Part 4

‘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: {xxvix} 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,[43] &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:—

‘Therfore 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 de s Heureux_,’ an old French fabliau:—

‘Tu as dit la patenotre Saint Julian à cest matin, Soit en Roumans, soit en Latin; Or tu seras bien ostilé.’

In mediæval 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, {xxx} 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 _Archæologia_, 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_.

[Footnote 39: Rot. Esch. ejus an, pt. 6.]

[Footnote 40: This lady was one of the daughters and co-heirs of Sir Richard Walden, of this parish, Knt., and the Lady Margaret his wife, who both lie buried in this church [of Erith]. He was, as I take it, made Knight of the Bath in the 17th year of K. Henry VII., his estate being then certified to be 40⁠_l._ per annum, being the son of Richard Walden, esq. Sir Richard and Elizabeth his wife both lie buried here. _MSS. Dering._]

[Footnote 41: Dugd. Bar. vol. i. p. 332.]

[Footnote 42: Harman’s dedication of his book to her was no doubt written in 1566, and his 2nd edition, in both states, published before the Countess’s death.]

[Footnote 43: Of pilgrims, and of whoremongers, say Brand and Sir H. Ellis (referring to the _Hist. des Troubadours_, tom. i. p. 11,) in _Brand’s Antiquities_, ed. 1841, i. 202. Chaucer makes him the patron of hospitality, saying of the Frankeleyn, in the Prologue to the _Canterbury Tales_, “Seynt Iulian he was in his contre.” Mr Hazlitt, in his new edition of Brand, i. 303, notes that as early as the _Ancren Riwle_, ab. 1220 A.D., we have ‘Surely they (the pilgrims) find St. Julian’s inn, which wayfaring men diligently seek.’]

{1}

_THE Fraternitye of Vacabondes._

As wel of ruflyng Vacabondes, as of beggerly, of women as of men, of Gyrles as of Boyes,

with

_their proper names and qualities_.

With a description of the crafty company of

Cousoners and Shifters.

¶ Wherunto also is adioyned

the .xxv. Orders of Knaues,

otherwyse called

a Quartern of Knaues.

_Confirmed for euer by Cocke Lorell._

( * )

¶ The Vprightman speaketh.

¶ Our Brotherhood[44] of Vacabondes, If you would know where dwell: In graues end Barge which syldome standes, The talke wyll shew ryght well.

¶ Cocke Lorell aunswereth.

¶ Some orders of my Knaues also In that Barge shall ye fynde: For no where shall ye walke I trow, But ye shall see their kynde.

¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Awdeley, dwellyng in little Britayne streete without Aldersgate. 1575.

[Footnote 44: _Orig._ Brothethood.]

{2}

[Sidenote: [leaf 1⁠_b_.]]

¶ _The Printer to the Reader._

++THis brotherhood of Vacabondes, To shew that there be such in deede Both Iustices and men of Landes, Wyll testifye it if it neede. For at a Sessions as they sat, By chaunce a Vacabond was got.

¶ Who promysde if they would him spare, And keepe his name from knowledge then: He would as straunge a thing declare, As euer they knew synce they were men. But if my fellowes do know (sayd he) That thus I dyd, they would kyll me.

¶ They graunting him this his request, He dyd declare as here is read, Both names and states of most and least, Of this their Vacabondes brotherhood. Which at the request of a worshipful ma_n_ I haue set it forth as well as I can.

FINIS.

{3}

[Sidenote: [leaf 2]]

¶ _The_

Fraternitye of Vacabondes

both rufling and beggerly,

Men and women, Boyes and Gyrles,

wyth

their proper names and qualities.

Whereunto are adioyned

the company of Cousoners and Shifters.

¶ AN ABRAHAM MAN.

++AN Abraham man is he that walketh bare armed, and bare legged, and fayneth hym selfe mad, and caryeth a packe of wool, or a stycke with baken on it, or such lyke toy, and nameth himselfe poore Tom.

¶ A RUFFELER.

A Ruffeler goeth wyth a weapon to seeke seruice, saying he hath bene a Seruitor in the wars, and beggeth for his reliefe. But his chiefest trade is to robbe poore wayfaring men and market women.

¶ A PRYGMAN.

A Prygman goeth with a stycke in hys hand like an idle person. His propertye is to steale cloathes of the hedge, which they call storing of the Rogeman: or els filtch Poultry, carying them to the Alehouse, whych they call the Bowsyng In, & ther syt playing at cardes and dice, tyl that is spent which they haue so fylched. {4}

¶ A WHIPIACKE.

A Whypiacke is one, that by coulor of a counterfaite Lisence (which they call a Gybe, and the seales they cal Iarckes) doth vse to beg lyke a Maryner, But hys chiefest trade is to rob Bowthes in a Faire, or to pilfer ware fro_m_ staules, which they cal heauing of the Bowth.

¶ A FRATER.

A Frater goeth wyth a like Lisence to beg for some Spittlehouse or Hospital. Their pray is co_m_monly vpo_n_ [leaf 2⁠_b_.] poore women as they go and come to the Markets.

¶ A QUIRE BIRD.

A Quire bird is one that came lately out of prison, & goeth to seeke seruice. He is co_m_monly a stealer of Horses, which they terme a Priggar of Paulfreys.

¶ AN VPRIGHT MAN.

An Vpright man is one that goeth wyth the trunchion of a staffe, which staffe they cal a Filtchma_n_. This man is of so much authority, that meeting with any of his profession, he may cal them to accompt, & co_m_maund a share or snap vnto him selfe, of al that they haue gained by their trade in one moneth. And if he doo them wrong, they haue no remedy agaynst hym, no though he beate them, as he vseth co_m_monly to do. He may also co_m_maund any of their women, which they cal Doxies, to serue his turne. He hath y_e_ chiefe place at any market walke, & other assembles, & is not of any be co_n_troled.

¶ A CURTALL.

A Curtall is much like to the Vpright man, but hys authority is not fully so great. He vseth commonly to go with a short cloke, like to grey Friers, & his woman with him in like liuery, which he calleth his Altham if she be hys wyfe, & if she be his harlot, she is called hys Doxy.

¶ A PALLIARD.

A Palliard is he that goeth in a patched cloke, and hys Doxy goeth in like apparell. {5}

¶ AN IRISHE TOYLE.

An Irishe toyle is he that carieth his ware in hys wallet, as laces, pins, poyntes, and such like. He vseth to shew no wares vntill he haue his almes. And if the good man and wyfe be not in the way, he procureth of the ch[i]lldre_n_ or seruants a fleece of wool, or the worth of xij.d. of some other thing, for a peniworth of his wares.

[Sidenote: [leaf 3.]]

¶ A IACK MAN.

A Iackeman is he that can write and reade, and somtime speake latin. He vseth to make counterfaite licences which they call Gybes, and sets to Seales, in their language called Iarkes.

¶ A SWYGMAN.

A Swygman goeth with a Pedlers pack.

¶ A WASHMAN.

A Washman is called a Palliard, but not of the right making. He vseth to lye in the hye way with lame or sore legs or armes to beg. These me_n_ y_e_ right Pilliards wil often times spoile, but they dare not co_m_playn. They be bitten with Spickworts, & somtime with rats bane.

¶ A TINKARD.

A Tinkard leaueth his bag a sweating at the Alehouse, which they terme their Bowsing In, and in the meane season goeth abrode a begging.

¶ A WYLDE ROGE.

A wilde Roge is he that hath no abiding place but by his coulour of going abrode to beg, is commonly to seeke some kinsman of his, and all that be of hys corporation be properly called Roges.

¶ A KITCHEN CO.

A Kitchin Co is called an ydle runagate Boy.

¶ A KITCHEN MORTES.

A Kitchin Mortes is a Gyrle, she is brought at her full age to the Vpryght man to be broken, and so she is called a Doxy, vntil she come to y_e_ honor of an Altham. {6}

¶ DOXIES.

Note especially all which go abroade working laces and shirt stringes, they name them Doxies.

¶ A PATRIARKE CO.

A Patriarke Co doth make mariages, & that is vntill [leaf 3⁠_b_.] death depart the maried folke, which is after this sort: When they come to a dead Horse or any dead Catell, then they shake hands and so depart euery one of them a seuerall way.

――――

¶ THE COMPANY OF COUSONERS AND SHIFTERS.

¶ A CURTESY MAN.

A Curtesy man is one that walketh about the back lanes in London in the day time, and sometime in the broade streetes in the night season, and when he meeteth some handsome yong man clenly apareled, or some other honest Citizen, he maketh humble salutatio_n_s and low curtesy, and sheweth him that he hath a worde or two to speake with his mastership. This child can behaue him selfe manerly, for he wyll desire him that he talketh withall, to take the vpper hand, and shew him much reuerence, and at last like his familier acquaintaunce will put on his cap, and walke syde by syde, and talke on this fashion: Oh syr, you seeme to be a man, and one that fauoureth men, and therefore I am the more bolder to breake my mind vnto your good maistership. Thus it is syr, ther is a certaine of vs (though I say it both taule and handsome men of theyr hands) which haue come lately from the wars, and as God knoweth haue nothing to take to, being both maisterles and moniles, & knowing no way wherby to yerne one peny. And further, wher as we haue bene welthely brought vp, and we also haue beene had in good estimatio_n_, we are a shamed now to declare our misery, and to fall a crauing as common Beggers, and as for to steale and robbe, (God is our record) it striketh vs to [leaf 4] the hart, to thinke of such a mischiefe, that euer any handsome man should fall into such a {7} daunger for thys worldly trash. Which if we had to suffise our want and necessity, we should neuer seeke thus shamefastly to craue on such good pityfull men as you seeme to be, neither yet so daungerously to hasarde our liues for so vyle a thing. Therefore good syr, as you seeme to be a handsome man your selfe, and also such a one as pitieth the miserable case of handsome men, as now your eyes and countenaunce sheweth to haue some pity vppon this my miserable complainte: So in Gods cause I require your maistershyp, & in the behalfe of my poore afflicted fellowes, which though here in sight they cry not with me to you, yet wheresouer they bee, I am sure they cry vnto God to moue the heartes of some good men to shew forth their liberality in this behalfe. All which & I with them craue now the same request at your good masterships hand. With these or such like words he frameth his talke. Now if the party (which he thus talketh withall) profereth hym a peny or .ii.d. he taketh it, but verye scornfully, and at last speaketh on this sorte: Well syr, your good will is not to be refused. But yet you shall vnderstand (good syr) that this is nothing for them, for whom I do thus shamefastly entreate. Alas syr, it is not a groate or .xii.d. I speake for, being such a company of Seruiters as wee haue bene: yet neuertheles God forbid I should not receiue your ge_n_tle offer at this time, hoping hereafter through your good motions to some such lyke good gentleman as you be, that I, or some of my fellowes in my place, shall finde the more liberality. These kind of ydle Vacabondes wyll go commonly well appareled, without [leaf 4 _b_.] any weapon, and in place where they meete together, as at their hosteryes or other places, they wyll beare the port of ryght good gentlemen, & some are the more trusted, but co_m_monly thei pay them w_i_t_h_ stealing a paire of sheetes, or Couerlet, & so take their farewell earely in the morning, before the mayster or dame be sturring.

¶ A CHEATOUR OR FINGERER.

These commonly be such kinde of idle Vacabondes as scarcely a man shall discerne, they go so gorgeously, sometime with waiting men, and sometime without. Their trade is to walke in such places, where as gentelmen & other worshipfull Citizens do resorte, as at {8} Poules, or at Christes Hospital, & somtime at y_e_ Royal exchaunge. These haue very many acquaintaunces, yea, and for the most part will acquaint them selues with euery man, and fayne a society, in one place or other. But chiefly they wil seeke their acquaintaunce of such (which they haue learned by diligent enquiring where they resort) as haue receyued some porcioun of money of their friends, as yong Gentlemen which are sent to London to study the lawes, or els some yong Marchant man or other kynde of Occupier, whose friendes hath geuen them a stock of mony[45] to occupy withall. When they haue thus found out such a pray, they will find the meanes by theyr familiarity, as very curteously to bid him to breakefast at one place or other, where they are best acquainted, and closely amonge themselues wil appoint one of their Fraternity, which they call a Fyngerer, an olde beaten childe, not onely in such deceites, but also such a one as by his age is painted out with gray heares, wrinkled face, crooked back, and most commonly lame, as it might seeme with age, [leaf 5] yea and such a one as to shew a simplicity, shal weare a homely cloke and hat scarce worth .vi. d. This nimble fingred knight (being appointed to this place) co_m_meth in as one not knowen of these Cheatours, but as vnwares shal sit down at the end of the bord where they syt, & call for his peny pot of wine, or a pinte of Ale, as the place serueth. Thus sitting as it were alone, mumblyng on a crust, or some such thing, these other yonckers wil finde some kind of mery talke with him, some times questioning wher he dwelleth, & sometimes enquiring what trade he vseth, which co_m_monly he telleth them he vseth husbandry: & talking thus merely, at last they aske him, how sayest thou, Father, wylt thou play for thy breakfast with one of vs, that we may haue some pastime as we syt? Thys olde Karle makyng it straunge at the first saith: My maysters, ich am an old man, and halfe blinde, and can skyl of very few games, yet for that you seeme to be such good Gentelmen, as to profer to play for that of which you had no part, but onely I my selfe, and therefore of right ich am worthy to pay for it, I shal with al my hart fulfyl your request. And so falleth to play, somtime at Cardes, & sometime at dice. Which through his cou_n_terfait simplicity {9} in the play somtimes ouer counteth himself, or playeth somtimes against his wyl, so as he would not, & then counterfaiteth to be angry, and falleth to swearing, & so leesing that, profereth to play for a shillyng or two. The other therat hauing good sport, seming to mocke him, falleth againe to play, and so by their legerdemane, & cou_n_terfaiting, winneth ech of them a shilling or twain, & at last whispereth the yong man in the eare to play with hym also, that ech one might haue a fling at him. [leaf 5⁠_b_.] This yong ma_n_ for company falleth againe to play also with the sayd Fyngerer, and winneth as the other did which when he had loste a noble or .vi. s. maketh as though he had lost al his mony, and falleth a intreating for parte thereof againe to bring him home, which the other knowing his mind and intent, stoutely denieth and iesteth, & scoffeth at him. This Fingerer seeming then to be in a rage, desireth the_m_ as they are true gentlemen, to tarry till he fetcheth more store of money, or els to point some place where they may meete. They seeming greedy hereof, promiseth faithfully and clappeth handes so to meete. They thus ticklyng the young man in the eare, willeth him to make as much money as he can, and they wil make as much as they can, and co_n_sent as though they wil play booty against him. But in the ende they so vse the matter, that both the young man leeseth his part, and, as it seemeth to him, they leesing theirs also, and so maketh as though they would fal together by the eares with this fingerer, which by one wyle or other at last conueyeth him selfe away, & they as it were raging lyke mad bedlams, one runneth one way, an other an other way, leauing the loser indeede all alone. Thus these Cheatours at their accustomed hosteries meete closely together, and there receiue ech one his part of this their vile spoyle. Of this fraternity there be that be called helpers, which commonly haunt tauernes or alehouses, and co_m_meth in as men not acquainted with none in the companye, but spying them at any game, wil byd them God spede and God be at their game, and will so place him selfe that he will shew his fellow by sygnes and tokens, without speech commonly, but sometime with far fetched [leaf 6] wordes, what cardes he hath in his hand, and how he may play against him. And those betwene the_m_ both getteth money out of the others purse.

[Footnote 45: _Orig._ mony.]

{10}

¶ A RING FALLER.