnation , and looking verie terribly , with apaire of eies that stared as wide as the mouth gapes at bishops-gate , fetching foure or fiue déep sighes ( which were nothing else but the smoke of fire & brimstone boyling in his stomacke , and shewed as if hée were taking tobacco , which be oftentimes does ) tolde his children & seruants ( and the rest of the citizens that dwelt within the freedome of hell , and sat there before him vpon narrow low formes ) that they neuer had more cause to lay their heads together , and to grow politicians . hée and they all knew that from the corners of the earth , some did euery houre in a day créepe forth , to come and serue him : yea , that many thousands were so bewitched with his fauours , and his rare parts , that they would come running quick to him : his dominions ( he said ) were great , and ful of people , emperors , and kings , ( in infinit number ) were his slaues , his court was full of princes , if the world were denided ( as some report ) but into thrée parts , two of those thrée were his : or if ( as others affirme ) into foure parts , almost thrée of that foure hée had firme footing in . but if such a fellow as a treble voic'd bel-man , should be suffer to pry into the infernall misteries , & into those blacke acts which command the spirits of the déepe , and hauing sucked what knowledge he can from them , to turn it all into poison , and to spit it in the very faces of the professors , with a malicious intent to make them appeare vgly , and so to grow hatefull and out of fauour with the world , if such a coniurer at midnight should dance in their circles , and not be driuen out of them , hell in a few yéers would not be worth the dwelling in . the great lord of limbo did therefore command all his blacke guard that stood about him , to bestirre them in their places , and to defend the court wherein they liued : threatning ( besides ) that his curse , and all the plagues of stincking hell should fall vpon his officers , seruants , and subiects , vnlesse they either aduiz'd him , how , or take some spéedie order themselues to punish that saucie intelligencer , the bel-man of london . thus hée spake , and then sat downe . at last , a foolish diuell rose vp , and shot the bolt of his aduice , which flew thus farre : that the black-dogge of new-gate should againe be let loose , and a farre off , follow the bauling bel-man , to watch into what places hée went , and what déedes of darkenesse ( euerie night ) hée did . hinc risus ! the whole synodicall assembly , fell a laughing at this wise-acre , so that neither he , nor his blacke dogge durst barke any more . another , thinking to cleaue the very pinne with his arrow , drew it home to the head of wisdome ( as he imagined ) and yet that lighted wide too . but thus shot his counsell , that the ghosts of all those théeues , cheaters , and others of that damned crew , ( who by the bel-mans discouerie , had béene betraied , were taken and sent westward ) should be fetched from those fields of horror , where euery night they walke , disputing with doctor story , who kéepes them company there in his corner cap : and that those wry neckt spirits should haue charge giuen them to haunt the bel-man in his walkes , and so fright him out of his wits . the diuell for all his roaring went away neither with a plaudite , nor with a hisse . others stept vp , some pronouncing one verdict , some another : but at the last , it being put into their diulish heads , that they had no power ouer him further then what should be giuen vnto them , it was concluded and set downe as a rule in court , that some one strange spirit , who could transport himselfe into all shapes , should be sent vp to london , and scorning to take reuenge vpon so meane a person as a bel-ringer , should thrust himselfe into such companyes ( as in a warrant to be signed for that purpose ) should be nominated : and being once growne familiar with them , hée was to worke and win them by all possible meanes to fight vnder the dismall and blacke colours of the grand sophy ( his lord and maister ) the fruit that was to grow vpon this trée of euill , would be great , for it should be fit to be serued vp to don lucifers table , as a new banquetting dish , sithence all his other meates , ( though they fatted him well ) were growne stale . hereupon parmersiell the messenger was called , a pasport was drawne , signed , and deliuered to him , with certaine instructions how to carry himselfe in his trauell . and thus much was openly spoken to him by word of mouth . flye pamersiel with spéede to the great and populous citie in the west : winde thy selfe into all shapes : be a dogge ( to ●awne , ) a dragon ( to confound , ) be a doue ( séeme innocent , ) be a deuill ( as thou art , ) and shew that thou art a iorniman to hel . build rather thynest amongst willowes that bend euerie way , then on tops of oakes , whose hearts are hard to be broken : fly with the swallow , close to the earth , when stormes are at hand , but kéepe company with birdes of greater tallants , when the weather is cléere , and neuer leaue them till they looke like rauens : créepe into bosomes that are buttond vp in sattin and there spred the wings of thine infection : make euerie head thy pillow to leane vpon , or vse it like a mill , onely to grinde mischiefe . if thou méetst a dutchman , drinke with him : if a frenchman , stab : if a spaniard , betray : if an italian poyson : if an englishman doe all this . haunt tauerns , there thou shalt finde prodigalls : pay thy two-pence to a player , in his gallerie maist thou sit by a harlot : at ordinaries maist thou dine with filken fooles : when the day steales out of the world , thou shalt méete rich drunkards , vnder welted gownes search for thréescore in the hundred , hugge those golden villaines , they shine bright , & will make a good shew in hell , shricke with a cricket in the brew-house , and watch how they coniure there : ride vp and downe smith-field , and play the iade there : visit prisons , and teach iaylors how to make nets of iron there : binde thy selfe prentice to the best trades : but if thou canst grow extreame ritch in a very short time ( honestly ) i banish thée my kingdome , come no more into hell , i haue red thée a lecture , follow it , farewell . no sooner was farewell spoken , but the spirit to whom all these matters were giuen in charge , vanished : the clouen footed orator arose , and the whole assembly went about their damnable businesse . gul-groping . how gentlemen are cheated at ordinaries . chap. iii. the diuels foote-man was very nimble of his héeles ( for no wilde-irish man could out-runne him , and therefore in a few houres , was hée come vp to london : the miles betwéene hell and any place vpon earth , being shorter then those betwéene london and saint albones , to any man that trauels from hence thither , or to any lacky that comes from thence hether , on the deuils errands : but to any other poore soule , that dwells in those low countries , they are neuer at an end , and by him are not possible to be measured . no sooner was hée entred into the citie , but hée met with one of his maisters daughters , called pride , drest like a marchants wife , who taking acquaintance of him , and vnderstanding for what he came , tolde him , that the first thing hée was to doe , hée must put himselfe in good cloathes , such as were sutable to the fashion of the time , for that here , men were look'd vpon onely for their out-sides : he that had not ten-pounds-worth of wares in his shop , would carry twentie markes on his backe : that there were a number of sumpter-horses in the citie , who cared not how coursely they fed , so they might were gay trappings : yea , that some pied fooles , to put on satin and veluet but foure daies in the yeare , did often-times vndoe themselues , wiues and children euer after . the spirit of the deuils buttery hearing this , made a legge to pride for here counsell , and knowing by his owne experience that euerie taylor hath his hell to himselfe , vnder his shop-board , ( where he dammes new sattin ) amongst them hée thought to finde best welcome , and therefore into burchin-lane hée stalkes verie mannerly , pride going along with him , and taking the vpper hand . no sooner was hée entred into the rankes of the linnen armorers , ( whose weapons are spanish néedles ) but hée was most terribly and sharpely set vpon , euerie prentise boy had a pull at him : hee feared they all had bin serieants , because they all had him by the backe : neuer was poore deuill so tormented in hell , as he was amongst them : he thought it had béene saint thomas his day , and that he had béene called vpon to be constable , there was such bauling in his eares , and no strength could shake them off , but that they must shew him some suites of apparell , because they saw what gentlewoman was in his company ( whom they all knew , ) seeing no remedie , into a shop hée goes , was fitted brauely , and beating the price , found the lowest to be vnreasonable , yet paide it , and departed , none of them ( by reason of their crowding about him before ) perceiuing what customer they had met with , but now the taylor spying the deuill , suffered him to goe , neuer praying that hée wold know the shop another time , but looking round about his ware-house if nothing were missing , at length he found that he had lost his conscience : yet remembring himselfe , that they who deale with the diuell , can hardly kéepe it , he stood vpon it the lesse . the fashions of an ordinarie . the stigian traueller being thus translated into an accomplished gallant , with all acoutrements belonging ( as a ●ether for his head , gilt rapier for his sides , & new boots to hide his polt foote , for in bed-lam he met with a shoemaker , a mad slaue , that knew the length of his last ) it rested , onely that now hée was to enter vpon company sutable to his cloathes : and knowing that your most selected gallants are the onely-tablemen that are plaid with all at ordinaries , into an ordinary did he most gentleman like , conuay himselfe in state . it seemed that all who came thether , had clocks in their bellies , for they all strucke into the dyning roome much a-about the very minute of féeding . our caualier had all the eyes ( that came in ) throwne vpon him , ( as being a stranger : for no ambassador from the diuell euer dined amongst them before , ) and he asmuch tooke especiall notice of them . in obseruing of whom and of the place , he found , that an ordinary was the onely randeuouz for the most ingenious , most terse , most trauaild , and most phantastick gallant : the very exchange for newes out of all countries : the only booke-sellers shop for conference of the best editions , that if a woman ( to be a lady ) would cast away herselfe vpon a knight , there a man should heare a catalogue of most of the richest london widowes : & last , that it was a schoole where they were all fellowes of one forme , & that a country gentleman was of as great comming as the proudest iustice that sat there on the bench aboue him : for hée that had the graine of the table with his trencher , payd no more then he that placed himselfe beneath the salt . the diuels intelligencer could not be contented to fill his eye onely with these obiects , and to féed his belly with delicate chéere : but hée drew a larger picture of all that were there , and in these collours . the voider hauing cléered the table , cardes & dice ( for the last messe ) are serued vp to the boord : they that are full of coyne draw : they that haue little , stand by & giue ayme : they shuffle and cut on one side : the bones rattle on the other : long haue they not plaide , but oathes fly vp & downe the roome like haile-shot : if the poore dumb dice be but a little out of square , the pox & a thousand-plagues breake their neckes out at window : presently after , the foure knaues are sent packing the same way , or els ( like heretikes ) are condemned to be burnt . in this battaile of cardes and dice , are seuerall regiments and seuerall officers . they that sit downe to play , are at first cald leaders . they that loose , are the forlorne hope . he that winnes all , is the eagle . he that stands by and ventures , is the wood-pecker . the fresh gallant that is fetcht in , is the gul. he that stands by , and lends , is the gul-groper . the gul-groper . this gul-groper is commonly an old mony-monger , who hauing trauaild through all the follyes of the world in his youth , knowes them well , and shunnes them in his age , his whole felicitie being to fill his bags with golde and siluer : hée comes to an ordinary , to saue charges of house-kéeping , and will eate for his two shillings , more meate then will serue thrée of the guard at a dinner , yet sweares hée comes thether onely for the company , and to conuerse with trauailers . it is a gold-finch that sildome flies to these ordinary nests , without a hundred or two hundred pound in twenty shilling péeces about him . after the tearing of some seauen paire of cardes , or the damning of some ten baile of dice , steps hée vpon the stage , and this part hée playes . if any of the forlorne hope be a gentleman of meanes , either in esse , or in posse , ( and that the olde foxe will be sure to know to halfe an acre ) whose money runnes at a low ebbe , as may appeare by his scratching of the head , and walking vp and downe the roome , as if hée wanted an ostler : the gul-groper takes him to a side window and tels him , hée is sorry to sée his hard lucke , but the dice are made of womens bones , and will cozen any man , yet for his fathers sake ( whom hée hath knowne so long ) if it please him , he shall not leaue off play for a hundred pound or two . if my yong estrich gape to swallow downe this mettall ( as for the most part they are very gréedy , hauing such prouander set before them ) then is the gold powred on the board , a bond is made for repaiment , at the next quarter day , when exhibition is sent in : and because it is all gold , and cost so much the changing , the scriuener ( who is a whelpe of the old mastiues owne bréeding ) knows what words will bite , which thus he fastens vpon him , and in this net the gull is sure to be taken ( howsoeuer : ) for if hée fall to play againe , and loose , the hoary goat-bearded satyre that stands at his elbow , laughes in his sléeue : if his bags be so recouered of their falling-sicknes , that they be able presently to repay the borrowed gold , then monsieur gul-groper steales away of purpose to auoide the reccipt of it ; hée hath fatter chickens in hatching : it is a fayrer marke hée shootes at . for the day being come when the bond growes due , the within named signior auaro , will not be within : or if hée be at home , hée hath wedges enough in his pate , to cause the bond to be broken , or else a little before the day , hée féeds my young maister with such swéete words , that surfetting vpon his protestations , hée neglects his paiment , as presuming hée may doe more but the law hauing a hand in the forfeiture of the bond , laies presently hold of our yong gallant with the helpe of a couple of serieants , and iust at such a time when old erra pater ( the iew ) that lent him the money , knowes by his owne prognostication , that the moone with the siluer face is with him in the waine . nothing then can frée him out of the phangs of those bloud-hounds , but he must presently confesse a iudgement , for so much money , or for such a manor or lordship ( thrée times worth the bond forfeited ) to be paid , or to be entred vpon by him , by such a day , or within so many moneths after he comes to his land . and thus are young heires coozend of their acres , before they well know where they lye . the wood-pecker . the wood-pecker is a bird that sits by vpon a perch too : but is nothing so dangerous , as this vulture spoken of before . he deales altogether vpon returnes , ( as men doe that take thrée for one , at their comming back from ierusalem , &c. ) for hauing a iewell , a clock , a ring with a diamond , or any such like commoditie , hée notes him well that commonly is best acquainted with the dice , and hath euer good lucke : to him he offers his prize , rating it at ten or fiftéene pound , when happily it is not worth aboue six , and for it hée bargaines to receiue fiue shillings or ten shillings ( according as it is in value ) at euery hand , second third , or fourth hand hée drawes : by which means he perhaps in a short time , makes that yéeld him forty or fifty pound , which cost not halfe twenty . many of these merchant venturers saile from ordinary to ordinary , being sure alwayes to make sauing voiages , when they that put in ten times more then they , are for the most part loosers . the gull. nowifeither the leaders , or the forlorne hope , or any of the rest , chance to heare of a yong fresh-water souldier that neuer before followed these strange warre , and yet hath a charge newly giuen him ( by the old fellow soldado vecchio his father , when death had shutte him into the graue ) of some ten or twelue thousand in ready money , besides so many hundreds a yeare : first are scoutes sent out to discouer his lodging : that knowne some lye in ambush to note what apothecaries shop hée resorts too euery morning , or in what tobacco shop in fléet-stréet he takes a pipe of smoake in the afternoone : that fort which the puny holds , is sure to be beleaguerd by the whole troope of the old weather beaten gallants : amongst whom some one , whose wit is thought to be of a better blocke for his head , than the rest , is appointed to single out our nouice , and after some foure or fiue dayes spent in complement , our heire to seauen hundred a yeare is drawne to an ordinary , into which hee no sooner enters , but all the old ones in that nest flutter about him , embrace , protest , kisse the hand , conge to the very garter , and in the end ( to shew that hée is no small foole , but that he knows his father left him not so much mony for nothing , ) the yong cub suffers himselfe to be drawne to the stake : to flesh him , fortune and the dice ( or rather the false dice , that coozen fortune , & make a foole of him too ) shall so fauor him , that he marches away from a battaile or two the onely winner . but afterwards , let him play how warily soeuer hée can , the damned dice shall crosse him , and his siluer crosses shall blesse those that play against him : for euen they that seeme deerest to his bosome , shall first be ready , and be the formost to enter with the other leaders into conspiracy , how to make spoile of his golden bags . by such ransacking of cittizens sormes wealth , the leaders maintaine themselues braue , the forlome hope , that drooped before , do'es now gallantly come on . the eagle fethers his nest , the wood-pecker pickes vp his crums , the gul-groper growes fat with good feeding : and the gul himselfe , at whom euery one has a pull , hath in the end scarce fethers enough to kéepe his owne backe warme . the post maister of hell , séeing such villaine to goe vp and downe in cloakes lined cleane through with veluet , was glad hée had such newes to send ouer , and therefore sealing vp a letter full of it , deliuered the same to filthybearded charon ( their owne water-man ) to be conuaied first to the porter of hell , & then ( by him ) to the maister keeper of the diuels . of ferreting . the manner of vndooing gentlemen by taking vp of commodities . chap. iiii. hvnting is anoble , a manly , and a healthfull exercise , it is a very true picture of warre , nay it is a war in it selfe , for engines are brought into the steid , stratagems are contriued , ambushes are laide , onsets are giuen , allarums strucke vp , braue incounters are made , fierce assailings are resisted by strength , by courage , or by pollicy : the enemy is pursued , and the pursuers neuer giue ouer till they haue him in execution , then is a retreate sounded , then are spoiles diuided , then come they home wearied , but yet crowned with honor & victory . and as in battailes there be seuerall maners of fight : so in the pastime of hunting , there are seuerall degrées of game . some hunt the lyon , and that shewes as when subiects rise in armes against their king. some hunt the vnicorne , for the treasure on his head , and they are like couetous men , that care not whom they kill for riches . some hunt the spotted panther , & the freckled leopard , they are such as to inioy their pleasures regard not how blacke an infamie stickes vpon them : all these are barbarous and vnnaturall huntsmen , for they range vp and downe the deserts , the wildernes , and the mountaines , others pursue the long-liued hart , the couragious stag or the nimble footed déere : these are the noblest hunters , and they exercise the noblest game : these by following the chace , get strength of body , a frée and vndisquieted minde , magnanimitie of spirit , alacritie of heart , and an vnwearisomnesse to breake through the hardest labours : their pleasures are not insatiable , but are contented to be kept within limits , for these hunt within parkes inclosed , or within bounded forrests . the hunting of the hare teaches feare to be bould , and puts simplicitie so to her shifts , that she growes cunning and prouident : the turnings and crosse windings that shée makes are embleames of this lifes vncertaintie : when shée thinkes she is further from danger , it is at her héeles , and when it is néerest to her , the hand of safety defends her . when shée is wearied and hath runne her race , shée takes her death patiently , thereby to teach man to make himselfe ready , when the graue gapes for him . all these kindes of hunting are abroad in the open field , but there is a close citie hunting , onely within the wals , that pulles downe parkes , layes open forrests , destroyes chaces , wounds the déere of the land , and makes such hauocke of the goodliest heards , that by their wils , ( who are the rangers , ) none should be lest aliue but the rascalls . this kinde of hunting is base and ignoble . it is the meanest , yet she most mischieuous , and it is called ferreting . to behold a course or two at this , did the light-horseman of hell one day leape into the saddle . citie-hunting . this ferret-hunting hath his seasons as other games haue , and is onely followed at such a time of yeare , when the gentry of our kingdome by riots , hauing chased them selues out of the faire reuenewes and large possessions left to them by their ancestors are forced to hide their heads like conies , in little caues , and in vnfrequented places : or else being almost windelesse , by running after sensuall pleasures too fiercely , they are glad ( for keeping them-selues in breath so long as they can ) to fal to ferret-hunting , that is to say , to tak vp commodities . no warrant can be graunted for a bucke in this forrest , but it must passe vnder these fiue hānds . he that hunts vp and downe to finde game , is called , the tumbler . the commodities that are taken vp are called purse-nets . the citizens that selles them is the ferret . they that take vp are the rabbet-suckers . hee vpon whose credit these rabbet-suckers runne , is called the warren . how the warren is made . after a raine , conies vse in come out of their holes , and to sit nibling on wéeds , or any thing in the coole of the euening , and after a reueling , when younger brothers haue spent all , or in gaining haue lost all , they sit plotting in their chambers , with necessity , how to be furnished , presently with a new supply of 〈◊〉 . they would take vp any commodity whatsoeuer , but the●● names 〈◊〉 in too many texted letters all ready in mercers and soriueners bookes : vpon a hundred poundes worth of roasted béefe they could finde in their hearts to venture , for that would away 〈…〉 of a hand : but where shall they finde butcher , or a cooke , that will let any 〈…〉 so much vpon the score for flesh onely suppose therefore that foure of such loose-fortuned gallants were tied in one knot , and knew not how to fasten themselues vpon some wealthy cittizen . at the length it runnes into their heads , that such a young nouice ( who daily serues to fill vp their company ) was neuer intangled in any citie limebush : they know his present meanes to be good , and those to come to be great : him therefore they lay vpon the anuill of their wits , till they haue wrought him like wax , for him-selfe as well as for them , to doe any thing in wax , or indéed till they haue won him to slide vpon this ice , because hée knowes not the danger ) he is easily drawne : for hée considers within him-selfe that they are all gentlemen well descended , they haue rich fathers , they weare good clothes , haue bin gallant spenders , and doe now and then ( still ) let it flye fréely : hée is to venture vpon no more rockes than all they , what then should hée feáre ? hée therefore resolues to doe it , and the rather because his owne exhibition runnes low , & that there lacke a great many wéekes to the quarter day , at which time , he shall be refurnished from his father . the match being thus agréed vpon , one of them that has béene an ould ferret-monger , & knowes all the trickes of such hunting , séeks out a tumbler , that is to say , a fellow , who beates the bush for them till they catch the birds , he himselfe being contented ( as he protests & sweares ) onely with a few fethers . the tumblers hunting dry-foote . this tumbler being let loose , runnes snuffing vp and downe close to the ground , in the shoppes either of merrers , gouldsmithes , drapers , haberdashers , or of any other trade , where hée thinckes hée may méete with a ferret : and the vpon his very first course , hée can finde his game , yet to make his gallants more hungry , and to thinke hée wearies himselfe in hunting the more , hée comes to them sweating and swearing that the citie ferrets are so coaped ( that is to say , haue their lippes stitched vp close ) that hée can hardly get them open to so great a sum as fiue hundred pounds , which they desire . this heache being chewd downe by the rabbet-suckers almost kils their hearts , and is worse to them then dabbing on the neckes to connies . they bid him if hée cannot fasten his tieth vpon plate or cloth , or silkes , to lay hold on browne paper or tobacco , bartholmew babies , lute stringes or hobnailes , or two hundred poundes in saint thomas onions , and the rest in mony ; the onions they coulde get wenches enough to cry and sell them by the rope , and what remaines should serue them with mutton . vpon this , their tumbler trottes vp and downe againe . and at last lighting on a cittizen that will deale , the names are receiued , and deliuered to a scriuener , who enquiring whether they be good men and true , that are to passe vpon the life and death of fiue hundred poundes , findes that foure of the fiue , are winde-shaken , and ready to fall into the lordes handes : marry the fist man , is an oake , and there 's hope that hée cannot be hewed downe in haste . vpon him therefore the cittizen buildes so much as comes to fiue hundred poundes , yet takes in the other foure to make them serue as scaffolding , till the frame be furnished , and if then it hold , hée cares not greatly who takes them downe . in all hast , are the bondes sealed and the commodities deliuered , and then does the tumbler fetch his second carréere , and that 's this . the tumblers hunting counter . the wares which they fished for being in the hand of the fiue shauers , doe now more trouble their wits how to turne those wares into ready mony , then before they were troubled to turne their credits into wares . the trée being once more to be shaken , they know it must loose fruit , and therefore their factor must barter away their marchandise , tho it be with losse : abroad into the citie he sailes for that purpose , and deales with him that sold , to but his owne commodities againe for ready mony ; hée will not doe it vnder . l. losse in the hunored : other archers bowes are tryed at the same marke , but all kéepe much about one scantling : backe therfore comes their carrier with this newes , that no man will disburse so much present money vpon any 〈◊〉 whatsoeuer . onely hée met by good fortune with one friend ( and that friend is himselfe ) who for l. will procure them a chapman , marry that chapman will not buy vnlesse hée may haue them at . l. losse in the hundred : ●u●h , cry all the sharers , 〈…〉 these 〈…〉 curmudgions , giue that 〈◊〉 your friend . l. for his paines , and ●etch the rest of the money : within an houre after , it is brought , and powred downe in one heape vpon a tauerne table ; where making a goodly shew as if it could neuer be spent , all of them consult what sée the tombler is to haue , for hunting so well , and conclude that lesse then l. they cannot giue him , which . l. is the first told out . now let vs cast vp this account : in euery . l. is lost . which being . times . l. makes . l. that sum the ferret puts vp cléer besides his ouer-prising the wares : vnto which . l. lost , ad . l. more , which the tumbler guls them off , and other . l. which hée hath for his voyage , all which makes . l. which deducted from . l. there remaineth onely . to be deuided amongst . so that euery one of the partners shall haue but . l. yet this they all put vp merily , washing downe their losses with sacke and suger , whereof they drinke that night profoundly . how the warren is spoyled . vvhilst this weather lasteth lasteth , and that there is any grake to nibble vpon , these rabbet-suckers keepe to the warren wherein they fatned : but the cold day of repaiment approaching , they retire déepe into their caues ; so that when the ferret makes account to haue fiue before him in chase ; foure of the fiue lye hidden , and are stolne into other groun vs. no maruell then if the ferret growe fierce and teare open his own iawes , to suck blood from him that is left : no maruaile if he scratch what woolhe can from his back : the pursnets that were set , are all taken vp & carried away . the warren therefore must be searched , that must pay for all : ouer that does hée range like a little lord. sargeants , marshals-men , and baliffes are sent forth , who lye scowting at euery corner , and with terrible pawes haunt euery walke . inconelusion the bird that these hawkes slie after , is seazd vpon , then are his fethers pluck'd , his estate look'd into , then are his wings broken , his lands made ouer to a stranger : then must our yong son & heire pay . l. ( for which he neuer had but . l. ) or else lie in prison . to kéepe himselfe from which , he feales to any bond , enters into any statute , morgageth any lordship , does any thing , sales any thing , yéews to pay any thing . and these citie stormes ( which will wet a man , till he haue neuer a dry thried about him , tho he be kept neuer so warme ) fall not vpon him once or twise : but being a little way in , hee cares not how déepe he wades : the greater his possessions are , the apter he is to take vp & to be trusted : the more he is trusted , the more he comes in debt , the farther in debt , the néerer to danger . thus gentlemen are wrought vpon , thus are they cheated , thus are they ferreted , thus are they vndone . fawlconers . of a new kinde of hawking , teaching how to catch birds by bookes . hvnting and hawking are of kin , and therefore it is sit they should kéepe company together : both of them are noble games , and recreations , honest and healthfull , yet they may so be abused that nothing can be more hurtfull . in hunting , the game is commonly still before you , or 〈…〉 hearing , and within a little compasse : in hawking , the game flies farre off , and oftentimes out of sight : a couple of rookes therefore ( that were birds of the last feather ) conspired together to leaue their nest in the citie , and to flutter abroad , into the countrie : vpon two leane hackneies were these two doctor doddipols horst , ciuilly suited , that they might carry about them some badge of a scholler . the diuels ranck-ryder , that came from the last cityhunting , vnderstanding that two such light-horsemen were gone a hawking , posts after , and ouer-takes them . after some ordinary high-way talke , he begins to question of what profession they were ? one of them smyling scornfully in his face , as thinking him to be some gul , ( and * indéed such fellowes take all men for gulles , who they thinke to be beneath them in qualitie ) tolde him they were falconers . but the foxethat followed them , séeing no properties , ( belonging to a falconer ) about them , smelt knauery , tooke them for a paire of mad rascals , and therefore resolued to sée at what these falconers would let flie . how to cast vp the lure . at last on a suddaine sayes one of them to him , sir , we haue sprung a partridge , & so fare you well : which words came stammering out with the haste that they made , for presently the two forragers of the countrie , were vpon the spurre : plutoes post séeing this , stood still to watch them , and at length saw them in maine gallop make toward a goodly fayre place , where eyther some knight , or some great gentleman kept ; and this goodly house belike was the partridge which those falconers had sprung . hee being loath to loose his share in this hawking , and hauing power to transforme himselfe as he listed , came thither as soone as they , but beheld all ( which they did ) inuisible . they both , like two knights errant , alighted at the gate , knocked , and were let in : the one walkes the hackneyes in an outward court , as if he had béene but squire to sir dagonet . the other ( as boldly as s. george , when hee dar'd the dragon at his very den ) marcheth vndauntedly vp to the hall , where , looking ouer those poore creatures of the house , that weare but the bare blew-coates ( for aquila non capit muscas ) what should a falconer meddle with files ? he onely salutes him that in his eye séemes to be a gentleman-like fellow : of him he askes for his good knight , or so , and sayes that he is a * gentleman come from london on a businesse , which he must deliuer to his owne worshipfull eare. vp the staires does braue mount dragon ascend ; the knight and he encounter , and with this staffe does he valiantly charge vpon him . how the bird is caught . sir , i am a poore * scholler , and the report of your vertues hath drawne me hither , venturously bold to fixe your worthy name as a patronage to a poore short discourse , which here i dedicate ( out of my loue ) to your noble and eternal memorie : this spéech he vtters barely . the hawking pamphleter is then bid to put on , whilst his miscellane maecenas , opens a booke fayrely aparreld in vellom , with gilt-fillets , and foure-penny silke ribbon at least , like little streamers on the top of a march-pane castle , hanging dandling by at the foure corners : the title being superficially suruaid , in the next leafe hee sées that the author hee , hath made him one of his gossips , for the booke carries his worships name , and vnder it stands an epistle iust the length of a hench-mans grace before dinner , which is long inough for any booke in conscience , vnlesse the writer be vnreasonable . the knight being told before hand , that this little sun-beame of phoebus ( shining thus briskly in print ) hath his mite or atmy wayting vpon him in the outward court , thankes him for his loue and labour , and considering with himselfe , what cost he hath béene at , and hold farre hee hath ridden to come to him , hee knowes that patrons and godfathers , are to pay scot and lot alike , and therefore to cherish his young and tender muse , he giues him foure or sixe angles , inuiting him either to stay breakefast , or if the sun-diall of the house points towards eleauen , then to tary dinner . how the bird is drest . bvt the fish being caught ( for which our heliconian angler threw out his lines ) with thankes , and legs , and kissing his owne hand , he parts . no sooner is he horst , but his hostler ( who all this while walked the iades , and trauailes vp & downe with him ( like an vndeseruing plaier for halfe a share ) askes this question , strawes or not ? strawes cries the whole sharer and a halfe , away then replies the first , flie to our nest : this nest is neuer in the same towne but commonly a mile or two off , and it is nothing els but the next tauerne they come to . but the village into which they rode being not able to maintaine an iuybush , an ale-house was their inne : where aduancing themselues into the fairest chamber , and bespeaking the best chéere in the towne for dinner , downe they sit , and share before they speake of any thing els : that done , he that ventures vpon all he méetes , and discharges the paper bullets , ( for to tel truth , the other serues but as a signe , and is méerely no-body ) beginnes to discourse , how he caried himselfe in the action , how hée was encountred : how hée stood to his tackling , and how well hée came off : hée cals the knight , a noble fellow , yet they both shrug , and laugh , and sweares they are glad they haue guld him . more arrowes must they shoote of the same length that this first was of , and therefore there is truncke full of trinckets , that is to say , their budget of bookes is opend againe , to sée what leafe they are to turne ouer next , which whilst they are dooing , the ghost that all this space haunted them , and hard what they said , hauing excellent , skill in the blacke art , that is to say , in picking of lockes , makes the dore suddenly flye open ( which they had closely shut . at his strange entrunce they being somwhat agast , began to shustle away their bookes , but he knowing what cardes they plaide withall , offred to cut , and turnd vp two knaues by this tricke : my maisters ( quoth he ) i know where you haue bin , i know what you haue done , i know what you meane to doe , i sée now you are fakoners indéed , but by the ( and then hée swore a danuiable oth ) vnlesse you teach me to shoote in this birding peece , i will raise the village , send for the knight whom you boast you haue guld , and so disgrace you : for your mony i care not . the two frée-booters séeing themselues smoaked , told their third brother , hée séemed to be a gentleman and a boone companion , they prayed him therefore to sit downe with silence , and sithence dinner was not yet ready , hée should heare all . this new kinde of hawking ( qd . one of them ) which you sée vs vse , can afford no name vnles . be at it . viz. he that casts vp the lure is called the falconer . the lure that is cast vp is an idle pamphlet . the tercel-gentle that comes to the lure , is some knight , or some gentleman of like qualitie . the bird that is preied vpon , is mony. hee that walkes the horses , and hunts dry-foote is called a mongrell . the falconer and his spaniell . the falconer hauing scraped together certaine small parings of witte , hée first cuttes them hansomely in pretty péeces , and of those péeces does hée patch vp a booke . this booke hée priúits at his own charge , the mongrell running vp and downe to looke to the workemen , and bearing likewise some part of the cost , ( for which he enters vpon his halfe share . ) when it is fully finished , the falconer and his mongrell , or it may be two falconers ioyne in one , ) but howsoeuer , it is by them deuised what shire in england it is best to forrage next : that being set downe , the falconers ●ea 〈…〉 either with ● herauld for a note of all the knights and gentlemens names of worth that dwell in that circuit , which they meane to ride , or els by inquiry , get the chiefest of them , printing of so many epistles as they haue names , the epistles dedicatory being all one , & vary in nothing but in the titles of their patrons . hauing thus furnished themselues , and packed vp their wares , away they trudge , like tinckers , with a budget at one of their backes , or it may be the circle they meane to coniure in shall not be out of london , especially if it be tearme-time , or when a parliament is holden ( for then they haue choise of swéete-meats to féed vpon . ( if a gentleman séeing one of these bookes dedicated onely to his name , suspect it to be a bastard , that hath more fathers besides himselfe , and to try that , does deferre the presenter for a day or two , sending in the meane time ( as some haue done ) into paules church-yard amongst the stationers to inquire if any such worke be come forth , and if they cannot tell , then to steppe to the printers : yet haue the falconers a tricke to goe beyond such hawkes too , for all they flye so hie : and that is this : the bookes lye all at the printers , but not one line of an epistle to any of them ( those bug-beares lurke in tenebris ) if then the spy that is sent by his maister , aske why they haue no dedications to them , mounsier printer tels him , the author would not venture to adde any to them all , ( sauing onely to that which was giuen to his maister , vntill it was knowne whether he would accept of it or no. this satisfies the patron , this fetches money from him , and this cozens fiue hundred besides . nay there be other bird-catchers , that vse stranger quaile-pipes : you shall haue fellows , foure or fiue in a country , that buying vp any old booke ( especially a sermon , or any other matter of diuinity ) that lies for wast paper , and is cleane forgotten , ad a new printed epistle to it , and with an alphabet of letters which they cary about them , being able to print any mans name ( for a dedscation ) on the suddaine trauaile vp and downe most shires in england , and liue by this hawking . are we not excellent falconersnow ( quoth thrée halfe shares ? ) excellent villaines , cryed the deuils deputy : by this the meate ( for dinnet came smoaking in , vpon which they fell most firannically , yet ( for manners sake ) offring first , to the balife of belzebub the vpper end of the table , but he fearing they would make a hauke , or a buzzard of him too , and report they had ridden himlike an asse , as they had done others , out a doores hée flung with a vengeance as he came . o sacred learning why doost thou suffer thy seauen leaued trée , to be plucked by barbarous and most vnhallowed handes ? why is thy beantifull maiden-body , polluted like a strumpets , and prostituted to beastly and slanish ignoraike ? o then base-broode , that make the muses harlots , yet say they are your mothers ? you theeues of wit , cheators of arte , traitors of schooles of learning : murderers of schollers : more worthy you are , to vndergoe the romane furca , like slaues , and to be branded i' th fore-head déeper then they that forge testaments to vndoe orphants : such doe but rob children of goods that may be lost : but you rob schollers of their fame , which is déerer then life . you are not worth an inuectiue , not worthy to haue-your names drop out of a deseruing pen , you shall onely be executed in picture , ( as they vse to handle malefactors in france ) and the picture ( though it were drawne to be hung vp in another place ) shal leaue you impudently arrogant to your selues , and ignominiously rioiculeus to after ages : in these collours , are you drawne . the true picture of these falconers . — there be fellowes of course and common bloud ; mechanicke knaues , whose 〈…〉 buried then in graues : and indeed 〈…〉 earthy , whose creation . was but to giue a boote or shooe good fashion . yet these ( shrowing by the apron and the awle ) being druncke with their own wit , cast vp their gall onely of yncke : and in patchd , beggerly rimes , ( as full of fowle corruption , as the times ) from towne to towne they strowle in soule , as poore as th' are in clothes : yet these at euery doore , their labors dedicate . but ( as at faires ) like pedlars , they shew still one sort of wares vnto all commers ( with some filde oratlon ) and thus to giue bookes now 's an occupation . one booke hath seauen score patrons : thus desart is cheated of her due : thus noble art giues ignorance ( that common strumpet ) place , thus the true schollers name growes cheap and base , &c. iacks of the clock-house . a new and cunning drawing of money from gentlemen . chap. vi. there is another fraternitie of wandring pilgrims who merrily call themselues , iackes of the clocke-house , and are very néere allyed to the falconers , that went a hawking before . the clarke of erebus set downe their names too in his tables , with certaine bréefe notes of their practises : and these they are . the iacke of a clocke-house goes vpon screws , and his office is to doe nothing but strike : so does this noise , ( for they walke vp and downe like fidlers ) trauaile with motions , and whatsoeuer their motions get them , is called striking . those motions are certaine collections , or wittie inuentions , some-times of one thing , and then of an other ( there is a new one now in towne , in praise of the vnion . ) and these are fairely written and engrossed in vellum , parchement , or royall paper , richly adorned with compartiments , and set out with letters both in gold , and in various coulours . this labour being taken , the maister of the motion hearkens where such a nobleman , such a lord , or such a knight lyes , that is liberall : hauing found one to his liking , the motion ( with his patrons name fairely texted out , in manner of a dedication , ) is presented before him : hée receiues it , and thinking it to be a worke onely vnder-taken for his sake , is bounteous to the giuer , estéeming him a scholler , and knowing that not without great trauaile , hée hath drawne so many little stragling streames into so faire and smoothe a riuer : whereas the worke is the labour of some other ( copied out by stealth ) by an impudent ignorant fellow , that runnes vp and downe with the transcripts , and euery ale-house may haue one of them ( hanging in the basest drinking roome ) if they will be but at the charges of writing it out . thus the liberallitie of a nobleman , or of a gentleman is abused : thus learning is brought into scorne and contempt : thus men are cheated of their bountie , giuing much for that ( out of their frée mindes ) which is common abroad , and put away for base prices . thus villanie some-times walkes alone , as if it were giuen to melancholy , and some-times knaues tie themselues in a knot , because they may be more merry , as by a mad sort of comrades whom i sée leaping into the saddle , anon it will apeare . rancke riders , the manner of cozening inne-keepers . post-masters and hackney-men . chap. vii . there is a troope of horsemen , that runne vp and downe the whole kingdome , they are euer in a gallop , their businesse is weightie , their iournyes many , their expences great , their innes euerie where , their lands no where : they haue onely a certaine frée-holde called tyborne , ( scituate néere london , and many a faire paire of gallowes in other countries besides , ) vpon which they liue verie poorely , till they dye , and dye for the most part wickedly , because their liues are villanous and desperate . but what race so euer they runne , their they end it , there they set vp their rest , there is their last baite , whether soeuer their iourney lyes . and these horsmen haue no other names but rancke riders . to furnish whem foorth for any iourney , they must haue riding sutes cut out of these foure péeces . the inne-kéeper or hackney-man , of whom they haue horses , is called , a colt. he that neuer alights off a rich farmer or country gentleman , till he haue drawne mony from him , is called , the snaffle . the money so gotten , is the ring . he that féedes them with mony is called , the prouander . these ranck-riders ( like butchers to rumford market ) sildome goe vnder sixe or seauen in a company , and these caréeres they fetch . their pursses being warmely lined with some purchase gotten before , and they themselues well booted and spur'd , and in reasonable good outsides , arriue at the fairest inne they can choose , either in westminster , the strand , the citie , or the suburbes . two of them who haue cloathes of purpose to fit the play , carrying the shew of gentlemen , the other act their partes in blew coates , as they were their seruingmen , though indéede they be all fellowes . they enter all durted or dustied ( according as it shall please the high way to vse them ) and the first bridle they put into the colts mouth ( that is to say , the inkéepers ) is at their comming in to aske alowde if the footeman be gone backe with the horses ? t is answered yes . héere , the ranck-riders lye thrée or foure daies , spending moderately enough , yet abating not a penny of any reckoning , to shew of what house they come : in which space their counterfeit followers learne what country-man the maister of the house is , where the hostlars and chamberlaines were borne , and what other countrie gentlemen are guests to the inne : which lessons being presently gotten by heart , they fall in study with the generall rules of their knauerie : and those are , first to giue out , that their maister is a gentleman of such and such meanes , in such a shire ( which shall be sure to stand farre enough from those places where any of the house , or of other guests were borne , ) that hée is come to receiue so many hundred poundes vpon land which hée hath solde , and that hée meanes to inne there some quarter of a yeare at least . this brasse money passing for currant through the house , hée is more obserued and better attended , is worshipped at euerie word : and the easier to breake and bridle the colt , his worship will not sit downe to dinner or supper , till the maister of the house be placed at the vpper end of the boord by him . in the middle of supper , or else verie earely in the following morning , comes in a counterfeit footeman , sweatingly deliuering a message , that such a knight hath sent for the head-maister of these rancke-ryders , and that hée must be with him by such an houre , the iourney being not aboue twelue or fouretéene miles . vpon deliuerie of this message , ( from so déere and noble a friend ) hée sweares and chafes , because all his horses are out of towne , curseth the sending of them backe , offers any mony to haue himselfe , his couzen with him , and his men but reasonably horst . mine host being a credulous asse , suffers them all to get vp vpon him , for hée prouides them horses , either of his owne ( thinking his guest to be a man of great accompt , and being loath to loose him , because hée spends well ) or else sendes out to hire them of his neighbours , passing his word for their forth-comming within a day or two , vp they get and away gallop our ranck-riders , as far as the poore iades can carry them . the two daies being ambled out of the world , and perhaps thrée more after them , yet neither a supply of horse-men or foote-men , ( as was promised ) to be set eye vpon . the lamentable in-kéeper ( or hackney man , if hée chance to be sadled for this iourney too ) loose their colts téeth , and finde that they are made olde arrant iades : search , then runnes vp and downe , like a constable halfe out of his wittes ( vpon a shroue-tuesday ) and hue and cry followes after , some twelue or fouretéene miles off , ( round about london ) which was the farthest of their iourney as they gaue out . but ( alas ! ) the horses are at pasture fourescore or a hundred miles from their olde mangers : they were sould at some blinde drunken théeuish faire , ( there being enow of them in company to saue themselues , by their toll-booke , ) the seruing-men cast off their blew-coates , and cried , all fellowes : the money is spent vpon wine , vpon whores , vpon fidlers , vpon fooles , ( by whom they wil loose nothing ) and the tyde being at an ebbe , they are as ready to practise their skill in horse-manship to bring coltes to the saddle in that towne , and to make nags run a race of thrée-score or a hundred miles of from that place , as before they did from london . running at the ring . thus , so long as horseflesh can make them fat , they neuer leaue féeding . but when they haue beaten so many high-waies in seuerall countries , that they feare to be ouer-taken by tracers , then ( like soldiers comming from a breach ) they march faire & softly on foote , lying in garrison , as it were , close in some out townes , till the foule rumor of their villanies ( like a stormy durty winter ) be blown ouer : in which time of lurking in the shel , they are not idle neither , but like snailes , they venture abroad tho the law hath threatned to rain down neuer so much punishment vpon them : & what doe they ? they are not bées , to liue by their owne painfull labors , but drones that must eate vp the swéetnesse , and be fedde wilh the earnings of others : this therefore is their worke . they carelesly inquire what gentleman of worth , or what rich farmers dwell within fiue , six or seauen miles of the fort where they are insconc'd ( which they may doe without suspition ) and hauing got their names , they single out themselues in a morning , and each man takes a seuerall path to himselfe : one goes east , one west , one north , and the other south : walking either in bootes with wandes in their handes , or otherwise , for it is all to one purpose . and note this by the way , that when they trauell thus one foot , they are no more called ranck-riders but ttrowlers , a proper name giuen to country plaiers , that ( without sockes ) trot from towne to towne vpon the bare hoofe . being ariued at the gate where the gentlemen , or farmer dwelleth , he boldly knockes , inquiring for him by name , and steppes into speake with him : the seruant séeing a fashionable person , tells his maister there is a gentleman desires to speake with him : the maister coms and salutes him , but eying him well , saies he does not know him : no sir , replies the other ( with a face bolde ynough ) it may be so , but i pray you sir , will you walke a turne or two in your orchard or garden , i would there conferre : hauing got him thether , to this tune he plaies vpon him . how the snaffle is put on . sir , i am a gentleman , borne to better meanes then my present fortunes doe allow me : i serued in the field , and had commaunde there , but long peace ( you know sir ) is the cancker that eates vp souldiers , and so it hath mée . i lie héere not far off , in the country , at mine inne , where staying vpon the dispatch of some businesse , i am indebted to the house in monies , so that i cannot with the credit of a gentleman leaue the house till i haue paide them . make mée sir so much beholden to your loue as to lend mée fortye or fiftie shillings to beare my horse and my selfe to london , from whence within a day or two , i shall send you many thankes , with a faithfull repayment of your curtesie . the honest gentleman , or the good natur'd farmer beholding a personable man , fashionably attired , and not carrying in outward coullors , the face of a cogging-knaue , giues credit to his words , are sorry that they are not at this present time so well furnished as they could wish , but if a matter of twentie shillings can stead him , he shall commaund it , because it were pittie any honest gentleman should for so small a matter miscarry . happily they meete with some chapmen that giue them their owne asking ; but howsoeuer , all is fish that comes to net , they are the most conscionable market folkes that euer rode betwéene two paniers , for from forty they will fall to twentie , from twenty to ten , from ten to fiue : nay these mountibanekes are so base , that they are not ashamed to take two shillings of a plaine husbandman , and sometimes sixe pence ( which the other giues simply and honestly ) of whom they demaunded a whole fifteene . in this manner doe they digge siluer out of mens purses all the day , and at night meet together at the appointed rendeuouz , where all these snaffles are loosed to their full length , the ringes which that day they haue made , are worne . the prouender is praised or dispraised , as they finde it in goodnesse , but it goes downe all , whilst they laugh at all . and thus does a common wealth bring vp children , that care not how they discredit her , or vndoe her : who would imagine that birdes so faire in shewe , and so sweete in voice , should be so dangerous in condition-but kanens thinke carryon the daintiest meate , and villaines estéeme most of that mony which is purchast by basenes . the vnder-shriffe for the county of the cacodemons , knowing into what arrerages these rank-riders were runne , for horse-flesh to his maister , ( of whom hée farmed the office ) sent out his writs to attach them , and so narrowly pursued them , that for all they were well horst , some hée sent post to the gallowes , and the rest to seuerall iayles : after which , making all the hast hée possibly could to get to london againe , hée was way-layd by an army of a strong and new found people . moone-men . a discouery of a strange wild people , very dangerous to townes and country villages . chap. viii . a moone-man , signifies in english , a mad-man , because the moone hath greatest domination ( aboue any other planet ) ouet the bodies of franticke persons . but these moone-men ( whose images are now to be carued ) are neither absolutely mad , nor yet perfectly in their wits . ) their name they borrow from the moone , because as the moone is neuer in one shape two nights together , but wanders vp and downe heauen , like an anticke , so these changeable-stuffe-companions neuer tary one day in a place , but are the onely , and the onely base runnagats vpon earth . and as in the moone there is a man , that neuer stirres without a bush of thornes at his backe , so these moone-men lie vndes bushes ; and are indeed no better then hedge créepers . they are a people more scattred then iewes , and more hated : beggerly in apparrell , barbarous in condition , beastly in behauior , and bloudy if they meete aduantage . a man that sées them would sweare they had all thè yellow iawndis , or that they were to●●y , moores bastardes , for no red-oaker man caries a face of a more filthy complexion , yet are they not borne so , neither has the sunne burnt them so , but they are painted so , yet they are not good painters neither : for they doe not make faces , but marte faces . by a by-name they are called gipsies , they call themselues egiptians , others in mockery call them moone-men . if they be egiptians , sure i am they neuer discended from the tribes of any of those people that came out of the land of egypt : ptolomy ( king of the egiptians ) i warrant neuer called them his subiects : no nor pharao before him . looke what difference their is betweene a ciuell cittizen of dublin , & a wilde irish kerne , so much difference there is betweene one of these counterfeit egiptians and a true english begger . an english roague is iust of the same liuery . they are commonly an army about foure-score strong , yet they neuer march with all their bagges and baggages together , but ( like boot-halers ) they forrage vp and downe countries , . or . in a company . as the swizer has his wench and his cocke with him when he goes to the warres , so these vagabonds haue their harlots with a number of little children following at their héeles : which young brood of beggers , are sometimes caried ( like so many gréene géese aliue to a market ) in payres of pameres , or in dosters like fresh-fish from kye that comes on horsebacke , ( if they be but infants . ) but if they can stradle once , then aswell the shée roagues as the héeroagues are horst , seauen or eight vpon one iade , strongly pineond , and strangely tyed together . one shire alone & no more is sure stil at one time , to haue these egiptian-tice swarming within it , for like flockes of wild géese , they will euermore fly one after another : let them be scattred worse then the quarters of a traitor are after hée s hang'd drawne and quartred , yet they haue a tricke ( like water cut with a sword ) to come together instantly and easily againe : and this is their pollicy , which way soeuer the formostranckes lead , they sticke vp small boughes in seuerall places , to euery village where they passe , which serue as ensignes to waft on the rest . their apparell is old , and phantasticke , tho it be neuer so full of rents : the men weare scarfes of callico , or any other base stuffe , hanging their bodies like morris-dancers , with bels , & other toyes , to intice the countrey people to flocke about them , and to wounder at their fooleries , or rather rancke-knaueryes . the women as ridiculously attire them-selues , and ( like one that plaies , the roague on a stage ) weare rags , and patched filthy mantles vppermost , when the vnder garments are hansome and in fashion . the battailes these out-lawes make , are many and very bloudy . whosoeuer falles into their hands neuer escapes aliue , and so cruell they are in these murders , that nothing can satisfie them but the very heart bloud of those whom they kill . and who are they ( thinke you ) that thus goe to the pot ? alasse ! innocent lambs , shéep , calues , pigges , &c. poultrie-ware are more churlishly handled by them , then poore prisoners are by kéepers in the counter it 'h pouitry . a goose comming amongst them learnes to be wise , that hée neuer will be goose any more . the bloudy trage dies of al these , are only acted by the women , who carrying long kniues or skeanes vnder their mantles , doe thus play their parts : the stage is some large heath : or a firre-bush common , far from any houses : vpon which casting them-selues into a king , they inclose the murdered , till the massacare be finished . if any passenger come by , and wondring to sée such a coniuring circle kept by hel hounds & demaund what spirits they raise there : one of the murderers steps to him , poysons him with swéete wordes and shifts him off , with this lye , that one of the women is falne in labour : but if any made hamlet hearing this , smell villanie , & rush in by violence to fée what the tawny . diuels are dooing , then they excuse the fact , lay the blame on those that are the actors , a perhaps ( it they sée no remedie ) deliuer them to an officer , to be had to punishment : but by the way a rescue is surely laid , and very valiantly ( tho very villanously ) doe they fetch them off , and guard them . the cabbines where these land-pyrates lodge in the night , are the out-barnes of farmers and husbandmen , ( in some poore village or other ) who dare not deny them , for feare they should ere morning haue their thatched houses burning about their eares : in these barnes , are both their cooke-rooines , their supping parlors , and their bed-chambers : for there they dresse after a beastly manner , what soeuer they purchast after a théeuish fashion : sometimes they eate venison , & haue gray-hounders that kill it for them , but if they had not , they are houndes themseiues and are damnable hunters after flesh : which appeares by their vgly-faced queanes that follow them , with whom in these barnes they lye , as swine doe together in hogsties . these barnes are the beds of incests , whoredomes adulteries , and of all other blacke and deadly-damned impieties ; here growes the cursed tree of bastardie , that is so fruitfull : here are written the bookes of all blasphemies , swearings and curses , that are so dreadfull to be read . yet the simple country-people will come running out of their houses to gaze vpon them , whilst in the meane time one steales into the next roome , and brings away whatsoeuer he can lay hold on . vpon daies of pastime and libertie , they spred themselues in small companies amongst the villages : and when young maids and batchelers ( yea sometimes old doting fooles ; that should be beaten to this world of villanies , and forewarn others ( doe flocke about them , they then professe skil in palmestry , & ( forsooth ) can tell fortunes , which for the most part are infallibly true , by reason that they worke vpon rules , which are grounded vpon certamty : for one of them will tell you that you shall shortly haue some euill lucke fall vpon you , & within halfe an houre after you shall find your pocket pick'd , or your purse cut . these are those egiptian grashoppers that eate vp the fruites of the earth , and destroy the poore corne fieldes : to swéepe whose swarmes out of this kingdome , there are no other meanes but the sharpnes of the most infamous and basest kinds of punishment . for if the vgly body of this monster be suffred to grow and fatten it selfe with mischiefes and disorder , it will haue a necke so sinewy & so brawny , that the arme of the law will haue much a doe to stricke of the head , sithence euery day the members of it increase , and it gathers new ioints and new forces by priggers , anglers , cheators , morts , yeomens daughters ( that haue taken some by blowes , and to auoid shame , fall into their sinnes ) and other seruants , both men and maides , that haue béene pilferers , with all the rest of that damned regiment , marching together in the first army of the bel-man , who running away from their own coulours ( which are bad ynough ) serue vnder these , being the worst . lucifers lansprizado that stood alooft to behold the mustrings of these hell-hounds tooke delight to sée them double their fyles so nimbly , but held it no pollicy to come néere them ( for the diuell him-selfe durst scarse haue done that . ) away therefore hée gallops , knowing that at one time or other they would all come to fetch their pay in hell. the infection of the suburbs . chap. ix . the infernall promoter being wearied with riding vp and downe the country , was glad when hée had gotten citie ouer his head , but the citie being not able to hold him within the fréedome , because hée was a forrener , the gates were sette wide open for him to passe through , and into the suburbes hée went. and what saw hée there ? more ale houses than there are tauernes in all spayne and france . are they so dry in the suburbes ? yes , pockily dry . what saw he besides ? hée saw the dores of notorious carted bawdes , ( like hell gates ) stand night and day wide open , with a paire of harlots in taffata gownes ( like two painted posts ) garnishing out those dores , being better to the house then a double signe : when the dore of a poore artificer ( if his childe had died but with one token of death about him ) was close ram'd vp and guarded for feare others should haue béene infected : yet the plague that a whore-house layes vpon a citie is worse , yet is laughed at : if not laughed at , yet not looked into , or if looked into wincked at . the tradesman hauing his house locked vp , looseth his customers , is put from worke and vndone : whilst in the meane time the strumpet is set on worke and maintained ( perhaps ) by those that vndoe the other : giue thankes o wide mouth'd hell ! laugh lucifer at this , dance for ioy all you diuells . belzebub kéepes the register booke , of all the bawdes , panders and curtizans : & he knows , that these suburb sinners haue no landes to liue vpon but their legges : euery prentice passing by them , can say , there sits a whore : without putting them to their booke , they will sweare so much themselues : if so , are not counstables , church-wardens , bayliffes , beadels , other officers , pillars and pillowes to all the villanies , that are by these committed ? are they not parcell-bawdes to wincke at such damned abuses , considering they haue whippes in their owne handes , and may draw bloud if they please ? is not the land-lord of such rentes the graund-bawde ? and the dore-kéeping mistresse of such a house of sinne , but his vnder-bawd ? sithence hée takes twenty pounds rent euery yeare , for a vaulting schoole ( which from no artificer liuing by the hardnesse of the hand could be worth fiue pound . ) and that twenty pound rent , hée knowes must be prest out of petticoates : ) his mony smells of sinne , the very siluerlookes pale , because it was earned by lust . how happy therefore were cities if they had no suburbes , sithence they serue but as caues , where monsters are bred vp to deuoure the cities them-selues ? would the diuell hire a villaine to spil bloud ? there he shall finde him . one to blaspheme ? there hée hath choice . a pandar that would court a matron at her praiers ? he is there . a cheator that would turne his owne father a begging ? hée is there too : a harlot that would murder her new borne infant ? she lies in there . what a wretched wombe hath a strumpet , which being ( for the most part ) barren of children , is notwithstanding the onely bedde that bréedes vp these serpente ? vpon that one stalke grow all these mischiefes . shee is the cockatrice that hatcheth all these egges of euills . when the diuell takes the anatomy of all damnable sinnes , he lookes onely vpon her body . when she dies , he sits as her coroner . when her soule comes to hell , all shunne that there , as they flie from a body strucke with the plague here shee hath her dore-keeper , and she her selfe is the diuells chamber-maide . and yet for all this , that shée 's so dangerous and detestable , when she hath croak'd like a rauen on the eues , then comes she into the house like a doue . when her villaines ( like the mote about a castle ) are rancke , thicke , and muddy , with standing long together , then ( to purge herselfe ) is shee dreind out of the suburbes ( as though her corruption were there left behind her ) and ( as a cléere streame ) is let into the citie . what armor a harlot weares comming out of the suburbes to besiege the citie within the wals . vpon what perch then does she sit ? what part plaies she then ? onely the puritane . if before she ruffled in filkes , now is she more ciuilly attired then a mid wife . if before she swaggred in tauernes , now with the snaile she stirreth not out of dores . and where must her lodging be taken vp , but in the house of some cittizen , whose known reputation , she borrowes ( or rather steales ) putting it on as a cloake to couer her deformities . yet euen in that , hath she an art too , for he shal be of such a profession , that all commers may enter , without the danger of any eyes to watch them . as for example , she wil lie at some scriueners house , and so vnder the collour of comming to haue a bond made , she herselfe may write nouerint vniuersi . and tho the law threaten to hit her neuer so often , yet hath she subtile defences to ward off the blowes . for , if gallants haunt the house , then spreds shée these collours : she is a captaine or a lieutenants wife in the low-countries , & they come with letters , from the souldier her husband . if marchants resort to her , then hoistes shée vp these sayles , she is wife to the maister of a shippe , & they bring newes that her husband put in at the straytes , or at venice , at aleppo , alexandria , or scanderoon , &c. if shop-keepers come to her , with what doe you lacke , in their mouthes , then she takes vp such and such commodities , to send them to rye , to bristow , to yorke , &c. where her husband dwells . but if the streame of her fortunes runne low , and that none but apron-men lanch forth there , then kéepes shée a polliticke sempsters shop , or shée starches them . perhaps shée is so polliticke , that none shall be noted to board her : if so then she sailes vpon these points of the compasse , so soone as euer shée is rig'd , and all her furniture on , forth shée lancheth into those stréetes that are most frequented : where the first man that shée méetes of her acquaintance , shall ( without much pulling ) get her into a tauerne : out of him she kisses a breakefast , and then leaues him : the next shée méetes , does vpon as easie pullies , draw her to a tauerne againe , out of him she cogs a dinner , and then leaues him : the third man , squires her to a play , which being ended , and the wine offred and taken ( for she 's on recusant , to refuse any thing ) him shée leaues too : and being set vpon by a fourth , him she answers at his own weapon , sups with him , & drinckes vpsie freeze , till the clock striking twelue , and the drawers being drowzy , away they march arme in arme , being at euery foot-step fearfull to be set vpon by the band of halberdiers , that lye scowting in rug-gownes to cut off such mid-night straglers . but the word being giuen , and who goes there , with come before the constable , being shot at them , they vaile presently and come , she taking vpon her to answere all the bil-men and their leader . betwéene whom and her , suppose you heare this sléepy dialogue , where haue you bin so late ? at supper forsooth with my vncle , here , ( if he be well bearded ) or with my brother ( if the haire be but budding forth ) and hee is bringing me home . are you married ? yes forsooth : what is your husband ? such a noble-mans man , or such a iustices clarke , ( and then names some alderman of london , to whom shée perswades herselfe , one or other of the bench of browne billes are beholding : ) where lye you ? at such a mans house : sic tenues euanescit in auras : and thus by stopping the constables mouth with sugur-plummes ( that is to say , ) whilst shée poisons him with sweet wordes , the puncke vanisheth . o lanthorne and candle-light , how art thou made a blinde asse ? because thou hast but one eye to sée withall : be not so guld , be not so dull in vnderstanding : doe thou but follow aloofe ; those two tame pigeons , and thou shalt finde , that her new vncle lies by it all that night , to make his kins-woman on of mine aunts : or if shée be not in trauell all night , they spend some halfe an houre together , but what doe they ? marry , they doe that which the constable should haue done for them both in the stréetes , that is to say , commit , commit . you guardians ouer so great a princesse as the eldest daughter to king brutus : you twice twelue fathers and gouernours ouer the noblest cittie , why are you so careful to plant trees to beautifie your outward walks , yet suffer the goodliest garden ( within ) to be ouer-run with stincking wéedes : you are the proining kniues that should loppe off such idle , such vnprofitable , and such destroying branches from the vine : the beames of your authoritie should purge the ayre of such infection : your breath of iustice should scatter those foggy vapors , & driue them out of your gates , as chaffe tossed abroad by the windes . but stay : is our walking spirit become an orator to perswade ? no : but the bel-man of london , with whom he met in this perambulation of his , and to whom hée betraied himselfe and opened his very bosome , ( as hereafter you shall heare , ) is bould to take vpon him that speakers office. of ginglers . or the knauery of horse-coursers in smith-field discouered . chap. x. at the end of fierce battailes , the onely rendeuouz for lame souldiers to retire vnto , is an hospitall : and at the end of a long progresse , the onely ground for a tyred iade to runne in , is some blind country faire , where hée may be sure to be sold . to these markets of vnwholesome horse-flesh , ( like so many kites to f●ede vpon carion ) doe all the horse-coursers ( that roost about the citie ) flye one after another . and whereas in buying all other commodities , men striue to haue the best , how great so euer the price be , onely the horsecouser is of a baser minde , for the worst horse-flesh ( so it be cheape ) does best goe downe with him . hée cares for nothing but a fayre out-side , and a hansome shape ( like those that hyre whores , ) though there be an hundred diseases within : he ( as the other ) ventures vpon them all . the first lesson therefore that a horse-courser takes out , when he comes to one of these markets , is to make choyce of such nags , geldings , or mares , especially , as are fat , fayre , and well-fauor'd to the eye : and because men delight to behold beautifull colours , and thath some colours are more delicate ( euen in beasts ) then others are , hée will so néere as hée can , bargaine for those horses that haue the daintiest complexion : as the milke-white , the gray , the dapple-gray , the cole blacke with his proper markes ( as the white starre in the fore-head , the white héele , &c. ) or the bright bay , with the like proper ●●arkes also . and the goodlier proportion the beast carries or the fayrer markes or colour that hée ●eares , are or ●●ght to be watch-words as it were to him that after●ards buyes him of the horse courser , that hée be not coozend with an ouer-price for a had peny-worth , because such horses ( belonging for the most part to gentlemen ) are seldome or neuer solde away , but vpon some fowle quality , or some incurable disease , which the beast is falne into . the best colours are therefore the best cloakes to hide those fa●●ts that most disfigure a horse : and next vnto colour , his pace doth often-times deceiue and goe beyond a very quicke iudgement . some of these horse-hunters , are as nimble knaues in finding out the infirmities of a iade , as a barber is in drawing of téeth : and albeit ( without casting his water ) hée does more readily reckon vp all the aches , crampes , crickes , and whatsoeuer disease else lyes in his bones : and for those diseases seemes vtterly to dislike him , yet if by looking vpon the dyall within his mouth , he finde that his yeeres haue struck but fiue , sixe , or seuen : and that he prooues but young , or that his diseases are but newly growing vpon him , if they be outward , or haue but hayre and skin to hide them , if they be inward , let him sweare neuer so damnably , that it is but a iade , yet he will be sure to fasten vpon him . so then , a horse-courser to the merchant , ( that out of his sound iudgement buyes the fairest , the best bred , and the noblest horses , selling them againe for bréede or seruice , with plainnesse and honesty , ) is as the cheator to the faire gamester : hée is indéed a meere iadish nonopolitane , and deales for none but tyred , tainted , dull and diseased horses . by which meanes , if his picture be drawne to the life , you shall finde euery horse-courser for the most part to be in quality a coozener , by profession a knau , by his cunning a varlet , in fayres a hagling chapman , in the citie a cogging dissembler , and in smith-field a common forsworne villaine . hée will sweare any thing , but the faster hée sweares , the more danger t is to beleeue him : in one forenoone , and in seiling a iade not worth fiue nobles , will hée forsweare himselfe fiftéene times , and that forswearing too shall be by equiuocation . as ●ée example , if an ignorant chap-man comming to beatethe price , say to the horse-courser your nagge is verie old , or thus many yéeres old , and reckon ten or twelue : hée claps his hand presently on the buttocke of the beast , and prayes he may be damb's if the horse be not vnder fiue , meaning that the horse is not vnder fiue yeeres of age , but that hée standes vnder fiue of his fingers , when his hand is clap'd vpon him . these horse-coursers are called iynglers , and these iynglers hauing laide out theirmony on a company of iades , at some drunken fayre , vp to london they driue them , and vpon the market day into smithfield brauely come they prauncing . but least their iades should shew too many horse-trickes in smith-field , before so great an audience as commonly resort thither , their maisters doe therefore schooe them at home after this manner . how a horse-courser workes vpon a iade in his own stable , to make him seruiceable for a couzening race in smith-field . the glanders in a horse is so filthy a disease , that he who is troubled with it can neuer kéepe his nose cleane : so that when such a foule-nosed iade happens to serue a horse-courser , hée hath more strange pil● ( then a pothecarie makes ) for the purging of his head , he knows that a horse with such a qualitie , is but a beastly companion to trauell vpon the high way with any gentleman . albeit therefore that the glanders haue played with his nose so long , that hée knowes not how to mend him-selfe , but that disease being suffered to runne vpon him many yeeres together is growne inumcible , yet hath our ingling mountihancke smith-field-rider , a trick to cure him , fiue or sixe waies : and this is one of them . in the very morning when hée is to be rifled away amongst the gamsters in smithfield , before hée thrust his head out of his maisters stable , the horse courser tickles his nose ( not with a pipe of tobacco ) but with a good quantitie of the best néesing powder that can be gotten : which with a quil being blown vp into the nostrills , to make it worke the better , he stands poaking there vp and downe with two long feathers plucked from the wing of a goose , they being dipt in the iuyce of garlicke , or in any strong oyle , and thrust vp to the verie top of his head , so farre as possibly they can reach , to make the pore dumbe beast auoide the filth from his nostrils , which hée will doe in great aboundance : this being done , hée comes to him with a new medicine for a sicke horse , and mingling the iuyce of bruzed garlike , sharpe biting mustard , and strong ale together , into both the nostrils ( with a horne ) is powred a good quantitie of this filthy broth , which by the hand being held in by stopping the nostrils close together , at length with a little néezzing more , his nose will be cleaner then his maisters the horse-courser , and the filth be so artificially stop'd that for eight or ten houres a iade will holde vp his head with the prowdest gelding that gallops scornefully by him , and neuer haue néed of wiping . this is one of the comedies a common horse-courser playes by himselfe at home , but if when hée comes to act the second part abroad , you would disgrace him , and haue him hissed at for not playing the knaue well , then handle him thus : if you suspect that the nagge which hee would iade you with , be troubled with that or any other such like disease , gripe him hard about the wesand pipe , close toward the roofe of the tongue , and holding him there so long and so forcibly , that hée cough twice or thrice , if then ( after you let goe your hold ) his chappes begin to walke as if hée were chewing downe a horseleafe , shake hands with old mounsier cauiliero horse-courser , but clap no bargain vpon it , for his iade is as full of infirmitie , as the maister villanie . other gambals that horse-coursers practise vpon foundred horses , old lades , &c. smithfield is the stage vpon which the mountibanke english horse-courser aduancing his banner , defies any disease that dares touch his prancer : insomuch that if a horse be so olde , as that foure legs can but carry him , yet shall he beare the markes of an nag not aboue sixe or seauen yeeres of age : and that counterfeit badge of youth , hée weares thus : the horse-courser with a small round yron made very hot , burnes two blacke hoses in the top of the two out-most téeth of each side the out-side of the horse mouth vpon the nether téeth , and so likewise of the téeth of the vpper chap , which stand opposit to the nether , the qualitie of which markes is to shew that a horse is but yong : but if the iade be so old that those téeth are dropt out of his head , then is there a tricke still to be fumbling about his old chaps , and in that strooking his chin , to pricke his lips closely with a pin or a naile , till they be so tender , that albeit be were a giuen horse none could be suffered to looke him in the mouth ( which is one of the best calender to tell his age ) but a reasonable sighted eye ( without helpe of spectacles ) may easily discouer this iugling , because it is grosse and common . if now a horse ( hauing béene a sore trauailer ) happen by falling into a cold sweate to be foundred , so that ( as if hée were druncke or had the staggers ) he can scarce stand on his legges , then will his maister , before hée enter into the lists of the field against all commers , put him into a villanous chasing by ryding him vp and downe a quarter , or halfe an houre , till his limbes be thoroughly heated , and this hée does , because so long as hée can discharge that false fire , or that ( being so collerickly hatte ) hée tramples onely vpon soft ground , a very cunning horseman shall hardly finde where his shooe wrings him , or that hée is fowndred . and ( to blinde the eyes of the chapman ) the horse-courser will be euer tickling of him with his wand , because hée may not by standing still like an asse , shew of what house he comes . if a horse come into the fielde ( like a lame soldier ) halting , hée has not crutches made for him , as the soldier hath , but because you shall thinke the horses shooemaker hath serued him like a iade , by not fitting his foote well , the shooe shall be taken off purposely from that foote which halts , as though it had béene lost by chance : and to proue this , witnesses shall come in , if at least twenty or thirty damnable oathes can be taken , that the want of the shooe is onely the cause of his halting . but if a horse cannot be lustie at legges , by reason that either his hoofes be not good , or that there be splents , or any other eye-sore about the nether ioynt , the horse-courser vses him then as cheating swaggerers handle nouices , what they cannot winne by the dyce , they will haue by foule-play : and in that foule manner , deales hée with the poore horse , ryding him vp and downe in the thickest and the durtiest places , till that durt , like a ruffled boote drawne vpon an ill-fauour'd gowtie legge , couer the iades infirmitie from the eye of the buyer . how a horse-courser makes a iade that has no stomach , to eate lamb-pye . albeit lamb-pie be good meat vpon a table , yet it is so offensiue to a horses stomach , that he had rather be fed a moneth together with mustie oates , than to taste it : yet are not all horses bidden to this lamb-pye-breakefasts , but onely such as are dyeted with no other meate : and those are dull , blockish , sullen , and heauie footed iades , when-soeuer therefore a horse-courser hath such a dead commoditie , as a lumpish slow iade , that goes more heauily then a cow when shée trots , and that neither by a sharpe bitte nor a tickling spurre he can put him out of his lazie and dogged pace , what does hée with him then ? onely hee giues him lambpie . that is to say , euery morning when the horse-courser comes into the stable , hée takes vp a tough round cudgell , and neuer leaues fencing with his quarter-staffe at the poore horses sides and buttockes , till with blowes hée hath made them so tender , that the verry shaking of a bough will be able to make the horse ready to runne out of his wittes . and to kéepe the horse still in this mad mood , because he shall not forget his lesson , his maister will neuer come néer him , but he will haue a fling at him : if he doe touch him , hée strikes him : if he speakes to him , there is but a word and a blow : if he doe but looke vpon him , the horse flings and takes on , as though hée would breake through the walles , or had béene a horse bredde vp in bedlam amongst mad folkes . hauing thus gotten this hard lesson by heart , forth comes he into smithfield to repeat it , where the rider shall no sooner leap into the saddle but the horse-courser giuing the iade ( that is halfe scarred out of his wits already ) thrée or foure good bangs , away flies bucephalus as if young alexander were vpon his backe . no ground can holde him , no bridle raine him in , hée gallops away as if the diuell had hired him of some hackney-man , and scuds through thicke and thinne , as if crackers had hung at his héeles . if his taile play the wag , and happen to whiske vp and downe ( which is a signe that hée does his feates of actiuitie , like a tumblers prentice , by compulsion and without taking pleasure in them ( then shall you sée the horse-courser laie about him like a thrasher , till with blowes hée make him carry his taile to his buttockes : which in a horse ( contrary to the nature of a dog ) is an argument that hée hath mettell in him and spirit , as in the other it is the note of cowardise . these and such other base iuglings are put in practise , by the horse-courser ; in this manner comes hée arm'd into the field : with such bad and deceiptfull commodities does he furnish the markets . neither steps he vpon the diuels stage alone , but others are likewise actors in the selfe-same scene , and sharers with him : for no sooner shall mony be offred for a horse , but presently one snake thrusts out his head and stings the buyer with false praises of the horses goodnesse : an other throwes out his poisoned hooke and whispers in the chapmans erre , that vpon his knowledge so much or so much hath béene offred by foure or fiue , and would not be taken : and of these rauens there be sundry nests , but all of them as blacke in soule as the horse-courser ( with whom they are yoaked ) is in conscience . this regiment of horse-men is therefore deuided into foure squadrons . viz. when horse-coursers trauaile to country faires , they are called iynglers . when they haue the leading of the horse , and serue in smithfield , they are drouers . they that stand by and cony-catch the chapman , either with out-bidding , false-praises , &c. are called goades . the hoyes , striplings , &c. that haue the ryding of the iades vy and downe , are called skip-iackes . iacke in a boxe : or a new kinde of cheating , teaching how to change golde into siluer : vnto which is added a map , by which a man may learne how to trauell all ouer england , and haue his charges borne . chap. xi . how many trees of euill are growing in this countrie , how tall they are , how mellow is their fruit , and how gréedily gathered , so much ground doe they take vp , and so thickly doe they stand together , that it séemeth a kingdom can bring forth no more of their nature , yes , yes , there are not halfe so many riuers in hell , in which a soule may saile to damnation , as there are blacke streames of mischiefe and villany ( besides all those which in our now-two voyages wée haue ventured so many leagues vp , for discouerie ) in which thousandes of people are continually swimming , and euerie minute in danger vtterly to be cast away . the horse-courser of hell , after hée had durtyed him-selfe with ryding vp and downe smithfield , and hauing his beast vnder him , gallopped away amaine to beholde a race of fiue myles by a couple of running-horses , vpon whose swiftnesse great summes of money were laide in wagers . in which schoole of horse-manship ( wherein for the most part none but gallants are the studients ) hée construed but strange lectures of abuses : hée could make large comments vpon those that are the runners of those races , and could teach others how to loose fortie or fiftie pound pollitickely in the fore-noone , and in the after-noone ( with the selfe-same gelding ) to winne a thousand markes in fiue or sixe myles riding . hée could tell how gentlemen are fetched in and made younger brothers , and how your new knight comes to be a couzen of this race . hée could draw the true pictures of some fellowes , that dyet these running-horses , who for a bribe of forty shillings can by a false dye , make their owne maisters loose a hundred pound a race . hée could shew more craftie foxes in this wilde-goose chase , then there are white foxes in russia , and more strange horse-trickes plaide by such riders , then bankes his curtall did euer practise ( whose gamballs of the two , were the honester . ) but because this sort of birdes haue many feathers to loose , before they can féele any colde , hée suffers them to make their owne flight , knowing that prodigalls doe but test at the stripes which other mens rods giue them , and neuer complaine of smarting , till they are whip'd with their owne . in euerie corner did he finde serpents ingendering : vnder euerie roofe some impyetie or other lay breeding : but at last perceiuing that the most part of men were by the sorcerie of their own diuelish conditions transformed into wolues , and being so changed were more brutish & bloody , then those that were wolues by nature : his spléene leap'd against his ribbes with laughter , and in the height of that ioy , resolued to write the villanies of the world in folio , and to dedicate them in priuate to his lord and maister , because hée knew him to be an open-handed patron , albeit he was no great louer of schollers . but hauing begunne one picture of a certaine strange beast , ( called iacke in a boxe ) that onely ( because the citie had giuen money already to sée it ) hée finished : and in these colours was iacke in a boxe drawne . it hath the head of a man ( the face well bearded ) the eyes of a hawke , the tongue of a lap-wing , which saies heere it is , when the nest is a good way off : it hath the stomacke of an estrich , and can disgest siluer , as easily as that bird doth yron . it hath the pawes of a beare instead of handes , for whatsoeuer it fastneth vpon it houldes : from the middle downe-wardes , it is made like a gray-hound , and is so swift of foote , that if it once get the start of you , a whole kennel of hounds cannot ouertake it . it loues to hunt dry-foote , and can scent a traine in no ground so well as the citie , and yet not in all places of the citie . but hée is best in scenting betwéene ludgate and temple-barre : and it is thought that his next hunting shall be betwéene lumbard-streete and the gold smithes row in cheadeside . thus much for his outward parts , now you shall haue him vnrip'd , and sée his inward . this iacke in a boxe , or this deuill in mans shape , wearing ( like a player on a stage , good cloathes on his backe , comes to a golde-smithes stall , to a drapers , a haberdashers , or into any other shop where hée knows good store of siluer faces are to be séene . and there drawing foorth a faire new boxe , hammered all out of siluer plate , hée opens it , and powres foorth twentie or forty twentie-shilling-peeces in new golde . to which heape of worldly-temptation , thus much hée addes in words , that either hee him-selfe , or such a gentleman ( to whom hée belongs ) hath an occasion for foure or fiue daies to vse fortie pound . but because hée is verie shortly , ( nay hée knows not how suddenly ) to trauaile to venice , to ierusalem or so , and would not willingly be disfurnished of golde , hée dooth therefore request the cittizen to lend ( vpon those forty twenty-shilling-peeces ) so much in white money ( but for foure , fiue or sixe daies at most ) and for his good-will hée shall receiue any reasonable satisfaction . the cittizen ( knowing the pawne to be better then a bond ) powres downe fortie pound in siluer , the other drawes it , and leauing so much golde in hostage , marcheth away with bag and baggage . fiue daies being expired , iacke in a boxe ( according to his bargaine ) being a man of his word , comes againe to the shop or stall ( at which hée angles for fresh fish ) and there casting out his line with the siluer hooke , that is to say , pouring out the fortie pound which hée borrowed , the cittizen sends in , or steps himselfe for the boxe with the golden deuill in it : it is opened , and the army of angels being mustred together , they are all found to be there . the boxe is shut agen and set on the stall , whilst the cittizen is telling of his money : but whilst this musicke is sounding , iacke in a boxe actes his part in a dumb shew thus ; hée shifts out of his fingers another boxe of the tame mettall and making , that the former beares , which second boxe is filled onely with shillings and being poized in the hand , shall séeme to cary the weight of the former , and is clap'd down in place of the first . the cittizen in the meane time ( whilst this pit-fall is made for him ) telling the fortie poundes , mi●●eth thirtie or fortie shilling in the whole summe , at which the iacke in a boxe starting backe ( as if it were a matter strange vnto him ) at last making a gathering within himselfe ) for his wits , hée remembers ( hée saies ) that hée said by so much money as is wanting ( of the fortie poundes ) to dispatch some businesse or other , and forgot to put it into the bag againe , notwithstanding , hée intreates the cittizen , to kéepe his golde still , hée will take the white money home to fetch the rest , and make vp the summe , his absence shall not be aboue an houre or two : before which time hée shall be sure to heare of him , and with this the little diuell vanisheth , carrying that away with him , which in the end will send him to the gallowes , ( that is to say , his owne gold , ) and fortie pound besides of the shop-kéepers , which hée borrowed , the other being glad to take fortie shillings for the whole debt , and yet is soundly box'd for his labour . this iacke in a boxe , is yet but a chicken , and hath laide verie few egges , if the hang-man doe not spoyle it with treading , it will prooue an excellent henne of the game . it is a knot of cheators but newly tyed , they are not yet a company . they flie not like wilde-géese ( in stockes ) but like kites ( single ) as loath that any should share in their pray . they haue two or thrée names , ( yet they are no romanes , but errant rogues ) for some-times they call themselues iacke in a boxe , but now that their infantrie growes strong , and that it is knowne abroad , that they carrie the philosophers stone about them , and are able of fortie shillings to make fortie pound , they therefore vse a deade march , and the better to cloake their villanies , doe put on these masking suites : viz. this art or sleight of changing golde into siluer , is called trimming . they that practise it , terme them-selues sheepe-shearers . the gold which they bring to the cittizen , is called iasons fleece . the siluer which they picke vp by this wandring , is white-wooll . they that are cheated by iacke in a boxe , are called bleaters . oh fléete-stréete , fléete-stréete ! how hast thou béene trimd , washed , shauen and polde , by these déere and damnable barbers ? how often hast thou mette with these sheepe-shearers ? how many warme flakes of wooll haue they pulled from they backe , yet if thy bleating can make the flockes that graze néere vnto thée and round about thée , to lift vp their eyes , & to shunne such wolues and fores , when they are approaching , or to haue them worryed to death before they sucke the blood of others , thy misfortunes are the lesse , because thy neighbours by them shall be warned from danger . many of thy gallants ( o fléete-stréete ) haue spent hundreds of poundes in thy presence , and yet neuer were so much as drunke for it : but for euerie fortye pound that thou layest out in this indian commoditie ( of gold ) thou hast a siluer boxe bestowed vpon thée , to carry thy tobacco in , because thou hast euer loued that costlye and gentleman-like smoake . iacke in a boxe hath thus plaide his part . there is yet another actor to step vpon the stage , and he séemes to haue good skil in cosmography for hée holdes in his hand a map , wherein hée hath layde downe a number of shires in england , and with small prickes hath beaten but a path , teaching how a men may easily , ( tho not verry honestly ) trauell from country to country , and haue his charges borne ; and thus it is . he that vnder-takes this strange iourney , layes his first plotte how to be turned into a braue man , which he findes can be done by none better then by a trusty tailor : working therefore hard with him , till his suite be granted , out of the citie , being mounted on a good gelding hée rides , vpon his owne bare credit , not caring whether hée trauell to méete the sunne at this rysing , or at his going downe . hée knowes his kitchin smokes in euery countie , and his table is couered in euery shire . for when he comes within a mile of the towne , where hée meanes to catche quailes , setting spurres to his horse , away hée gallops , with his cloake off ( for in these beseigings of townes hée goes not armed with any , his hatte thrust into his hose , as if it were lost , and onely an emptie paire of hangers by his side , to shew that hée had béene disarmed . and you must note , that this hot-spurre does neuer set vpon any places but onely such , where hée knowes ( by intelligence ) there are store of gentlemen , or wealthy farmers at the least . amongst whom when hée is come , hée tels with distracted lookes , and a voice almost breathlesse , how many villaines set vpon him , what golde and siluer they tooke from him , what woods they are fled into , from what part of england hée is come , to what place he is going , how farre hée is from home , how farre from his fornies end , or from any gentleman of his acquaintance , and so liuely personates the lying greeke ( synon ) in telling a lamentable tale , that the mad troianes ( the gentlemen of the towne , beléeuing him , and the rather because hée carries the shape of an honest man in shew , and of a gentleman in his apparrell ) are liberall of their purses , lending him money to beare him on his iourney , to pay which hée offers either his bill or bond ( naming his lodging in london ) or giues his word ( as he is a gentleman ) which they rather take , knowing the like misfortune may be theirs at any time . and thus with the feathers of other birdes , is this monster stucke , making wings of sundry fashions , with which hée thus basely flies ouer a whole kingdom . thus doth he ride from towne to towne , from citie to citie as if he were a land-lord in euery shire , and that hée were to gather rents vp of none but gentlemen . there is a twin-brother to this falsegalloper , and hée cheats inne-keepers onely , or their tapsters , by learning first what country-men they are , and of what kindred : and then bringing counterfeit letters of commendations from such an vncle , or such a coozen ( wherin is requested , that the bearer thereof may be vsed kindely ) he lyes in the inne till he haue fetcht ouer the maister or seruant for some mony ( to draw whom to him he hath may hookes ) and when they hang fast enough by the gils , vnder water our sharke diues , and is neuer séene to swimme againe in that riuer . vpon this scaffold ; also might be mounted a number of quack-saluing emperickes , who ariuing in some country towne , clappe vp their terrible billes , in the market-place , and filling the paper with such horrible names of diseases , as if euery disease were a diuell , and that they could coniure them out of any towne at their pleasure . yet these beggerly mountibanckes are méere coozeners , and haue not so much skill as horseléeches . the poore people not giuing money to them to be cured of any infirmities , but rather with their money buying worse infirmities of them . vpon the same post , doe certain stragling scribling writers deserue to haue both their names and themselues hung vp , in stéede of those faire tables which they hang vp in townes , as gay pictures to intice schollers to them : the tables are written with sundry kindes of hands , but not one finger of those hands ( not one letter there ) drops from the penne of such a false wandring scribe . hée buyes other mens cunning good cheape in london , and sels it déere in the country . these swallowes bragge of no qualitie in them so much as of swiftnesse . in foure and twenty houres , they will worke foure and twenty wonders , and promise to teach those , that know no more what belongs to an a then an asse , to be able ( in that narrow compasse ) to write as faire and as fast as a country vicar , who commonly reads all the townes letters . but wherefore doe these counterfeit maisters of that noble science of writing , kéepe such a florishing with the borrowed weapons of other mens pennes ? onely for this , to gette halfe the birdes ( which they striue to catch ) into their hands , that is to say , to be payed halfe the money which is agréed vpon for the scholler , and his nest being halfe fild with such gold-finches , hée neuer stayes till the rest be fledge , but suffers him that comes next , to beate the bush for the other halfe . at this caréere the ryder that set out last from smith field , stop'd : and alighting from pacolet ( the horse that carried him ) his nextiourney was made on foote . the bel-mans second night-walke . chap. xii . sir lancelot of the infernall lake , or the knight errant of hell , hauing thus ( like a young country gentleman ) gone round about the citie , to sée the sights not onely within the walles , but those also in the suburbes , was glad when hée sawe night hauing put on the vizard that hell lends her ( called darkenes to leap into her coach ) because now hée knew hée should méete with other strange birdes and beasts fluttring from their nests , and crawling out of their dennes . his prognostication held currant , and the foule weather ( which hée fore-told ) fell out accordingly . for candle-light had scarce opened his eye ( to looke at the citie , like a gunner shooting at a marke , ) but fearefully ( their féet trembling vnder them ) their eyes suspitiously rouling from euery nooke to nooke round about them , and their heads ( as if they stood vpon oyled skrewes ) still turning backe behinde them , came créeping out of hollow trées , where they lay hidden , a number of couzning bankrupts , in the shapes of owles , who when the marshall of light , the sunne , went vp and downe to search the citie , durst not stir abroad , for feare of being houted at and followed by whole flockes of vndone creditors . but now when the stage of the world was hung in blacke , they ietted vp and downe like proud tragedians . o what thankes they gaue to darknesse ! what * songs they balladed out in praise of night , for bestowing vpon them so excellent a cloake , wherein they might so safely walke muffled ▪ now durst they , as if they had béene constables , rap alowd at the dores of those to whom they owed most mony , and braue them with hie wordes , tho they payd them not a penny . now did they boldly step into some priuiledged tauerne , and there drinke healths , dance with harlots , and pay both drawers and fidlers after mid-night with other mens money , and then march home againe fearelesse of the blowes that any showlder-clapper durst giue them . out of another nest flew certaine murderers and theeues in the shapes of skreech-owles , who , being set on by the night , did beate with their bold and venturous fatall wings at the very dores , whereas in former times , their villanies had entred . not farre from these , came crawling out of their bushes a company of graue and wealthy lechers , in the shapes of glowe-wormes , who with gold , iyngling in their pockets , made such a shew in the night , that the dores of common brothelryes flew open to receiue them , tho in the day time they durst not passe that way , for feare that noted currizans should challenge them of acquaintance , or that others should laugh at them to sée white heads growing vpon greene stalkes . then came forth certaine infamous earthy minded creatures , in the shapes of snailes , who all the day time hiding their heads in their shells , least boies should with two fingers point at them for liuing basely vpon the prostitution of their wiues bodies , cared not now , before candle-light to shoote out their largest hornes . a number of other monsters , like these , were séene ( as the sunne went downe ) to venture from their dennes , onely to ingender with darknesse : but candle-lights eye-sight growing dimmer and dimmer , and he at last falling starke blind , lucifers watch-man went stumbling vp and downe in the darke . how to weane horses . every dore on a sudden was shut , not a candle stood péeping through any window , not a vintner was to be séene brewing in his cellor , not a drunkerd to be met reeling , not a mouse to be heard stiring : al the citie shewed like one bed , and al in that bed were soundly cast into a sléepe . noyse made no noise , for euery one that wrought with the hammer was put to silence . yet notwithstanding when euen the diuel himselfe could haue béene contented to take a nap , there were few inkeepers about the towne but had their spirits walking . to watch which spirits what they doe , our spy , that came lately out of the lowercountries , stole into one of their circles , where lurking very closely , he perceiued that when all the guests were profoundly sléeping , when carriers were soundly snorting , and not so much as the chamberlaine of the house but was layd vp , suddenly out of his bed started an hostler , who hauing no apparrell on but his shirt , a paire of slip-shooes on his féete , & a candle burning in his hand , like olde ieronimo , step'd into the stable amongst a number of poore hungry iades , as if that night he had béene to ride poast to the diuell . but his iorney not lying that way till some other time , he neither bridled nor sadled any of his foure-footed guests that stood there at racke and manger , but séeing them so late at supper , and knowing that to ouer-eate them-selues would fill them full of diseases , ( they being subiect to aboue a hundred & thirty already ) hée first ( without a voyder ) after a most vnmanerly fashion tooke away , not onely all the prouander that was set before them , but also all the hay , at which before they were glad to licke their lippes . the poore horse looked very rufully vpon him for this , but hée rubbing their téeth onely with the end of a candle ( in stéed of a corrall ) tolde them , that for their iadish trickes it was now time to weane them : and so wishing them not to be angry if they lay vpon the hard boards , considering all the beddes in the house were full , backe againe hée stole to his couch , till breake of day : yet fearing least the sunne should rise to discouer his knauery , vp hée started , and into the stable hée stumbled , scarce halfe awake , giuing to euery iade a bottle of hay for his breake-fast , but all of them being troubled with the greazy tooth-ach , could eare none ; which their maisters in the morning espying swore they were either sullen or els that prouender pricked them . this hostler for this péece of seruice was afterwards preferred to be one of the groomes in belzebubs stable . another night-peece drawne in sundry collours . shall i shew you what other bottomes of mischiefe plutos beadle saw wound vpon the blacke spindels of the night , in this his priuy search ? in some stréetes hée met mid-wiues running , till they sweat , & following them close at héeles , hée spied them to be let in , at the backe dores of houses , seated either in blind lanes , or in by-gardens : which houses had roomes builded for the purpose , where young maides , being bigge with child by vnlawfull fathers , or young wiues ( in their husbands abscence at sea , or in the warres ) hauing wrastled with batchilers or married men , till they caught falls , lay safely till they were deliuered of them . and for reasonable summes of mony , the bastards that at these windows crept into the world , were as closely now and then sent presently out of the * world , or else were so vnmannerly brought vp , that they neuer spake to their owne parents that begot them . in some stréetes he met seruants , in whose brest albeit the arrowes of the plague stucke halfe way , yet by cruelll maisters were they driued out of dores at mid-night and conuaid to garden-houses , where they either died before next morning , or else were carried thither dead in their coffins , as tho they had lien sicke there before and there had dyed . now and then at the corner of a turning hée spied seruants purloying fardels of their maisters goods , & deliuering them to the hands of common strumpets . this dore opened , and lust with prodigality were heard to stand closely kissing : and ( wringing one another by the hand ) softly to whisper out foure or fiue goodnights till they met abroad the next morning . a thousand of these comedies were acted in dumbe shew , and onely in the priuate houses : at which the diuells messenger laught so loude that hell heard him , and for ioy rang foorth loud and lustie plaudities . but being driuen into wonder why the night would fall in labour , and bring foorth so many villanies , whose births she practised to couer ( as shée had reason ) because so many watchmen were continually called and charged to haue an eye to her dooings , at length hée perceiued that bats ( more vgly and more in number then these ) might flye vp and downe in darkenesse : for tho with their letherne wings they should strike the very billes out of those watchmens handes , such leaden plummets were commonly hung by sléepe at all their eyelids , that hardly they could be awakned to strike them agen . on therefore hée walkes , with intent to hasten home , as hauing fil'd his table-bookes with sufficient notes of intelligence . but , at the last , méeting with the bel-man , and not knowing what hée was , because hée went without his lanthorne and some other implements : for the man in the moone was vp the most part of the night , and lighted him which way soeuer hée turned , hée tooke him for some churlish hobgoblin , séeing a long staffe on his necke , and therefore to be one of his owne fellowes . the bel-ringer smelling what strong scent hée had in his nose , soothed him vp , and questioning with him how hée had spent his time in the citie , and what discouery of land-villanies hée had made in this iland voiage : tho mariner of hell , opened his chart , which he had lined with all abuses , lying either east , west , north , or south : hée shewed how hée had pricked it , vpon what points hée had saild , where hée put in : vnder what height hée kept him-selfe : where hée went a shore , what strange people he met : what land hée had discouered , and what commodities hée was laden with from thence . of all which the bel-man drawing forth a perfect map , they parted : which map hée hath set out in such collors as you sée , tho not with such cunning as hée could wish : the paines are his owne , the pleasure , if this can yéelde any pleasure , onely yours , on whom hée bestowes it : to him that embraceth his labours , hée dedicates both them and his loue : with him that either knows not how , or cares not to entertaine them , hée will not be angry , but onely to him sayes thus much for a farrewell . — si quid nouisti rectius istis , candidus imperti : si non , his vtere mecum , heere endeth the bel-man . o per se o. london : printed for iohn busbie , and are to be sould at his shop in fleetestreet in s. dunstans church-yard . . o , per se o. and so good-morrow ( goodman bel-man of london : ) your night-piece is drawne , and my day-worke is now to begin . let my morning therefore i pray you be your midnight , and now when all others rise to goe to their labours , ( who could scarce sléepe by reason of the noyse you made with your clapper ) get you to your bed , and dreame vpon your pillow vpon some new discouerie . in that map of villanies , which you haue drawne in print already , i like the handling of your pensill , but not the laying on of your colours : they are smooth enough , but you haue not giuen them their true swéetning , heightning , and shadowing . but i cannot blame you , because nocte latent mendae , women , horses and colours are not to be chosen by candle-light : and you ( gaffer bell-man ) hauing no better guide , it is a wonder you stumbled no wore , considering you walked i' th darke . if therefore by my spectacles ( being clearer then yours ) i haue discouered more nests of blacke-birds , ( i meane more villanies of the diuels owne hatching ) then euer flew to your ●●st , and were sold afterwards to sing in shops in paules church-yard , it ought not to raise vp your coller an inch higher for all that , sithence in both our land-discoueries our sailes are hoysted vp onely to doe good to the common-wealth , and because the notes which i sing may appeare to be of mine owne setting , and not eyther borrowed or stolne from any other . you shall know that seruing ( in the late quéenes time ) many yéeres together in the office of an high-constable , in that countie , wherein i now dwell , i drew from the examination of such lewd persons as came before mée , the truth of all those villaynes which here i publish . in the mustring of this damned regiment , i found , that whether they were roagues taken in romboyles ( that is to say , in watches or wardes ) by the petty harman beck , ( who in their company , signifies a petty constable ) or whether they were such as in the canting tongue are called mawnderers ( of begging or demanding , ) whether they liued in bowsing kennes ( ale-houses ) or what other course thread of life soeuer any of them all spunne , it was euer wound in a blacke bottome of the most pernicious making vp that the diuell could teach them : insomuch that albeit the very sun-beames could possibly haue written downe the discouerie of any grosse villanies , by them committed , they would as easily venture vpon damning , in denyall of it with oates , as if there had beene no hell for such offenders . for my better painting forth these monsters , i once tooke one of them into my seruice ( being a sturdy , biglimde young fellow ) of him i desired some knowledge in their gibrish , but hée swore hée could not cant , yet his roague-ship séeing himselfe vsed kindly by mée , would now and then shoote out a word of canting , and being thereupon asked why with oathes hée denyed it before , hée told mée , that they are sworne neuer to disclose their skill in canting to any housholder , for if they doe , the other mawnderers or roagues , mill them ( kill them , ) yet hée for his part ( hée said ) was neuer sworne , because hée was a clapperdogeon , that is to say , a begger-borne . this clapperdogeon staid with mée so long as hée durst , and then bingd a waste in a darkmans , stoole away from mée in the night time . so that what intelligence i got from him , or any other trained vp in the same rudiments of roaguery , i will briefely , plainely , and truely set downe , as i had it from my diuellish schoolemaister , whom i call by the name of o per se o. of him i learned , that the cause why so many of this wicked generation wander vp and downe this kingdome is , the frée command , and abundant vse they haue of women : for if you note them well , in their marching , not a tatterdemalion walkes his round , ( be hée young , be hée olde ) but hée hath his mort , or his doxie at his héeles , ( his woman , or his whore ) for in hunting of their rascall-déere this law they hold , when they come to strike a doe , if shée will not wap for a wyn ; let her trine for a make , if shée will not — o per se o for a penny , let her hang for a halfe-penny . and this libertie of wenching is increased by the almost infinite numbers of tipling houses , called bowsing kennes , or of stalling kennes , that is to say , houses where they haue ready money for any stolne goods : vnto which nests , birds flye of the same feather , that the owner is of : for if the ale-seller , be a horse-stealer , a cut-purse , a robber by the high way , a cheater , &c. of the same coate are his guests . these houses are the nurseries of roagues and thorues : for how could they bestow cloakes , shéetes , shirts , and other garments being stolne , if they had not stalling kennes to receiue them ? why should grunters ( pigges ) goe whining out of the world , hauing their throates cut by roagues , if they had not bowsing kennes to eate them in ? in the ceremonie of whose ragged assemblies , the bell-man a little mistooke himselfe , for driggers , filchers and cloyers being all ( in english ) stealers , vse neyther roast-meate , nor spits in their feastings , as hée furnisheth them , but when they entend to strike a hand , they leuie their damnable troopes in the day , but they sally forth , & share the spoyles in the night . for some one sturdy hell-hound aboue the rest , vndertakes to be the miller ) that is to say , the killer : ) i hope this can be no disgrace to any honest miller , who is no théefe with a false hopper ) and this killer brings to the flaughter-house of the diuell ( viz. a bowsing kenne ) a bleating chete , ( a shéepe ) another , mils a crackmans , breakes a hedge , and that wood heates the ouen , whilest the shéepe is dressed , cut in pieces , and put into earthen pots , made for the purpose to bake their victuals in . the ouens mouth being thus dawbed vp , out flye the little diuels ( more dambde then the ouen ) eyther to breake an house some two or thrée miles off , or to doe as bad a villanie . the piece of seruice being performed , a retraite is sounded , and about mid-night they returne merrily , fall to their good-cheare manfully , and then diuide their spoyles of stolne shirts , smockes , or any thing else , most théeuishly . in which partnership the host and hostesse are chiefe sharers , but such subtill shop-kéepers are these habberdashers of the diuels small wares , that they neuer set out to sell , but when the coast is cleare , and that ( as théeues doe among brokers ) the hue and cryes throate be stopt that went balling after them : for about a seuen-night after , ( when all is hushd ) to the stalling kenne goes the duds for loure , to the théeuing house are the stolne cloathes sent roundly for money : which being told out and diuided , away flye these rauens scatteringly , the next prey that they light vpon , being euer at some faire , or else a market . and now that we talke of fayres , let my penne gallop ouer a few lines , and it shall bring you ( without spurring ) swiftlier into glocesser-shire , then if you rode vpon pacolet : there if you please to alight néere tewksbury , at a place called durrest-fayre , ( being kept there vpon the two holy-roode dayes ) you shall sée more roagues , then euer were whipt at a carts-arse through london , and more beggers then euer came dropping out of ireland . if you looke vpon them , you would thinke you liued in henry the sixt time , and that iacke cade , and his rebellious rag-amuffins were there mustring . dunkirke cannot shew such sharkes . the wilde irish are but flockes of wilde-géese to them . and these swarmes of locusts come to this lowste fayre , from all parts of the land , within an hundred myles compasse . to describe the boothes is lost labour , for let the hang-man shew but his wardrop , and there is not a ragge difference betwéene them . none here stands crying , what doe you lacke ? for you can aske for nothing that is good , but here it is lacking . the buyers and sellers are both alike , tawnie sunne-burnt rasealds , and they flocke in such troopes , that it shewes as if hell were broke loose . the shoppe-kéepers are théeues , and the chap-men roagues , beggers and whores : so that to bring a purse-full of money hither , were madnesse : for it is sure to be cut . but would you know what wares these marchants of eele-skinnes vtter ? onely duds for the quarrons , that is to say , cloathes for the body , which they haue pilfered from hedges or houses . and this filthy fayre beginnes before day , and endeth before nine in the same morning : at which breaking vp , they doe not presently march away with their bagges and their baggages , but hée who is chosen the lord of the fayre , ( who is commonly the lustiest roague in the whole bunch ) leades his ●ottered foote-men and foote-women from ale-house , to ale-house , where being armed all in ale-of-proofe , and their ben bowse ( the strong liquor ) causing them to haue nase nabs ( drunken coxecombes ) vp fling they the cannes , downe goe the boothes , about ●●ye broken iugges : here lyes a roague bléeding , there is a ●ort cursing , here a doxie stabbing with her knife : and thus this fayre which beginnes merrily , ends madly : for knaues set it vp , and queanes pull it downe . yet to méete at this assembly , ( how farre off soeuer they be ) they will kéepe their day , though they hoppe thither vpon one crutch : and it is for seauen causes that thus they bestirre their stumps to be at this vpsitting , which are these , viz. euery one as his roague-shippe is of bulke , or can best swagger , desireth to be chosen lord of the fayrs : or if hée loose his lord-ship , yet to be a retayner at least , and to fight vnder his tottered colours . to méete with the sister-hood and brother-hood of whores and wallet-mongers . to share such money as is taken for ( duds and cheates wonne ) cloathes and things stolne . to know how the world goes abroad , what newes in the deusuile , ( the countrey , and where is benship , ( good ) or where ( quire ) naught . to be bowsie ( drunken ) for company . to bandy their tawny and weather-beaten forces of mawderers ( being of their owne fraternitie ) against any other troope of mountibankes , at any other fayre or market , where the lowesi randeuouz is to be made . lastly , to enact new warme orders , for fresh stealing of cloathes , &c. with all manner of armour for the body , but especially , stamps ( shooes ) because ( being beggers ) they are seldome set on horse-backe . these are the seauen halters that draw these hell-hounds to this fayre , for the least of which seauen , they will venture a hanging . the fayre is broken vp , and because it is their fashion at the trushing vp of their packes , to trudge away merrily , i will here teach you what o per se o is , being nothing else but the burden of a song , set by the diuell , and sung by his quire : of which i will set no more downe but the beginning , because the middle is detestable , the end abhominable , and all of it damnable ▪ thus it sounds : wilt thou a begging goe , o per se , o. o per se , o. wilt thou a begging goe ? yes verily , yea . then thou must god forsake , and to stealing thee betake . o per se , o. o per se , o. yes verily yea , &c. this is the musicke they vse in their libkens ( their lodgings ) where thirtie or fourtie of them being in a swarme , one of the maister diuels sings , and the rest of his damned crew follow with the burden : in which mid-night catter-wallings of theirs , nothing is heard but cursing and prophanation , and such swearing , as if they were all knights of the poste . iewes did neuer crucifie christ with more dishonour , then these rakehels , who with new inuented fearefull oathes teare him in pieces : and no meruaile , for most of those who are beggers borns , are neuer christened : besides , they haue in their canting , a word for the diuell , or the plague , &c. as ruffin for the one , and cannikin for the other : but for god they haue none : onely they name him , but it is not in reuerence , but abuse : all their talke in their nasty libk●ns , ( where they lye like swine ) being of nothing , but wapping , nigling , prigging , cloying , filching , cursing , and such stuffe . who therefore would pittie such impostors , whose faces are full of dissembling , hearts of villanie , mouthes of curses , bodies of soares ( which they call their great cleymes ) but laid vpon their flesh by cunning ▪ whose going abram ( that is to say naked ) is not for want of cloathes , but to stirre vp men to pittie , and in that pittie to coozen their deuotion : now whereas the bel-man ( in his priuie search ) found out the nests of these scréech-owles , pulling off some of their feathers , onely to shew their vglinesse , but for want of good and perfect eye sight , not ●●eaing off their skinnes , as i here purpose to doe , and so to draw bloud . i will finish that which the bell-man ( by being ouerwatchd ) left lame , and shew those abuses naked to the world , which hée neuer discouered . first therefore shall you behold the abram-man in his true colours , his right shape , his owne ragges , and then shall you heare the phrase of his mawnd or begging . next him comes marching the counterfeit souldier , with his mawnding note too . at his taile follow ben-feakers of iybes , ( that is to say ) counterfeiters of passe-ports . then dommerars . then clapperdogeons in their true abiliments , and their true beggerly rhetoricke they vse in begging . then will i shew you how they hang together in fraternities , and what articles of brother-hood they are sworne too : with a note ( as good as any roagues marke they carry about them ) how to know these knots of knaues , or these brother-hoods , their names , their libkins , or lodgins , their stawling kennes , to which all stolne goods are brought . and lastly , to shew you that euen in their mirth they are diuels , you shall heare their true canting songs now vsed among them . in setting downe all which hidden villanies , ( neuer till this day discouered ) you shall finde a mixture not onely of all those detestable subtilties , vsed in making those soares which eate into their flesh , but also the trickes and medicines they haue ( without help of surgeons ) to cure them . i will besides ( in their descriptions ) here and there sticke words and phrases of their gibbrish or beggerly language , giuing them the stampe presently of true english , which labour i take of purpose to procure delight to the reader . of the abram , his description . the abram coue , is a lustie strong roague , who walketh with a slade about his quarrous ( a shéete about his body ) trining , hanging to his hammes , bandeliere-wise , for all the world as cut-purses and théeues weare their shéetes to the gallowes , in which their tru●s are to bury them : oftentimes ( because hée scornes to follow any fashions of hose , ) hée goes without bréeches , a cut ierkin with hanging fléeues ( in imitation of our gallants , ) but no sa●tin or chamblet elbowes , for both his legges and armes are bare , hauing no commission to couer his body , that is to say , no shirt : a face staring like a sarasin , his hayre long and filthily knotted , for hée kéepes no barber : a good filch ( or staffe ) of growne ash , or else hazell , in his famble ( in his hand ) and sometimes a sharpe sticke , on which hée hangeth ruffe-pecke ( bacon . ) these , walking vp and downe the countrey , are more terribly to women and children , then the name of raw-head and blo●dy-bones , robbin good-fellow , or any other hobgobling crackers tyed to a dogges tayle , make not the poore curre runne faster , then these abram ninnies doe the silly villages of the countrey , so that when they come to any doore a begging , nothing is deuyed them . their markes . some of these abrams haue the letters e. and r. vpon their armes : some haue crosses , and some other marke , all of them carrying a blew colour : some weare an iron ring , &c. which markes are printed vpon their flesh , by tying their arme hard with two strings thrée or feure inches asunder , and then with a sharpe awle pricking or raizing the skinne , to such a figure or print as they best fancy , they rub that place with burnt paper , pisse and gunpowder , which being hard rubd in , and suffered to dry , stickes in the flesh a long time after , when these markes faile , they renew them at pleasure . if you examine them how these letters or figures are printed vpon their armes , they will tell you it is the marke of bedlam , but the truth is , they are made as i haue reported . and to colour their villanie the better , euery one of these abrams hath a seuerall gesture in playing his part : some make an horrid noyse , hollowly sounding : some whoope , some hollow , some shew onely a kinde of wilde distracted vgly looke , vttering a simple kinde of mawnding , with these addition of words ( well and wisely . ) some daunce , ( but kéepe no measure ) others leape vp and downe , and fetch gambals , all their actions shew them to be as drunke as beggers : for not to belye them , what are they but drunken beggers ? all that they begge being eyther loure or bouse , ( money or drinke . ) their mawnd , or begging . the first beginnes good vrship . maister , or good vrships rulers of this place , bestow your reward on a poore man that hath lyen in bedlam without bishops-gate three yeeres , foure moneths , and nine dayes , and bestow one piece of your small siluer towards his fees , which he is indebted there , the summe of three pounds , thirteene shillings , seauen pence , halfe-penny , ( or to such effect , ) and hath not wherewith to pay the same , but by the good help of vrshipfull and well disposed people , and god to reward them for it . the second beginnes : now dame , well and wisely : what will you giue poore tom now ? one pound of your sheepes feathers to make poore tom a blanket : or one cutting of your sow side , no bigger then my arme , or one piece of your salt meate to make poore tom a sharing horne : or one crosse of your small siluer towards the buying a paire of shooes , ( well and wisely : ) ah , god blesse my good dame ( well and wisely ) giue poore tom an old sheete to keepe him from the cold , or an old dublet , or ierkin of my maisters , god saue his life . then will he daunce and sing , or vse some other anticke , and ridiculous gesture , shutting vp his counterfeite puppet-play , with this epilogue or conclusion , good dame giue poore tom one cup of the best drinke , ( well and wisely , ) god saue the king and his counsell , and the gouernour of this place , &c. of counterfeit souldiers . these may well be called counterfeit souldiers , for not one ( scarce ) among the whole armie of them , euer discharged so much as a caliner : nothing makes them souldiers but old mandilions , which they buy at the broakers . the weapons they carry are short crabtrée cudgels : and these , ( because they haue the name of souldiers , ) neuer march but in troopes two or thrée in a company : of all sorts of roagues these are the most impudent and boldest , for they knocke at mens doores , as if they had serious businesse there , whereas the doore being opened to them , they beginne this parle . their mawnding . gentle rulers of this place , bestow your reward vpon poore souldiers , that are viterly maymed and spoyled in her maiesties late warres , as vvell for gods cause as her maiesties and yours . and bestow one piece of your smal siluer vpon poore men , or somwhat towards a meales meate , to succour them in the way of truth , &c. for gods cause . these fellowes goe commonly hurt in the left arme , beneath the elbow , hauing a iybe ierked , ( that is to say , a passeport sealed ) with license to depart the colours , ( vnder which if you rightly examine them , they neuer fought , ) yet wheresoeuer the warres are , and how far off soeuer , thus can they wound themselues at home . their making of their soares . take vnslaked lime and sope , with the rust of olde yron : these mingled together , and spread thicke on two pieces of leather which are clap vpon the arme , one against the other : two small pieces of wood ( fitted to the purpose ) holding the leathers downe , all which are bound hard to the arme with a garter : which in a few howers fretting the skin with blisters , and being taken off , the flesh will appeare all raw , then a linnen cloath being applyed to the raw blistered flesh , it stickes so fast , that vpon plucking it off , it bléedes : which bloud ( or else some other , ) is rubd all ouer the arme , by which meanes ( after it is well dryed o● ) the arme appeares blacke , and the soare raw and reddish , but white about the edges like an old wound : which if they desire to heale , a browne paper with butter and ware being applyed , they are cured : and thus ( without weapon ) doe you see how our mawndering counterfeite souldiers come maymed . of placing their soares . the souldier hath his soare alwayes on his left arme , ( vnlesse hée be left-handed , for then because of the better vse of that hand it is vpon the right ) betwixt the elbow and the wrest , and is called by the name of souldiers mawnd . when a soare is placed on the backe of the hand , and that hée saith hée was hurt by an horse , then it is called foote-mans mawnd . when the soare is aboue the elbow , as if it were broken , or hurt by falling from a scaffold , it is called masons mavvnd . and thus the altring the place of the soare altereth the mawnd . of these counterfeit souldiers , some of them being examined , will say they were lately seruing-men , but their maister being dead , and the houshold dispersed , they are compelled to this basenesse of life for want of meanes . some of them can play the abram , ( be madde toms , ) or else begge rum mawnd ( counterfeit to be a foole ) or else that his tongue is tyed , and cannot speake , and such like . of ben-feakers of iybes . they who are counterfeiters of passeports , are called ben-feakers , that is to say , good-makers : and these makers ( like the diuels hackney-men ) lye lurking in euery countrey , to send his messengers p●ste to hell . the best passeports that euer i saw , were made in s. -shire , with the hand of one m. w. subscribed vnto them . there was another excellent ben-feaker about p. a towne in g. -shire . in s. dwelt another , who tooke two shillings and sire pence ( two bordes and sire winnes , ) or two bordes and a flagge , for euery passeport that went out of his beggerly office : hée counterfeited the seale of l. d. of these ben-feakers i could say much more , if i would be counted a blabbe : but now the very best of them are made in l. to carry men from thence vnto w. how to know counterfeite passe-ports . the seales of noblemen , gentlemen , iustices , or any other who haue authoritie to vse seales , are grauen in siluer , copper , or some hard stuffe : and those things which are so grauen seale the armes or such like with sharpe edges , and with a round circle enclosing it , as if it were cut with an instrument of stéele , and it maketh a neate and déepe impression : but these counterfeit ierkes ( or seales ) are grauen with the point of a knife , vpon a stickes end , whose roundnesse may well be perceiued from the circle of a common turnde seale : these for the most part bearing the ill fauoured shape of a buhars nab , or a prancers nab ( a dogges head , or a horses , ) and sometimes an vnicornes , and such like : the counterfeit ierke hauing no circle about the edges . besides , in the passeport you shall lightly finde these wordes , viz. for salomon saith ; who giueth the poore , lendeth the lord , &c. and that constables shall help them to lodgings : and that curates shall perswade their parishioners , &c. another note is , let them be in what part of the land soeuer they will , yet haue they an hundred miles to goe at least : euery one of them hauing his doxie at his héeles . and thus much of ben-feakers . of dommerars . the bell-man tooke his markes amisse in saying that a dommerar is equall to the cranke , for of these dommerars i neuer met but one , and that was at the house of one m. l. of l. this dommerars name was w. hée made a strange noyse , shewing by fingers acrosse , that his tongue was cut out at cha●ke-hill . in his hand hée carryed a sticke , about a foote in length , and sharpe at both ends , which he would thrust into his mouth , as if hée meant to shew the shew of his tongue . but in doing so , hée did of purpose hit his tongue with the stiche to make it bléede , which filling vp his month , you could not for bloud perceiue any tongue at all , because hée had turned it vpwards , and with his sticke thrust it into his throate . but i caused him to be held fast by the strength of men , vntill such time that opening his téeth with the end of a small cudgell , i pluckt forth his tongue , and made him speake . of clapperdogeons . a clapperdogeon is in english a begger borne : some call him a pallyard : of which sorts there are two : first , naturall : secondly , artificiall . this fellow ( aboue all other that are in the regiment of roagues ) goeth best armed against the crueltie of winter : hée should be wise , for hée loues to kéepe himselfe warme , wearing a patched castor ( a cloake ) for his vpper roabe : vnder that a togmans ( a gowne ) with high stampers ( shooes ) the soles an inch thicke pegged , or else patches at his girdle , ready to be clapt on : a great scue ( a browne dish ) hanging at his girdle , and a tassell of thrummes to wipe it . a brace of greasie night-caps on his head , and ouer them ( least hée should catch a knauish colde ) a hat , ( or nabcheate , ) a good filch ( or staffe ) in his hand , hauing a little yron pegge in the end of it : a bugher ( a little dogge ) following him , with a smugge dorie , attyred fit for such a roaguish companion . at her backe shée carryeth a great packe , couered with a patched saueguard , vnder which shée conueyeth all such things as shée filcheth : her skill sometimes is to tell fortunes , to helpe the diseases of women or children . as shée walkes , shée makes bals or shirtstrings , ( but now commonly they knit ) and weares in her hat a néedle with a thread at it . an excellent angler shée is : for when her coue mawnds at any doore , if any poultrie-ware be picking vp their crummes néere them , shée féedeth them with bread , and hath a thread tyed to a hooked pinne , baited for the nonce , which the chickin swallowing is choaked , and conueyed vnder the castor : chickins , linnen or woollen , or any shing that is worth the catching , comes into her net . vnder this banner of the patched clapperdogeon , doe i leuie all pallyards , as well those of the great cleyme , ( or soares , ) as others , whom i tearme artificiall clapperdogeons , albeit they are not beggersborue . of their mawnd . this pallyard ( or artifieiall clapperdogeon , who carryeth about him the great cleyme ) to stirre compassion vp in peoples hearts , thus acteth his part : hée slides to the earth by his staffe , and lying pittiously on the ground , makes a fearefull horrid strange noyse , through an hoarse throate vttering these lamentable tunes : ah the vrship of god looke out with your mereifull eyne , one pittifull looke vpon sore , lame , grieued and impudent ( for impotent ) people , sore troubled with the grieuous disease , and haue no rest day nor night by the canker and worme , that continually eateth the flesh from the bone : for the vrship of god bestow one crosse of your small siluer ; to buy him salue and oyntment , to case the poore wretched body ; that neuer taketh rest : and 〈…〉 to reward you for it in heauen . these pallyards walke two or thrée together , and as one giues ouer this note , the second catcheth it at the rebound , vsing the selfe-same howling and grunting , which ended , they say the lords prayer , and in many places the aue , neuer ceasing till something be giuen them . how they make their great soares , called the great cleyme . they take crow-foote , sperewort , and salt , and bruising these together , they lay them vpon the place of the body which they desire to make sore : the skinne by this meanes being fretted , they first clappe a linnen cloath , till it sticke fast , which plucked off , the raw flesh hath rats-bane throwne vpon it , to make it looke vgly : and then cast ouer that a cloath , which is alwayes bloudy and filthy , which they doe so often , that in the end in this hurt they féele no paine , neyther desire they to haue it healed , but with their doxies will trauell ( for all their great cleymes ) from fayre to fayre , and from market to market , being able by their mawnding to get fiue bordes ( that is , fiue shillings ) in a wéeke , in money and corne. which money they hide vnder blew and gréene patches : so that some-times they haue about them , sixe pound or seauen pound together . the clapperdogeons that haue not the great cleyme , are called farmarly beggers . of their fraternities . there is no lustie roague , but hath many both sworne brothers , and the morts his sworne sisters : who vow themselues body and soule to the diuell to performe these tenne articles , following , viz. articles of their fraternities . thou shalt my true brother be , kéeping thy faith to thy other brothers ( as to my selfe ) if any such thou haue . thou shalt kéepe my counsell , and all other my brothers , being knowne to thée . thou shalt take part with mée , and all other my brothers in all matters . thou shalt not heare me ill spoken of without reuenge to thy power . thou shalt sée mée want nothing , to which thou canst help mée . thou shalt giue mée part of all thy winnings whatsoeuer . thou shalt not but kéepe true pointments with mée for méetings , be it by day or night , at what place soeuer . thou shalt teach no housholder to cant , neyther confesse any thing to them , be it neuer so true , but deny the same with oathes . thou shalt doe no hurt to any mawnder , but with thine owne hands : and thou shalt forbeare none that disclose these secrets . thou shalt take cloathes , hennes , géese , pigs , bacon , and such like , for thy winnings , where-euer thou canst haue them . how to know their brotherhoods . vvhen at the end of a towne , wherein a fayre or market is kept , you sée an assembly of them together chiding & brawling , but not fighting , then those coues are sworne brothers . if likewise two doxies fall together by the eares , whilest the roagues themselues stand by and fight not , that also is a brother-hood : for it is one branch of their lawes to take part with their doxies in any wrong . of their names . every one of them hath a peculiar nicke-name , proper to himselfe , by the which hée is more knowne , more inquired after by his brothers , and in common familiaritie more saluted , then by his owne true name : yea , the false is vsed so much that the true is forgotten . and of these nick-names , some are giuen to them for some speciall cause : as olli compolli , is the by-name of some one principall roague amongst them , being an abram , being bestowed vpon him , because by that hée is knowne to be the head or chiefe amongest them : in like manner these sir-names following belong to other grand signiors and commanders , viz. dimber damber , and hurly burly , generall nurse , the hye shreue , the high constable , and such like : and some nicke-names are eyther vpon mockery , or vpon pleasure giuen vnto them : as the great bull , the little bull , and many other such like . the great bull is some one notable lustie roague , who gets away all their wenches : for this great bull ( by report ) had in one yéere , thrée and twenty doxies , ( his iockie was so lustie ) such libertie haue they in sinning , and such damnable and most detestable manner of life doe they lead . as the men haue nicke-names , so likewise haue the women : for some of them are called the white ewe , the lambe , &c. and ( as i haue heard ) there was an abram , who called his mort , madam wap-apace . of their libkins or lodgings . as these fugitiue vagabonds haue nicke names to themselues , so haue they libkins , or lodgings , and places of méeting : as one of the méeting places ( as i haue heard ) bring a shéepe-cote , is by the quest of roagues who nightly assemble there , called by the name of stophole abbey : so likewise another of their lodgings is called by the same name . then haue they others , as the blew bull , the prancer , the buls belly , the cowes vdder , the gréene arbour , the blasing starre , &c. such like by names giue they also to their stawling kennes : and note this , that after a robbery done , they lye not within twelue miles at the least of the place where they doe it , but hauing eaten vp their stolne mutton ( baked as afore-said ( away they trudge through thicke and thinne , all the hauens of hell into which they put in , being alwayes for the most part of an equall distance one from another : for looke howfarre as the one stophole abbey stands from the other , and iust so farre is the buls belly from the cowes vdder , and so of the rest : so that what waysoeuer these night spirits doe take after they haue done their déedes of darknesse , they know what pace to kéepe , because ( what stormes soeuer ) fall ) they are sure of harbour , all their iourneyes being but of one length . yet dare they not but let their morts and their doxies méete them at some of these places , because how cold soeuer the weather be , their female furies come hotly and smoaking from thence , carrying about them glymmar in the prat ( fire in the touch-bore ) by whose flashes oftentimes there is glymmar in the iocky , ( the flaske is blowne vpto ) of which dangerous and deadly skirmishes the fault is laid vpon seruing-men , dwelling thereabouts , who like frée-booters are so hungry of flesh , that a doxie ( if shée haue a smug face ) cannot péepe out , but shée is taken vp for hawkes-meate . and it is no wonder , there is such stealing of these wilde buckes , because there is such store of them : nor is it a meruaile there is such store , sithence hée is not held worthy to walke , or to be counted one of the foure and twenty orders , but to be banished ( as a silly animall and a stinckard ) from all good fellowship , societie , and méetings at fayres , markets , and merry bowsing kennes , who when the trumpet sounds , ( that is to say , when the cuckoe sings ) thrusts not out his head like a snayle out of his shell , and walkes not abroad about the deusuile ( the countrey ) with his spirit of lechery and théeuing , ( his doxie ) at his héeles . why the staffe is called a filch . thus much for their fraternities , names , lodgings , and assemblies , at all which times euery one of them carryes a short staffe in his hand , which is called a filch , hauing in the nab or head of it , a ferme ( that is to say , a hole ) into which vpon any piece of seruice , when he goes a filching ; he putteth a hoake of yron , with which hooke hée angles at a window in the dead of night , for shirts , smockes , or any other linnen or woollen : and for that reason is the staffe tearmed a filch . so that it is as certaine that hée is an angler for duds , who hath a ferme in the nab of his filch , as that hée is a théefe , who vpon the high-way cryes stand , and takes a purse . this staffe serueth to more vses , then eyther the crosse-staffe or the iacobs , but the vses are not so good nor so honest : for this filching-staffe being artificially handled , is able now and then to mill a grunter , a bleating cheate , a redshanke , a tib of the buttry , and such like , or to fib a coues quarrons in the rome-pad , for his loure in his bung , that is to say , to kill a pigge , a shéepe , a ducke , a goose , and such like , or to beate a man by the high-way for the money in his purse . and yet for all these base villanies and others , of what blackenesse soeuer they be , you shall at euery assises and sessions , sée swarmes of them boldly ventering amongst the prisoners : one cause of their tempting their owne danger so , is , that being sworne brothers in league , and partnerts in one and the same théeuery , it behooues them to listen to the prisoners confession ( which they doe secretly ) and so to take their héeles , if they spye a storme comming . another cause is , to learne what time-twigges caught the bird i' th cage , and how he was entangled by the iustice in his examination , that thereby hee abroad may shunne the like : but the diuell is their tutor , hell their schoole , théeuery , roaguery and whoredome the arts they study , before doctor story they dispute , and at the gallowes are made graduates of newgate and other gaoles , ( the hang-mans colledges . ) to shut vp this feast merrily , ( as swéete meates are best last , ) your last dish which i set before you , to digest the hardnesse of the rest , is a canting song , not fained or composed as those of the bel-mans were , out of his owne braine , but by the canters themselues , and sung at their méetings . the canting song . bing out bien morts , and toure , and toure , bing out bien morts and toure : for all your duds are bingd awaste , the bien coue hath the loure . i met a dell , i viewde her well , she was benship to my watch : so she and i , did stall and cloy what euer we could catch . this doxie dell , can cut bien whids , and wap well for a win : and prig and cloy so benshiply , all the dewse-auile within . the boyle was vp , wee had good lucke , in frost , for and in snow : when they did seeke , then we did creepe , and plant in ruffe-mans low . to stawling kenne , the mort bings then , to fetch loure for her cheates : duds and ruffe-pecke , rumboild by harman becke , and won by mawnders feates . you mawnders all , stow what you stall , to rome-coues watch so quire : and wapping dell , that niggles well , and takes loure for her hire . and iybe well ierkt , tick rome comfeck , for backe by glymmar to mawnd : to mill each ken , let coue bing then , through ruffe-mans lague or launde . till cramprings quier , tip coue his hire , and quier kens doe them catch : a canniken ; mill quier cuffen , so quier to ben coues watch . bein darkmans then , bouse , mort and ken , the bien coue's bingd a wast : on chates to trine , by rome-coues dine , for his long lib at last . bingd out bien morts , and toure , and toure , bing out of the rome-vile : and toure the coue , that cloyde your duds , vpon the chates to trine . finis . thus for satisfaction of the readers , englished . goe forth ( braue girles ) looke out , looke out , looke out i say ( good connies ) for all your cloathes are stolne ( i doubt ) mad shauers share the monyes . i met a drab , i likde her well , ( my bowles did fit her alley : ) we both did vow to rob pell-mell , and so abroad did sally . this bowncing trull can rarely talke , a penny will make her — : through any towne which she doth walke , nought can her filching scape . the house being raizde aside wée stept , and through the mire did wade : to auoid hue and cry , to a hedge we crept , and vnder it close were laid . toth ' broakers then my hedge-bird flyes , for stolne goods bringing coyne : which ( tho the constable after hies ) our trickes away purloyne . you mawnding rogues , how you steale beware for priuie search is made : take héede thou to , ( thou hackney-mare ) whone'er art ridden , but paid . a licence got with counterfeit seale to begge ( as if vndone by fire ) to breake each house , and steale , o'er hedge and ditch then runne . till shackels soundly pay vs home , and to the iayle compell vs : ill may the iustice euer thriue , so cruell to good fellowes . swéet punck , béere-house , & béere , good night , the honest roague 's departed to hanging , ( by the iustice spite ) to his long home hée 's carted . away swéete duckes , with gréedy eyes , from london walke vp holbourne : sue him who stole your cloathes : hée flyes with hempen-wings to tybourne . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e one language through all the world at the beginning . english tongue comparable to the best . building of babel . confusion described . beginning of languages . the bell mans first booke . of canting . how long , canting hath bin vsed . the first canter hanged . how canting grew to be a language . the dialect of canting . qui fixit leges pretio atque refixit . a description of the hall , where matters are tryed in hell. hine exauditur gemitus , &c. the iudge of the court. haec radamanthus habet durissima regna ; castigatque ditque dolos , subigitque sateri , &c. — impios vinclis perpetuis domant . the customes and condition of the court. vnde nunquam quum semel venit potuit auerti . what matters are tryed be fore the diuell . — quique arma secuti impia . — epulaeque ante ora paratae , — furiarum maxima iuxta accubat , & manibus prohibet contingere mensas . * * heauen . — exercenter paenis , eternumque malorum . supplicia expendunt . a letter against the bel-man . the bel-man . huc omnis turba innumerae gentes populsqué . graucolentis auerni . auser imur cultu , gemmis aureque tegnutur omnia . burchin-lane described . taylors at first were called linnen-armorers . serieants . hunting of the lyon , &c. hunting of the bucke . hunting of the hare . de magno preda petenda grege . what persons follow the game of ferret-hunting . dolor ac volupt as inuicem cedunt . the tragedy of ferret-hunting diuided into . acts . nam illa omnes artes perdecet , vbi quem attigit . dum spectant oculi lasos ; leduntur & ipsi . the nature of a london tumbler . nil habit inf●lix paupertae durius in se , quam quod ridicules homines facit . dedit hanc contagio labem , et dabit in plures . infelix viris excidit ipse suis . grandia permultos tenuantur flumina riues . hawking . facies ron omnibus ●na , ●ec diuersatamem . qui nisi quod ipsi faciunt , nihilrectum putant . the first noate . et qua non fecimus ipsi , vix ea nostra voeo : sen stos fuit ille caducus frange puer calamos & manes desere musas . quid nisi monstra legis ? stultus quoque munere gaudet . how birds are drest after they be caught . strange hawking . cur ego si neque ignoreque poetae salutor . proh superi quantum pectora caeca noctis habēt . scribimus indocti ; doctique miserum est aliorum incūbere famae . the manner of brideling a colt. his order in marching on foote or seruing vpon horse . his furniture . his mannes of fight . his qualities whilst he lies intrenched . what peeces of desperate seruice hee ventures vpon . noctes atque dies patet atri ianua ditis . how a citie puncke rangeth . the picture of a horse-courser . how a horse-courser may coozen his chap-man with a horse that hath the glanders . terramalos homines nunc educat . noxia mille modis laceae . bitur vmbra . abuses of race-running glanced at . vix sunt homines hoc nomine dignis , quamque lupi laeuae plus feritatis habent . iacke in a box described . his exercise . sitiens fugientia captat flumina : quid rides ? mutato nomine , de te fabula narratur . multa petentibus desunt multa . how to trauaile without charges . trauelling emperickes . strowling schoolemaister . inuidia nigris restibus , currum insilit nox . noctis & erebi progenies sunt dolus , metus , miseria , fraus , querelae &c. 〈…〉 . de nat. deorum . * * non verenda , verenda , &c. sapiens in munera venit adultor , praebuit ipsa sinus . neo polisti metuunt deos nec hos respcere deos opinor . the knauery . of hostlars . matronaque rara pudica est . saepe solent auro multa subesse malâ . * * pectora tantis obsessa malis . non sunt ictu serienda leui . quisprodere tanta relatis funera .