dressed, and he challenging him therefore, he wyl say he wyll eate
the rawest morsel thereof him selfe. This is a sausye knaue, that wyl
contrary his Mayster alway.
16 MOUNCH PRESENT.
Mounch present is he that is a great gentleman, for when his Mayster
sendeth him with a present, he wil take a tast thereof by the waye.
This is a bold knaue, that sometyme will eate the best and leaue the
worst for his Mayster. {15}
17 COLE PROPHET.
Cole Prophet is he, that when his Maister sendeth him on his errand,
he wyl tel his answer therof to his Maister or he depart from hym.
This tittiuell knaue commonly maketh the worst of the best betwene hys
Maister and his friende.
18 CORY FAUELL.
Cory fauell is he, that wyl lye in his bed, and cory the bed bordes
in which hee lyeth in steede of his horse. This slouthfull knaue wyll
buskill and scratch when he is called in the morning, for any hast.
19 DYNG THRIFT.
Dyng thrift is he, that wil make his Maisters horse eate pies and rybs
of beefe, and drinke ale and wyne. Such false knaues oft tymes, wil
sell their Maisters meate to their owne profit.
20 ESEN DROPPERS.
Esen Droppers bene they, that stand vnder mens wales or windowes, or in
any other place, to heare the [leaf 9] secretes of a mans house. These
misdeming knaues wyl stand in corners to heare if they be euill spoken
of, or waite a shrewd turne.
21 CHOPLOGYKE.
Choplogyke, is he that when his mayster rebuketh him of hys fault he
wyll geue hym .xx. wordes for one, els byd the deuils Pater noster in
silence. This proude prating knaue wyll maintaine his naughtines when
he is rebuked for them.
22 VNTHRIFTE.
Vnthrift, is he that wil not put his wearing clothes to washing, nor
black his owne shoes, nor amend his his (_sic_) own wearing clothes.
This rechles knaue wyl alway be lousy: and say that hee hath no more
shift of clothes, and slaunder his Maister.
23 VNGRACIOUS.
Vngracious, is he _tha_t by his own will, will heare no maner of
seruice, without he be compelled therunto by his rulers. This Knaue
{16} wil sit at the alehouse drinking or playing at dice, or at other
games at seruice tyme.
24 NUNQUAM.
Nunquam, is he that when his Maister sendeth him on his errand he wil
not come againe of an hour or two where he might haue done it in halfe
an houre or lesse. This knaue will go about his owne errand or pastime
and saith he cannot speede at the first.
25 INGRATUS.
Ingratus, is he that when one doth all that he can for him, he will
scant geue him a good report for his labour. This knaue is so ingrate
or vnkind, _tha_t he considreth not his frend fro_m_ his fo, & wil
requit euil for good & being put most in trust, wil sonest deceiue his
maister.
_FINIS._
[Sidenote: [leaf 9 _b_.]]
Imprinted at London by
Iohn Awdely dwelling
in little Britaine streete
without Aldersgate.
[Illustration]
[Original in Bodleian Library, 4º. R. 21. Art. Seld.]
{17}
A Caueat or Warening,
FOR COMMEN CVRSE-
TORS VVLGARELY CALLED
Vagabones, set forth by Thomas Harman,
Esquiere, for the vtilite and proffyt of his naturall
Cuntrey. Augmented and inlarged by the fyrst author here of.
_Anno Domini. M.D.LXVII._
¶ _Vewed, examined, and allowed, according vnto the
Queenes Maiestyes Iniunctions._
[Illustration]
¶ Imprinted at London, in Fletestrete, at the signe of the
Falcon, by _Wylliam Gryffith_, and are to be sold at his shoppe in
Saynt Dunstones Churche yarde, in the West.
Anno Domini. 1567.
[The Bodley edition of 1567 omits ‘or Warening’ in line 1, and
‘Anno Domini. 1567.’ at foot; and substitutes ‘Newly Augmented and
Imprinted’ for ‘Augmented . . . here of’, line 6.]
2
{19}
[Headnote: THE EPISTLE.]
[Sidenote: [leaf 2]]
¶ To the ryght honorable and my singular good Lady, Elizabeth Countes
of Shrewsbury, Thomas Harman wisheth all ioye and perfite felicitie,
here and in the worlde to come.
++AS of Auncient and longe tyme there hath bene, and is now at this
present, many good, godly, profitable lawes and actes made and
setforthe in this most noble and floryshynge realme, for the reliefe,
succour, comforte, and sustentacion of the poore, nedy, impotent, and
myserable creatures beinge and inhabiting in all parts of the same;
So is there (ryghte honorable and myne especyall good Lady) most
holsom estatutes, ordinances, and necessary lawes, made, setforth, and
publisshed, for the extreme punishement of all vagarantes and sturdy
vacabons, as passeth throughe and by all parts of this famous yle, most
idelly and wyckedly: and I wel, by good experience, vnderstandinge and
consideringe your most tender, pytyfull, gentle, and noble nature,—not
onelye hauinge a vygelant and mercifull eye to your poore, indygente,
and feable parishnores; yea, not onely in the parishe where your honour
moste happely doth dwell, but also in others inuyroninge or nighe
adioyning to the same; As also aboundantly powringe out dayely your
ardent and bountifull charytie vppon all such as commeth for reliefe
vnto your luckly gates,—
I thought it good, necessary, and my bounden dutye, to acquaynte your
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 {20} 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 [46]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 the_m_ hath wandred these xiii. yeares, and
most xvi. and some twenty and upward,[47] 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 bréefe 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[48] 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 {21} 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_ Shréeues may in their circutes be more
vygelant to punishe these malefactores, and the Counstables, Bayliffes,
and bosholders,[49] 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 have 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 [50]_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
{22} 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[51] 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 w_i_t_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[52] 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 méete 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 {23} dole. When Night approched, _th_e
pore housholdere 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[53] 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,[54]
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 bée to
god), throughe wholsome lawes, and the due execution thereof, all be
dispersed, banished,[55] _and_ the memory of them cleane extynguished;
that when they bée once named here after, our Chyldren wyll muche
meruell what kynd of people they were: and so, I trust, shal shortly
happen of these. {24} For what thinge doth chiefely cause these rowsey
rakehelles thus to continue and dayly increase? Surely a number of
wicked parsons that kéepe 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 {25}
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 pros-
perouslye here dispended, you maye for
euer and euer there most ioyfully
remayne. A men.
¶¶ _FINIS_
{26}
[Illustration]
Thre things to be noted all in their kynde
A staff, a béesom, and wyth, that wyll wynde
¶ A béesome of byrche, for babes very feete,[56]
A longe lastinge lybbet for loubbers as méete
A wyth to wynde vp, that these wyll not kéepe
Bynde all up in one, and vse it to swéepe
[This page is printed at the back of the title page in Bodley edition.]
[Footnote 46: leaf 2 _b_. Bodley edition (B).]
[Footnote 47: The severe Act against vagrants, Ed. VI., c. 3, was
passed in 1548, only 19 years before the date of this 2nd edition.]
[Footnote 48: The 1573 edition reads _pynking_.]
[Footnote 49: So printed in both 1567 editions. 1573 reads
_housholders_; but _Borsholders_ is doubtless meant.]
[Footnote 50: leaf 3. B.]
[Footnote 51: Printed “_brfore_”]
[Footnote 52: _reclamation._ B.]
[Footnote 53: The 1573 edition reads _and_]
[Footnote 54: The 1573 edition here inserts the word _or_]
[Footnote 55: _vanished._ B.]
[Footnote 56: _fyt._ B.]
{27}
[Headnote: HARMON. TO THE READER.]
[Sidenote: [leaf 5]]
¶ THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.
++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 faultes:
wherefore I thought it necessary, now at this seconde Impression, to
acquaynt _th_e with a great faulte, as some takethe it, but none[57]
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[58] oo; or Cowresetors, with a w, which hath an other
signification: 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 {28}
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.
[Footnote 57: The 1573 ed. reads _not_.]
[Footnote 58: This word is omitted in the 1573 ed.]
Finis
{29}
[Sidenote: [leaf 6]]
¶ A RUFFLER. Ca. 1.[59]
++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:
Hée 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, [60] demaundeth where he thinketh hée 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[61] they
escape all hassardes, and retourne home agayne, if they bée without
reliefe of their friends, they wyl surely desperatly robbe and steale,
and[62] 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 méete by the waye, as Roages, Pallyardes,
Mortes, and Doxes. Yea, if they méete with a woman alone ridinge to
the market, eyther olde man or boye, that hée 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. {30}
[Footnote 59: The chapters are not noted in the Bodley ed.]
[Footnote 60: The 1573 ed. here inserts the word _he_]
[Footnote 61: 1573 reads _if_]
[Footnote 62: 1573 has _or_]