Chapter VI: Part 6

++WHyle this second Impression was in printinge, it fortuned that Nycholas Blunte, who called hym selfe Nycholan Gennyns, a counterefet Cranke, that is spoken of in this booke, was fonde begging in the whyte fryers on Newe yeares day last past, Anno domini .1567, and commytted vnto a offescer, who caried hym vnto the depetye of the ward, which co_m_mytted hym vnto the counter; _and_ as the counstable and a nother would haue caried hym thether, This counterfet Cranke ran awaye, but one lyghter of fote then the other ouer toke hym, _and_ so leading him to the counter, where he remayned three days, _and_ from thence to Brydewell, where before the maister[179] he had his dysgysed aparell put vpon hym, which was monstrous to beholde, And after stode in Chepesyde w_i_t_h_ _th_e same apparil on a scafold.[180]

[Footnote 178: Instead of “the same,” the 1573 ed. reads _that_]

[Footnote 179: _maisters._ B.]

[Footnote 180: This paragraph is omitted in the ed. of 1573; but see
note, _ante_, p. 56.]

[Sidenote: [leaf 30]]

A Stockes to staye sure, and safely detayne,
Lasy lewd Leutterers, that lawes do offend,
Impudent persons, thus punished with payne,
Hardlye for all this, do meane to amende.

{88}

[Headnote: HARMON. THE STOCKES.]

Fetters or shackles serue to make fast,
Male malefactours, that on myschiefe do muse,
Vntyll the learned lawes do quite or do cast,
Such suttile searchers, as all euyll do vse.

{89}

[Headnote: HARMON. THE ROGE’S END.]

[Sidenote: [lf 30, bk]]

++{ A whyp is a whysker, that wyll wrest out blood,
Of backe and of body, beaten right well. }
Of all the other it doth the most good,
Experience techeth, and they can well tell.

¶ O dolefull daye! nowe death draweth nere,
Hys bytter styng doth pearce me to the harte. {90}
I take my leaue of all that be here,
Nowe piteously playing this tragicall parte.
Neither stripes nor teachinges in tyme could conuert,
wherefore an ensample let me to you be,
And all that be present, nowe praye you for me.

[Headnote: HARMON. THE COUNTERFET CRANKE.]

[181]¶ This counterfet Cranke, nowe vew and beholde, Placed in pyllory, as all maye well se: This was he, as you haue hard the tale tolde, before recorded with great suttylte, Ibused manye with his inpiete, his lothsome attyre, in most vgly manner, was through London caried with dysplayd banner.[182]

[Footnote 181: B. omits this stanza and has inserted the following
lines under the cut.

THis is the fygure of the counterfet Cranke, that is spoken of
in this boke of Roges, called Nycholas Blunt other wyse Nycholas
Gennyngs. His tale is in the xvii. lefe [pp. 55–6] of this booke,
which doth showe vnto all that reades it, woundrous suttell and
crafty deseit donne of _and_ by him.]

[Footnote 182: This verse is omitted in the edition of 1573; also
the wood-cut preceding it.]

{91}

[Headnote: HARMON. CONCLUSION.]

☞ Thus I conclude my bolde Beggars booke, That all estates most playnely maye see, As in a glasse well pollyshed to looke, Their double demeaner in eche degree. Their lyues, their language, their names as they be, That with this warning their myndes may be warmed, To amend their mysdeedes, and so lyue vnharmed.

FINIS.

¶ Imprinted at London, in Fletestrete, at the signe of the Faulcon by Wylliam gryffith. Anno Domni. 1567.[183]

[Footnote 183: B. adds ‘the eight of January’. (This would make the
year 1568 according to the modern reckoning. Harman’s ‘New Yeares
day last past, Anno domini 1567’, p. 86, must also be 1567/8.)]

{92}

A Sermon in Praise of Thieves and Thievery.

――――

[_Lansdowne MS. 98, leaf 210._]

A sermon made by P_ar_son Haben vppon a mold hill at Hartely Row,[184] at the Comaundment of vij. theves, whoe, after they had robbed him, Comaunded him to Preache before them.

I Marvell that eu_er_ye man will seme to dispraise theverye, and thinke the doers thereof worthye of Death, when it is a thinge that Cometh nere vnto vertve, and is vsed of all men, of all sort_es_ and in all countryes, and soe comaunded and allowed of god himselfe which thinge, because I cannot soe sapiently shewe vnto you a[185] soe shorte a tyme and in soe shorte a place, I shall desire you, gentle theves, to take in good p_ar_te this thinge that at this tyme Cometh to minde, not misdoubtinge but you of yo_ur_ good knowledge are able to ad more vnto the same then this which I at this tyme shall shewe vnto you. ffirst, fortitude and stoutnes, Courage, and boldnes of stomacke, is Compted of some a vertue; which beinge graunted, Whoe is he then that will not Iudge theves vertuous, most stoute, most hardye? I most, withoute feare. As for stealinge, that is a thinge vsuall:—whoe stealeth not? ffor not only you that haue besett me, but many other in many places. Men, Woemen, _and_ Children, Riche and poore, are dailye of that facultye, As the hange {94} man of Tiborne can testifye. That it is allowed of god himselfe, it is euident in many storyes of the Scriptures. And if you liste to looke in the whole Course of the bible, you shall finde that theves haue bin belovid of god. ffor Iacobe, when he Came oute of Mesopotamia, did steale his vncles lambes; the same Iacobe stale his brother Esawes blessinge; and that god saide, “I haue chosen Iacob and refused Esawe.” The Children of Isarell, when they came oute of Egippe, didd steale the Egippsians Iewells and ring_es_, and god comaunded the[m] soe to doe. David, in the dayes of Ahemel[e]ch the preiste, came into the temple and stole awaye the shewe bread; And yet god saide, “this is a man accordinge to myne owne harte.” Alsoe Christe himsellfe, when he was here vppon earth, did take an asse, a Colte, which was none of his owne. And you knowe that god saide, “this is my now_n_e sone, in whome I delighte.”

Thus maye you see that most of all god delighteth in theves. I marvell, therefore, that men can despise yo_ur_ lives, when that you are in all poynts almost like vnto Christe; for Christ hade noe dwellinge place,—noe more haue you. Christe, therefore, at the laste, was laide waite for in all places,—and soe are you. Christe alsoe at the laste was called for,—and soe shall you be. He was condemned,—soe shall you be. Christe was hanged,—soe shall you be. He descended into hell,—so shall you. But in one pointe you differ. He assendid into heaven,—soe shall you never, without gods mercye, Which god graunte for his mercyes sake! Toe whome, with the so_n_ne and the holye goste, be all hono_ur_ and glory for euer and euer. Amen!

After this good sermon ended, which Edefied them soe muche, Theye hadd soe muche Compassion on him, That they gave him all his mony agayne, and vij s more for his sermon.

[Footnote 184: MS Rew. Hartley Row is on the South-Western road past
Bagshot. The stretch of flat land there was the galloping place for
coaches that had to make up time.]

[Footnote 185: _in_]

{93}

A Sermon in Praise of Thieves and Thievery.

[_MS. Cott. Vesp._ A xxv. _leaf 53_]

A sermoɳ of p_ar_son Hyberdyne w_hi_ch he made att the co_m_mandemente of certen theves, aft_er_ thay had Robbed hym, besyd_es_ hartlerowe, in hamshyer, in the feld_es_, ther standinge vpo_n_ a hy[l~l] where as a wynde myll had bene, in the p_re_sens of the theves _tha_t robbed hy_m_, as followithe.

the s_er_mon as followethe

I greatly merve[l~l] _tha_t any man wy[l~l] p_re_sume to dysprase theverie, _and_ thynke the dooer_es_ therof to be woorthy of deathe, consyderinge itt is a thynge that cu_m_ithe nere vnto vertue, beinge vsed of many in a[l~l] contries, And co_m_mendid _and_ allowed of god hym selfe; the w_hi_ch, thinge, by-cause I cannot co_m_pendiously shew vnto yow at soo shorte a warnynge _and_ in soo sharpe a wether, I sha[l~l] desyer yow, gentle audiens of theves, to take in good p_ar_te thes thyng_es_ that at thys tyme cu_m_ythe to my mynde, not mysdowtynge but _tha_t yow of yowre good knowledge are able to add mutch more vnto ytt the_n_ this w_hi_ch I sha[l~l] nowe vtter vnto yow. ffyrst, fortitude, _and_ stowtnes of corage, _and_ also bowldnes of minde, is co_m_mendyd of su_m_e men to be a vertue; w_hi_ch, beinge grawnted, who is yt then _tha_t wy[l~l] not iudge theves to be v_er_tused? for thay be of a[l~l] men moste stowte _and_ hardy, _and_ moste w_i_t_h_owte feare; for thevery is a thynge moste vsua[l~l] emonge a[l~l] men, for not only yow that be here p_re_sente, but many other in dyu_er_se plac_es_, bothe men _and_ wemen _and_ chyldren, rytche and poore, are dayly of thys facultye, {95} as the hangman of tyboorne can testyfye: and that yt is allowed of god hym selfe, as it is euydente in many storayes of [the] scriptur_es_; for yf yow looke in the hole cowrse of the byble, yow shall fynde that theves haue bene beloued of gode; for Iacobe, whan he came owte of Mesopotamia, dyd steale his vncle labanes kydd_es_; the same Iacobe also dyd steale his brothe[r] Esaues blessynge; _and_ yett god sayde, “I haue chosen Iacobe _and_ refused Esau.” The chyldren of ysrae[l~l], wha_n_ they came owte of Egypte, dyd steale the egiptians iewell_es_ of sylu_er_ and gowlde, as god co_m_mawnded them soo to doo. Davyd, in the days of Abiather the hygh preste, did cu_m_e into _th_e temple _and_ dyd steale the hallowed breede; _and_ yet god saide, “Dauid is a man̄ euen after myne owne harte.” Chryste hym selfe, whan he was here on the arthe, did take an asse _and_ a cowlte _tha_t was none of hys; _and_ yow knowe that god said of hym, “this is my beloued soone, in whome I delighte.” thus yow may see that god delightithe in theves. but moste of a[l~l] I marve[l~l] _tha_t men can dispyse yow theves, where as in a[l~l] poynt_es_ almoste yow be lyke vnto christe hym selfe: for chryste had noo dwellynge place; noo more haue yow. christe wente frome towne to towne; _and_ soo doo yow. christe was hated of a[l~l] men, sauynge of his freend_es_; and soo are yow. christe was laid waite vpon in many plac_es_; _and_ soo are yow. chryste at the lengthe was cawght; _and_ soo sha[l~l] yow bee. he was browght before the iudges; _and_ soo sha[l~l] yow bee. he was accused; _and_ soo sha[l~l] yow bee. he was condempned; _and_ soo sha[l~l] yow bee. he was hanged; _and_ so sha[l~l] yow bee. he wente downe into he[l~l]; _and_ soo sha[l~l] yow dooe. mary! in this one thynge yow dyffer frome hym, for he rose agayne _and_ assendid into heauen; _and_ soo sha[l~l] yow neuer dooe, w_i_t_h_owte god_es_ greate mercy, w_hi_ch gode grawnte yow! to whome w_i_t_h_ the father, _and_ the soone, _and_ the hooly ghoste, be a[l~l] honore and glorye, for eu_er_ and eu_er_. Amen!

Thus his s_er_mon beinge endyd, they gaue hy_m_ his money agayne that thay tooke frome hym, _and_ ij^s to drynke for hys s_er_mon.

finis.

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[_The parts added to_ HARMAN’S CAUEAT _to make_] THE Groundworke of Conny-catching; the manner of their Pedlers-French, and the meanes _to vnderstand the same, with the cunning slights_ of the Counterfeit Cranke. Therein are handled the practises of the _Visiter_, the Fetches _of the_ Shifter _and_ Rufflar, _the deceits of their_ Doxes, _the deuises_ of Priggers, _the names of the base loytering Losels, and_ _the meanes of euery_ Blacke-Art-mans _shifts, with_ _the reproofe of all their diuellish_ practises. _Done by a Justice of Peace of great authoritie, who hath_ _had the examining of diuers of them._

_Printed at London by_ Iohn Danter _for_ William Barley, _and are to be sold at his shop at the vpper end of Gratious streete, ouer against Leaden-hall_, 1592.

7

{98} [Blank Page]

{99}

[Headnote: THE GROUNDWORKE OF CONNY-CATCHING.]

[Sidenote: [leaf 2]]

To the gentle Readers health.

Gentle reader, as there hath beene diuers bookes set forth, as warnings for all men to shun the craftie coossening sleights of these both men and women that haue tearmed themselues Conny-catchers; so amongst the rest, bestow the reading ouer of this booke, wherin thou shalt find the ground-worke of Conny-catching, with the manner of their canting speech, how they call all things in their language, the horrible coossening of all these loose varlots, and the names of them in their seuerall degrees,

_First,_ _The Visiter._ 2. _The Shifter._ 3. _The Rufflar._ 4. _The Rogue._ 5. _The wild Rogue._ 6. _A prigger of Prauncers._ 7. _A Pallyard._ 8. _A Frater._ 9. _An Abraham man._ 10. _A freshwater Marriner, or Whipiacke._ 11. _A counterfait Cranke._ 12. _A Dommerar._ 13. _A Dronken Tinkar._ 14. _A Swadder, or Pedler._ 15. _A Iarkeman & Patrico._ 16. _A demander for glimmar._ 17. _The baudy Basket._ 18. _An Autem Mort._ 19. _A walking Mort._ 20. _A Doxe._ 21. _A Dell._ 22. _Kinchin Mort._ 23. _A Kinchin Co._

All these playing their coossenings in their kinde are here set downe, which neuer yet were disclosed in anie booke of Conny-catching. {100}

[Headnote: SHIFTERS AT INNS.]

[Sidenote: [leaf 2, back]]

A new kind of shifting sleight, practised at this day by _some of this Cony-catching crue, in Innes or vitualling houses, but especially in Faires or Markets_, which came to my hands since the imprinting of the rest.

Whereas of late diuers coossening deuises and deuilish deceites haue beene discouered, wherby great inconueniences haue beene eschewed, which otherwise might haue beene the vtter ouerthrowe of diuers honest men of all degrees, I thought this, amongst the rest, not the least worthie of noting, especially of those that trade to Faires and Markets, that therby being warned, they may likewise be armed, both to see the deceit, and shun the daunger. These shifters will come vnto an Inne or vittailing house, that is most vsed in the towne, and walke vp and downe; and if there come any gentleman or other, to lay vp either cloke, sword, or any other thing woorth the hauing, then one of this crue taketh the marks of the thing, or at least the token the partie giueth them: anone, after he is gone, he likewise goeth forth, and with a great countenance commeth in againe to the mayde or seruant, calling for what another left: if they doubt to deliuer it, then hee frets, and calles them at his pleasure, and tels them the markes and tokens: hauing thus done, hee blames their forgetfulnes, and giues them a couple of pence to buy them pinnes, bidding them fetch it straight, and know him better the next time, wherewith they are pleasd, and he possest of his pray. Thus one gotte a bagge of Cheese the last Sturbridge Faire; for in such places (as a reclaimd fellow of that crue confessed) they make an ordinary practise of the same.

[_The Pedler’s French_ follows, taken word for word from Harman’s book, p. 82–7 above.]

[Sidenote: [leaf 5]]

THE VISITER.

An honest youth, not many yeares since, seruant in this City, had leaue of his master at whitsontide to see his friends, who dwelt some fifty miles from London. It hapned at a Country wake, his mother and hee came acquainted with a precise scholler, that, vnder colour of strickt life, hath bin reputed for that hee is not: hee is well {101} knowen in Paules Churchyard, and hath beene lately a visiting in Essex; for so he presumes to tearme his cosening walks: and therefore wee will call him here a Visiter. This honest seeming man must needes (sith his iourney lay to London) stay at the yong mans mothers all the holy daies: where as on his desert hee was kindly vsed; at length, the young man, hauing receiued his mother’s blessing, with other his friendes giftes, amounting to some ten poundes, was to this hypocrite as to a faithful guide committed, and toward London they ride: by the way this Visiter discourses how excellent insight he had in Magick, to recouer by Art anything lost or stolne. Well, to sant Albons they reach; there they sup together, and, after the carowsing of some quarts of wine, they go to bed, where they kindly sleepe,—the Visiter slily, but the young man soundly. Short tale to make—out of his bed-fellow’s sleeue this Visiter conuaid his twenty Angels, besides some other od siluer, hid it closely, and so fell to his rest. Morning comes—vp gets this couple—immediately the money was mist, much adoo was made; the Chamberlaine with sundry other seruants examined; and so hot the contention, that the good man, for the discharge of his house, was sending for a Constable to haue them both first searcht, his seruants Chests after. In the meane time the Visiter cals the yong man aside, and bids him neuer grieue, but take horse; and he warrants him, ere they be three miles out of towne, to helpe him to his money by Art, saying:—“In these Innes ye see how we shall be out-faced, and, beeing vnknowne, how euer we be wrongd, get little remedy.” The yong man, in good hope, desired him to pay the reckoning, which done, together they ride. Being some two miles from the towne, they ride out of the ordinary way: there he tels this youth how vnwilling hee was to enter into the action, but that it was lost in his company, and so forth. Well, a Circle was made, wondrous words were vsed, many muttrings made: at length hee cries out,—“vnder a greene turfe, by the East side of an Oake; goe thither, goe thither.” This thrice he cryed so ragingly, as the yuong man gest him mad, and was with feare almost beside himself. At length, pausing, quoth this Visiter, “heard ye nothing cry?” “Cry!” said the yong man, “yes; [leaf 5, back] you cride so as, for twise ten pound, I would not heare ye {102} again.” “Then,” quoth he, “’tis all well, if ye remember the words.” The yong man repeated them. With that this shifter said, “Go to the furthest Oke in the high-way towards S. Albons, and vnder a greene turfe, on the hither side, lyes your mony, and a note of his name that stole it. Hence I cannot stirre till you returne; neyther may either of our horses be vntide for that time: runne yee must not, but keepe an ordinary pace.” Away goes the yong man gingerly; and, being out of sight, this copesmate takes his cloke-bag, wherein was a faire sute of apparel, and, setting spurres to his horse, was, ere the Nouice returned, ridde cleane out of his view. The yong man, seeing himselfe so coossened, made patience his best remedie, tooke his horse, and came to London, where yet it was neuer his lucke to meet this visiter.

[Headnote: A SHIFTER DESCRIBED.]

A SHIFTER.

A Shifter, not long since, going ordinarily booted, got leaue of a Carrier to ride on his owne hackney a little way from London, who, comming to the Inne where the Carier that night should lodge, honestly set vp the horse, and entred the hal, where were at one table some three and thirty clothiers, all returning to their seuerall countries. Vsing, as he could, his curtesie, and being Gentleman-like attirde, he was at all their instance placed at the vpper end by the hostesse. After hee had a while eaten, he fel to discourse with such pleasance, that all the table were greatly delighted therewith. In the midst of supper enters a noise of musitions, who with their instruments added a double delight. For them hee requested his hostesse to laye a shoulder of mutton and a couple of capons to the fire, for which he would pay, _and_ then mooued in their behalfe to gather. Among them a noble was made, which he fingring, was well blest; for before he had not a crosse, yet he promist to make it vp an angel. To be short, in comes the reckoning, which (by reason of the fine fare _and_ excesse of wine) amounted to each mans halfe crown. Then hee requested his hostesse to prouide so many possets of sacke, as would furnish the table, which he would bestow on the Gentlemen to requite their extraordinary costs: _and_ iestingly askt if she would {103} make him her deputie to gather the reckoning; she graunted, and he did so: and on a sodaine, (faining to hasten his hostesse with the possets) he tooke his cloke, and, finding fit time, hee slipt out of doores, leauing the guestes and their hostesse to a new reckoning, _and_ the musitians to a good supper, but they paid for the sauce. This iest some vntruly attribute to a man of excellent parts about London, but he is slandered: the party that performed it hath scarce any good qualitie to liue. Of these sort I could set downe a great number, but I leaue you now vnto those which by Maister Harman are discouered.

[Then follows Harman’s book, commencing with a Ruffelar, p. 29. The woodcut of Nicolas Blunt and Nicolas Geninges (p. 50, above) is given, and another one representing the Cranke after he was stripped and washed. The volume ends with the chapter “Their vsage in the night,” p. 76–8 above,—the woodcuts and verses at the end of Harman’s book being omitted in the present _Groundworke of Conny-catching_. The last words in the latter are, “And this must the poore Farmer suffer, or els they threaten to burne him, and all that he hath.”]

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INDEX.

Abraham men, those who feign madness, 3; one of them, named
Stradlynge, ‘the craftiest and moste dyssemblyngest knaue,’ 47

Altham, a curtall’s wife, 4

Arsenick, to make sores with, 44

associate, accompany, 53

Autem, a church, 67, 83

― Mortes, description of, 67; as chaste as Harman’s ‘Cowe,’ 67

Awdeley, Iohn, a printer, 1

Awdeley’s _Vacabondes_; Harman’s references to, 20, 60

Axiltrye, casting of the, 46

baken, bacon, 3

baudy banquet, whoring, 63

bauer, ? band, 52

Bawd Phisicke, a cook, 14

Bawdy baskets, description of, 65; a story of one who, with an
upright man, spoiled a poor beggar of his money, 66

beggar by inheritance, 42

belly chere, food, 32

belly chete, an apron, 83

benat, better, 86

bene, good, 83

bene bowse, good drink, 59

beneship, very well, 86

benshyp, very good, 83, 86

beray, dung, 13; dirty, 52

beteled, ? (_betelled_ is deceived), 67

Bethlem Hospital, 52, 53

Blackheath, 77

bletinge chete, a calf or sheep, 83

Blunt, Nicolas, an upright man, 50, 87

bong, purse, 84, 86

booget, a bag, 59

bord, a shilling, 83

―, half a, sixpence, 83

borsholders, 21, _n._, superior constables. See Halliwell’s
_Glossary_.

bottell, bundle, truss, 72

Bottomelye, Besse, a harlot, 75

bousing ken, an ale-house, 83

bowle, drink bowls of liquor, 32

bowse, drink, 32, 83; _v._ to drink, 84

braste, burst, 73

Bridewell, 57, 87

broused, bruised, 29

bryberinge, stealing, 60

Buckes, baskets, 21

Buckingham, Duke of, beheaded, 22

bufe, a dog, 84

bung, a purse, 83, 84, 86

buskill, ? bustle, wriggle, 15

bychery, 67

bycherye, whoring, 61

byd, pray, 15

byng a waste, go you hence, 84

cakling chete, a cock, or capon, 83

can skyl, know, 8

cante, to speak, 84

Canting, the language of vagabonds, 23; list of words, 82–4; specimen
of, 84–6

Capcases, covers for caps, small bandboxes, 65

Capon hardy, 12. For ‘capron hardy,’ ‘a notable whipster or twigger,’
a bold or saucy young scamp. (See the Index to Caxton’s _Book of
Curtesye_, E. E. T. Soc., p. 54.)

cassan, cheese, 83

caster, a cloak, 82

casting of the sledge, 46

Caueat, a warning, 17

Chafe litter, the knave, described, 13

chafer, heating dish, 59

Charing Cross, 58

chattes, the gallows, 84, 86

Chayne, a gentleman, 58

Cheapside, 57, 87

Cheatours, card-sharpers enticing young men to their hosteries, win
their money and depart, 7

cheeke by cheeke (now ‘by jowl’), 12

chete, animal, 83, col. 2, foot

chetes, things, 42

Choplogyke, description of, 15

Christ, like a thief, 94, 95

Christes Hospital, 8

Clapperdogens, 44. _See_ Palliards.

Clement’s Inn, 53

clocke, a cloak, 55

clyme three tres with a ladder, to ascend the gallows, 31

cly the gerke, to be whipped, 84

Cole, false, 15. (See Mr R. Morris in _Notes and Queries_, Oct.,
1869, on _Colfox_, &c.)

Cole Prophet, description of, 15

commission, a shirt, 83

Commitour of Tidings, a tell-tale, 14

common, commune, 45

conneys, rabbits, 35

conneyskins, rabbitskins, 65

connizance, cognizance, 35

Cornwall, 48

Cory fauell, a knave, described, 16

couch a hogshead, lie down and sleep, 77, 84

Counterfet Crankes, description of, 51; story of one that Harman
watched, 51; how he was dressed, 51; his refusal to wash when
bidden, 52; gives the name of Genings, 52; said he had been in
Bethlehem Hospital, 52, which Harman found to be a lie, 53; in the
middle of the day he goes into the fields and renews the blood
on his face, 53; what money he received, 53; at night he goes to
Newington, where he is given in charge, 54; the amount of his
gains, 55; his escape, 55; his recapture, 56, _n._; his punishment,
57, _n._

Cousoners, cheaters, 1

Crashing chetes, teeth, 82

crassinge chetes, apples, pears, or any other fruit, 84

Cross Keys Inn in Cranford (Middlesex) or Crayford (Kent), 77

cuffen, fellow, 86. _See_ Quyer.

Cursetors, 17; explanation of, 27

Curtal, 37

Curtall, one who is next in authority to an upright man, 4

Curtesy man, described, 6

cutte, to say, 84

cutte bene whydds, speak or give good words, 84

cutte benle, speak gently, 84

cutte quyre whyddes, give evil words or evil language, 84

darkemans, night, 84

Dartford, 58

David, a thief, 94, 95

ded lyft, a; last refuge, 34

Dells, rogues’ virgins, described, 75

Demaunder for glymmar, description of, 61; story of one who behaved
courteously to one man and uncourteously to another, 61–65

Deptford, 77

Desmond, Earl of, 82

Devil’s Pater noster, 15

Devonshire, 48

dewse a vyle, the country, 84, 86

Dialogue, between upright man and rogue, 84–87

dokte, fornicated with, 87

Dommerar, description of, 57; of one who was made to speak, and
afterwards punished on the pillory, 58, 59

doson, dozen, 34

Doxes, description of, 4, 6, 73

Draw-the-pudding-out-of-the-fire; a beggars’ inn at
Harrow-on-the-Hill, 77

drawers, hosen, 83

Drawlatches, a class of beggars, 27

Dronken Tinckar, description of, 59

drouselye, drowsily, 76

dudes, cloths, 83

dup the gyger, open the door, 84

Dyng-thrift, description of, 15

Egiptians, description of, 23

Esau, a thief, 94, 95

Esaye, Isaiah, 24

Esen Droppers, eaves-droppers, 15

exonerate, empty (one’s belly), 55

factors, tax-gatherers, 45

fambles, hands, 82; famble, 87

fambling chete, ring on the hand, 82

Faytores, a class of beggars, 27

ferres, 35, ferries

Filtchman, the truncheon of a staff, 4

Fingerers, 7–9. _See_ Cheatours.

for knowing; against, to prevent, being recognized, 71

flagg, a groat, 83, 85

flebytinge, 73

fletinge Fellowshyp, the company of vagabonds, 24

Frater, one who goes with a licence to beg for some Spittlehouse or
Hospital, but who usually robs poor women, 4; description of, 45

Freshwater Mariner, description of, 48

Furmenty, 22

fustian fume, 46

fylche, to beat, to rob, 84

fylthy firy flankard, 29

fynesed, finished, 70

Fyngerer, 8, 9

gage, a quart pot, 83

― of bowse, a quart of drink, 34

gally slopes, breeches, 35

gan, a mouth, 82

gealy gealowsit, good fellowship, 55

gentry cofes ken, a noble or gentleman’s house, 83

gentry morte, a noble or gentlewoman, 84

Genynges, Nicolas, a counterfeit cranke, 50, 87

gestes, guests, 61

Glasyers, eyes, 82

glimmeringe morte, a woman who travels the country begging, saying
her goods have been burnt, 61

glymmar, fire, 61, 83

grannam, corn, 83

Grauesend barge, a resort of vagabonds and knaves, 1

graunt, agree, 53

greffe, grief, 55

Grene Winchard, description of a, 14

_Groundworke of Conny-catching_, 97

grunting chete, or patricos kynchen, a pig, 83

Gryffith, Wylliam, a printer, 17

Gybe, a licence, 4; a writing, 83

gygger, a door, 83, 85

Gyle Hather, description of, 14

gyllot, a whore, 71

Haben, a witty parson, 92

hande charcher, handkerchief, 72

Harman beck, constable, 84

Harman, Thomas, his _Caveat_, 17–91; epistle to the reader, 27; his
old tenant, 30; his copper cauldron stolen, 35; recovered, 35;
notice to tinkers of the loss of his cauldron, 35; his gelding
stolen, 44; in commission of the peace, 60; paid for beggars’
secrets, 74

Harmans, the stocks, 84

Harrow-on-the-Hill, inn at, 77

Hartley Row in Hampshire, 92, 93

Hearing chetes, ears, 82

heauing of the bowth, robbing the booth, 4

Helpers of rogues, 9

Helycon, 28

heue a bough, rob a booth, 84

Hill’s, Mr, Rents, 57

_him_ redundant: leapes him, 43, l. 24

Hoker, or Angglear, description of, 35; anecdote of one who took the
clothes of the bed in which 3 men were sleeping, without awaking
them, 36

Holborn, 54

hollowe hosteler, 63

horse locke, 39

hosen, breeches, 71, 72

hosted, lodged, 57, _n._

hosteries, card-sharpers’ resorts, 9

House of Pity, inn in Northall, 77

hoyssed, hoisted, 20

huggeringe, loitering, 43

Hyberdyne, a parson, 93

hygh, hie, 33

hygh pad, highway, 84

Jacob, a thief, 94, 95

Iarckeman, a maker of counterfeit licences, 5, 60

Iarckes, seals, 4

Iarke, a seal, 83

ich, I, 8

Jeffrey Gods Fo, a liar, 13

Ingratus, an ungrateful knave, 16

in printe, meaning ‘correct,’ 45

Iockam, yard, penis, 87

iompe, jump, plump, exactly, 44

Irishe toyle, a beggar, 5

Irish rogues, 44, 48

Isleworth (Thystellworth), St Julian’s, a beggars’ inn at, 77

Iusticers, Justices, 21

Karle, a knave, 8

ken, a house, 83, 84, 86

Kent, a man of worship in, death of, 22

Kent, mentioned, 37, 43, 48, 61, 63, 66, 68, 77

Kent St, Southwark, 57

Ketbroke, a beggars’ inn, near Blackheath, 77

kinde, nature, 52

Kitchen Co, a boy, 5, 76

― Morte, a girl, 5, 76

Knapsbery (inn near London), 77

Knaues, 25 orders of, 1

―, quartern of, 1

Kynges barne, beggars’ inn in Kent, 77

lage, water, 83

lag of dudes, a bucke of clothes, 83

lap, butter, milk, or whey, 83

lasy Lorrels, 82

lecherous husband cured, 68–73

Leicester, 56

lewed lecherous loyteringe, 31

lewtering Luskes, 82

licoryce knaue, a drunkard, 13

lightmans, day, 84

(Lincoln’s Inn) Fields, 53

London, 30, 42, 49

lousey leuterars, vagabonds, 22

lowhinge chete, a cow, 83

lowre, money, 83, 85, 86

Lubbares, lubbers, 47

luckly, lucky, 19

Ludgate, 57

lybbege, a bed, 83

lybbet, a stick, 26

lykinge, lustful, 21

Lynx eyes, 54. (See Index to Hampole’s _Pricke of Conscience_.)

Lypken, a house to lie in, 83

make, halfpenny, 83

make (think) it strange, 41

makes, mates, 23

mammerings, mumblings, 72

manerly marian, 62

margery prater, a hen, 83

Mariner, one at Portsmouth the maker of counterfeit licences for
Freshwater mariners, 49

matche of wrastlinge, 46

maunde, ask or require, 84, 85

Messenger, Ione, an honest bawdy basket, 65

Milling of the ken, sending children into houses to rob, 67

mofling chete, a napkin, 83

mounched, eat, 72

mounch-present, one who, being sent by his master with a present,
must taste of it himself, 14

myll a ken, rob a house, 84

mynt, gold, 83

Nab, a head, 82, 86

Nabchet, a hat or cap, 82

nase, drunken, 86

Newhaven, 67

Newington, 54, 56

Nichol Hartles, a coward, 13

Northall, beggars’ inn at, 77

nosegent, a nun, 83

nouels, news, 14

Nunquam, a loitering servant, 16

nygle, haue to do with a woman carnally, 84

nyp a boung, to cut a purse, 84

Obloquium, a malapert knave, 13

occupying, holding of land, 38

of, off, 39

oysters of East Kent, 68

Palliards, description of, 4, 44; doings of, 44; list of names of,
81, 82

pannam, bread, 83

Param, milk, 83, _n._

patrico, a priest, 6, 60

paulmistrie, fortune-telling, 23

pecke, meat, 86

peddelars Frenche. _See_ Canting.

pek, meat, 83

peld pate, head uncovered, 34

pelte, clothes, 76

peltinge, ? paltry, contemptible, 20

Penner, a pen-case, 54

pens, pence, 55

pickthanke knaue, 14

pillory in Cheapside, 57

pitching of the barre, 46

pity: it pytied him at the hart, 41

poppelars, porridge, 83

porte sale, ? quick sale, 77

Portsmouth, 49

Poules, St Paul’s, 8

prat, a buttocke, 82

prating knaue, 15

pratling chete, a tongue, 82

prauncer, a horse, 83

Prigger of Paulfreys, a stealer of horses, 4

Proctour, a liar, 14; keeper of a spittlehouse, 45

PROVERBS:
although Truth be blamed, it shall never be shamed, 28
as the begger knowes his dishe, 32
don’t wake the sleeping dog, 73
God hath done his part, 48
out of sight, out of minde, 32
swete meate wyll haue sowre sawce, 72

prygge, to ride, 84

Prygger of Prauncers, description of, 42; a story of a gentleman
who lost his horse by giving it in charge for a short time to a
‘priggar,’ 43

Prygges, tinkers, 59

Prygman, one who steals clothes off hedges, and a robber of poultry, 3

quakinge chete, or red shanke, a drake or duck, 83

quaromes, a body, 82

Queen Elizabeth, 21

quier, nought, 83

Quier crampringes, bolts or fetters, 84, 86

Quire bird, one lately come out of prison, 4

quyer cuffyn, justice of the peace, 84, 86

Quyerkyn, prison house, 84, 86

rabblement, 19

rakehelles, 19

Ratsbane, 44

rechles, reckless, 15

rifflinge, 32

Rince pytcher, a drunkard, 13

Ring chopper, description of, 11

― faller, description of, 10

Robardesmen, robbers, 27. See William of Nassington’s description of
them quoted in _Notes & Queries_ by F. J. F., 1869; and _The Vision
of Piers Plowman_, ed. Wright, ii. 506, 521.

Robin goodfelow, 36

Rochester, 66

Rogeman, a receiver of stolen clothes, 3

Roger, or tyb of the buttery, a goose, 83

Roges, description of, 36; subject to beastly diseases, 37; list of
names of, 80, 81

Rogues, a story of two, who made the acquaintance of a parson at an
ale-house, and afterwards went to his house and robbed him, 37

Rome bouse, wine, 83

Rome mort, the Queen, 84

Rome vyle, London, 84

Rothered in Kent, 77

rowsey, ? rough, or frowzy, 19

Royal Exchange, 8

roylynge, travelling, 31

ruffe, rough, 33

Ruffeler, a robber of ‘wayfaring men and market women,’ 3, 29; a
story of one who robbed an old man, a tenant of Harman’s, on
Blackheath, 30

ruffian cly the, devil take thee, 84

ruffian, to the, 84, to the devil

ruffmans, woods or bushes, 84

ruff pek, bacon, 83

ruysting, roystering, 32

Salomon, an altar, or mass, 83

sawght, sought, 62

Saynt Augustyn, 24

scelorous, wicked, 20

sewerly, surely, 50

Shifters, 1

shotars hyl, Shooter’s Hill, 30

Shreeues, sheriffs, 21

Shrewd turne, ? sharp handling, hard usage, 15

Shrewsbury, Elizabeth Countess of, Harman’s dedication to, 19

shrodge, shrugged, hugged, 71

Simon soone agon, a loitering knave, 13

skew, a cup, 83

Skoller, a waterman (and his boat), 54

skower the cramprings, wear bolts or fetters, 84

skypper, a barn, 83

slates, sheets to lie in, 61, 76, 77, 83

small breefe, old briefe of vacabonds, meaning Awdeley’s book, 20

smell feastes, 46

smelling chete, a nose, 82; a garden or orchard, 84

snowte fayre, fair-faced, 61

sod, boiled, 22

Somersetshire, 61

soup, chewed, to produce foaming at the mouth, 51

Spanlles, spaniel-dogs, 33

Spearwort, 44

Spice-cakes, 12

spitlehouse, 45; row in a, 45; the constable wants to take in custody
the roysterers, 46; the good wife of the house intreats him for
her guests, and while so doing the next door neighbours enter the
kitchen, and steal the supper that she was preparing, 46

squaymysh, squeamish, 55

St. George’s Fields, 54

St. Giles’s in the Fields, 54

St. Julian’s (inn in Thystellworth; Isleworth), 77

St. Quinten’s (inn near London), 77

St. Tybbe’s (inn near London), 77

stall, to make or ordain, 84

stalling to the rogue, ceremony of, 34

stampers, shoes, 83

stampes, legs, 82

Statutes, i. Edw. VI. c. iii, p. 20, _n._; xxvii. Hen. VIII. for
punishment of vagabonds, 29

staulinge ken, a house that will receive stolen wares, 32, 83

stibber gibber knaue, a liar, 14

stow you, hold your peace, 84

Stradlynge, an Abraham man, 47

strommell, straw, 83

Sturton, Lord, 48

summer-games, 47

surgeon, who strung up the dumb rogue, 58–9

Swadders and Pedlers, description of, 60

Swygman, a pedlar, 5

tempering, tampering, 70

Temple Bar, 53

‘Thank God of all,’ 67 (cp. Shakspere’s ‘Thank God you are rid of a
knave.’ _Much Ado_, iii. 3.)

the, thee, 55

Thieves, a sermon in praise of, 92

‘Three trees,’ the gallows, 31

tickle in the ear, gammon, 9

Tinkard, a beggar, 5

tiplinge[house], an ale-house, 40

tittiuell knaue, a tale-bearer, 15

togeman, a coat, 77, 82

tortylles, turtle-doves, lovers, 62

towre, see, 84, 85

trashe, goods, 77

trininge, hanging, the end of roges, 37, 84

Troll and troll by, a knave, described, 12

Troll Hazard of Trace, a knave, 12

Troll Hazard of tritrace, a knave,13

Troll with, a knave, 12

Truth, proverb as to, 28

tryninge, hanging, 84

twin’d hempe, rope and gallows, 29 (cp. Bulleyn in _The Babees Book_,
p. 240–3)

_Two Gent. of Verona_, 45

Tynckars, Harman sends notice of the stealing of his cauldron to the,
35

typ, secret, 20

typlinge houses, alehouses, 24

Vacabonde—one being caught, and brought before the justices of the
peace, promised to tell them the names and degrees of his fellows,
on condition that he escaped punishment, which being granted, he
fulfilled his promise, and Awdeley obtained the materials for his
book, 2

Vacabondes, beggerly, 1; ruflyng, 1; ‘the old briefe’ of, 60

Vagabondes, their vsage in the night, 76

Vagabonds, account of the doings of, at the funeral of a man of
worship in Kent, 22

vagarantes, 19

Vngracious, a man who will not work, 15

Vnthrift, a reckless knave, 15

vntrus, to undress, 72

Vpright man, description of, 1, 4, 31

Vpright men, list of the names of, 78, 79, 80

Vrmond, Earle of, 82

walkinge mortes, description of, 67; a story of a trick that one
played on a man who would have had to do with her, and the
punishment he received instead, 67–73

wannion, a curse, 62

wappinge, fornicating, 87

Washman, one who shams lameness, sickness, etc., 5

waste, bynge a; go hence, 84, 86

watch, the constable, 45

watche, person, 61; our watche, us, 86

Welsh rogues, 44, 57

Whistle, anecdote of the, 61–5

Whipiacke, a robber of booths and stalls, 4

Whitefriars, 51, 56

whydds, words, 84, 86

whystell, whistle, 62

whyte money, silver, 42

wilde roge, description of, 41; story of one robbing a man, of whom
he had just begged, 42

wilde roge’s reason for being a beggar, 42

windless, out of breath, 73

windshaken knaue, 66

woode, mad, 14

Wostestowe, a servant of the Lord Keeper’s, 58

wyld Dell, description of, 75

wyn, a penny, 83

yannam, bread, 83, _n._

yaram, milk, 83

yemen, yeomen, 22

ynkell, tape, 65

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

This is a transcription of the 1869 Edition of _Awdeley’s Fraternitye of Vacabondes, Harmon’s Caueat, Haben’s Sermon, &c._, by the Early English Text Society (EETS). The EETS book is itself an annotated transcription of earlier manuscripts, as for instance, the 1575 edition of _The Fraternitye of Vacabondes_ by John Awdeley. This DP transcription is available in several editions, including simple text, html, epub, and mobi. Original page images from the EETS edition are available from archive.org—search for “fraternityeofvac00vilerich”. I produced the DP cover image, and hereby assign it to the public domain.

The original spelling and grammar of the EETS edition have been retained, with some exceptions noted below. Space before punctuation such as colon, semicolon, question mark, or exclamation mark have been generally eliminated.

In this DP simple text edition, original small caps are uppercase, and italics look _like this_. Superscripts are indicated like these: “a^o” or “iij^{li}”. Large initial letters in the EETS edition are marked with leading double ++ as in “++THes”. The variation between capital and lower-case letters after an initial large capital is as in the original. The letter n with macron is marked n̄, using the combining macron Unicode character. The code “[l~l]” denotes ll with a tilde through the two letters l. The Unicode character [“ɳ” u0273, latin small letter n with retroflex hook] has been substituted for the letter n with right hook in the text edition.

Footnotes have been relabeled 1–185, and moved from within paragraphs to nearby locations between paragraphs. In the EETS edition, replicated footnote anchors were occasionally used to delineate specific ranges of text. In this edition, footnote anchors are unique, so other symbols from the set {†‡§*} have been inserted to delineate the ranges.

The EETS book contains notations like “[leaf 4]”, which refer to the leaf in the original manuscript. These are retained. Most are inline, but a few are in the form of sidenotes, floating, for example, to the side of a text heading. Page numbers as printed in the EETS edition are shown like this: “{xiii}” or “{53}”.

The EETS edition was printed with running heads, which will be termed headnotes in this discussion. Most of the original headnotes were either repetitions from previous pages, or else essentially the same as a text heading or subheading somewhere on the page in question. A few did add information to the page; these few have been retained in this ebook edition. They have been moved if necessary from the top of the page to the top of the section that they describe. The first example of an included headnote occurs on page 19.

CONTENTS. The Preface discussion of HARMAN’S _Caueat_ begins on page iv, not v.

Page vi. “Anno domini .1567” to “Anno domini. 1567”.

Page vii. In “of Rogges . . . iij”, the illegible exponent after “iij” is rendered _s_ herein.

Page viii. The abbreviation for “page” was changed from “p” to “p.” in two places.

Page ix (note). Added a matching “)” after “_Environs of London_.”.

Page xi. The marker in “therevpon† bestow” should be paired, but is not. One possibility is “†therevpon† bestow”.

Page xviii. The unbalanced left parenthesis at “(although he is bold” is retained.

Page xxi. “under theee titles” to “under these titles”.

Page xxvii and elsewhere. The DP team have done the best they could with the sometimes illegible superscripts in passages like the sixth paragraph on page xxvii.

Page xxviii. “concernyny” to “concernyng”.

Page 21. full stop removed from “exercyses. may”.

Page 27. full stop changed to comma in original “wylbe. curyous heds”. Also, “finde fauttes” changed to “finde faultes”. The odd construction “in short season a great change we see . well, this delycat” is retained, to be construed as you think best.

Page 30, and similar instances elsewhere. The first two lines of the original printed paragraph are indented 6½% and spanned by an enlarged left curly bracket “{” on the left side. I do not know the significance of this, and cannot herein acceptably reproduce these two lines as printed. In this DP transcription, a new right bracket “ }” is inserted to enclose the words of the two lines as printed. In the text edition, the markup “++{ ” is employed at the beginning of the paragraph, and in the html/epub/mobi editions, an image is employed, spanning the first two lines of the rewrapped paragraph.

Page 33n. The second footnote had no label; one has been provided to match its anchor.

Page 34. “These vyright men” to “These vpright men”.

Page 45. A new right double quotation mark is inserted after “after midnight.”, to match the left quotation mark at ‘“I am Counstable’.

Page 49n. The footnote label was missing; a new one is inserted.

Page 54. A new right double quotation mark is inserted after “there serche hym.”, to match the left quotation mark in ‘“I praye you haue’.

Page 56n. “would proue an houest man” to “would proue an honest man”.

Page 61n. The missing label for the third footnote is restored.

Page 65. “baken, or ch´ese” to “baken, or chéese”.

Page 71. A DP teammember suggested that in “the good man of the house shrodge hym for Ioye”, “shrodge” should be “shrogde”.

Page 85. The footnote anchor for the first footnote was barely visible on the printed page, after “I layd”.

Page 92–95. Pages 92 and 94 comprise the EETS transcription of the [_Lansdowne MS. 98, leaf 210._] manuscript of Haben’s Sermon. Facing pages 93 and 95 comprise the EETS transcription of the [_MS. Cott. Vesp._ A xxv. _leaf 53_] manuscript. Because of various limitations of these ebook editions, pages 93 and 95 have been moved, in order, after page 94. Moreover, page 93 was originally printed with the incorrect page number “98”, but this has been corrected.

Page 97. This title page contains a mixture of modern roman type and a type that looks more like gothic. In this ebook text edition, the gothic phrases are wrapped in _italic markup_.

Page 101. What looks like “friendes gifte3” is changed to “friendes giftes”.