A HUE and CRY AFTER THE DEVIL, For stealing away Mens Consciences.  
The Devil plays the Thief, from man he steals  
Conscience away; a friend the same reveals  
Unto the Author, who doth go about  
To several Trades to find the felon out;  
But when that he him no where can spy  
At last he after him sends a Hue and Cry.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1668.   

A HUE and CRY AFTER THE DEVIL.  
PAssing along the streets the other day to satisfy my eye with beholding the forwardness and gallantry of the Citizens, in the erection of so many lofty structures already, where the fire had made such devastations in our Metropolitan City of London; it gave me marvelous content to see( so Phoenix like) new streets to rise out of the ashes of the other; the houses so uniform and richly decked, as made the very ruins to appear amiable. Being glad to see the City in such a happy forwardness of building, that it began to look already with a beautiful face, having satisfied my curiosity therein, I betook myself to that part thereof which that merciless Element of Fire had spared. As I passed along I met with an old acquaintance of mine, one who was a great observer of the times, and engrosser of that commodity which we call News; it was now near a month since we had seen each other, and I being desirous to hear of him how affairs went in the world, and to renew old acquaintance, invited him to the drinking of a glass of Canary, which being kindly accepted, into the Tavern we went, where being attended with what we came for, after some little pause, I desired of him what news was abroad, and how he had fared since I last saw him.  
truly said he( fetching a deep sigh) as bad news most commonly exceeds good at all times, so I think no age whatsoever can produce such bad news as is now on foot; for being at the Exchange the other day I heard of the most saddest Robbery that ever was committed on the face of Dame Tellus, wherein such an infinite many of thousands are concerned, such a multitude of people undone, such a number of persons ruined, and all by one strong deceitful Thief, as makes the present age to wonder, and strike the future with admiration.  
These words of his struck me into a great amazement, what kind of robbery this should be, wherein the odds was so great that one should be so much too hard for thousands, till at last he resolved me, it was the Devil which had stolen away Mens Consciences; For do not you see( said he) that most sort of Men have lost their Consciences? If Conscience were, would the Tradesman so lye and swear in selling his wears, using false Weights and Measures to increase his pelf? If Conscience were not lost, would Taylors steal, Lawyers take double Fees, Landlords rack their tenants, Tapsters neck and froth their Jugs and Canns, Vintners mix their Wines, and Cooks to sel meat double roasted at dear rates? Were not Conscience lost, would the Astrologers make the Stars to tell lies for getting them Money, and by a few Triangles and Quadrangles cheat a simplo Questionest out of his shilling or half Crown? Had not Conscience been lost, we should not have so many Knights of the post attendant on Courts of Law, the Prisons would not be so full of Pick-pockets, Padders, Murderers, and Villains; So many Whores would not stand at their doors with painted brazen faces to entice young Cullies to their incestuous embracements: And from whence does all this mischief and disorder spring but from the Devil, who hath stolen Mens Consciences away?  
These words of his so deeply incensed me against the Devil for this horrible theft, that I resolved to rest neither day nor night till I had found out this foul Fiend, and either by fair means or foul make him to restore Mens Consciences again. And imparting my resolution to my friend he very much applauded my design, wishing me fortunate success in my undertakings, which if I could accomplish( as he said) it would very much conduce to a general good.  
Having partend from him, I was fully bent upon my pursuit of the Devil, but whether to go to find him I knew not, at last I bethought myself that where should I find the Devil but in Hell? and that Hell might be found under every Taylors Shop-board; so going up the Strand, I inquired for his Devilship at one of the houses of that Cross-legd Fraternity; the Master of the house( who seemed a Gentleman by his outward garb)  told me very seriously he was not there, for he had lately taken a surfeit amongst them by eating too much cabbage, and was gone to fetch a walk as for as Westminster; thither I hied as fast as I could, and went to the place there called Hell, thinking if I could not find him in one Hell, I might in another, but they denied him to be there then, telling me it was most probable he might be found in Westminster-Hall amongst the Lawyers, whereupon I went thither, and pried narrowly up and down, but could not find him, unless any of the Lawyers had hide him under their long Gowns; wherefore being disappointed of my purpose, I inquired of a solicitor( who was very busy in setting people together by the ears) if he could tell me any tidings of Pluto? he  told me he was newly gone from thence amongst the Brokers at London to buy him a Cast-suit( for his old one was quiter worn out) and that if I made hast I should not fail to find him there; Being very well satisfied with this answer, I returned with speed into London, preached for him in Long-lane, Barbican, Charterhouse-lane, and Houndsditch; he was very well known amongst them, so that I should not need to describe what manner of person he was: But they said they could not trust him upon any conditions, wherefore they imagined he was gone to a usurers to borrow money; upon those words away went I to a usurer, in hopes to find him there, and indeed I did imagine had found him whom I look't for, the usurer look't so like a Devil, that a man might have been mistaken though he had had a payer of spectacles on his nose, and a candle and lantern in his hand: this made me to ask him seriously if his surname were not beelzeebub, for Christian name I thought he had none; the usurer  told me that I was mistaken in him, but that the Devil and he were old acquaintance, and even now( said he) he was here to borrow money, but I am resolved to have sufficient bond for it, and therefore sent him to my Scriveners, where there is no question but you may find him.  
I asked him where his Scrivener lived? he  told me I could hardly go amiss; so I went to one, and found he had been there; but the Scrivener belike had refused to take his single bond, and that therefore he was gone forth amongst some tradesman to get him security.  
Security( thought I) why who is so mad to be security for the Devil? then I began to study what tradesman were most like to do it, certainly though I, Mercers nor Drapers cannot be any ways allied to him, or show him so much friendship as to do him such a courtesy; yet at last I considered with myself, that there was something in false lights and short measures, for the permission whereof they might do much; but having preached amongst them for this lost Goat, they either would not, or could not give me any information of him.  
mary thought I, what shall I do now? shall I go seek him amongst the Grocers? certainly my labour will be in vain, he cannot be acquainted with such wealthly persons: but yet I could not tell what to think when I bethought me of false weights, rouncing of rotten fruit, selling of Cassia, cinnamon, for right, mixing flower with sugar to make it look white, selling of Cloves which before had the spirits taken out of them at the Distillers, and such like matters, but when I went to ask for him, they stiffly denied him, and affirmed to me that he was not free of their Company.  
I was much discontented to loose all this labour for nothing, so that to drive away melancholy I went into an Alehouse hard by the Rounds in Smithfield, where was a company of Horse-coursers a drinking, I understanding their calling, thought there was no men so fit to inquire after the Devil as they; and therefore desired them if they knew where he was that they would give me information thereof; but before they would give me any answer to my question, they would know of me what business I had with him? I  told them concerning the theft he had done in stealing away Mens Consciences. Conscience( said they) what thing is that? we never heard of that name before; is there such a thing say you as Conscience? alas we know not what belongs to it, besides we love the Devil better than so, than that for Conscience we would go to betray him.  
Finding them such faithful friends to the Devil, I despaired of any help from them; then began I to consider whether I should go next, I thought it was in vain to go amongst the Booksellers to seek him, for what should the Devil do with learning? Then I imagined he might be at some Tavern a drinking, and yet thought I, they have gotten such a trick of late of mixing and sophisticating their Wines, that the Devil will hardly be so cheated. I could not imagine him to be in the Company of any Poets, for if he went abroad to look for security, it was in vain for him to go to them, who are for the most part of them turned Philosophers, carry all their wealth on their back, so that you might as good persuade a hungry man from victuals, as to persuade a usurer to take their words: At last I considered with myself that the Devil was a Wencher, and therefore it was ten to one but I should find him in some of the Bawdy-houses a trading with a Mob, whereupon I took my perambulation to Ratclif-High-way, Well-close, Nightengale-lane, Whetstones Park, Luteners-lane, Dog and Bitch Yard, Saffron-hill, and several other places, where I did imagine he might be heard of; no sooner came I amongst them, but I found the Devil in their mouths, as common as their bodies were to all comers, they were as well acquainted with him as if he were one or their own household, and indeed a man might judge he was, for who can take a Bawdy-house to be any thing else than Hell, where the Devil is Master of the House, and the old Bawd his assistant? I asked amongst them very earnestly for this their old associate, but they said he was ore-wearied with them, and truly they thought he had gotten amongst the rude Rout of Easter-holy-days, but what was become of him since they could not tell.  
I seeing all my pains and travail thus ●… me to nothing, but that every one denied him( although I shrewdly suspected that some of them lied,) I resolved to travail no further after him, and therefore now I have published a Hue and Cry, desiring all people to make diligent search about them, that if it be possible he may be taken and brought to condign punishment.  

The Hue and Cry.  
WHereas Lucifer, alias Pluto, alias beelzeebub, alias Mephostopholis, alias Satan, Prince of Cocytus, Styx, Phlegeton, and Acheron, hath feloniously stolen away the Consciences of many thousands of people, who are thereby deprived of all good; These are to desire you to apprehended the said Lucifer, alias Pluto, alias beelzeebub, alias Mephostopholis, alias Satan; he goes in several shapes, and sometimes like a tall black man, with cloven feet and a sting in his tail; his chief companions are Whores, Bawds, Thieves, and Witches, he walks for the most part in the night, for he hates the light; whosoever shall apprehended him, let him be sure to chain him fast for doing further mischief, and if he resist, kill and destroy him.   
FINIS.