greate tyme went twise in the wéeke 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 hée had seuen shyllinges in his purse, and a
nolde angell, which this poore man had thought had not bene in his
purse, for hée 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 hée)
“a man beleue {31} 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.
¶ A VPRIGHT MAN. Ca. 2.
[Sidenote: [leaf 7]]
++A Vpright[63] 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, }
Surrye, and Kent, as the cheyfe and best shyres of reliefe. Yea, not
with out punishment by stockes, whyppinges, and imprisonment, in most
of these places aboue sayde. Yet, not with standinge they haue so
good lykinge in their lewed, lecherous loyteringe, that full quiclye
all their punishmentes is[64] for gotten. And repentaunce is neuer
thought vpon vntyll they clyme thrée tres with a ladder. These vnrewly
rascales, in their roylynge, disperse them selues into seuerall
companyes, as occation serueth, sometyme more and somtyme lesse. As,
if they repayre to a poore husbandmans house, hée wyll go a lone, or
one with him, and stoutely demaund his charytie, eyther shewing how he
hath serued in the warres, and their maymed, eyther that he sekethe
seruice, and saythe that he woulde be glad to take payne for hys
lyuinge, althoughe he meaneth nothinge lesse. {32} Yf he be offered
any meate or drynke, he vtterlye refusethe scornefully, and wyll nought
but money; and yf he espye yong pyges or pultry, he well noteth the
place, and they the next night, or shortly after, hée wyll be sure to
haue some of them, whyche they brynge to their stawlinge kens, which is
their typplyng houses, as well knowen to them, according to the olde
prouerbe, “as the begger knowes his dishe.” For you must vnderstand,
euery Typplyng ale house wyll neyther receiue them or their wares,
but some certayne houses in euery shyre, especially for that purpose,
where they shalbe better welcome to them then honester men. For by such
haue they most gayne, and shalbe conuayde eyther into some loft out of
the waye, or other secret corner not commen to any other; and thether
repayre, at accustomed tymes, their harlots, whiche they terme Mortes
and Doxes,—not with emty hands; for they be as skilfull in picking,
riffling, _and_ filching as the vpright men, and nothing inferior to
them in all kind of wyckednes, as in other places hereafter they shalbe
touched. At these foresayde peltinge, peuish places and vnmannerly
metinges, O! how the pottes walke about! their talki_n_g tounges talke
at large. They bowle and bowse one to another, and for the tyme bousing
belly chere. And after there ruysting recreation, [leaf 7, back] yf
there be not rome ynough in the house, they haue cleane strawe in some
barne or backehouse nere adioyning, where they couch comly to gether,
and[65] it were dogge and byche; and he that is hardyste maye haue his
choyse, vnlesse for a lytle good maner; some wyll take there owne that
they haue made promyse vnto, vntyll they be out of sight, and then,
according to the old adage, “out of minde.” Yet these vpright men stand
so much vpon their reputation, as they wyl in no case haue their wemen
walke with them, but seperat them selues for a tyme, a moneth or more.
And mete at fayres, or great markets, where they mete to pylfer and
steale from staules, shoppes, or bothes. At these fayres the vpryght
men vse commonly to lye _and_ lingar in hye wayes by lanes, some prety
way or distaunce from _th_e place, by which wayes they be assured that
compeny passeth styll two and fro. And ther they[66] wyll demaund,
with cap in hand and comly curtesy, the deuotion and charity of _th_e
people. They {33} haue ben much lately whipped at fayrs. Yf they aske
at a stout yemans or farmars house his charity, they wyll goe strong as
thre or foure in a company. Where for feare more then good wyll, they
often haue reliefe. they syldome or neuer passe by a Iustices house,
but haue by wayes, vnlesse he dwell alone, and but weakely manned;
thether wyll they also go strong, after a slye, suttle sorte, as with
their armes bounde vp with kercher or lyste, hauinge wrapte about
the same filthy clothes, either their legges in such maner bewrapped
halting down right. Not vnprouided of good codg[e]ls, which they cary
to sustayne them, and, as they fayne, to kéepe gogges[67] from them,
when they come to such good gentlemens houses. Yf any searche be
made or they suspected for pylfring clothes of hedgges, or breaking
of houses, which they commonly do when the owners bée eyther at the
market, church, or other wayes occupyed aboute their busines,—eyther
robbe some sely man or woman by the hye waye, as many tymes they
do,—Then they hygh them into wodes, great thickets, and other ruffe
corners, where they lye lurkinge thre or foure dayes to gether, and
haue meate and drinke brought them by theyre Mortes, and Doxes;
and whyle they thus lye hydden in couert, in the night they be not
idle,—nether, as _th_e common saying is, “well occupyed;” for then, as
the wyly foxe, crepinge out of his den, seketh his praye for pultery,
so do these for lynnen and any thinge els worth money, that lyeth about
or near a house. As somtyme a whole bucke of clothes caryed awaye at a
tyme. When they haue a greatter booty then they maye cary awaye quickly
to their stawling kendes, as is aboue sayd, They wyll hyde the same
for a thre dayes in some thicke couert, and [leaf 8] in the night time
carye the same, lyke good water Spanlles, to their foresayd houses.
To whom they wyll discouer where or in what places they had the same,
where the markes shalbe pycked out cleane, _and_ conuayed craftely
fare of, to sell. If the man or woman of the house want money the_m_
selues. [68]If these vpright men haue nether money nor wares, at these
houses they shalbe trusted for their vitales, and it amount to twentye
or thirty shyllings. Yea, if it fortune any of these vpright men to
be taken, either suspected, or charged with fellony or petye {34}
brybrye, don at such a tyme or such a place, he wyll saye he was in
his hostes house. And if the man or wyfe of that house be examined by
an officer, they boldelye vouche, that the[y] lodged him suche a tyme,
whereby the truth cannot appeare. And if they chaunce to be retained
into seruice, through their lamentable words, with any welthy man,
They wyll tary but a smale tyme, either robbing his maister or som
of his fellowes. And some of them vseth this polocye, that although
they trauayle into al these shyres, aboue said, yet wyl they haue good
credite, espiciallye in one shyre, where at diuers good farmars houses
they be wel knowen, where they worke a moneth in a place or more, and
wyll for that time behaue them selues very honestly _and_ paynfully;
And maye at any tyme, for their good vsage, haue worke of them; and to
these at a ded lyft, or last refuge, they maye safely repayre vnto and
be welcom, When in other places, for a knacke of knauery that they haue
playd, thei dare not tary. These vpright men wil sildom or neuer want;
for what is gotten by anye Mort, or Doxe, if it please him, hée doth
comaunde the same. And if he mete any begger, whether he be sturdye
or impotent, he wyll demaund of him, whether euer he was stalled to
the roge or no. If he saye he was, he wyll know of whom, and his name
_tha_t stalled hym. And if he be not learnedly able to shewe him the
whole circumstaunce thereof, he wyll spoyle him of his money, either of
his best garment, if it be worth any money, and haue him to the bowsing
ken, Which is to some typpling house next adioyninge; and laieth their
to gage the best thing that he hath for twenty pence or two shyllinges:
this man obeyeth for feare of beating. Then doth this vpright man call
for a gage of bowse, whiche is a quarte pot of drinke, and powres the
same vpon his peld pate, adding these words:—“I. G. P. do stalle thée
W. T. to the Roge, and that from hence forth it shall be lawefull for
the to Cant”—that is, to aske or begge—“for thy liuing in al places.”
Here you se _tha_t the vpright man is of great auctorite. For all
sortes of beggers are obedient to his hests, and surmounteth all others
in pylfring and stealinge. ¶ I lately had standinge in my [leaf 8,
back] well house, which standeth on the backeside of my house, a great
cawdron of copper, beinge then full of water, hauinge in the same halfe
a doson {35} of pewter dyshes, well marked, and stamped w_i_t_h_ the
connizance of my armes, whiche being well noted when they were taken
out, were set a side, the water powred out, and my caudren taken awaye,
being of such bygnes that one man, vnlesse he were of great strength,
was not able far to cary the same. Not withstandinge, the same was one
night within this two yeares conuayed more then half a myle from my
house, into a commen or heth, And ther bestowed in a great firbushe. I
then immediatly the next day sent one of my men to London, and there
gaue warning in Sothwarke, kent strete, and Barmesey stréete, to all
the Tynckars there dwelling,—That if any such Caudron came thether
to be sold, the bringar therof should be stayed, and promised twenty
shyllings for a reward. I gaue also intelligence to the water men that
kept the ferres, that no such vessel should be ether conuayd to London
or into essex, promysing the lyke reward, to haue vnderstanding therof.
This my doing was well vnderstand in many places about, and that the
feare of espyinge so troubled _th_e conscience of the stealer, that my
caudoren laye vntouched in the thicke firbushe more then halfe a yeare
after, which, by a great chaunce, was found by hunteres for conneys;
for one chaunced to runne into the same bushe where my caudren was, and
being perceaued, one thrust his staffe into the same bushe, and hyt my
caudren a great blowe, the sound whereof dyd cause the man to thinke
and hope that there was some great treasure hidden, wherby he thought
to be the better whyle he lyued. And in farther searching he found my
caudren; so had I the same agayne vnloked for.
[Footnote 63: Printed “_vpreght_.” _vpright_ in Bodley ed.]
[Footnote 64: 1573, _be_]
[Footnote 65: 1573, _as_]
[Footnote 66: _the._ B.]
[Footnote 67: _dogges._ B.]
[Footnote 68: 1573 inserts _and_]
¶ A HOKER, OR ANGGLEAR. Cap. 3.
++THese hokers, or Angglers, be peryllous and most wicked knaues, and
be deryued or procede forth from the vpright men; they commenly go in
frese ierkynes and gally slopes, poynted benethe the kne; these when
they practise there pylfringe, it is all by night; for, as they walke
a day times from house to house, to demaund charite, they vigelantly
marke where or in what place they maye attayne to there praye, casting
there eyes vp to euery wyndow, well noting what they se their, whether
apparell or linnen, hanginge nere vnto the sayde wyndowes, and that
wyll they {36} be sure to haue _th_e next night folowing; for they
customably carry with them a staffe of v. or vi. foote long, in which,
within one ynch of _th_e tope therof, ys a lytle hole bored through,
[leaf 9] in which hole they putte an yron hoke, and with the same they
wyll pluck vnto them quickly any thing _tha_t they may reche ther with,
which hoke in the day tyme they couertly cary about them, and is neuer
sene or taken out till they come to the place where they worke there
fete: such haue I sene at my house, and haue oft talked with them
and haue handled ther staues, not then vnderstanding to what vse or
inte_n_t they serued, although I hadde and perceiued, by there talke
and behauiour, great lykelyhode of euyll suspition in them: they wyl
ether leane vppon there staffe, to hyde the hole thereof, when they
talke with you, or holde their hande vpon the hole; and what stuffe,
either wollen or lynnen, they thus hoke out, they neuer carye the same
forth with to their staulyng kens, but hides the same a iij. daies
in some secret corner, _and_ after conuayes the same to their houses
abouesaid, where their host or hostys geueth them money for the same,
but halfe the value that it is worth, or els their doxes shall a farre
of sell the same at the like houses. I was credebly informed that a
hoker came to a farmers house in the ded of the night, and putting
back a drawe window of a low cha_m_ber, the bed standing hard by the
sayd wyndow, in which laye three parsones (a man and two bygge boyes),
this hoker with his staffe plucked of their garme_n_ts which lay vpon
them to kepe them warme, with the couerlet and shete, and lefte them
lying a slepe naked sauing there shertes, and had a way all clene, and
neuer could vnderstande where it became. I verely suppose that when
they wer wel waked with cold, they suerly thought that Robin goodfelow
(accordin̄ge to the old saying) had bene with them that night.
¶ A ROGE. Cap. 4.
++A Roge is neither so stoute or hardy as the vpright man. Many of
them will go fayntly and looke piteously when they sée, either méete
any person, hauing a kercher, as white as my shooes, tyed about their
head, with a short staffe in their hand, haltinge, although they nede
not, requiring almes of such as they {37} méete, or to what house
they shal com. But you may easely perceiue by their colour _tha_t thei
cary both health and hipocrisie about them, wherby they get gaine,
when others want that cannot fayne and dissemble. Others therebee that
walke sturdely about _th_e cou_n_trey, _and_ faineth to seke a brother
or kinsman of his, dwelling within som part of _th_e shire;—ether that
he hath a letter to deliuer to som honest housholder, dwelling out of
an other Shyre, and will shewe you the same fayre sealed, with the
superscription to [leaf 9, back] the partye he speaketh of, because
you shall not thinke him to runne idelly about the countrey;—either
haue they this shyfte, they wyll cary a cirtificate or pasport about
them from som Iusticer of the peace, with his hand and seale vnto the
same, howe hée hath bene whipped and punished for a vacabonde according
to the lawes of this realme, and that he muste returne to .T., where
he was borne or last dwelt, by a certayne daye lymited in the same,
whiche shalbe a good longe daye. And all this fayned, bycause without
feare they woulde wyckedly wander, and wyll renue the same where or
when it pleasethe them; for they haue of their affinity that can wryte
and read. These also wyll picke and steale as the vpright men, and
hath their women and metinges at places apoynted, and nothinge to them
inferiour in all kynde of knauery. There bée of these Roges Curtales,
wearinge shorte clokes, that wyll chaunge their aparell, as occation
seruethe. And their end is eyther hanginge, whiche they call trininge
in their language, or die miserably of the pockes.