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 _wh_ich 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, f_o_r 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, as the hangman of tyboorne can testyfye: [Header:
PARSON HYBERDYNE'S SERMON. MS. COTT. VESP. A 26.] 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 ma[=n] 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, bee 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.
FOOTNOTES:
[180] 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.
[181] _in_.
[_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 Hosels, and
the meanes of every 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 divers of them.=
[Illustration]
=Printed at London by= Iohn Danter =for= William Barley, =and are to
to be sold at his shop at the upper end of Gratious streete, ouer
against Leaden-hall=, 1592.
[Header: THE GROUNDWORKE OF CONNY-CATCHING.]
*[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.
[Header: SHIFTERS AT INNS. THE VISITER.]
*[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.]
*[leaf 3]* 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 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 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.
[Header: 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 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."]
[Header: NOTES TO HARMAN, ETC.]
NOTES.
p. vii. ix, p. 19, 20. _Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, and her
parish._ The manor of Erith was granted to Elizabeth, Countess of
Shrewsbury, by Henry VIII. in the 36th year of his reign, A.D. 1544-5.
The Countess died in 1567, and was buried in the parish church of Erith.
"The manor of Eryth becoming part of the royal revenue, continued in the
crown till K. Henry VIII. in his 36th year, granted it in fee to
Elizabeth, relict of George, Earl of Shrewsbury, by the description of
the _manor, of Eryth, alias Lysnes_, with all its members and appurts.,
and also all that wood, called Somersden, lying in Eryth, containing 30
acres; and a wood, called Ludwood, there, containing 50 acres; and a
wood, called Fridayes-hole, by estimation, 20 acres, to hold of the King
_in capite_ by knight's service.[182] She was the second wife of George,
Earl of Shrewsbury, Knight of the Garter,[183] who died July 26, anno
33 K. Henry VIII.,[184] by whom she had issue one son, John, who died
young; and Anne, married to Peter Compton, son and heir of Sir Wm.
Compton, Knt., who died in the 35th year of K. Henry VIII., under age,
as will be mentioned hereafter. Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, in
Easter Term, in the 4th year of Q. Elizabeth, levied a fine of this
manor, with the passage over the Thames; and dying in the tenth year of
that reign, anno 1567,[185] lies buried under a sumptuous tomb, in this
church. Before her death this manor, &c., seem to have been settled on
her only daughter Anne, then wife of Wm. Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, and
widow of Peter Compton, as before related, who was in possession of it,
with the passage over the Thames, anno 9 Q. Elizabeth."--Hasted's
_History of Kent_, vol. i. p. 196.
p. ix. In Lambarde's _Perambulation of Kent_ (edit. 1826), p. 66, he
mentions "Thomas Herman" as being one of the "Kentish writers."
Lambarde, in the same volume, p. 60, also mentions "Abacuk Harman" as
being the name of one "of suche of the nobilitie and gentrie, as the
Heralds recorded in their visitation in 1574."
There is nothing about Harman in Mr Sandys's book on Gavelkind, &c.,
_Consuetudines Cantiae_. To future inquirers perhaps the following book
may be of use:
"_Bibliotheca Cantiana_: A Bibliographical Account of what has been
published on the History, Topography, Antiquities, Customs, and Family
History of the County of Kent." By John Russell Smith.
p. 1, 12. _The .xxv. Orders of Knaues._--Mr Collier gives an entry in
the Stationers' Registers in 1585-6: "Edward White. Rd. of him, for
printinge xxij^{tl} ballades at iiij^{d} a peece--vij^{s} iiij^{d}, and
xiiij. more at ij^{d} a peece ij^{s} iiij^{d} ... ix^{s} viij^{d}" And
No. 23 is "The xxv^{tie} orders of knaves."--_Stat. Reg._ ii. 207.
p. 22. _The last Duke of Buckingham was beheaded._--Edward Stafford,
third Duke of Buckingham, one of Henry VIII.'s and Wolsey's victims, was
beheaded on Tower Hill, May 17, 1521, for 'imagining' the king's death.
('The murnynge of Edward Duke of Buckyngham' was one of certain
'ballettes' licensed to Mr John Wallye and Mrs Toye in 1557-8, says Mr
J. P. Collier, _Stat. Reg._ i. 4.) His father (Henry Stafford) before
him suffered the same fate in 1483, having been betrayed by his servant
Bannister after his unsuccessful rising in Brecon.--_Percy Folio
Ballads_, ii. 253.
p. 23. _Egiptians._ The Statute 22 Hen. VIII. c. 10 is _An Acte
concernyny Egypsyans_. After enumerating the frauds committed by the
"outlandysshe people callynge themselfes Egyptians," the first section
provides that they shall be punished by Imprisonment and loss of goods,
and be deprived of the benefit of 8 Hen. VI. c. 29. "de medietate
linguae." The second section is a proclamation for the departure from the
realm of all such Egyptians. The third provides that stolen goods shall
be restored to their owners; and the fourth, that one moiety of the
goods seized from the Egyptians shall be given to the seizer.
p. 48, l. 5. _The Lord Sturtons man; and when he was executed._ Charles
Stourton, 7th Baron, 1548-1557:--"Which Charles, with the help of four
of his own servants in his own house, committed a shameful murther upon
one Hargill, and his son, with whom he had been long at variance, and
buried their Carcasses 50 foot deep in the earth, thinking thereby to
prevent the discovery; but it coming afterwards to light, he had
sentence of death passed upon him, which he suffer'd at Salisbury, the
6th of March, Anno 1557, 4 Phil. & Mary, by an Halter of Silk, in
respect of his quality."--_The Peerage of England_, vol. ii. p. 24
(Lond., 1710).
p. 77. _Saint Quinten's._ Saint Quinten was invoked against coughs, says
Brand, ed. Ellis, 1841, i. 196.
p. 77. _The Three Cranes in the Vintry._ "Then the Three Cranes' lane,
so called, not only of _a sign of three cranes at a tavern door_, but
rather of three strong cranes of timber placed on the Vintry wharf by
the Thames side, to crane up wines there, as is afore showed. This lane
was of old time, to wit, the 9th of Richard II., called The Painted
Tavern lane, of the tavern being painted."--Stow's _Survey of London_,
ed. by Thoms, p. 90.
"The Three Cranes was formerly a favourite London sign. With the usual
jocularity of our forefathers, an opportunity for punning could not be
passed; so, instead of the three cranes, which in the vintry used to
lift the barrels of wine, three birds were represented. The Three Cranes
in Thames Street, or in the vicinity, was a famous tavern as early as
the reign of James I. It was one of the taverns frequented by the wits
in Ben Jonson's time. In one of his plays he says:--
'A pox o' these pretenders! to wit, your _Three Cranes_, Mitre and
Mermaid men! not a corn of true salt, not a grain of right mustard among
them all!'--_Bartholomew Fair_, act i. sc. 1.
"On the 23rd of January, 1661/2 Pepys suffered a strong mortification
of the flesh in having to dine at this tavern with some poor relations.
The sufferings of the snobbish secretary must have been intense:--
'By invitation to my uncle Fenner's, and where I found his new wife, a
_pitiful, old, ugly, ill-bred_ woman in a hatt, a mid-wife. Here were
many of his, and as many of her, relations, _sorry, mean people_; and
after choosing our gloves, we all went over to the Three Cranes Taverne;
and though the best room of the house, in such a narrow dogghole we
were crammed, and I believe we were near 40, that it made me loath my
company and victuals, and a very poor dinner it was too.'
"Opposite this tavern people generally left their boats to shoot the
bridge, walking round to Billingsgate, where they would reenter
them."--Hotten's _History of Signboards_, p. 204.
p. 77. _Saynt Iulyans in Thystellworth parish._ 'Thistleworth, see
Isleworth,' says Walker's Gazetteer, ed. 1801. That there might well
have been a St Julyan's Inn there we learn from the following extract:
"St. Julian, the patron of travellers, wandering minstrels,
boatmen,[186] &c., was a very common inn sign, because he was supposed
to provide good lodgings for such persons. Hence two St. Julian's
crosses, in saltier, are in chief of the innholders' arms, and the old
motto was:--'When I was harbourless, ye lodged me.' This benevolent
attention to travellers procured him the epithet of 'the good
herbergeor,' and in France '_bon herbet_.' His legend in a MS.,
Bodleian, 1596, fol. 4, alludes to this:--
'Therefore yet to this day, thei that over lond wende,
They biddeth Seint Julian, anon, that gode herborw he hem sende;
And Seint Julianes Pater Noster ofte seggeth also
For his faders soule, and his moderes, that he hem bring therto.'
And in '_Le dit des Heureux_,' an old French fabliau:--
'Tu as dit la patenotre
Saint Julian a cest matin,
Soit en Roumans, soit en Latin;
Or tu seras bien ostile.'
In mediaeval French, _L'hotel Saint Julien_ was synonymous with good
cheer.
'---- Sommes tuit vostre.
Par Saint Pierre le bon Apostre,
L'ostel aurez Saint Julien,'
says Mabile to her feigned uncle in the fabliau of '_Boivin de
Provins_;' and a similar idea appears in 'Cocke Lorell's bote,' where
the crew, after the entertainment with the 'relygyous women' from the
Stews' Bank, at Colman's Hatch,
'Blessyd theyr shyppe when they had done,
And dranke about a _Saint Julyan's_ tonne.'
Hotten's _History of Signboards_," p. 283.
"Isleworth in Queen Elizabeth's time was commonly in conversation, and
sometimes in records, called Thistleworth."--Lysons' _Environs of
London_, vol. iii. p. 79.
p. 77. _Rothered_: ? Rotherhithe.
p. 77. _The Kynges Barne_, betwene Detforde and Rothered, can hardly be
the great hall of Eltham palace. Lysons (_Environs of London_, iv. p.
399) in 1796, says the hall was then used as a barn; and in vol. vi. of
the _Archaeologia_, p. 367, it is called "King John's Barn."
p. 77. _Ketbroke._ Kidbrooke is marked in large letters on the east of
Blackheath on the mordern Ordnance-map; and on the road from Blackheath
to Eltham are the villages or hamlets of Upper Kidbrooke and Lower
Kidbrooke.
"Kedbrooke lies adjoining to Charlton, on the south side of the London
Road, a small distance from Blackheath. It was antiently written
Cicebroc, and was once a parish of itself, though now (1778 A.D.) it is
esteemed as an appendage to that of Charlton."--Hasted's _History of
Kent_, vol. i. p. 40.
p. 100. _Sturbridge Fair._ Stourbridge, or Sturbich, the name of a
common field, extending between Chesterton and Cambridge, near the
little brook Sture, for about half a mile square, is noted for its fair,
which is kept annually on September 19th, and continues a fortnight. It
is surpassed by few fairs in Great Britain, or even in Europe, for
traffic, though of late it is much lessened. The booths are placed in
rows like streets, by the name[s] of which they are called, as
Cheapside, &c., and are filled with all sorts of trades. The Duddery, an
area of 80 or 100 yards square, resembles Blackwell Hall. Large
commissions are negotiated here for all parts of England in _cheese_,
woolen goods, wool, leather, hops, upholsterers' and ironmongers' ware,
&c. &c. Sometimes 50 hackney coaches from London, ply morning and night,
to and from Cambridge, as well as all the towns round, and the very
barns and stables are turned into inns for the accommodation of the
poorer people. After the wholesale business is over, the country gentry
generally flock in, laying out their money in stage-plays, taverns,
music-houses, toys, puppet-shows, &c., and the whole concludes with a
day for the sale of horses. This fair is under the jurisdiction of the
University of Cambridge.--_Walker's Gazetteer_, ed. 1801. See Index to
Brand's _Antiquities_.
FOOTNOTES:
[182] Rot Esch. ejus an, pt. 6.