Torpedoed An American Businessmans True Story Of

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Torpedoed An American Businessmans
True Story Of Secrets Betrayal
Imprisonm
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references, index. Story of an American in Russia charged with spying
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 Torpedoed An American
Businessmans True Story
Of Secrets Betrayal
Imprisonm

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.
 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.

¶ 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 .]

[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.

S 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 46and 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 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 pickinge48
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 the costes of the same,
So that 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 the 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 50the 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 the 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 pestilent 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 commoditie, for the sure
safegard of their lyues here in this world, that they shorten not the
same before51 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 with 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
exclamation52 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, the
pore housholdere repaired home to their houses: the other
wayfaring bold beggers remained alnight in the barne; and the same
barne being serched with light in the night by this old man (and then
yonge), with53 others, they tolde seuen score persons of men, euery
of them hauing his woman, 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 the
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 the 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
46 leaf 2 b. Bodley edition (B).
47 The severe Act against vagrants, Ed. VI., c. 3, was passed in 1548, only 19 years
before the date of this 2nd edition.
48 The 1573 edition reads pynking.
49 So printed in both 1567 editions. 1573 reads housholders; but Borsholders is
doubtless meant.
50 leaf 3. B.
51 Printed “brfore”
52 reclamation. B.
53 The 1573 edition reads and
54 The 1573 edition here inserts the word or
55 vanished. B.
 {26}

¶ 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.]
56 fyt. B.
 {27}
[Headnote: HARMON. TO THE READER.]
[leaf 5]

¶ THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.

L 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 the with a
great faulte, as some takethe it, but none57 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 duble58 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 think it bothe odyous
and reprochefull? wyll he not shonne the name? ye, and where as he
maye and dare, with 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 commen 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 the 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 the 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.

57 The 1573 ed. reads not.

58 This word is omitted in the 1573 ed.

Finis
 {29}
[leaf 6]

¶ A RUFFLER. Ca. 1.59

HE 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 and61 they escape all hassardes, and retourne home agayne,
if they bée without reliefe of their friends, they wyl surely desperatly
robbe and steale, and62 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.

59 The chapters are not noted in the Bodley ed.

60 The 1573 ed. here inserts the word he
61 1573 reads if
62 1573 has or

{30}

I had of late yeares an old man to my tennant, who

customably a 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 communication 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.
Vpright63 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 is64 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 talking 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, and65 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 the place, by which wayes they be assured that compeny
passeth styll two and fro. And ther they66 wyll demaund, with cap in
hand and comly curtesy, the deuotion and charity of the 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
gogges67 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
the 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 them selues. 68If 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 that 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 that 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
with 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 the 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.

63 Printed “vpreght.” vpright in Bodley ed.

64 1573, be
65 1573, as
66 the. B.
67 dogges. B.
68 1573 inserts and
 ¶ A HOKER, OR ANGGLEAR. Cap. 3.
Hese 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 the next night folowing; for they customably carry with
them a staffe of v. or vi. foote long, in which, within one ynch of the
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 that 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 intent
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 chamber, the bed standing