goodnes with the abhominable, wycked, and detestable behauor of all
these rowsey, ragged rabblement of rakehelles, that--vnder the pretence
of great misery, dyseases, and other innumerable calamites whiche they
fayne--through great hipocrisie do wyn and gayne great almes in all
places where they wyly wander, to the vtter deludinge of the good
geuers, deceauinge and impouerishing of all such poore housholders, both
sicke and sore, as nether can or maye walke abroad for reliefe and
comforte (where, in dede, most mercy is to be shewed). And for that I
(most honorable Lady), beinge placed as a poore gentleman, haue kepte a
house these twenty yeares, where vnto pouerty dayely hath and doth
repayre, not without some reliefe, as my poore callinge and habylytie
maye and doth extende: I haue of late yeares gathered a great suspition
that all should not be well, and, as the prouerbe saythe, "sume thinge
lurke and laye hyd that dyd not playnely apeare;" for I, hauinge more
occation, throughe sickenes, to tary and remayne at home then I haue
bene acustomed, do, by my there abyding, talke [42]and confere dayly
with many of these wyly wanderars of both sortes, as well men and
wemmen, as boyes and gyrles, by whom I haue *[leaf 2, back]* gathered
and vnderstande their depe dissimulation and detestable dealynge, beinge
maruelous suttle and craftye in there kynde, for not one amongst twenty
wyll discouer, eyther declare there scelorous secretes: yet with fayre
flatteringe wordes, money, and good chere, I haue attained to the typ by
such as the meanest of them hath wandred these xiii. yeares, and most
xvi. and some twenty and vpward,[43] and not withoute faythfull promesse
made vnto them neuer to discouer their names or any thinge they shewed
me; for they would all saye, yf the vpright men should vnderstand
thereof, they should not be only greuouslye beaten, but put in daunger
of their lyues, by the sayd vpright men. There was a fewe yeares since a
small breefe setforth of some zelous man to his countrey, of whom I
knowe not, that made a lytle shewe of there names and vsage, and gaue a
glymsinge lyghte, not sufficient to perswade of their peuishe peltinge
and pickinge[44] practyses, but well worthy of prayse. But (good
madame), with nolesse trauell then good wyll, I haue repayred and rygged
the Shyp of knowledge, and haue hoyssed vp the sayles of good fortune,
that she maye safely passe aboute and through all partes of this noble
realme, and there make porte sale of her wyshed wares, to the confusion
of their drowsey demener and vnlawfull language, pylfring pycking, wily
wanderinge, and lykinge lechery, of all these rablement of rascales that
raunges about al _th_e costes of the same, So _tha_t their vndecent,
dolefull dealing and execrable exercyses may apere to all as it were in
a glasse, that therby the Iusticers _and_ Shreeues may in their circutes
be more vygelant to punishe these malefactores, and the Counstables,
Bayliffes, and bosholders,[45] settinge asyde all feare, slouth, _and_
pytie, may be more circomspect in executing the charg geuen them by the
aforesayd Iusticers. Then wyll no more this rascall rablement raunge
about the countrey. Then greater reliefe may be shewed to _th_e pouerty
of eche parishe. Then shall we kepe our Horses in our pastures vnstolen.
Then our lynnen clothes shall and maye lye safelye one our hedges
vntouched. Then shall we not haue our clothes and lynnen hoked out at
our wyndowes as well by day as by night. Then shall we not haue our
houses broken vp in the night, as of late one of my nyghtbors had and
two great buckes of clothes stolen out, and most of the same fyne
Lynnen. Then shall we safely kepe our pigges and poultrey from pylfring.
Then shall we surely passe by [46]_th_e hygh waies leading to markets
_and_ fayres vnharmed. Then shall our Shopes and bothes be vnpycked
_and_ spoyled. Then shall these vncomly companies be dispersed and set
to labour for their lyuinge, or hastely hang for *[leaf 3]* their
demerites. Then shall it incourrage a great number of gentle men and
others, seing this securitie, to set vp houses and kepe hospitalytie in
the countrey, to the comfort of their nighboures, releife of the poore,
and to the amendement of the common welth. Then shall not sinne and
wickednes so much abound among vs. Then wil gods wrath be much _th_e
more pacified towards vs. Then shall we not tast of so many and sondry
plages, as now dayely raigneth ouer vs. And then shall this Famous
Empyre be in more welth _and_ better florysh, to the inestymable ioye
_and_ comfort of the Quenes most excelent maiestye, whom god of his
infinyte goodnes, to his great glory, long and many yeares make most
prosperously to raygne ouer vs, to the great Felycitye of all the Peres
and Nobles, and to the vnspeakable ioye, releife, and quietnes of minde,
of all her faythfull Commons _and_ Subiectes. Now, me thinketh, I se how
these peuysh, peruerse, and pestile_n_t people begyn to freat, fume,
sweare, and stare at this my booke, their lyfe being layd open and
aparantly paynted out, that their confusion and end draweth one a pase.
Where as in dede, if it be well waied, it is set forth for their
synguler profyt and co_m_moditie, for the sure safegard of their lyues
here in this world, that they shorten not the same before[47] their
time, and that by their true labour and good lyfe, in the world to com
they may saue their Soules, that Christ, the second person in [the]
Trinytie, hath so derely bought wit_h_ his most precious bloud: so that
hereby I shall do them more good then they could haue deuised for them
selues. For behold, their lyfe being so manyfest wycked and so
aparantlye knowen, The honorable wyl abhore them, The worshipfull wyll
reiecte them, The yemen wyll sharpely tawnte them, The Husband men
vtterly defye them, The laboryng men bluntly chyde them, The wemen with
a loud exclamation[48] wonder at them, And all Children with clappinge
handes crye out at them. I manye times musing with my selfe at these
mischeuous misliuers, merueled when they toke their oryginall _and_
beginning; how long they haue exercised their execrable wandring about.
I thought it meete to confer with a very old man that I was well
acquaynted with, whose wyt _and_ memory is meruelous for his yeares,
beinge about the age of fourescore, what he knewe when he was yonge of
these lousey leuterars. And he shewed me, that when he was yonge he
wayted vpon a man of much worshyp in Kent, who died immediatly after the
last Duke of Buckingham was beheaded: at his buryall there was such a
number of beggers, besides poore housholders dwelling there abouts, that
vnneth they mighte lye or stande aboute the House: then was there *[leaf
3, back]* prepared for them a great and a large barne, and a great fat
oxe sod out in Furmenty for them, with bread _and_ drinke aboundantly to
furnesh out the premisses; and euery person had two pence, for such was
the dole. When Night approched, _th_e pore housholders repaired home to
their houses: the other wayfaring bold beggers remained alnight in _th_e
barne; and the same barne being serched with light in the night by this
old man (and then yonge), with[49] others, they tolde seuen score
persons of men, euery of them hauing his woma_n_, except it were two
wemen that lay alone to gether for some especyall cause. Thus hauing
their makes to make mery withall, the buriall was turned to bousing
_and_ belly chere, morning to myrth, fasting to feasting, prayer to
pastyme _and_ pressing of papes, and lamenting to Lechery. So that it
may apere this vncomly company hath had a long continuance, but then
nothinge geuen so much to pylferinge, pyckinge, and spoyling; and, as
far as I can learne or vnderstand by the examination of a number of
them, their languag--which they terme peddelars Frenche or
Canting--began but within these xxx. yeeres,[50] lytle aboue; and that
the first inuenter therof was hanged, all saue the head; for that is the
fynall end of them all, or els to dye of some filthy and horyble
diseases: but much harme is don in the meane space by their continuance,
as some x., xii., and xvi. yeares before they be consumed, and the
number of them doth dayly renew. I hope their synne is now at the
hyghest; and that as short and as spedy a redresse wylbe for these, as
hath bene of late yeres for _th_e wretched, wily, wandering vagabonds
calling and naming them selues Egiptians, depely dissembling and long
hyding _and_ couering their depe, decetfull practises,--feding the rude
common people, wholy addicted and geuen to nouelties, toyes, and new
inuentions,--delyting them with the strangenes of the attyre of their
heades, and practising paulmistrie to such as would know their fortunes:
And, to be short, all theues and hores (as I may well wryt),--as some
haue had true experience, a number can well wytnes, and a great sorte
hath well felte it. And now (thankes bee to god), throughe wholsome
lawes, and the due execution thereof, all be dispersed, banished,[51]
_and_ the memory of them cleane extynguished; that when they bee once
named here after, our Chyldren wyll muche meruell what kynd of people
they were: and so, I trust, shal shortly happen of these. For what
thinge doth chiefely cause these rowsey rakehelles thus to continue and
dayly increase? Surely a number of wicked parsons that keepe typlinge
Houses in all shires, where they haue succour and reliefe; and what so
euer they bring, they are sure to receaue money for *[leaf 4]* the same,
for they sell good penyworthes. The byers haue _th_e greatest gayne;
yea, yf they haue nether money nor ware, they wylbe trusted; their
credite is much. I haue taken a note of a good many of them, _and_ wil
send their names and dwelling-places to such Iusticers as dwelleth nere
or next vnto them, that they by their good wisdomes may displace the
same, and auctoryse such as haue honesty. I wyl not blot my boke with
their names, because they be resident. But as for this fletinge
Fellowshyp, I haue truly setforth the most part of them that be doers at
this present, with their names that they be knowene by. Also, I haue
placed in the end therof their leud language, calling the same pedlers
French or Canting. And now shal I end my prologue, makinge true
declaration (right honorable Lady) as they shal fall in order of their
vntymelye tryfelinge time, leud lyfe, and pernitious practises, trusting
that the same shall neyther trouble or abash your most tender, tymerous,
and pytifull Nature, to thinke the smal mede should growe vnto you for
such Almes so geuen. For god, our marcifull and most louing father, well
knoweth your hartes and good intent,--the geuer neuer wanteth his
reward, according to the sayinge of Saynt Augustyn: as there is (neyther
shalbe) any synne vnpunished, euen so shall there not be eny good dede
vnrewarded. But how comfortably speaketh Christ our Sauiour vnto vs in
his gospel ("geue ye, and it shalbe geuen you againe"): behold farther,
good Madam, that for a cup of colde water, Christ hath promised a good
reward. Now saynt Austen properly declareth why Christ speaketh of colde
water, because the poorest man that is shall not excuse him selfe from
that cherytable warke, least he would, parauenture, saye that he hath
neyther wood, pot, nor pan to warme any water with. Se, farther, what
god speaketh in the mouth of his prophet, Esaye, "breake thy bread to
him that is a hongred;" he sayth not geue him a hole lofe, for
paraduenture the poore man hath it not to geue, then let him geue a
pece. This much is sayd because the poore that hath it should not be
excused: now how much more then the riche? Thus you se, good
madam, for your treasure here dispersed, where nede and lacke
is, it shalbe heaped vp aboundantly for you in heauen,
where neither rust or moth shall corupt or destroy
the same. Vnto which tryumphant place, after
many good, happy, and fortunat yeres prosperouslye
here dispended. you maye for
euer and euer there most ioyfully
remayne. A men.
[P][P] _FINIS_
Thre things to be noted all in their kynde
A staff, a beesom, and wyth, that wyll wynde
[Illustration]
[P] A beesome of byrche, for babes very feete,[52]
A longe lastinge lybbet for loubbers as meete
A wyth to wynde vp, that these wyll not keepe
Bynde all up in one, and vse it to sweepe
[Illustration]
[This page is printed at the back of the title page in Bodley edition.]
[Header: HARMAN. TO THE READER.]
[P] THE EPISTLE TO THE READER. *[leaf 5]*
AL though, good Reader, I wright in plain termes--and not so playnly as
truely--concerning the matter, meaning honestly to all men, and wyshe
them as much good as to myne owne harte; yet, as there hathe bene, so
there is nowe, and hereafter wylbe, curyous heds to finde fauttes:
wherefore I thought it necessary, now at this seconde Impression, to
acquaynt _th_e with a great faulte, as some takethe it, but none[53] as
I meane it, callinge these Vagabonds Cursetors in the intytelynge of my
booke, as runneres or rangers aboute the countrey, deriued of this Laten
word (_Curro_): neither do I wryght it Cooresetores, with a duble[54]
oo; or Cowresetors, with a w, which hath an other singnification: is
there no deuersite betwen a gardein and a garden, maynteynaunce _and_
maintenance, Streytes and stretes? those that haue vnderstanding knowe
there is a great dyfference: who is so ignorant by these dayes as
knoweth not the meaning of a vagabone? and yf an ydell leuterar should
be so called of eny man, would not he thi_n_k it bothe odyous and
reprochefull? wyll he not shonne the name? ye, and where as he maye and
dare, w_i_t_h_ bent browes, wyll reueng that name of Ingnomy: yet this
playne name vagabone is deryued, as others be, of Laten wordes, and now
vse makes it commen to al men; but let vs loke back four .C. yeres
sithens, _and_ let vs se whether this playn word vagabon was vsed or no.
I beleue not, and why? because I rede of no such name in the old
estatutes of this realme, vnles it be in the margente of the booke, or
in the Table, which in the collection and pryntinge was set in; but
these were then the co_m_men names of these leud leuterars, Faytores,
Robardesmen, Drawlatches, _and_ valyant beggares. Yf I should haue vsed
suche wordes, or the same order of wryting, as this realme vsed in Kynge
Henry the thyrd or Edward _th_e fyrstes tyme, oh, what a grose,
barberous fellow *[leaf 5, back]* haue we here! his wryting is both
homely and darke, that wee had nede to haue an interpretar: yet then it
was verye well, and in short season a great change we see. well, this
delycat age shall haue his tyme on the other syde. Eloquence haue I
none; I neuer was acquaynted with the muses; I neuer tasted of Helycon.
But accordinge to my playne order, I haue setforth this worke, symplye
and truelye, with such vsual words and termes as is among vs wel known
and frequented. So that as _th_e prouerbe saythe, "all though truth be
blamed, it shal neuer be shamed." well, good reader, I meane not to be
tedyous vnto the, but haue added fyue or sixe more tales, because some
of them weare donn whyle my booke was fyrste in the presse; and as I
truste I haue deserued no rebuke for my good wyll, euen so I desyre no
prayse for my payne, cost, and trauell. But faithfullye for the proffyt
and benyfyt of my countrey I haue don it, that the whole body of the
Realme may se and vnderstand their leud lyfe and pernitious practisses,
that all maye spedelye helpe to amend that is amysse. Amen saye all with
me.
Finis
[Header: HARMAN. A RUFFLER.]
[P] A RUFFLER. Ca. 1.[55] *[leaf 6]*
THE Rufflar, because he is first in degre of this odious order: And is
so called in a statute made for the punishment of Vacabonds, In the
xxvij. yeare of Kyng Henry the eight, late of most famous memory: Hee
shall be first placed, as the worthiest of this vnruly rablement. And he
is so called when he goeth first abroad; eyther he hath serued in the
warres, or els he hath bene a seruinge man; and, weary of well doing,
shakinge of all payne, doth chuse him this ydle lyfe, and wretchedly
wanders aboute the most shyres of this realme. And with stout
audacyte,[56] demaundeth where he thinketh hee maye be bolde, and
circomspecte ynough, as he sethe cause to aske charitie, rufully and
lamentably, that it would make a flyntey hart to relent, and pytie his
miserable estate, howe he hath bene maymed and broused in the warres;
_and_, parauenture, some wyll shew you some outward wounde, whiche he
gotte at some dronken fraye, eyther haltinge of some preuye wounde
festred with a fylthy firy flankard. For be well assured that the
hardist souldiers be eyther slayne or maymed, eyther and[57] they escape
all hassardes, and retourne home agayne, if they bee without reliefe of
their friends, they wyl surely desperatly robbe and steale, and[58]
eyther shortlye be hanged or miserably dye in pryson; for they be so
much ashamed and disdayne to beg or aske charity, that rather they wyll
as desperatlye fight for to lyue and mayntayne them selues, as manfully
and valyantly they ventred them selues in the Prynces quarell. Now these
Rufflars, the out castes of seruing men, when begginge or crauinge
fayles, then they pycke and pylfer, from other inferiour beggeres that
they meete by the waye, as Roages, Pallyardes, Mortes, and Doxes. Yea,
if they meete with a woman alone ridinge to the market, eyther olde man
or boye, that hee well knoweth wyll not resiste, such they filche and
spoyle. These rufflars, after a yeare or two at the farthest, become
vpryght men, vnlesse they be preuented by twind hempe.
{I had of late yeares an old man to my tennant, who customably
{a greate tyme went twise in the weeke to London, eyther
wyth fruite or with pescodes, when tyme serued therefore. And as he was
comminge homewarde on blacke heathe, at the end thereof next to shotars
hyl, he ouer tooke two rufflars, the one manerly wayting on the other,
as one had ben the maister, _and_ the other the man or seruant, *[leaf
6, back]* caryinge his maisteres cloke. this olde man was verye glad
that hee might haue their company ouer the hyl, because that day he had
made a good market; for hee had seuen shyllinges in his purse, and a
nolde angell, which this poore man had thought had not bene in his
purse, for hee wylled his wyfe ouer night to take out the same angell,
and laye it vp vntyll his comminge home agayne. And he verely thought
that his wyfe had so don, whiche in dede for got to do it. Thus after
salutations had, this maister rufflar entered into co_m_munication with
this simple olde man, who, ridinge softlye beside them, commoned of many
matters. Thus fedinge this old man with pleasaunt talke, vntyll they
weare one the toppe of the hyll, where these rufflares might well
beholde the coaste about them cleare, Quiclye stepes vnto this poore
man, and taketh holde of his horse brydell, and leadeth him in to the
wode, and demaundeth of him what and how much money he had in his purse.
"Now, by my troth," quoth this old man; "you are a merrye gentle man. I
knowe you meane not to take a waye anye thinge from me, but rather to
geue me some if I shoulde aske it of you." By and by, this seruant
thiefe casteth the cloke that he caried on his arme about this poore
mans face, that he should not marke or vew them, with sharpe words to
delyuer quicly that he had, and to confesse truly what was in his purse.
This poore man, then all abashed, yelded, and confessed that he had but
iust seuen shyllinges in his purse; and the trouth is he knew of no
more. This old angell was falen out of a lytle purse into the botome of
a great purse. Now, this seuen shyllings in whyte money they quickly
founde, thinkinge in dede that there had bene no more; yet farther
groping and searchinge, found this old angell. And with great
admiration, this gentleman thyefe begane to blesse hym, sayinge, "good
lorde, what a worlde is this! howe maye" (quoth hee) "a man beleue or
truste in the same? se you not" (quoth he) "this old knaue tolde me that
he had but seuen shyllings, and here is more by an angell: what an old
knaue and a false knaue haue we here!" quoth this rufflar; "oure lorde
haue mercy on vs, wyll this worlde neuer be better?"--and there with
went their waye. And lefte the olde man in the wood, doinge him no more
harme. But sorowfully sighinge, this olde man, returning home, declared
his misaduenture, with all the words and circumstaunces aboue shewed.
Wherat, for the tyme was great laughing, and this poore man for his
losses among his louing neighboures well considered in the end.
[Header: HARMAN. A VPRIGHT MAN.]
[P] A VPRIGHT MAN. Ca. 2.
*[leaf 7]* A Vpright[59] man, the second in secte of this vnsemely
sorte, must be next placed, of these rainginge rablement of rascales;
some be seruing men, artificers, and laboryng men traded vp in
husbandry. These not mindinge to get their lyuinge with the swete of
their face, but casting of all payne, wyll wander, after their wycked
maner, through the most shyres of this realm,--
{As Sommerset shyre, Wylshire, Barke shyre, Oxforde shyre,
{Harfordeshyre, Myddilsex, Essex, Suffolke, Northfolke, Sussex,