look on me London: I am an Honest English-man, ripping up the Bowels of mischief, lurking in thy Sub-vrbs and Precincts. TAKE HEED The Hangmans Halter, and the Beadles Whip, Will make the fool dance, and the knave to skip. LONDON, Printed by N. O. for Thomas Archer, and are to bee sold at his shop in Popes-head Palace near the royal Exchange. 1613. TO THE RIGHT honourable, SIR THOMAS MIDDLETON, KNIGHT, Lord Maior of the most famous city of London. RIGHT honourable, as to the fairest Ornament of this glorious city, do I most humbly dedicate this my small discovery of abuses; wherein is declared some of the hidden evils harboured in the bowels of London, for the which I know your Honour is as ready to find reformation, as you are willing to hear them reported: for in the first year of the Kings majesties reign( your Lordship being then Shriefe of this city) you made your Visitations in the Sub-vrbs, and outplaces of the Precincts of London, to inquire after evil livers, and by Iustice strove to root out iniquity, which good beginning will eternize your glory, and establish prosperity in this worthy city. And no dnubt but your Honours fore-passed care, in comforting the good, and bridling the wicked, hath impressed an inward love in the hearts of the Commons, and bread an assurance in your happy proceeding, for it concerneth the prosperity of all our children and kinsfolks, and a benefit to the whole estate of the youth of this city. I( onely) of zeal in these few sheets of paper, haue discovered unsufferable faults, but not spoken of the faulty men, whom I refer to your wisdom to be considered of. To your Honours censure do I present this my travell, and at your commandment myself; vowing in the action of a poor Free-man of London, to seek the good of this famous city, and show myself willing for your Honours employment. Your Honours poor well-wisher, R. I. To the young Men of London, as well Gentlemen as others. I Am persuaded, that in this Dedication, I do salute the most part of all the young Gentlemen of England, in that they either dwell, or haue been in this worthy city of London, where they haue seen many wanton alectiues to vnthriftines, which like to enchanting Adamant rocks, draws gold and silver as fast as Iron and steel. Therefore( young men) you must bee armed with more experience then the capacity of young yeares, or else, assure yourselves, repentance will vn-loose your fetters: For truly, I cannot see, how young men of the best education can scape vntangled, when 'vice is so conversant with elder yeares. O how happy were it for your posterity, if all Dicing-houses, and allies of game were suppressed in, and about this city: From which, if you cannot bee drawn, this little book will guide you safe, and give you faire warnings of many of your Companions falls: I beseech you bee advised, and learn to shun these mischiefs by other mens harms, that the reward of this my writing may prove fortunate, and myself happy to see you thrive and flourish. I dedicate this book to the Honourable Magistrate, to whom appertaineth the correction of evil livers, your worst enemies; I mean the sucking shifters now secretly lurking in the circuits of this famous city, of whom his good Honour, I hope, will ease you, and make you prosperous by the reformation. So leaving to trouble you with a tedious Induction, I end at this time, but in no time will leave to be Your well-wishing friend. R. I. A Countrey-mans council. given to his son, at his going up to dwell at London, being a true Touch-stone for this Age, found out by Time and Experience. LONDON, where thou intendest to go( son William) and set up thy lives resting place, is at this day( as thou knowest) the capital city of our country, and the Paragon of christendom, a place of much honour and reputation, as well in respect of reuetent government, as sumptuous Building and Riches: London( I say) is the strength and ornament of this wel-gouerned Land; unto which place every Gentleman, and almost every Yeoman of ability, sendeth the ripest witted of his Children, either to study the common laws of England, or become Merchants to enrich their country, wherein the love of a father to his son is discharged, and the duty of a friend to his country performed. But yet take this admonition from me thy father: In this good city are many alectiues to unthriftiness, by which means, where the Father hath been at charge to make his son a Lawyer, to do his country service, or a Merchant or Tradesman to become a good member to this flourishing city, his aforesaid son( for want of government) many times spends his whole substance, to the utter undoing of his posterity, and great shane of his kindred. Therefore take heed my son, one scabbed sheep infecteth a whole flock; and one wasteful prodigal makes a swarm of unthrifts: of which many there be now, that live in, and about the city of London, that will quickly seize vpon thee, and such fond young men as thou art, and by their lewd conditions draw thee from study, or from thy other business, and bring thee acquainted with their wicked comforts and Companions; and where must it be but in Ordinaries, Dicing-houses, Bowling-allies, Brothel-houses, and such like, where their bravery, marveling, and merry company, is able to bring a stayed man into their fellowship; but much more easter a light-headed young man, as thou art, and such as comes unexperienced out of the country, as now thou dost. But now being entangled in their fellowship, first pride infecteth thee with a desire to be as brave as the best; where if thou hast living, either in possession, or possibility, thou shalt find sweet baits amongst them to thoake thee withall: for many of these places aforesaid nourish most dangerous and wicked guests, which will quickly close with the vn-experienced young man, and of his abiltiy maintain themselves cunningly like Gentlemen, which bee gallant shifters, cunning Pandors, and covetous Brokers. First, the gallant shifter, like a cunning companion, in apparel, countenance& holdnesse, will check mate with men of right good worship, when he himselfs( perhaps) in a green thicket by the high-way side, with a masked face, a pistol, and a whip-cord, gets his whole inheritance. But the manner of such cunning shifts I think necessary to conceal, lest the reports prove more hurtful to the evil inclined, then the admonition profitable to the well-disposed: But this I assure thee of,( as many a Gentlemans undoing witnesseth) that these expert shifters, by false dice, slippery casting, and other like sleights, dally with young nouisses so long, till they make their Purses a poor penylesse banquet. And( my son) bee thou thus conceited, that the man that is enticed to bee a Dicer, of his own accord will become a Whore-maister, where a few of ordinary dinners in that kind, will waste a great deal of his substance. But some will say, the want of acquaintance will kéeps him chased: but I conclude with the proverb: money will hire a guide to go to the divell. And surely at such ordinary meetings as be in Bowling-allies, and Dicing-houses, a man may find many of these neat Pandors, such as onely live vpon Brokage of love, fellowes that will procure a womans acquaintance for a dumb man; these bee no bashful companions, but such as glory in their base faculty, their common talk will bee of ribaldry, and matter of like purpose. And to conclude, he will take advantage of time and place, and cunningly blow a meeting of faire women into my young maisters ears, and then his company needeth not to bee requested: for presently desire maketh him mad for their meeting. Where? he cries, come let us go; and so, with more hast then good speed, hies to some blind Brothell-house about the Sub-vrbs, or skirts of the city, where( peradventure) for a Pottle or two of wine, the embracement of a painted strumpet, and the French welcome for a reckoning, the young novice payethforty shillings, or better. Yet for all this, my brave Shifter hath a more costly reckoning to give him, for being thus grown into acquaintance, he will in a familiar kind of courtesy, accompany him up and down the city, and in the end will come unto a Mercers or goldsmiths shop, of whom the young Gentleman is well known, there will he cheapen velvet, satin, jewels, or what him liketh, and offer his new friends credit for the payment, he will with so bold a countenance ask this friendship, that the Gentleman shall bee to seek of excuse to deny him: Well, although the peuyworths of the one bee not very good, yet the payment of the other is sure to bee currant. Thus by prodigal riots, vain company, and rash suretyship, many of our English young Gentlemen, 〈◇〉 learned to say I wealthy was of late, Though needy now be; Three things haue changed my state, Dice, Wine, and venery. But to our purpose. The delights of these Tabling-houses are so pleasant and tempting, that a man when he hath there lost all his money, will be most willing, even in the place of his undoing, to stand money-lesse, and bee an Idle looker on, of other mens vnthristinesse. After all this, there seizeth vpon the needy Gentleman thus consumed, another devouring caterpillar, which is the Broker for money: one that is either an old Banker-out Citizen, or some smooth-conditioned unthrifty Gentleman far in debt, some one of these will help him to credit with some of their late Creditors, with a single protestation of mere courtesy. But by your favour, they will herein deal most cunningly: For the Citizen Broker,( after money taken out for his pains, consideration for the time given, and loss in selling of the wears put together) will bring the young Gentleman fifty pounds currant money for a hundred pounds good debt. Mary the Gentleman broker will deal more gallanter, for he will be bound with his fellow Gentleman for a hundred pound, sharing the money equally between them, not without solemns promise to discharge his own fifty, and if need be, the whole hundred pounds assurance. But let all these mischiefs go: Here is want supplled, which breaks brazen walls,& money received, which betrayeth kingdoms,& for the same, nothing but ink, War and Parchment delivered, which is a merry exchange, if a man should be always thus busied in receiving, and never find leisure for the repayment. But oh thou vn-happy young Gentleman, whatsoever thou be, that art thus matched, here must I breath while, and admonish thee with a few notes of my council of experience: for I know thy covetous desire of money is such, and so great, that thou hadst rather become debtor for forty pounds, then to spare forty shillings out of thy Purse: therefore take this Lesson from a tongus of experience. Thou wert better give one of these Fellowes ten pound, then to bee bound for fifteen, for what so remaineth thou savest, when all that thou vantrest, thou losest: And be thou assure, though thou wilt find he time to satisfy thy covenant, yet will thy Creditor work thee an Arrest, which( until he bee fully contented and paid) will give them little ease, and less liberty. But I fear me, all in vain do I give this council to a prodigal, that is tied to covetousness with silver links, for Prodigality and covetousness chained together, are two extreme Passions,& so violent, that no physic can cure, but Beggary& Death: Beggary is the end of Prodigality,& Death the end of covetousness: yet in my mind of them both the covetous man is the worse: for with his riches he doth no man good, no not so much as himself, when the prodigal by the undoing of himself enricheth many: therefore the best that may be said of the prodigal, concludeth an undoing of himself and his posterity. I haue red in the works of a famous philosopher, which saith, The prodigal man never observeth time, beginning nor end, until riot hath consumed him and his patrimony. And where is it consumed, but in Ordinaries, Dicing-houses, Bowling-allies, and such like assemblies, which if they were suppressed, many a mans land would be kept from selling, many a mans neck from the halter, and the Common-wealth( perhaps) from further mischiefs. And from my heart I wish, that vpon the gate or door of every Tabling-house, and Bowling-alley, might bee set a Whip and a Halter for a sing, then surely all unthrifts and their associates would be ashamed to come to those places, unless shane had utterly forsook them. I haue but yet begun to anatomize the head of these Sanctuaries of Iniquity, there are heaps and whole bodies of evils follow: The deceit of Dice, the charge of Strumpets, the slight of Consenage, and the cunning of Brokage, is all that I haue yet laid vpon our wilde-headed young Gentlemen, which( like Carrions) onely prey vpon Gold, silver, and such like Carriage, these bee but sucking flies, the biting Scorpions come after; even as a bide that hath but one feather limed, by striving fettereth her whole body: So the unfortunate young Gentleman, which is brought behind hand by the hazard of Dice, through a vain hope to redeem himself, followeth his mischief, to the spending of the last payment of all his Estate; and thou( to help him forward) some one Spy of the Lawe, or other: namely, a Petty-sogger( the reverence done unto the Laws, and good Lawyers reverenced) is evermore sneaking into the Company of rich Heires, and still keeps an Alphabet of all such Gentlemens names that frequenteth these common Gaming-houses; his eyes are settled vpon their Dispositions, and his exercise is daily to search the rolls, and the Office of the Statutes, to learn what recognisances, mortgages, and Statutes do charge their lands. This is the pernicious Broker, the other helped the needy Gentleman to money, at fifty in the hundred loss, but he helpeth him to sell land at five yeares purchase. I must here digress from the Prodigality of the Gentleman, unto the covetousness and usury( I cannot well say) of the Citizen, although he dwelleth in the city, for the true citizen,( whereof London hath plenty) liveth vpon his Calling, bee he a Merchant, venturing abroad, or Trades-man living at home: But these Shames of good citizens, I mean such as tradeth but only to a Gaming-house, or at the furthest, traveleth but to a Bowling-alley, a Horse-rifling, the meeting of Gentlemen at an Ordinary, and such like. There with ease and safety do these fellowes gather wealth and riches as fast as the good citizen with much hazard, and far travels. These caterpillars come not thither to play the unthrifts, but to prey vpon vn-thrifts, and yet for company, and to avoyde suspicion, they will sometimes play the Good-fellowes, and now and then sport a pound or two. These men need not too greedily seek for purchases, for the necessity of decaying Gentlemen, and young citizens, will make them faire offers, and their spies( as I said before) will give them knowledge where there is sound dealing. Now amongst these fellowes, there is such deceit coloured with cleanly shifts, as many gentlemen are for a trifle shifted out of their livings without hope of recovery for it is well known, that the extremity and hard dealing of such men, hath impressed a natural malice in the hearts of Gentlemen against citizens, in so much that if a Gentleman purpose to scoff a citizen, he will call him, A trim Merchant. Likewise the citizen scoffing the Gentleman, will call every common fellow, A jolly Gentleman. Truly, truly, in my mind, this mortal envy between these two worthy Estates, was first begotten by the cruel usage of covetous Merchants in former ages, by hard bargains gotten of Gentlemen; and still neurished as procedings taken of both parties. Thus one mischief draws on another, and in my opinion game houses are the chief fountains thereof: which wicked places first nourisheth our young men of England in pride, then acquainteth them with sundry shifting companions, whereof one sort cozeneth them at dice and cards, another sort consume them with riotous meetings, another sort by Brokage bringeth them in debt, and out of credite, and then awaiteth covetousness and usury to seize vpon their livings, and the officious Sergiant vpon their liberties: and all this( as I said before) principally proceeds by the frequenting of gaining houses. But let us now search deeper into these wounds of a Common-wealth, for if we consider all things aright, there is more fouler matter behind, and such things as makes my heart bleed to think of; we haue but yet spoken of those game houses, which are chiefly for the entertainment of Courtiers and Gentlemen, the others be of a more prinate standing, which be called Common-houses, where the vulgar and inferior sort of people resort, such as haue poor wives and children, and Families to care for, surely, the inconvenience cannot choose but bee great, when a poor man leaveth his house, and the company of his wife and family, and dineth abroad amongst Gaimesters, whose wits bee still labouring which way to deceive him. This order me thinks is a bad order, and a breach of credite, to see a Trades-man, or one that gets his living by the sweat of his brows, to eat and drink abroad; unless one neighbour invite another, but sufferance hath brought this disorder to such a custom, that it is now made a daily practise amongsts our poorer sort of citizens. mary, the Maisters of these gaining houses want no Guests, for where carrion is, crows will be plenty, and where money is stirring Cheaters will not be idle. young Cittizenes, for the most part, depend vpon their Credite, and therefore are loathe that there should be an open knowledge of their vnthristinesse: all the better( I say) for the biting Cheater, for close in a chamber one of these Cogging knaves getteth more money in an hour, then many an Honest Man spendeth in one year. But above others, this one thing is much to be lamented, by this 〈◇〉 delight, 〈…〉 citizens consunne other mens goods, who( perhaps) laboured painfully to get them, when Gentlemen, although that they undo their posterity, spend but their own goods and lands. The ears of the Magistrates are daily full of the breaking of young Marchants, and here I lay before their eyes, the causes thereof; even these wicked meeting places, they be places unto which Magistrates come not, and therefore the abuses vnknowns unto them, but I think it a work of much honesty to reveal them, and in the Magistrate a work of more iustice to reform them, and although this be true that I writ, and the evils more then I will speak of, yet I find my conscience fry from their shifts, as I presume that no man,( as saulty) will or can reprehend 〈◇〉 for those kind of courses, and to keep myself more clear from them, I will pass by these streets, where these one houses are planted, and bless me from the iuticements of them, which indeed are many and more dangerous, in that they please with a vain hope of gain. There now comes into my mind, a pretty saying of a distemperate Direr, which solemnly 〈◇〉 swear, that he believed, that Dice were first made of the bones of a Witch, and cards of her skin, in which there hath ever since remained a kind of enchantment, that whosoever once taketh delight in either, shall never haue power utterly to leave them: for, quoth he, a hundred times haue I vowed to leave both, yet haue I not the grace to forsake either: But now again to the possibility of Reformation to overcome this enticing mischief. If the Magistrates surnai'd but these vile houses by honest conservators, you should find the painful travels of capital Magistrates much eased, many mens lives shall be saved, Gentlemen haue more land, and citizens greater store of money, which mettle is the greatest strength of a city, for where money is not scarce, traffic is plenty, which supporteth all cities: but to my purpose, these devilish houses are causes, that Marchants haue so much land, and Gentlemen so little government. I haue already shown, to what exetremity the better sort of these houses bring a number of our flourishing young Gentlemen; to what misery the second sort,( called Ordinaries for citizens) bring a great number of young Marchants. Now remaineth the discovery of the third sort of these haunts, which are placed in the Sub-vrbs of the city, in Allies, Gardanes, and other obscure corners, out of the common walks of the Magistrates. The daily guests of these privy houses, are maister-lesse men, needy Shifters, thieves, Cut-purses, unthrifty seruants, both kirkmen and prentices: Here a man may pick out mates for all purposes save such as are good: Here a man may find out fellowes, that for a pottle of wine, will make no more conscience to kill a man, then a Butcher a beast: Here closely lye Saint Nicholas clerk, that with a good northern Gelding, will gain more by a Halter, then an honest Yeoman will with a team of good horses: Here are they that will not let to deceive their father, to rob their brother, and fire their neighbours house for an advantage. These brave Companions will not stick to spend frankly though they haue neither lands nor goods by the dead, nor honesty by nature: But how will this hold out? Fire will consume wood without maintenance, and Ryor make a weak purse without supply. Gentlemen( for the most part) haue lands to make money, and the young citizens way to get credite; but these idle fellowes haue neither lands nor credite, nor will live by any honest means or Occupation: yet haue they hands to filtch, heads to deceive, and friends to receive, and by these helps, most commonly, shift they badly well. The other vpon currant assurance, perhaps, get money for twenty marks, or twenty pounds in the hundred, but these that worst may hold the Candle; they vpon their own, or vpon their Maisters apparel, brass, Pewter, linen, Wollen, or such like, will find Brokers or Friperers, that for eight pence in the pound for every monthes use, will boldly for half the value take these pawns. Surely, it seemeth that this famous city is fore charged with these Make-shiftes, considering that so many streets and Laines are filler with these netty Brokers, or Cherish-theeues, I pray God that in the principal places and streets of the city there be not of this Faculty, that will make fifty or thrée-score pound profit in the hundred, which is sweet gain: I haue heard some say, that a double pawn taketh away the fear of the Statute, which is a jewish usury, and high time to bee rooted out of our Christian government. Some of these kind of covetous Vserers, are so hard-hearted that I doubt they neither fear God, nor reverence man, neither will they pardon father, nor aclowledge mother, but will make merchandise of their own children, they will neither regard brother or kindred, nor yet keep faith with their friends; but bear false witness, offend the widow, and oppress the orphan, oh how great is this folly of theirs, to loose life, to seek death, and to banish themselves from heaven eternally. I haue heard some of that profession say, that usury( I mean Brokage) is turned from a sin to an Occupation, because being esteemed as a Trade, they would be accounted honest men, but rather in my mind they be termed thieves, for the Broker agréeeth before, with the Borrower, to receive more then was borrowed, because before he steal, he tells the party how much he will steal, as though he stolen by law; nay, I may say without law, for like a mystery these Brokers haue devised more sorts of lending vpon pawns then there be tricks at cards, but I am afraid to show you them, lest I should teach you to be of that kind; but yet some few examples will I héece venture on, as hereafter followeth, the parties I do know now resident in London. I know a Broker that will take no Interest for his money, but will haue the Lease of your house, or your land, in use, receiving rent for the same till you pay your principal again, which will come to a greater gain then thrée-score in the hundred. I know another that will take no interest money, but will haue Pewter, brass, Shéetes, Plate, tablecloths, Napkins, and such like things, to use in his house, till his money come home, which will loose more in the wearing then the Interest of the money will come to. I know another that will take a pawn twice worth the money that he lends, and agree with the Borrower to redeem it at a day, or loose it, by which means the poor borrower is forced sometimes for want of money to loose his pawn for half the value. I knew another that will not lend, but buy at small prices, and covenant with the borrower to buy the same again, at such a price, at such a day, or loose it this is a fellow that seeks to cousin the Law, but let him take heed least the devill his good master to 〈◇〉 nothing, and at the last carry him post into hell. I know another that will land out his money to men of Occupations, as to Butchers, Bakers, and such like, vpon condition to be partners in their gains but not in their losses, by which means, he that takes 〈◇〉 the 〈◇〉, and dentures all, is forced to give the Broker half the profits for his money. I know another, for his money lending to a Carpenter, a Bricke-layer, or a plasterer, will agree with them for so many daies work, or so many weeks, for the loan of his money, which if all reckonings be cast will come to a deere interest. I know many about this city that will not bee seen to be Brokers themselves, but suffer their wines to deal with their money, as to lend a shilling for a penny a week to Fish-wiues, Differ-women, Dringe-wenches and suth like: these be they that look about the city like Rats and Weasels, to gnaw poor people alive, and yet go invisible. This if it be well considered of is a jewish Brokage, for in dead the Iewes first brought usury& brokage into England, which now by long sufferance haue much blemished the ancient virtues of this kingdom: let us but remember this one example, how that in the time of King Henry the third, the good citizens of London, in one night slay five hundred Iewes, for that a jew took of a Christian a penny in the shilling usury, and ever after got them banished the city; but truly these Brokers afore-said deserve worse then Iewes, for the 〈◇〉 like unto Strumpets, for they receive all mens money, as well the Beggars as the Gentlemans; nay, they will themselves take money vpon Brokage, to bring their Trade into a better custom, which in my mind is a wicked custom to live onely by sin. The good Magistrates I hope will overlook these evils, least these evils overrule their posterity, but especially these Tabling houses, wherein so many hundred Shifters maintain themselves gallantly, to the undoing of a number of good Gentlemen, citizens, Trades-men and such like; for if the 〈◇〉 in 〈…〉 unveil of London, were truly 〈…〉 ●ay they would amaze a good 〈…〉 were discovered, and then no 〈…〉 find their faults, or Repentance show their amendment. To conclude, it is every mans case in this land that hath care of his Posterity, to be suitors for reformation, the evil hereof even perisheth the marrow and strength of this happy realm, I mean the ability of the Gentry is much weakened, and many good citizens almost wasted by haunting of these ungracious houses: if this my discovery bee considered of by wisdom, I presume it will prous beneficial to this glorious Monument of the Land, London I mean, which the Lord bless and keep in this her wonted prosperity, Amen. FINIS.