Walk KNAVES, walk.  
A DISCOURSE Intended to have been spoken at COURT And now published for the satisfaction of all those that have participated of the sweetness of public Employments.  
BY Hodge Turbervil, Chaplain to the late LORD Hewson.  Si populus vult decipi decipiatur▪ 
London, Printed in the year, 1659.   

GOOD COUNSEL AGAINST COLD WEATHER.  
Beloved Brethren,  
THough my profession of a Cordwinder be something unsuitable to this Teaching-Calling, yet my Text is not; I have served seven years' apprenticeship in the one, and full as many in the other; so as being a Journeyman to both, I hope my words will deserve your attention and patience, for whose sakes I have traveled many a weary mile, and am now come hither purposely to instruct you, making choice of these words for my Text, Hewson 1. 2▪ Now because the times are bad, and the Winter draws near, (as the old Translation hath it) therefore buy ye wax Boots.  
But if we follow the New Translation, according to that of our learned Mo●o●ulist and noble Commander Coll. Hewson, who is known to be the best and the ablest Translator of our Profession now living, we shall find the foregoing part of the text far more agreeing with the coherence of the words then the other: Now because (saith he) the times are dangerous, and the Winter approaches, therefore &c. Or as he hath it more elegantly in his learned Comment upon Crispin de Acte Vampandi, Chap. 18. Now because the times are wavering, and the winter of our troubles steals upon us, therefore plunder ye, [mark that beloved, 'tis a sweet expression▪ and full of comfort] therefore plunder ye waxed Boots; As if he should say, Now because the times are fickle, because the times are wavering, uncertain, perilous, inconstant and changeable as the Moon: And in the second place, Because the winter draws near, because cold weather approaches (in which we are like to find cold comfort if we be not prepared beforehand against it) or rather (as in another place he hath it) because the Winter of our troubles steals hastily upon us, and the wicked begin to domineer over us, let us be even with the winter and the wicked too, and steal as fast from them as they do upon us, which is warranted by these words in the latter part of the text, Therefore plunder ye, &c. But we will follow the old translation of Crispin, who was too honest to plunder, therefore (saith he) Buy ye waxed Boots.  
In which words observe these parts:  

1. The time present.  
2. The condition of the times.  
3. The season of the times.  
4. The benefit or use we should make of the times▪ 

1. The time present, Now.  
2. The condition of the times, They are dangerous, uncertain, wavering &c.  
3. The season of the times, The Winter approaches: Now because, &c.  
4. The benefit or use we should make of the times, Therefore buy ye, &c.     
First of the time briefly, Now, now at present, now whilst it is time, whilst you have an opportunity to get money from the Malignant party; now (even now) before they rise up again, and force you to fly for refuge to some neighbour Nation; provide you of Materials to do it; take from them their Horses, Armour; nay such blessings as neither you nor your fathers before you could either purchase or enjoy, their waxed boots; and this leads me to the second thing considerable:  
The condition of the times, They are bad, dangerous, uncertain and wavering, &c.  
If the times be bad now, what will they be hereafter? Beloved, Man is a little world, the world is round, and so are we; the world is an hollow and empty thing, so are we; the world hath his times and seasons, his Winters and and Summers, his days and Nights, so hath man; he hath times of gettings, and his times of losings; his Sommers of pleasure, and his Winters of heaviness; his days of joy, and his Nights of sorrow: Seeing then all these sub●unary things are thus transitory and wavering, let us lay hold of whatsoever stands before us, let us take all things that comes in our way, furnishing ourselves cape-a-pee, with the goods of the ungodly, employed in these words, Therefore plunder ye, &c. and this brings me to the third Motive that should persuade, or rather invite us to do it, Because the winter appreaches.  
Now because the times are bad, and the winter approaches, therefore buy ye waxed Boots.  
Beloved, all creatures by natural instinct are taught to provide and lay up provision against Winter; the little Ant stacks up Corn; the laborious Bee lays up Honey against the cold Winter approaches; and will it not be a shame, nay a great shame beloved, for man who is a reasonable creature, and hath more strength and discretion then ten thousand Ants or Bees put them all together; I say, Will it not be a most abominable shame for him to be sent to the silly Ants and Bees for instruction, whilst he like the simple grasshopper hops and skips away the summer of his days in vanity and idleness, and afterwards in the winter of years is forced to perish and starve for want of food? O beloved, rather do any thidg then starve; the Proverb saith, Poverty is the mother of misery, therefore it is good to provide & lay up something against a rainy day. Now what season is more rainy than the Winter season? and what is more seasonable at that time, what better fence in the world for our feet against the rain, wet and cold, than a pair of waxed Boots? therefore buy ye if ye have money, plunder ye if ye have none, (for it matters not how you come by them so you have them) waxed boots. So now I am come to the fourth and last thing, the benefit and use we should make of the times: Buy waxed boots, therefore buy ye waxed boots.  
Where note, that the adverb therefore, is an adverb of connexion▪ for here it joins the winter and the boots together▪ Now beloved, since I have taken the boots in hand, give me leave to stitch them up in few words, telling you first how many sorts of boots there are; and next what manner of boots those be which are required here in my text. For the better explanation of which words, you are to take notice that there are eight several sorts of boots, I will run over them briefly, because I see the time hastens: I say beloved, there are several sorts of boots▪ First your Dutch boots, they are a people that will not put on a boot which is not as well liquored as themselves; from whence I gather this Observation, That drunken men love drunken boots. Secondly, there is your French boots; O defy them brethren, defy them, they are abominably contaminated with the disease of their country; how many whole congregations of ours have they already infected with it? Witness that lamentable snivelling and snuffling which of late hath spread itself through the bridgefallen Noses of our ablest teachers, for which no other reason in the world can be given then their riding the Sisters in these French pocky boots: Here by the way give me leave to tell you the several names of this Disease; Some call it Morbus Neapolitanus, and Morbus Gallicus: First, it is called the Neapolitan Disease, or the Disease of Naples; for it is observed by our wisest Physicians, that ever since Naples commidities came over into England, this disease hath been very busy amongst us. Others say it came by another Italian trick, and that it was brought over by advice of Nich. Machavil in a Florence sil● Petticoat, under which device it hath continued ever since; therefore beloved have a care▪ how you meddle with foreign wenches Petticoats▪ Latit Anguis in herba: that is that Serpent the Devil lurks in their holes, and the Pox under their Petticoats.  
Next it is called Morbus Gallicus, and not unfitly, for Gallicus signifies a Cock, and Morbus a Disease, that is, as much as to say, the Disease of the cock; and truly it is well known, that the cock is the first part▪ that is infected with this disease: But some will say, what do you tell us a story of a cock and a bull? Why verily beloved, a good cock is a good thing; and bulls leather is good leather to make waxed boots of; which brings me to the third sort of Leather, your Rusha boots. Fourthly, there is your Spanish Leather boots. Fifthly, your calf's Leather Essex boots. Sixthly, your Slints skin, or abortive Parchment boots. Seventhly, there is your Hell-cart, or Coach-boat. Eighthly and lastly, there is your right English neat's. Leather boot, which is the boot intended here in my text for the winter waxed boot: Now because the times are bad, &c. therefore, &c.  
So now having shown you how many several sorts of boots there are, give me leave likewise to show you how to distinguish the good from the bad, (because I will not warrant all of our Profession to be honest men, since I know some who can stretch their consciences beyond their Last or their Leather) therefore that you may not be deceived in your choice of a perfect winter boot, you are to observe these four qualities.  

1. The Grain of the Boot.  
2. The length of the Boot.  
3. The well joining & sowing of the Boot.  
4. The waxing of the Boot.   
First' the Grain of the boot; beloved, there are several sorts of Grains, there are your Grains of Corn, your Grains of mustardseed, your Beer and Malt Grains, &c. Next there is your good and Physical Grains. Thirdly, there is your Granum vivens sensibile, your living sensible Grains, (of which sort I fear here are too many in this Congregation) that is, your Knaves in Grain. And lastly, there is your Leather Grain, (the principal here intended) which if it be close and compact, stiff and shining, you may be assured (of the first thing observable) that your Leather is good.  
The next thing considerable, is the joining and well sowing of the boot; By joining, you are to understand the even cutting and proportioning of the tops to the upper part, and the vampings to the lower part of the legs of the boots. This properly belongeth to the Master, but the other of sowing or stitching belongs to his Servant. Now in sowing or stitching, you are to take notice, that you are not to sow boots as you sow Corn, (in which he is accounted the best workman who scatters and disperseth his grain best) but you must sow your stitches close together, first on the inside, next on the outside, if ever you mean to have your Boots go thorough stitch, and hold out water when the Winter comes, and the ways are heavy and dirty.  
Thirdly, look to the length of your boots; Brethren, a long boot hath these commodities. First, it will keep warm, and cover that which hath covered many a Commodity. Next it will preserve you from fretting and galling between the legs, (a disease which many a dear Sister is troubled with, proceeding from the same cause though in a different manner) the man by hard riding, to the woman by being too hard ridden.  
A third commodity belonging to long boots is this; that if the vampings fail, the leather shrinks, or the seams crack, yet they may be often mended, and the boots still do good service, which reason alone (if the two former are not prevalent) are enough to persuade you to buy long waxed boots.  
Fourthly and lastly, you must observe the waxing of the boot, in which you are to take notice, first of the matter, wax; and next of the manner, how to wax your winter boots.  
First of the matter wax: Beloved there are three several sorts of wax. Hard wax, soft wax, and Bees-wax. The first is used for letters, the seond for Bonds or Indentures: But soft here, methinks I here some one amongst you object and say, If soft wax be commonly used for Indentures, why may it not more properly be used for such boots as we commonly make Indentures in, when you and I, (and many more here amongst us) come late home from Taverns and Tippling houses? To this I answer, that such boots ought rather to be termed Dutch liquored-boots, than waxed boots; since the head and the feet do ever sympathize, so as the one cannot properly be said to be full of liquour, except the other bear a share with it also. I rather believe these boots are made of some horse's skin that died of the staggers.  
The third and last sort of wax, is Bees-wax, the only wax you are to use for your winter boots; ah but you will say, how shall I use this wax that you so much approve of for winter boots: why, you must know that this wax in the waxing of boots is not to be used simply, but compounded with hard tallow, which brings me to the last thing you are to observe, that is, the manner of waxing your winter boot. Beloved, you are first to melt hard tallow with this wax, than you are to anoint and chase in these ingredients by a good fire, at three several times, because once or twice will not be enough, by reason of the dryness of the new boot, which will soak up the first and second time, whatsoever you lay upon it▪ I say therefore you must do it at least three several times, if you mean to have a perfect and sure well waxed winter boot.  
So having now run in my boots through all the parts of my Text, and taken pains to give you many weighty reasons why you ought all of you to be provide of waxed boots. First because of the times, they are bad. Secondly, dangerous. Thirdly, uncertain. Fourthly, The Winter approacheth, &c. Next also I have given you Observations and Instructions, that you may not be deceived in your choice of a winter boot, but may easily discover it; First by the grain, Secondly, by the well sowing. Thirdly, by the length: Fourthly, and lastly, by the waxing; and also taught you the several Sorts of Wax, and how in what manner you should wax your wintered Boots. Give me leave out of the former part of the Text, to raise this Doctrine: That,  
Bad times require good boots. I say bad times require good boots: because the times are bad, and the Winter, &c. therefore, &c. I shall explain myself to you brethren, briefly thus. I say, bad times require good boots; for verily beloved, the times are bad, very bad, and are like every day, for aught I see, to grow worse and worse; so as I fear, we must all of us e'er long, be forced to fly for our Religion. Now beloved, whither shall we fly? Marry 'tis a Question worth your answering, but I doubt there are few or none here, that know how to resolve me in it; for verily I am as yet to seek myself, where to run or hide my head, should the malignant party prevail. But perhaps, some will cry out and say, we will fly to New England, another he is for Geneva, another he is for a nearer place then both these, he will away to Amsterdam. truly beloved, I must confess, I cannot but approve of this place for the best, being it is not only the nearest, but the safest, and hath ever in former times, been found to be the only Nurse and Sanctuary, for all such as are like them, despisers of Royal Government, and Self-forms of Prayers.  
But here will one object, and say. Is not this an Island wherein we now live, (I had almost said wherein we now dwell, but alas! if the times change, here will be no habitation for us:) and is not this Island encompassed round with a great Sea, will not all our shipping then be taken from us, how then shall we get over to Amsterdam; or what good then will our waxed boots do us?  
Beloved; this weak Objection, is easily answered thus. 'Tis true, that England is an Island encompassed with the Sea. 'Tis true, there will be no travelling out of it by Land, and it will likely prove as true, (if the wicked prevail) that our Navy will be taken from us. But O thou inconsiderate fool! whosoever thou art that raisest this idle objection,) hast thou not the more need of waxed boots to pass through this Sea? hast thou not great and rough Waters to wade over, before thou canst arrive at thy Journeys end? Now if thy boots be long enough, (which as I told you before; you must be sure to observe, before you buy them for this purpose) and the Seams strong and well-waxed, so as they will hold out water, which you ought first to make trial of, by wading in them over the Thames, from the Parliament-stairs to Lambeth, or from White Hall to Stangate, (for one of these ways we must all fly if the Cavaliers prevail) you need not be afraid afterward to go over with them, to any part beyond the Seas. So as methinks, this also should be another strong motive, to persuade us to buy strong and long waxed boots.  
But here some incredulous and fearful brother, will make a scruple, and say: should we grant you, that it may be possible for us, to pass over the Sea in waxed boots; yet how shall we do now the Winter is come on, the days short, but the Night and our Journeys very dark and long? I say, how shall we do in these dismal and obscure nights, to find our way, through so pathless and uncertain an Element as the Sea is?  
O beloved be not dismayed, be not cast down with fear! take you no care for that. Have we not a good and glorious General gone before us, and with the beams of his bright shining Countenance, will like the Sun, disperse those dark shades that doth cover the Waters. He is our Leader, our Guide by day, and our Lamp by night, who hath carried a living fire in the lantern of his beak; which neither the highest Winds can put out, nor the greatest Waves extinguish, because it will ever continue the same, so long as the splendour of it endureth.  
But we will leave generals, and come to particulars, for I fear I have been too tedious in illustrating this Doctrine, wherefore I will only pass to an use or two, and so conclude.  
The first is an use of consolation or comfort. Is it so, That waxed boots will preserve us from the cold; is it so that with waxed boots, we may pass through thick and thin; Nay, through Seas of Troubles, why, what a great comfort and consolation is it, for all those who have occasion to travail through bad and sad ways, to be provided of waxed boots. Beloved, there are (as I showed you before) your Summer and your Winter boots. In the one you may travail reasonably well, all the year long, provided your ways, and the journey be accordingly. As for example: If you have occasion to ride your Newmarket ways, your Bansted Down ways, your Tiptry Heath ways, or your Salisbury plain ways, than these Summer boots will carry you through; these will preserve you well enough, provided no rain from above, or dirt, mire, and waters from beneath, do not offend or molest you. But should you have occasion in the Winter time to travel, your Essex ways, your Dunmow ways, your High Suffolk, Farningham Castle ways, or those most abominable dirty, miry, and watery Wishbeech, or Ely Fenny ways; O in what a fine case would your Summer boots be, when they have been well washed in those filthy ways. How will they shrink together like parchment against the Fire. Therefore buy you waxed boots.  
And this puts me in mind of a merry, but a real story, that I have heard from a credible person, who I am confident would not tell an untruth, of a certain young Gentleman, living not far from Newmarket, who was a suitor▪ to a fair Lady, dwelling at Cholchester in the County of Essex. Now this young Gallant, having never before, traveled five miles from his father's House, (imagined the same the citizen's Wife did, who having never in her life time been out of London, would needs persuade her Husband, that though she had but twenty miles to ride, and it was a rainy day, yet they two might ride safe and dry all the way, under the Penthouses:) So this spruce Blade, thinking all the World was heath ground, though it was in the depth of Winter, and his man persuaded him to put on his Winter boots, he would not go thither in any but a pair of thin calf's leather Essex boots, alleging this reason for it, That he new his Mistress would love him the better, when she see he came to court her, in a pair of her own Country boots. Whereupon, he sets forward on his Journey; but mark Beloved what followed; he had not gone above half his way, before he took such an excessive cold on his Feet, that he was forced to alight at a poor blind Alehouse, at a place called Black chapel, within three miles of Dunmow, where he had no sooner got a fire made, and his boots (which hung about him like chitterlings, with much ado pulled of) but he fell into a violent Ague, and was immediately compelled to take his bed, where he remained many days after. But I had almost forgot to tell you, that the poor Alehouse Keeper, where this Gentleman lay sick, did keep in his house a young water Spaniel, which he had newly taught to fetch and carry; this wanton unlucky Whelp, seeking about the house in the midst of the Night, for some bones to eat, lights upon the gentleman's boots, which he no sooner meets with, but being desirous to put in practice, what his Master had so lately taught him, he takes first one boot, and afterwards another, and carries them into the entry: where finding them wet and soft, instead of playing the Cur, falls to tearing them, and in short time pulled and gnawed them into many pieces. Now it chanced, that in the morning early, before it was light, the Old man's Wife (who also dressed tripes for to get a living) was called up by a Butcher, who brought her some innards of a Beast for the same purpose, which she had no sooner received, but returning back through the entry, she unhappily stumbled upon the gentleman's mangled boots, so as letting fall what she had in her hands upon them, groping in the dark, she took up all together, and carrying them into the kitchen, (without lighting a Candle) first cut, and then washed and dressed them all together, and having afterwards well boiled the boots, amongst the rest in a Kettle, which over night she had set over the fire for the same purpose, she cast them into her sowcing Tub, where for a while we will leave them, and tell you what become of our sick Gentleman. Beloved, this Gentleman within few days after, began to recover, and waxed very hungry, so as calling his Landlord, to know what meat he had in the House; truly Sir (quoth he) we have nothing but a dish of Tripes of my Wives one dressing, which if you please to have, they shall be made ready immediately. Well! well they are accepted of, and brought to the Gentleman, who sitting up in his bed, did feed heartily, till such time as taking up a piece of thin, long, lean Tripe (as he supposed) and finding a string jagged about the edge of one side of it, he called up his Landlady, and desired to know what part of the beast that was? the Poor woman searching it, and distrusting what it was, but not dreaming how it should come there, without speaking one word, runs down Stairs into the kitchen, where she was no sooner come to search for the gentleman's boots, she finds the puppy dog tearing of the Vampings, which he had lately transformed them into Slippers. In the mean time the Gentleman would not be satisfied, but calls for her again to answer his question, who as soon as she was come to him▪ he again demands of her, what part of the inside of the beast that was, he held in his hand. The poor woman, though fearful and trembling, yet wittily replied, that she believed it to be rather a part of the outside, than the inside of the beast, meaning the hide, and begging pardon for her carelessness, and the dog's wantonness, desired his worship to forgive them both, telling him plainly, that that piece he showed her, was a piece of his worship's boots, and that the threads, that looked like a pearl or edging upon the tripe, was nothing but the jags of the shoemaker's ends which hung about it. The Gentleman at this accident, one while laughing, and another while fretting, caused the old man to ride away speedily to Chelmsford, for a strong pair of waxed boots, but what with his delay, (by reason of his sickness, and afterwards for want of boots) to visit his Mistress, whom he promised to have seen a week before;) she imputing his long stay, rather to a neglect and slighting of her, than his present misfortune, immediately contracted herself to another, who had formerly been a Servant to her, and at his coming discarded him, by which means he lost his Mistress, his labour, his boots, and had like to have lost his life too, had he not happily recovered.  
O beloved! let this sad example be a Caveat for all you who have Mistresses, to have a care of wearing Tripes, when you ride a wooing, lest you be served like this infortunate Gentleman, who for want of a pair of waxed boots▪ was first cast into an Ague, next had his boots cast into the Tripe tub; and lastly, was himself quite and clean cast out of his mistress's favour. Therefore buy ye waxed boots; which brings me to the second use.  
The second use is an use of Reproof; to reprove all those who are self-willed, and cannot fairly be persuaded to buy them waxed boots. But to such as these, examples move more than precepts, wherefore I will only give you one or two more, and so I will make an end, for fear of tiring your patience. I read of Alexander the Great, that passing over a River in Alexandria, without his Winter boots, he took such an extreme Cold in his Feet, that he suddenly fell sick of a violent fever, and within four days after died at Babylon. The like I find in Plutarch's Lives, of that noble Roman Sextorius, and also in Homer of Achilles, that leaving his boots behind him, and coming barefoot into the Temple of Pallas, whilst he was worshipping on his knees▪ at her Altar, he was pierced into the Heel, with a venomed Dart by Paris, (the part only of him which was vulnerable,) of which he suddenly died, which accident had never happened to him, (as Alexander Rosse, that little Scotch Mithologist observes) had he not two days before, pawned his boots to Ulysses, and so was forced to come without them to the Trojan Sacrifice. He also further observes, that that Achilles (of whom Homer hath writ such wonders) was but a shoemaker's boy of Greece, and that when Ulysses sought him out, he at last found him at the distaff, spinning of shoemaker's thread; now this Boy was so beloved, that as soon as it was reported abroad, that the Oracle had chosen him to rule the Grecians, and conquer Troy, all the Journeymen in the Country, listed themselves under him, and these were the Mermydons wherewith he got all his honour, and overcame the Trojans.  
But what need I mention foreign stories, being myself an eyewitness of the lamentable ends many Suffolk men, in the siege of Cholchester, who being forced to keep sentry in that wet and boggy Country, (during which siege, it was generally observed for thirteen weeks, not a day passed, in which much rain did not fall) I say these poor Country Wretches, were forced to stand up to the kneesday and night, in Cold, Dirt, Mire, and Wet; insomuch, that for want of waxed boots, many of them died suddenly, others had their Legs rotted off; many their feet gangreened, and after was cut off; and few or none, but had Ulcers, boils, and juflamamations, breaking out upon them.  
Alas! alas! what would these poor Cripples do to run away, should the Times change, and the Malignants prevail over us? How must they be forced to bestir their nw for want of Legs, to escape the Enemy? This one comfort they will have above us, that whensoever they are taken by the Wicked, they will not find them stand complementing, or making legs for pardon; but they shall rather find them down upon their Knees, begging mercy and forgiveness of them, whose persons they have turned out of their possessions, and whose houses these lame Creatures, have for these many years, converted into spitals and Hospitals.  
Thus I have shown you what became of three great Princes, and of many poor Englishmen, who perished in these late Wars, for want of waxed boots. I should here give you an account, how and in what manner, you should know the right shape and fashion of a Winter boot: and likewise show you, what manner of Heels are the best, the most suitable and serviceable for you against running or flying times, I shall only name them at present. Beloved, your Polony heel is good▪ your Wooden heels better, but those of Cork the best of all; for than will it be needful for you to make trial of a pair of High heels, and indeed you will then, and then only, have occasion to run, as though you ran for a wager; and for this use, your cork heels are found by experience to be the best and highest in the World.  
Lastly, I should have taught you the art of repairing, stitching, vamping, underlaying, and mending of your boots, and should likewise have showed you how to choose the Soles of your boots; and also in a word have applied these things to the good use of your bodies; but that I see the glass is run▪ and the time hath prevented me, I must be forced to make an end, concluding with the words of my Text, Now because the times are bad, and Winter draws near, therefore buy you Waxed Boots.  
FINIS.