The seven deadly sinnes of London

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THB PIRCY REPRINTS
^ No. 4

^ THE SEVEN
DEADLY SINNES
OF LONDON

By THOMAS DEKKER

m

OXFORD
^ BASIL SLACKWELL

The Tercy %eprtnts^ ^M^. 4

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINNES
OF LONDON

The Vercy T{epri77ts

INASHE'S VNFORTVNATE
TRAVELLER
II GAMMER GVRTONS NEDLE

III PEACOCK'S FOUR AGES OF

POETRY
SHELLEY'S DEFENCE OF

POETRY
BROWNING'S ESSAY ON

SHELLEY

IV DEKKERS SEVEN DEADLY

SINNES OF LONDON
V CONGREVE'S INCOGNITA
VI THE WORKS OF SIR GEORGE
ETHEREGE
VII THE POEMS OF RICHARD

CORBET
VIII BECKFORD'S THOUGHTS ON
HUNTING

THE SEVEN DEADLY
SINNES OF LONDON

By THOMAS DEKKER

Edited by H. F. B. BRETT-SMITH

OXFORD
BASIL BLACKWELL

1922

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9 ^S' 9 2 C 3

INTRODUCTION

THOMAS DEKKER had a full share of the versatihty
of his age in Hterature ; he was a ready pamphleteer,
' had poetry enough for anything,' and was valued,
even to the point of being bailed out of prison, as a vigorous
writer for the tragic or comic stage. If we think more
to-day of the critic of Satiro-Mastix than of the singer of
Sweet Content, more of the creator of Orlando Friscobaldo
and BeUafront and Simon Eyre than of the popular journalist,
it is because of the overshadowing height of Ehzabethan
drama, and the greater accessibihty of his plays. Yet as a
prose author he has a claim upon us which none of his con-
temporaries can match, for upon him fell the mantle of
Greene and Nashe, with a generous share of their skill. It is
to Dekker's pamphlets that we go for a knowledge of lyondon
life in the reign of James I.

The tract now reprinted marks a half-way stage, in subject
as well as in date, between The Wonderfidl Yeare 1603 and
the most famous of Dekker's prose pieces. The Gids Horn-
hooke. The descriptions of the Plague in The Wonderfidl
Yeare have a command of anecdote which can hardly be
expected at a distance from the event ; there are ghastly
things to be found in The Seven Deadly Sinnes, but they are
not so thick-coming and absorbing, and their interest is one
among many. The Guls Hornebooke, on the other hand, has
the sole object of ridiculing the extravagances of the man
about town and the hfe of pubUc places in 1609, and the task
is joyously performed, with an unrivalled wealth of detail.
In The Seven Deadly Sinnes Dekker had other game in \dew,

vi • INTRODUCTION

yet its first editor held that apart from one other of his
productions there was ' perhaps no tract in our language
which contains so many and such curious illustrations of the
language, opinions and manners of our ancestors,' and
whether for invention, or for accuracy and vividness of
description, he confessed to being aware of nothing precisely
like it in the English tongue. Without going quite so far
as Collier, it is still possible to maintain that in all these
points the pamphlet, however hastily written, is a remarkable
one ; and indeed the evidence lies at hand.

It is probable enough that there is no exaggeration in the
motto Opus septem Dienim ; we have little knowledge of
Dekker's life, but he wrote to supply his necessities, and
there is no intrinsic reason why The Seven Deadly Sinnes
should have taken longer to compose than The History of
Rasselas. Invention is there in plenty, but without laborious-
ness. The times favoured any author of ease and spirit,
especially if he had some tincture of the classics as well as
an eye for the life around him. During the reign of Elizabeth,
the New Learning and the Grammar Schools had prepared
a pubUc very ready to appreciate a Latin quotation and a
ciuious turn of phrase. The strong allegorical vein, in which
Dekker so often reminds his reader of Bunyan, was welcome
to an England which had just digested The Faerie Queene,
and now that printing had become cheap, it was profitable
to gratify the natural interest of the public in its own appear-
ance, manners and shortcomings. The latter were made a
special target, and Dekker's judgement is shown in his choice
of a title ; mediaeval Uteratture had been full of the seven
deadly sins. By adding ' of London,' he increased and
speciaHsed an attraction which Marlowe had not scorned, and
by dressing up his seven victims in the fashions of the time,
and bedevilling them roundly, he gave rein to that impulse
towards edification which has been felt by so many writers
of imaginative EngHsh prose. His Induction opens with a
set piece in praise of the Bible, and in many moraUsing

INTRODUCTION vii

passages he instinctively adopts the language of the Hebrew
prophets.^ This tendency is the more striking, because his
attitude towards Puritanism is not altogether conciliatory ;
it was evidently on the general support of the pubUc that he
relied. At the same time, the moral trend of the piece may
easily be overestimated ; Dekker knew, no doubt, the secret
of popular preaching, and liis readers were given every
opportunity of damning sins they had no mind to.

But he did not confine himself to one kind of appeal, or
to a single model. He saw the journaHstic importance,
never greater than in that age, of writing an artificial style
and showing agihty in word-play. Much of it is wasted upon
us now for one reason or another ; ' latten,' no longer known
as a metal, has taken with it many a jest, and an age which
has lost that excellent epithet ' key-cold ' loses all the neat-
ness of its application to a sleepy porter. Moreover, the
taste in wit has changed ; puns upon lictores and lectores
are too classical for us ; upon Freestone, prisons, too far-
sought ; upon Sack-butts, as instruments both of music
and of carousing, too unfamiliar. We take no pleasure in
the kind of wit that makes heaven an Upper House, or God
a reader of Hebrew lectures, or the moon pale with sitting
up for the night. If this were the best Dekker could do, we
should find excuse for the readers who ' stand somtimes at a
Stationers stal, looking scuruily (hke Mules champing vpon
Thistles) on the face of a new Booke bee it never so worthy :
& goe (as H fauouredly) mewing away.' - But this quotation
itself, with its vivid touches of life, answers the momentary
suspicion, so clearly does it convey the discontented face of
the book-stall loiterer three hundred years ago. Even at
that distance the picture of Sloth, ' yawning, and his Chin
knocking nods into his brest,' induces drowsy conjectures as

1 For example, in the continual use of doublet repetitions, as at
page 25 : ' For oathes are wounds that a man stabs into himselfe,
yea, they are burning words that consume those who kindle them.'

2 P. 5.

viii INTRODUCTION

to the number of centuries over which it may be possible
to catch a yawn. And Dekker has the true joumahst'slove
of the unexpected ; he will begin a sentence in his heavy
tragic manner, only to fly out and mock our solemn faces in
the hinder end, as in the exploits of Candle-hght ' about the
houre when Spirits walke, and Cats goe a gossipping.' His
very tags and proverbs have pictorial quality ; the prisoners
swarm about Bankruptism ' like Bees about Comfit-makers,'
and the followers of L>*ing march ' as pert as Taylours at a
wedding. ' It is true that fashions change, and the out-of-date
is alwa^^s first observed, but there is much of Dekker's clever-
ness that age cannot wither, and for a stroke of secular wit,
so easy in deliver^' as to make no vulgar show, not even
Swift could improve upon the thanks offered to his encomiast
by Bankruptism, who gave the poor orator ' very good
words . . . vowing he would euer Hue in his debt.'

The value of the pamphlet Ues more in its general portrait
of the times than in any Uterary allusions, though in these it
is far from barren. To Marlowe we owe references to both
Tambm-laine and Gaveston, and an echo of his famous line
' Infinite riches in a little roome ' makes clear the origin of
' the rich lew of I,ondon, Barabbas Bankruptisme.' ^ No
Elizabethan could be ignorant of The Spanish Tragedie, and
Dekker speaks of the things that took the fancy of Shake-
speare and Beaumont and Fletcher — the tragic entry of old
Jeronimo, and the insistent cry of the Ghost of Andrea upon
Revenge. 2 To Euphues there is no specific reference, but
an author is not to seek in his Lyly or his PHny who can
compare a scoundrel in one breath to ' a Harpy that lookes
smoothly, a Hyefia that enchants subtilly, a Mermaid that
sings sweetly, and a Cameleon, that can put himself e into all
colours.' ' With Jonson there is perhaps one link ; Dekker
writes that ' Man (doubtlesse) was not created to bee an idle
fellow ... he was not set in this Vniuersall Orchard to

1 Pp. 46, 1. 26 ; 43, 1. 7 ; 52, 1. I ; 23, 1. 5.
« Pp. 34, 1. 6 ; 54, 1. 7. 3 Pp. 15-16.

INTRODUCTION ix

stand still as a Tree, and so to bee cut downe, but to be cut
downe if he should stand still.' ^ This is a curious parallel
to Jonson's well-known lines :

It is not growing like a tree

In bulk, doth make Man better be ;

Or standing long an oak, tliree hundred year.

To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sere.

So too with the greatest name of all. Who can read ' Some-
times hee's a Puritane '^ without thinking of Maria's account
of Malvolio ; or hear that Candle-light's Coachman so sweats
with yarking his cattle ' that he drops tallowe, and that
f cedes them as prouender,'^ without remembering a whorson
Candle-mine, or greasy Tallow-Catch, who larded the lean
earth as he walked along ? Even the epithets of the attack
on prosperous citizens, ' O veluet-garded Theeues ! O yea-
and-by-nay Cheaters ! ' * recall Hotspur's instructions :

Swear me, Kate, like a lady as thou art,

A good mouth-filling oath, and leave ' In sooth,'

And such protest of pepper-gingerbread.

To velvet guards, and Sunday-citizens,

There is no need to lay stress on such resemblances ; they
may be accidental. Certain tricks of phrase, certain subjects,
were in the air. Dekker, like all his feUows, must needs be
critical of his countrymen's catholic taste in clothes. ' An
EngUsh-man's suite,' he complains, ' is like a traitors bodie
that hath beene hanged, drawne, and quartered, and is set
vp in seuerall places : his Codpeece is in Denmarke, the
collor of his Dublet, and the belly in France : the wing and
narrow sleeue in Italy : the short waste hangs ouer a Dutch
Botchers stall in Vtrich : his huge sloppes speakes Spanish :
Polonia giues him the Bootes.' '^ It has a familiar tang ;
the accent is that of Portia's concise strictures on yoimg
Faulconbridge : ' I think he bought his doublet in Italy,
his round hose in France, his bonnet in Germany, and his

1 P. 36. a P. 16. s p. 35. * p. 17. <* p. 44.

X INTRODUCTION

behaviour everjn^'here.' Dekker may have known that
passage, just as he may have known the cheery Hues of Tom
Heywood :

The Spaniard loves his ancient slop.

The Lombard his Venetian,
And some like breechless women go —

The Russ, Turk, Jew, and Grecian.
The thrifty Frenchman wears small waist.

The Dutch his belly boasteth ;
The Englishman is for them all,

And for each fashion coasteth.

But the hit was confessedly suggested to him by another
which had been in print a score of years before either He>^wood
or Shakespeare was bom. There had been pubhshed in
1542 a treatise, more humane than its title warrants, called
* The fyrst boke of the Introduction of knowledge. . . . Made
by Andrew Borde, of Physycke Doctor,' and it opens, after
the Dedication and Table, with a woodcut of a bearded and
bewildered EngHshman, extremely Ughtly clad, holding a
great pair of tailor's shears and a roll of cloth, while beneath
it run the opening lines of the text, treating of ' the naturall
dysposicion of an Englyshman, and of the noble realme of
England ' :

■'ft^

I am an English man, and naked I stand here,

Musyng in my mynde what rayment I shal were ;

For now I wyl were thys, and now I wyl were that ;

Now I wyl were I cannot tel what.

All new fashyons be pleasaunt to me ;

I wyl haue them, whether I thryue or thee.

Andrew Borde's woodcut grew famous, and to it many an
Elizabethan writer must have been more or less consciously
indebted.

Such matters have their interest, but the parallels of
Elizabethan authorship are a scholar's pastime, ^ and Dekker
was no plagiary but a free captain of mercenary hterature.

1 See Appendix, p. 61.

INTRODUCTION xi

He wrote, to our good fortune, for the lyondon of his prime
on an absorbing subject, its own likeness. That he loved the
city none can doubt who reads his descriptions of it. Some-
times it is London at midday, in the full tide of business ;
' in euery street, carts and Coaches make such a thundring
as if the world ranne vpon wheeles : at euerie comer, men,
women, and children nieete in such shoales, that postes are
set vp of purpose to strengthen the houses, least with iustling
one another they should shoulder them downe. Besides,
hammers are beating in one place. Tubs hooping in another.
Pots clincking in a third, water-tankards running at tilt in
a fourth : heere are Porters sweating vnder burdens, there
Marchants-men bearing bags of money. Chapmen (as if they
were at Leape-f rog) skippe out of one shop into another :
Tradesmen (as if they were dauncing Galliards) are lusty at
legges and neuer stand still : all are as busie as countrie
Attumeyes at an Assizes.' ^ Or again he limns a night scene,
' when al doores are lockt vp, when no eyes are open, when
birds sit silent in bushes, and beasts Ue sleeping vnder hedges ' ;
this is the time, when darkness, like a thief out of a hedge,
has crept upon the earth, that ' the Banckrupt, the FeUon,
and all that owed any mony, and for feare of arrests, or
lustices warrants, had like so many Snayles kept their houses
ouer their heads al the day before, began now to creep out
of their shels, & to stalke vp & down the streets as vprightly,
& with as proud a gate as if they meant to knock against
the starres with the crownes of their heads.' ^ It is good
descriptive prose, with yet a touch of the high astounding
terms of the age in that crowned and starred comparison.

To such a writer nothing comes amiss. The comedy of
addresses of welcome from public orators armed with an
extemporall speech, of the learned mles of Drunkenness, of
the Morralls of Manningtree and the triumphing on ]Mid-
summer night, mingles with the tragedy of the Plague and

1 Pp. 37-8. 2 pp. 30-32.

xii INTRODUCTION

St. Bartholomew's Day, and the oppression of usurers,
jailors and the rich guildsmen who dealt hardly with their
I apprentices. The sober Perpetuana-suited Puritan, the
serving man and his wench, the barber bidding his customer
' winck hard ' while he runs to the door to see what is afoot,
the Beadle and the Bell-man, the damask-coated citizen, the
Grape-monger and the unthrifts who walk at night at a wise
distance from the brown bills of Master Constable and his
men — aU these pass before us in hving puppet-show. For so
clear a vision we owe much to Thomas Dekker, who knew
by experience the underworld of his Ivondon as well as its
cheerful bustle, who was bailed out of the Counter in 1598
at a cost of forty shillings, and was discharged next year,
at near double the rate, from the arrest of my lord chamber-
lain's men. Misfortime had not soured him, nor warped his
sense of Hfe, in an age when such matters were philosophically
viewed, according to the maxim of his great predecessor in
free-lance pamphleteering, ' Debt and deadly sinne, who is
not subiect to ? '

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

A

BOOK called The Seuen deadly synnes of London
drawen iyi 7 seuerall coaches throughe the 7 gates of
the city ' was entered in the Stationers' Register on
October 6, 1606, in the name of Nathanael Butter, for whom
it was printed in the same year. In spite of its alluring title,
the pamphlet did not attain to a second edition. Most of
the little quartos must have been thumbed to pieces early ;
few now survive, and a manuscript note in the Grenville
copy calls this the rarest of Dekker's pieces.

The book has been four times reproduced by modern
editors. Forty copies only were privately printed in 1866
by J. Payne CoUier, who issued it in the second volume of
his Illustrations of Old English Literature. In 1879 Edward
Arber made it the seventh volume of his English Scholar's
Library. Alexander Grosart, in 1885, included it in the
second volume of his limited and privately printed edition of
Dekker's Non-Dramatic Works, and in 1905 the Cambridge
University Press issued it as a plain quarto text, without
editorial matter, two hundred and fifty copies only being
printed. All four editions reproduce to a considerable
extent the speUing and differentiations of type of the original,
though the Cambridge reprint is handicapped by the use of
roman type only in the text. Unfortunately Arber's volume,
which is the most accessible, is often at fault in the omission
or misreading of words ; Grosart's text is more accurate, but
he omits the Epistle.

The present text is a reprint of the first edition, and
follows the Douce copy in the Bodleian Library, shelf-mark
Douce P. 692. In cases of doubt (e.g. where a letter or stop

xiii

xiv BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

is blurred, or has not taken the ink) the other Bodleian copy,
Malone C02, has been consulted. For certain points I have
also referred to the only other examples of this book which
I have seen, \'iz. the Grenville copy in the British Museum,
G. 10452 ; George Steevens's copy, bearing his autograph
on the back of the title, also in the British Museum, 291 e. 34 ;
the copy formerly in the collection of Thomas Jolley and now
in the Guildhall Librar>^ A. \di. 3 ; and the Christie-IVIiller
copy, since sold, in the dispersal of a section of the BritweU
Court Hbrary in February of this year, to an American
purchaser.

A word-for-word comparison of the text of these six copies,
with a view to the variations frequent in Elizabethan printing,
would be beyond the scope of the present edition, which aims
at presenting a trustworthy reprint of the Douce cop5^ But
a brief comparison on certain chosen points and passages
makes it probable that variations (apart from the title-page)
are few, and are limited to the usual correction of minor
errors discovered during the process of printing, after a certain
number of sheets had been pulled. Most of these errors are
to be found in the Malone copy, which must include an early
pull of sheet E. At sig. E 3, 1. 26 (p. 41, 1. 15 of the present
edition), the Malone copy reads ' riding by a Sumpter-horse
with prouander '. The mistake was evidentl}^ discovered in
good time, and the compositor inserted the missing preposi-
tion, justified his hne by turning the letters ' an ' into ' a,'
and produced the correct reading, ' riding by on a Sumpter-
horse with prouader ', which is found in the other five copies.
Similarly, six lines lower, the Malone copy reads ' that weare
his cloth are Anglus,' Again the misprint was observ^ed,
' Anglus' altered to ' Anglers' the Hne justified by reading
' wear ' for ' weare ', and the correct reading of the other five
copies produced. The Malone copy is also the only one of
the six to be guilty of a turned letter at sig. [E4] verso,
1. 34 (p. 45, 1. 3 of the present edition), ' Court ' for ' Court '.
On the other hand, while in all six copies the first word of

BIBIvIOGRAPHICAIv NOTE xv

the text on sig. E is ' very ' (p. 36, 1. 19 of the present edition),
the Douce copy gives an incorrect catchword ' way ' on the
previous page. This too was corrected, and the catchword
in the other five copies is ' veary.' The Douce copy also errs
in reading ' Many ' (for the correct ' Mary ' of the Malone
copy) at p. 28, 1. 7 ; unfortunately this point escaped my
notice till after the Britwell copy had been sold, and I have
consequently — as there is nothing at stake — neither attempted
to ascertain its reading, nor investigated that of the three
copies in Ivondon.

In Elizabethan title-pages imif ormity is not to be expected.
Those of The Seven Deadly Sinnes were no doubt produced
at intervals, as required, and each one of the six copies varies
to some extent in tj^jographical detail from all the rest,
though the two Museum copies are almost identical. The
chief difference is in the ornamental block. The Douce
copy alone has the device of the Deity sitting in clouds
above the cherubim, with a dove with outspread wings in
the foreground. This is clearer in the original than in the
full-size reproduction of the Douce title in the present edition ,
because the dove and its fan-shaped background, and the
head of the Deity, are coloured a faint red (not obscuring
the black outHnes) in the original, while in the reproduction
this red necessarily takes form as a black blur. Instead of
this device, the two Musemn copies contain a rectangular
block, rather more high than broad, representing the Good
Shepherd carrying a lamb across his shoulders, with the
motto PERIIT ET INVENTA EST on an encircUng band,
and scroll-work, palms, etc., fiUing up the corners and sides
outside the band. A landscape and buildings occupy the
backgrotmd on both sides of the central figure. A third
device is found in the Malone, Guildhall, and Britwell copies ;
a conventional design of a filleted head, with laurel branches
on each side of it, surmounting a semicircular piece of
scroll-work. There are also, among the title-pages of the
six copies, so many minor and unimportant variations of

xvi BIBLIOGRAPHICAIv NOTE

spelling, punctuation, capitals, and typographical detail,
that specification of them would be as uninteresting as
laborious. All six copies have the title partially rubricated,
the words concerned being ' seuen ' and ' Coaches ' in 1. 4 ;
' seuen ' and ' Gates ' in 1. 5 ; ' plague ' in 1. 7 ; the date
(which however is cUpped away from the Malone copy, and
torn out of that in the Grenville collection) and the whole
of lines 2, 6, 8 and 10. It is improbable that copies varied
at all in rubrication, except that as none of the other five has
the block found in the Douce title, they lack also the two
touches of red previously described. For the name of the
book, the spelling of the running title is more likely than
that of the title-page to be the author's, and I have followed
it ; it may however be worth while to point out, in corrobora-
tion, that the Douce title-page is alone among the six in
reading * deadhe ' for ' deadly,' and may have been alone
also in reading ' Sinus ' for ' Sinnes,' though the mutilation
of this word in the Malone and Guildhall copies makes it
impossible to estabhsh the point.

The collation of the 1606 edition is as follows : [A i] a
blank ; [A 2] the Title, verso blank. ; A 3 and verso The
Epistle ; [A 4] and verso To the Reader, followed (in lower
part of verso) by The names of the Actors ; A to [A 4] The
Induction to the Booke ; [A 4] verso blank ; then the main
text occupying B to G in fours, with [G4] verso blank.
The Douce, Malone, Guildhall and Steevens copies have the
preHminary matter in correct order, except that the Steevens
copy (which Grosart must have used) lacks the Epistle ;
the binder of the Grenville copy has misplaced in the order
Reader, Epistle, Induction ; and the binder of the Britwell
copy in the order Epistle, Induction, Reader. The correct
order has been preserved in all subsequent editions except
that produced by the Cambridge University Press, which
prints the Epistle after the address to the Reader and the
names of the Actors.

The original quarto printed by Edward Allde contains

BIBIvIOGRAPHICAL NOTE xvii

few obvious errors, and Collier is perhaps a little severe in
his statement that ' inaccuracies and bad workmanship shew
the haste with which the piece was composed by the tj^o-
grapher.' Bad workmanship is no doubt a term of wide
application, but in important points the accuracy of the
1606 text can seldom be impugned, though some dozens of
trivial shps in text or punctuation are to be found. Where
such errors have been corrected in the text of the present
edition, the original reading and the correction are duly
noted, for the information of scholars, in the appendix of
Textual Emendations. The original pimctuation has been
preserved, and readers unfamiUar with the system of pointing
in use in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries should bear
in mind that Elizabethan punctuation was rhythmical or
even rhetorical, while that of to-day is based on logic or
syntax.

The roman type, varied by itaHc, of the Dedication,
Address to the Reader, Names of the Actors, and Induction,
is followed exactly in the present text, but the black letter,
with occasional roman, of the main body of the book is here
replaced respectively by roman and itahc type. lyatin
quotations, printed in itahc in the original, are also repro-
duced in itahc. The itahc side-notes, printed in the margin
of the original, are inset in the present text. The 1606
compositor occasionally used a wrong fount ; I have noted a
roman x used among black letter in the words ' next ' (p. 42,
1. 12), ' Executors ' (p. 48, 1. 26), and ' examples ' (p. 53, 1. 11),
and there may be other instances. To have perpetuated
such accidents by a difference of type would have been
absiurd. The long f, which is a mere source of annoyance
to modern readers, has everywhere been replaced by s. The
miming titles of the original are in upper and lower case
roman (except that of The Epistle, which is itahc) , thus :
' To the Reader.' ' The Induction to the Booke.' ' The
seuen deadly Sinnes of L,ondon.' Of the main running title
this last is the more frequent form, and is foimd throughout
b

xviii BIBI^IOGRAPHICAIy NOTE

sigs. B and C, though in sigs. D, E, E and G the spelling
' Seauen ' or ' seauen ' occurs eight times to seven of the
spelling ' seuen.' The latter has been adopted throughout
the present edition, in which however the running titles have
been uniformly represented in roman capitals. No attempt
has been made to reproduce the bands of printer's ornament,
or the occasional decorative initial capitals of the original ;
the latter have been represented by plain drop capitals, and
the former have been omitted.

H. F. B. B.-S.
Oxford,
May 1922.

THE

Seuen deadlie Sinns

of London.*

T>rati>neinfeuenfeueraUCoacheSy
through the feuenJeneraU ^ates of the

Cttie^

Bringing th^ plague with them*

Off4sJeftm Durm.
Tho/Dekken

AtLendon

Printedby r.t^.for 'i^thaniellButter^^nd^^ to be fold
at his fhop necrc ^aint Auftens mis.

71? the Worshipfull and very worthy

Gentleman Henry Fermor Es-
quire, Clarke of the Peace for the

Countle of Middlesex.

I Am sory (deare Sir) that in a time (so abudat with
wit) I shold send vnto you no better fruit then the
sins of a City : but they are not comon, (for they were ■
neuer gathered till this 3- eare) and therefore I send them for
the Rarity : Yet now I remember my selfe, they are not
the Sinnes of a Citie, but onely the pictiire of them. And
a Drollerie (or Dutch peece of Lantskop) may sometimes
breed in the beholders eye, as much delectatio, as the best
& most curious master-peece excellet in that Art. Bookes
being sent abroad after they are begotte into the world, as
This of mine is, are in the nature of Orphans ; But being
receiued into a Gardianship (as I make no doubt but this
shall) they come into the happie state of adopted children.
That office must now be yours, and you neede not bee
ashamed of it, for Kings haue beene glad to doe them honour,
that haue bestowed such a neuer-dying honour \^pon them.
The benefite you shall receiue, is this, that you see the build-
ing vp of a tombe (in your life time) wherein you are sure so

3

4 THE EPISTlvE

to lie, as that you cannot bee forgotte ; & you read that
ver>' Epitaph that shal stand ouer you, which by no Enuie can
bee defaced, nor by any time worne out. I haue made choise
of you alone, to bee the onely Patron to these my labours :
by which word {onely) I chalenge to my selfe a kinde of
Dignitie : for there hath beene a Generation of a sort of
strange fellowes (and I tliinke the race is not yet eaten out)
who when a Booke (of theire owne) hath bin borne in the
lawfull Matrimonie of L,earning, and Industrie, haue basely
compeld it either like a bastard, to call a great many father
(and to goe vnder all their names) or else (like a common
fellow at a Sessions) to put himselfe (as the tearme is) vpon
twelue godfathers. In which case (contrarie to all law) the
Foreman is most dishonoured. That art of Skeldring I
studie not, I stand vpon stronger Bases. The current of
a mans Reputation, being diuided into so manie Riuolets
must needes grow weake. If you giue intertainment to
this in your best affection, you will binde me (one
day) to heigthen your name, when by some
more worthy Columne (by me to be erected)
I shall consecrate that and your selfe
to an euerlasting and sa-
cred Memorie.

Most affectionately desirous
to he yours :

Tho. Dekker.

Reader,

IT is as ordinarie a custome (for vs that are Bookish) to
haue a bout with thee, after wee haue done with a
Patron, as for Schollers (in the noble Science) to play
at the woodden Rapier and Dagger at the ende of a Maisters
prize. In doing which we know not vpon what Speeding
points wee runne, for you (that are Readers) are the most
desperate and fowlest players in the world, you will strike
when a mans backe is toward you, and kill him (if 5^ou could
for shame) when he lies vnder your feete. You are able
(if you haue the tokens of deadly Ignorance, and Boldnes at
one time vpon you) to breede more infection on in Pauls
Church-yard, then all the bodies that were buried there in the
Plague-time, if they had beene left still aboue ground. You
stand somtimes at a Stationers stal, looking scuruily (like
]\Iules champing vpon Thistles) on the face of a new Booke
bee it neuer so worthy : & goe (as il fauouredly) mewing
away : But what get you by it ? The Booke-seller euer after
when you passe by, pinnes on your backes the badge of
f ooles to make 3^ou be laught to scorne, or of siUie Carpers
to make you be pittied : Conradus Gesner neuer writ of the
nature of such strange beasts as you are : for where as we
call you Lectores, Readers, you turne your selues into Lic-
tores, Executioners, & tormenters. I wold not haue him that
writes better than I, to Reade this, nor him that cannot doe
so well, to Raile, or if hee cannot chuse but Raile, let him doe
it to my face : otherwise (to me being absent) it is done

5

6 TO THE READER

cowardly : for Leonem mortuum mordent etiam Catuli : Cats

dare scratch lyions by the face when they lie dead, and none

but ColUers will threaten a lyord Maior when they are f arre

enough from the Cittie. I haue laide no blockes

in thy way : if thou findest Strawes,

[Vade, vale,) cane ne

tituhes.

The names of the Actors in this

old Enterludc of Iniquitie.

1 Politike Banke- \

ruptisme.

2 Lying.

3 Candle-light.

4 Sloth.

5 Apishnesse.

6 Shauing.

7 Crueltie.

Seuen may easily
play this, but not
without a Diuell.

The Induction to the

Booke.

IFinde it written in that Booke where no vntruthes
can be read : in that Booke whose leaues shall out-last
sheetes of brasse, and whose lynes leade to eternity : yea
euen in that Booke that was pend by the best Author of
the best wisedome, allowed by a Deity, licensed by the
Omnipotent, and pubhshed (in all lyanguages to all Nations)
by the greatest, truest, and onely Diuine, thus I find it
written, that for Sinne, Angels were throwne out of heauen ;
for Sinne, the first man that euer was made, was made an
outcast : he was driuen out of his liuing that was left vnto
him by his Creator : It was a goodUer liuing, than the
Inheritance of Princes : he lost Paradice by it (he lost his
house of pleasure :) hee lost Eden by it, a Garden, where
Winter could neuer haue nipt him with cold, nor Summer
haue scorcht him with heate. He had there all fruits
growing to dehght his taste, all flowers flourishing to allure
his eye, all Birds singing to content his eare ; he had more
than he could desire : yet because he desired more than
was fit for him, he lost all. For Sinne, all those buildings
which that greate Worke-master of the world had in sixe
dayes raysed, were swallowed at the first by waters, and
shall at last be consumed in fire. How many families hath
this Leuiathan deuoured ? how many Cities ? how many
Kingdoms ? I^et vs awhile leaue Kingdomes, and enter into

7

8 THE INDVCTION

Cities. Sodom and Gomorrah were burnt to the ground
with brimstone that dropt in flakes from heauen ; a hot and
dreadfull vengeance. Jerusalem hath not a stone left vpon
another of her first glorious foundation : a heauy and
fearefull downefall. lerusalem, that was Gods owne dwell-
ing house ; the Schoole where those Hebrew Lectures,
which he himselfe read, were taught ; the very Nursery
where the Prince of Heauen was brought vp ; that lerusalem,
whose Rulers were Princes, & whose Citizens were like the
sonnes of Kings : whose Temples were paued with gold, and
whose houses stood like rowes of tall Cedars ; that lerusalem
is now a dezert ; It is vnhallowed, and vntrodden : no
Monument is left to shew it was a Citty, but only the
memoriall of the lewes hard-hartednes, in making away
their Sauiour : It isjnow a place for barbarous Turks, and
poore despised Grecians ; it is rather now (for the abomina-
tions committed in it) no place at all.

Let vs hoyst vp more Sayles, and lanch into other Seas,
till wee come in ken of our owne Countrey. Antwerp (the
eldest daughter of Brabant) hathfalne in her pride, the Citties
of rich Burgundy in theyr greatnes. Those seuenteene
Durch Virgins of Belgia, (that had Kingdomes to theyr
dowries, and were worthy to be courted by Nations) are now
no more Virgins : the Souldier hath deflowred them, and
robd them of theyr Mayden honor : Warre hath still vse of
their noble bod^-es, and discouereth theyr nakedness Hke
prostituted Strumpets. Famine hath dr3'ed vp the fresh
blond in theyr cheekes, whilst the Pestilence digd vp theyr
Fields, and turned them into Graues. Neither haue these
punishments bin layd vpon them oneh^ ; for blond hath bin
also drawne of their very next neighbours. France lyes yet
panting vnder the blowes wliich her owne Children haue
giuen her. Thirty yeeres together suffred she her bowels to
be tome out by those that were bred within them : She was
full of Princes, and saw them all lye mangled at her feete :
She was full of people, and saw in one night a hundred

TO THE BOOKE 9

thousand massacred in her streetes : her Kings were eaten
vp by Ciuill warres, and her Subiects by fire and famine.
O gallant Monarchy, what hard fate hadst thou, that when
none were left to conquer thee, thou shouldst triumph ouer
thy selfe ! Thou hast Wynes flowing in thy veynes : but
thou madest thy selfe druncke with thine owne bloud. The
EngUsh, the Dutch, andj the Spanish, stoode aloof e and
gaue ayme, whilst thou shotst arrowes vpright, that fell
vpon tliine owne head, and wounded thee to death. Wouldst
thou (and the rest) know the reason, why your bones haue
bin bruzed with rods of Iron ? It was, because you haue
risen in Arch-rebellion against the Supremest Soueraigne :
You haue bin Traytors to your I^ord, the King of heauen
and earth, and haue armed your selues to fight against the
Holy lyand. Can the father of the world measure out liis
loue so vnequally, that one people (like to a mans yongest
child) should be more made of than all the rest, being more
vnruly than the rest ? O London, thou art great in glory,
and enuied for they greatnes : thy Towers, thy Temples,
and thy Pinnacles stand vpon thy head like borders of fine
gold, thy waters like frindges of siluer hang at the hemmes
of thy garments. Thou art the goodliest of thy neighbors,
but the prowdest ; the welthiest, but the most wanton.
Thou hast all things in thee to make thee fairest, and all
things in thee to make thee foulest ; for thou art attir'de
like a Bride, drawing all that looke vpon thee, to be in loue
with thee, but there is much harlot in thine eyes. Thou
sitst in thy Gates heated with Wines, and in thy Chambers
with lust. What miseries haue of late ouertaken thee ? yet
(like a foole that laughs when hee is putting on fetters) thou
hast bin vnexxy in height of thy misfortunes. She that (for
almost halfe a hundred of yeeres) of thy Nurse Q^^ ^n^^- ) ^^V

became thy Mother, and layd thee in her **'*^ ''^'*'*- ^

bosome, whose head was full of cares for thee, whilst thine
slept vpon softer pillowes than downe. She that wore
thee alwayes on her brest as the richest lewell in her king-

10 THE INDVCTION

dome, who had continually her eye vpon thee, and her heart
with thee : whose chaste hand clothed thy Rulers in
Scarlet, and thy Inhabitants in roabes of peace : euen she
was taken from thee, when thou wert most in feare to lose
her : when thou didst tremble (as at an earth-quake) to
thinke that bloud should runne in thy Channels, that the
Canon should make way through thy Portculhses, and fire
rifle thy wealthy houses, then, euen then wert thou left
full of teares, and becamst an Orphan. But behold, thou
hadst not sat many howres on the banks of sorrow, but thou
King lames l^^^st a louing Father that adopted thee to be
his Corona- his owue I thy mourning turnd presently to
gladnes, thy terrors into triumphs. Yet, lest
this fulnesse of ioj' should beget in thee a wantonnes, and
to try how wisely thou couldst take vp afHiction, Sicknes
was sent to breathe her vnholsome ayres into thy
nosthrils, so that thou, that wert before the only Gallant
and Mnion of the world, hadst in a short time more
diseases (then a common Harlot hath) hanging vpon thee ;
thou suddenty becamst the by-talke of neighbors, the scorne
and contempt of Nations.

Heere could I make thee weepe thy selfe away into waters,
• 4 Booke so ^y calling back those sad and dismall houres,
called, writ- whcrciu thou consumedst almost to nothing

ten by the m i i

Author, de- with shnkcs and lamentations, in that *Won-
horror of the derfull yecre, when these miserable calamities
T6oT,'when entred in at th}^ Gates, slaving 30000. and more
to57l^of as thou heldst them in thine armes, but they
that disease. ^j-g f^esh in thy mcmory, and the story of them
(but halfe read ouer) would strike so coldly to thy heart,
and lay such heauy sorrow vpon mine {Namqne animus
memmisse horret, luctuque refugit) that I will not be thine
and my owne tormentor with the memorj^ of them. How
quickly notwithstanding didst thou forget that beating ?
The wrath of him that smot thee, was no sooner (in meere
pitty of thy stripes) appeased, but howrely (againe) thou

\

TO THE BOOKE ii

wert in the company of euill doers, euen before thou couldst
finde leysure to aske him forgiuenes.

Euer since that time hath hee winckt at thy errors, and
suffred thee (though now thou art growne old, and lookest
very ancient) to goe on still in the follyes of thy youth :
he hath ten-fold restor'de thy lost sonnes and daughters,
and such sweete, liuely, fresh colours hath hee put vpon
thy cheekes, that Kings haue come to behold
thee, and Princes to delight their eyes with thy land, and
bewty. None of all these fauours (for all this) Kingo/
can draw thee from thy wickednes : Graces ^^""""'^"■
haue powrd downe out of heauen vpon thee, and thou
art rich in all things, sauing in goodnes : So that now once
againe hath he gone about (and but gone about) to call thee
to the dreadfull Barre of his ludgement. And no maruaile :
for whereas other Citties (as glorious as thy selfe,) and other
people (as deare vnto him as thine) haue in his indignation
bin quite taken from the face of the earth, for some one
pecuHar Sinne, what hope hast thou to grow vp still in the
pride of thy strength, gallantnes and health, hauing seuen
deadly and detestable sinnes lying night by night by thy
lasciuious sides ? O thou beawtifullest daughter of two
vnited Monarchies ! from thy womb receiued I my being,
fro thy brests my nourishment ; yet giue me leaue to tell
thee, that thou hast seuen Diuels within thee, and till they
be cleane cast out, the Arrowes of Pestilence will fall vpon
thee by day, and the hand of the Inuader strike thee by
night. The Sunne will shine, but not be a comfort to thee,
and the Moone looke pale with anger, whe she giues thee
light. Thy Louers will disdayne to court thee : thy Temples
will no more send out Diuine oracles : Justice will take her
flight, and dwell else-where ; and that Desolation, which
now for three yeeres together hath houered round about
thee, will at last enter, and turne thy Gardens of pleasure,
into Church-yards ; thy Fields that seru'd thee for walks,
into Golgotha ; and thy hye built houses, into heapes of dead

12 THE INDVCTION

mens Sculs. I call him to witnes, who is all Truth, I call

the Cittizens of heauen to witnes, who are all spotlesse,

that I slander thee not, in saying thou nourishest seuen

Serpents at thy brests, that will destroy thee : let all thy

Magistrates and thy officers speake for me : let Strangers

that haue but scene thy behauiour, be my ludges : let all

that are gathered vnder thy wings, and those that sleepe

in thy bosome, giue their verdict vpon me ; yea, try me

(as thy brabblings are) by all thy Petit and Graund lurors,

and if I belye thee, let my Country (when I expire) deny me

her common blessing, Buriall. lyift vp therefore th}^ head

(thou Mother of so many people :) awaken out of thy

dead and dangerous slumbers, and with a full and fearelesse

eye behold those seuen Monsters, that with extended

iawes gape to swallow vp thy m^emory : for I will into

so large a field single euery one of them, that thou

and all the world shall see their vgHnesse, for by

seeing them, thou mayst auo3^d them, and by

auoyding them, be the happiest

and most renowned

of Citties.

Politick Bankruptisme,

Or,

The first dayes Triumph
of the first Sinne.

IT is a custome in all Countries, when great personages
are to be entertained, to haue great preparation made
for them : and because London disdaines to come short
of any City, either in Magnificence, State, or expences vpon
such an occasion, solemne order was set downe, and seuen
seuerall solemne dayes were appointed to receiue these
seuen Potentates : for they carry the names of Princes on
the earth, and wheresoe're they inhabit, in a short time
are they lyords of great Dominions.

The first dayes Trivimphs were spent in meeting and
conducting Politick Bankniptisme into the Freedome : to
receiue whom, the Master, the Keepers, and all the Prisoners
of Ludgate in their best clothes stood most The maner
officiously readie : for at that Gate, his Deadh- \7ptlZ%
nesse challenges a kind of prerogatiue by the anTafwli't
Custome of the Citie, and there loues he most C"'^-
to be let in. The thing they stood vpon, was a Scaffold
erected for the purpose, stuck round about with a few greene
boughes (like an Alehouse booth at a Fayre) and couered
with two or three threed-bare Carpets (for prisoners haue

13

v;

14 THE SEVEN DEADLY

no better) to liide the vnhandsomnes of the Carpenters
i' worke : the boughes with the very strong breath that was

prest out of the vulgar, withered, & like Antumnian
leaues dropt to the ground, which made the Broken Gentle-
?nan to hasten his progresse the more, and the rather,
because Lud and his two sonnes stood in a very cold place,
waiting for his comniing. Being vnder the gate, there
stood one arm'd with an extemporall speech, to giue him
the onset of his welcome : It was not (I would you should
well know) the Clarke of a country parish, or the Schoole-
master of a corporate towne, y* euery yeere has a saying
to Master Maior, but it was a bird pickt out of purpose
(amongst the Ludgathians) that had the basest and lowdest
voice, and was able in a Terme time, for a throat, to giue
an}' prisoner great ods for y" box at the grate : this Organ-
pipe was tunde to rore for the rest, who with a hye sound &
glib deUuery, made an Encomiastick Paradoxicall Oration
in praise of a prison, prouing, that captiuity was y* only
blessing y* could happen to man, and that a Politick
Bankrupt (because he makes himselfe for euer by his owne
wit) is able to liue in an}' common wealth, and deserues to
go vp the ladder of promotion, whe fine hundred shallow-
pated fellowes shall be turnd off. The poore Orator
hauing made vp his mouth, Bankniptisme gaue him very
good words, & a handful or two of thanks, vowing he would
euer liue in his debt. At which, all the prisoners rending
the ayre with shouts, the key was turnd, & vp (in state)
was he led into king Luds house of Bondage, to suruey the
building, and to take possession of y* lodgings ; where he
no sooner entered, but a lusty peale of welcomes was shot
out of Kannes in stead of Canons, and though the powder
Soiamen was cxcccding wet, yet off they went thick and

Tioshabuisse threefold. The day was proclaymed Hohday
doiorts. jjj Q^ the wardes ; euery prisoner swore if he

would stay amongst them, they would take no order about
their debts, because they would lye by it too ; and for that

SINNEvS OF LONDON 15

purpose swarmd about liim like Bees about Conifit-makers,
and were drunke, according to all the learned rules of
Drunkennes , as Vpsy-Frccze, Crambo, Parmizant, &c. the
pimples of tliis ranck and full-humord ioy rising thus in their
faces, because they all knew, that though he himselfe was
broken, the linings of his bags were whole ; & though he
had no conscience (but a crackt one) yet he had crownes
y* were sound. None of all these hookes could fasten
him to them : he was (like their clocks) to strike in more
places than one, & though he knew many Citizens hated
him, and that if he were encountred by some of them, it
might cost him deere, yet vnder so good a protection did
he go (as he said) because he owed no ill will euen to those
that most sought his vndoing ; and therefore tooke his
leaue of the house, with promise, to be with them, or send
to the once euery quarter at the least. So
that now, by his wise instructions, if a Puny make7men
were there amongst them, he might learne more ''"""^"s-
cases, and more quiddits in law within seuen dayes, than
he does at his Inne in fourteene moneths.

The Politician beeing thus got into the City, caries
himself so discreetly, that he steales into the hearts of
many : In words, is he circumspect : in lookes, graue : in
attire, ciuill : in diet, temperate : in company fj-^ ^_
affable : in his affaires serious : and so cunningly "'«•
dooes he lay on these colours, that in the end he is welcome
to, and f amiUar with the best. So that now, there is not -J
any one of all the twelue Companies, in which (at one time [
or other) there are not those that haue forsaken their owne •
Hall, to be free of his : yea some of your best Shop-keepers
hath he enticed to shut themselues vp from the cares and
busines of the world, to Hue a priuate life ; nay, there is
not any great and famous Streete in the City, wherein
there hath not (or now doth not) dwell, some one, or other,
that hold the points of his Religion. For you must vnder-
stand, that the Politick Bankrupt is a Harpy that lookes

i6 THE SEVEN DEADLY

smoothly, a Hyena that enchants subtilly, a Mermaid
that sings sweetly, and a Cameleon, that can put himselfe
Hisdisgui- i^to ^11 colours. Sometimes hee's a Puritane,
"^- he sweares by notliing but Indeede, or rather

does not sweare at all, and wrapping his crafty Serpents '
body in the cloake of Religion, he does those acts that would
become none but a Diuell. Sometimes hee's a Protestant,
and deales iustly with all men, till he see his time, but in
the end he turnes Turke. Because you shall beleeue me, I
will giue you his length by the Scale, and Anatomize his
body from head to foote. Heere it is.

Whether he be a Tradesman, or a Marchant, when he
His policy. first sets himselfe vp, and seekes to get the world
into his hands, (yet not to go out of y® City) or first talks of
Countries he neuer saw (vpon the Change) he will be sure to
keepe his dayes of payments more truly, then Lawyers
keepe their Termes, or than Executors keepe the last lawes
that the dead inioyned them to, which euen Infidels them-
selues will not violate : liis hand goes to his head, to his
meanest customer, (to expresse his humiUtie ;) he is vp
earlier then a Sarieant, and downe later than a Constable,
to proclaime his thrift. By such artificiall wheeles as
these, he winds himselfe vp into the height of rich mens
fauors, till he grow rich himselfe, and when he sees that
they dare build vpon his credit, knowing the ground to
be good, he takes vpon him the condition of an Asse, to any
man that will loade him with gold ; and vseth his credit
like a Ship freighted with all sorts of Merchandize by
ventrous Pilots : for after he hath gotten into his hands so
much of other mens goods or money, as will fill him to the
vpper deck, away he sayles with it, and politickly runnes
himselfe on ground, to make the world beleeue he had
suffered shipwrack. Then flyes he out like an Irish rebell,
and keepes aloofe, hiding his head, when he cannot hide
his shame : and though he haue fethers on his back puld
fro sundry birds, yet to himselfe is he more wretched,

SINNES OF I.ONDON 17

then y* Cuckoo in winter, that dares not be seene. The
troupes of honest Citizens (his creditors) with whom he
hath broken league and hath thus defyed, muster themselues
together, and proclaime open warre : their bands consist
of tall Yeomen, that serue on foot, comanded by certaine
Serieants of their bands, who for leading of men, are knowne
to be of more experiece then the best Ivow-countrey Cap-
taines. In Ambuscado do these lye day & night, to cut
oflE this enemy to the City, if he dare but come downe.
But the politick Bankrupt barricadoing his Sconce with
double locks, treble dores, inuincible bolts, and pieces of
timber 4, or 5. storyes hye, victuals himself e for a moneth
or so ; and then in the dead of night, marches vp higher
into y* country with bag and baggage : parlies then are
summond ; compositions offred ; a truce is sometimes
taken for 3. or 4. yeeres ; or (which is more common) a
dishonorable peace (seeing no other remedy) is on both
sides concluded, he (like the States) being the only gayner
by such ciuill warres, whilst the Citizen that is the lender,
is the loser : Nam crimine ah vno disce omnes, looke how
much he snatches from one mans sheafe, hee gleanes from
euery one, if they bee a hundred.

The victory being thus gotten by basenes & trechery,
back comes he marching with spred colours againe to the
City ; aduances in the open streete as he did before ; sels
the goods of his neighbor before his face without blushing :
he lets vp and downe in silks wouen out of other mens
stocks, feeds deliciously vpo other mes purses, rides on his
ten pound Geldings, in other mens saddles, & is now a new
man made out of wax, thats to say, out of those bonds,
whose scales he most dishonestly hath canceld. 0 veluet-
garded Theeues ! 0 yea-and-hy-nay Cheaters ! 0 ciiiill, 6
Graiie and Right Worshipjull Couzeners !

What a wretchednes is it, by such steps to clime to a
counterfetted happines ? So to be made for euer, is to be
vtterly vndone for euer : So for a man to sane himselfe, is
2

i8 THE SEVEN DEADI.Y

to venture his own danniation ; like those that laboring
by all meanes to escape shipwrack, do afterwards desperatly
drown themselues. But alas ! how rotten at the bottom
are buildings thus raised ! How soone do such leases grow
out of date ! The Third House to them is neuer heard of.
What slaues then doth mony (so purchast) make of those,
who by such wayes tliinke to find out perfect freedome ?
But they are most truly miserable in midst of their ioyes : for
their neighbors scorn them, Strangers poynt at them, good
men neglect them, the rich man will no more trust them,
the begger in his rage vpbraydes them. Yet if this were all,
this all were nothing. O thou that on thy pillow (lyke a
Spider in his loome) weauest mischeuous nets, beating thy
braynes, how by casting downe others, to rayse vp thy
selfe !

Thou Politick Bankrupt, poore rich man, thou ill-painted
foole, when thou art to lye in thy last Inne (thy loathsome
graue) how heauy a loade will thy wealth bee to thy weake
corrupted Conscience ! those heapes of Siluer, in telHng of
which thou hast worne out thy fingers ends, will be a passing
bell, tolHng in thine eare, and calling thee to a fearefuU
Audit. Thou canst not dispose of thy riches, but the naming
of euery parcell will strike to thy heart, worse then the
pangs of thy departure : thy last will, at the last day, will
be an Inditement to cast thee ; for thou art guilty of
offending those two lawes (enacted in the vpper House of
heauen) which directly forbid thee to steale, or to couet
thy neighbors goods.

But this is not all neither ; for thou lyest on thy bed
of death, and art not carde for : thou goest out of the
world, and art not lamented : thou art put into the last
linnen y* euer thou shalt weare, (thy winding-sheete) with
reproch, and art sent into thy Graue with curses : he that
makes thy Funerall Sermon, dares not speake well of thee,
because he is asham'd to belye the dead : and vpon so
hatefull a fyle doest thou hang the records of thy life, that

SINNES OF LONDON 19

euen when the wormes haue pickt thee to the bare bones ,
those that goe ouer thee, will set vpon thee no Epitaph but
this. Here lyes a knaue.

Alack ! this is not the worst neither : thy Wife being in
the heate of her youth, in the pride of her beawty, and in
all the brauery of a rich London Widow, flyes from her
nest (where she was thus fledg'd before her time) the City,
to shake oS the imputation of a Bankrupts Wife, and per-
haps marries with some Gallat : thy bags then are emptied,
to hold him vp in riots : those hundreds, which thou
subtilly tookst vp vpon thy bonds, do sinfully serue him
to pay Tauerne bills, and what by knauery thou gotst from
honest men, is as villanously spent vpon Pandars and
Whores : thy Widow being thus brought to a low ebbe,
grows desperat : curses her birth, her life, her fortunes,
yea perhaps curses thee, when thou art in thy euerlasting
sleepe, her conscience perswading strongly, that she is
punished from aboue, for thy faults : and being poore,
friendlesse, comfortlesse, she findes no meanes to raise her
selfe, but by Falling, and therfore growes to be a common
woma. Doth not y^ thought of this torment thee ? She
Hues basely by the abuse of that body, to maintaine which
in costly garments, thou didst wrong to thine owne soule :
nay more to afflict thee, thy children, are ready to beg
their bread in that very place, where the father hath sat
at his dore in purple, and at his boord like Diues, surfeting
on those dishes which were earnd by the sweat of other
mens browes. The infortunate Marchant, whose estate
is swallowed vp by the mercilesse Seas, and the prouident
Trades-man, whom riotous Seruants at home, or hard-
hearted debters abroad vndermine and ouerthrow, blotting
them with the name of Bankrupts, deserue to be pitied
and relieued, when thou that hast cozend euen thine owne
Brother of his Birth-right, art laught at, and not remembred,
but in scorne, when thou art plagued in thy Generation.

Be wise therefore, you Graue, and wealthy Cittizens ; play

20 THE SEVEN DEADLY

with these Whales of the Sea, till you escape them that are
deuourers of your Merchants ; hunt these English Wolues
to death, and rid the land of them : for these are the Rats
that eate vp the prouision of the people : these are the
Grashoppers of Egypt, that spoyle the Corne-fields of the
Husbandman and the rich mans Vineyards : they will
haue poore Nahoths piece of ground from him, though they
eate a piece of his heart for it. These are indeede (and
none but these) the Forreners that Hue without the f reedome
of your City, better than you within it ; they line without
the freedome of honesty, of conscience, and of christian-
itie. Ten dicing-houses cheate not yong Gentlemen of so
much mony in a yeare, as these do you in a moneth. The
theefe that dyes at Tyburne for a robbery, is not halfe so
dangerous a weede in a Common-wealth, as the Politick
Bankrupt, I would there were a Derick to hang vp him too.

The Russians haue an excellent custome : they beate
them on the shinnes, that haue mony, and will not pay
their debts ; if that law were well cudgeld from thence
into England, Barbar-Surgeons might in a few yeeres build
vp a Hall for their Company, larger then Powles, only
with the cure of Bankrupt hroken-shinnes.

I would faine see a prize set vp, that the welted Vsurer,
and the politick Bankrupt might rayle one against another
for it : 6, it would beget a riming Comedy. The Challenge
of the Germayne against all the Masters of the Noble Science,
would not bring in a quarter of the money : for there is not
halfe so much loue betweene the Iron and the I^oadestone,
as there is mortall hate betweene those two Furies. The
Vsurer Hues by the lechery of mony, and is Bawd to liis
owne bags, taking a fee, that they may ingender. The
Politick Bankrupt Hues by the gelding of bags of Siluer.
The Vsurer puts out a hundred poud to breede, and lets
it run in a good pasture (thats to say, in the lands that are
mortgag'd for it) till it grow great with Foale, and bring
forth ten pound more. But the PoHtick Bankrupt playes

SINNES OF IvONDON 21

the Alchimist, and hailing taken a hundred pound to multi-
ply it, he keepes a puffing and a blowing, as if he would
fetch the Philosophers stone out of it, yet melts your
hundred pound so long in liis Crusibles, till at length he
either melt it cleane away, or (at the least) makes him that
lends it thinke good, if euery hundred bring him home fiue,
with Principall and Interest.

You may behold now in this Perspectiue piece which I
haue drawne before you, how deadly and dangerous an
enemy to the State tliis Politick Bankriiptisme hath bin,
& still is : It hath bin long enough in the Citty, and for any
thing I see, makes no great haste to get out. His triumphs
haue bin great, his entertainement rich and magnificent.
He purposes to lye heere as Lucifers Legiar : let him there-
fore alone in his lodging (in what part of the Citty soeuer
it be) tossed and turmoyled with godlesse slumbers, and
let vs take vp a standing neere some other Gate, to behold
the Entrance of the Second Sinne : but before you go,
looke \'p6 the Chariot that this First is drawne in, and take
speciall note of all his Attendants.

The habit, the quaUties and complexion of this Embas-
sador sent from Hell, are set downe before. He rides in a
Chariot drawne vpon three wheeles, that run fastest away,
when they beare the greatest loades. The bewty of the
Chariot is all in-layd work, cunningly & artificially wrought,
but yet so strangely, and of so many seuerall-fashioned
pieces, (none like another) that a sound wit would mistrust \
they had bin stolne from sundry worke-men. By this
prowd Counterfet ran two Pages; on the left side Con-
science, raggedly attirde, ill-fac'd, ill-coloured, and mis-
shapen in body. On the right side runs Beggery, who if
he out-Hue him, goes to serue his children. Hipocrisy
driues the Chariot, hauing a couple of fat well-coloured and
lusty Coach-horses to the eye, cald Couetousnes and Cose-
nage, but full of diseases, & rotten about the heart. Behind
him follow a crowd of Trades-men, and Merchants, euery

22 THE SEVEN DEADLY SINNES OF LONDON

one of them holding either a Shopbooke, or an Obligation
in liis hand, their seruants, wiues and cliildren strawing
the way before him with curses, but he carelesly runnes
Guer the one, and out-rides the other ; at the tayle of whom
(Hke the Pioners of an Army) march troopewise, and with-
out any Drum struck vp, because the Leader can abide
no noyse, a company of old expert Sarieants, bold Yeomen,
hungry Baylifs, and other braue Martiall men, who because
(like the Switzers) they are well payd, are still in Action, and
oftentimes haue the enemy in execution ; following the
heeles of this Citty-Conqueror, so close, not for any loue
they owe him, but only (as all those that follow great men
do) to get mony by him. We will leaue them lying in
Ambush, or holding their Courts of Gard, and take a muster
of our next Regiment.

2. Lying.
Or,

The second dayes Triumph.

WHen it came to the eares of the Sinfull Syna-
gogue, how the rich lew of London, [Barabhas
Bankruptisme) their brother, was receyued into
the Citty, and what a lusty Reueler he was become, the rest
of the same Progeny (being 6. in number) vowd to ryde
thither in their greatest State, and that euery one should
challenge to himselfe (if he could enter) a seuerall day of
Tryumph ; for so he might doe by their owne Customes.
Another therefore of the Broode, being presently aptly
accoustred, and armed Cap-a-pe, with all furniture fit for
such an Inuader, sets forward the very next morning, and
arriu'de at one of the Gates, before any Porters eyes were
vnglewd. To knocke, hee thought it no poUcy , because such
fellowes are commonly most churlish, when they are most
intreated and are key-cold in their comming downe to
Strangers, except they be brybed : to stay there with such a
confusion of faces round about him, till light should betray
him, might call his Arriuall, being strange and hidden, into
question ; besides, he durst not send any Spy he had,
to listen what newes went amongst the people, and whether
any preparation were made for him, or that they did
expect his approche, because indeede there was not any one
of the Damned Crewe that followed his tayle, whom he
durst trust for a true word. He resolues therefore to make

23

24 THE SEVEN DEADLY

his entrance, not by the sword, but by some sleyght,
what storme or f ayre weather soeuer should happen : And
for that purpose, taking asunder his Charriot, (for it stood
altogether like a Germane clock, or an Enghsh lack or
Turne-spit, vpon skrewes and vices) he scatters his Troope
vpon the fields and bye-way, into small companies, as if
they had bene Irish beggers ; till at last espying certayne
Colliers with Carts most sinfully loaden, for the Citty, and
behind them certayne Ught Country Horse-women rj^ding
to the Markets, hee mingled his Footemen carelesly
amongst these, and by this Stratagem of Coales, brauely
thorow Moore-gate, got within the walles ; where marching
not like a plodding Grasyer with his Droues before him, but
like a Citty-Captayne, \\ith a Company (as pert as Taylours
at a wedding) close at his heeles, (because nowe they knewe
they were out of feare) hee musters together all the Hackney-
men and Horse-coursers in and about Colman-streete.

No sooner had these Sonnes and Hey res vnto Horse-
shooes, got him into their eyes, but they wept for ioy to
behold him ; yet in the ende, putting vp their teares into
bottles of Hay, which they held vnder their armes, and
wyping their slubberd cheekes with wispes of cleane Strawe,
(prouyded for the nonce) they harnessed the Grand Signiors
Caroach, mounted his Cauallery vpon Curtals, and so sent
him most pompously (like a new elected Dutch Burgo-
master) into the Citty.

He was lookt \^on strangely by all whom he met, for at
the first, few or none knew him, few followed him, few
bid him welcome : But after hee had spent heere a very
little peece of time, after it was voyc'd that Monsieur
Mendax came to dwell amongst them, and had brought
with him all sorts of poHtick falshood and lying, what a
number of Men, Women and Children fell presently in loue
with him ! There was of euery Trade in the City, and of
euery profession some, that instantly were dealers with
him : For you must note, that in a State so multitudinous,

SINNES OF IvONDON 25

where so many flocks of people must be fed, it is impossible
to haue some Trades to stand, if they should not Lye.

How quickly after the Art of Lying was once pubUquely
profest, were false Weights and false Measures inuented !
and they haue since done as much hurt to the inhabitants
of Cities, as the inuention of Gunnes hath done to their
walles : for though a Lye haue but short legs (Uke a Dwarfes)
yet it goes farre in a Uttle time, Et crescit eundo, and at last
prooues a tall fellow : the reason is, that Truth had euer
but one Father, but Lyes are a thousand mens Bastards,
and are begotten euery where.

Looke vp then ( Thou thy Countryes Darling,) and behold
what a diueUsh Inmate thou hast intertained. The Genea-
logy of Truth is well knowne, for she was borne in Heauen,
and dwels in Heauen : Falshood then and Lying must of
necessity come out of that hot Country of Hell, from the
line of Diuels : for those two are as opposite, as day and
darkenes. What an vngracious Generation wilt thou
mingle with thine, if thou draw not this from thee : What
a number of vnhappy and cursed childre will be left vpo
thy hand ? for Lying is Father to Falshood, and Grandsire
to Periury : Frawd (with two faces) is his Daughter, a
very Monster : Treason (with haires Uke Snakes) is his
kinseman ; a very Fury ! how art thou inclos'd with
danger ? The Lye first deceiues thee, and to shoote the
deceit ofif cleanly, an oath (Hke an Arrow) is drawne to the
head, and that hits the marke. If a Lye, after it is molded,
be not smooth enough, there is no instrumet to burnish it,
but an oath : Swearing giues it cullor, & a bright complexion.
So that Oathes are Crutches, vpon whjxh Lyes (like lame
soldiers) go, & neede no other pasport. Little oathes
are able to beare vp great lyes : but great Lyes are able to
beate down great Families : For oathes are wounds that a
man stabs into himselfe, yea, they are burning words that
consume those who kindle them.

What fooles then are thy Buyers and Sellers to be abused

26 THE SEVT5N DEADLY

by such hell-hounds ? Swearing and Forswearing put into
their hands perhaps the gaines of a little Siluer, but like
those pieces which ludas receiued, they are their destruc-
tion. Welth so gotten, is like a tree set in the depth of
winter, it prospers not.

But is it possible [Thou leader of so great a Kingdome) that
heretofore so many bonfires of mens bodies should be made
before thee in the good quarrell of Trueth ? and that now
thou shouldst take part with her enemy ? Haue so many
Triple-pointed darts of Treason bin shot at the heads of
thy Princes, because they would not take Truth out of thy
Temples, and art thou now in League with false Witches
y* would kill thee ? Thou art no Traueler, the habit of
Ivjdng therefore will not become thee, cast if off.

He that giues a soldier the Lye, lookes to receiue the
stab : but what danger does he run vpon, that giues a
whole City the Lye ? yet must I venture to giue it thee.
Ivet me tell thee then, that Thou doest Lye with Pride, and
though thou art not so gawdy, yet art thou more costly
in attiring thy selfe than the Court, because Pride is the
Queene of Sinnes, thou hast chosen her to be thy Concubine,
and hast begotten many base Sonnes and Daughters vpon
her body, as Vainglory, Curiosity, Disobedience, Opinion,
Disdaine, &c. Pride, by thy Lying with her, is growne
impudent : She is now a common Harlot, and euery one
hath vse of her body. The Taylor calls her his Lemman,
he hath often got her great with child of Phantasticallity
and Fashions, who no sooner came into the world, but the
fairest Wiues of thy Tennants snatcht them vp into their
armes, layd them in their laps and to their brests, and after
they had plaid with them their pleasure, into the country
were those two children (of the Taylors) sent to be nurst
vp, so that they Hue sometimes there, but euer and anon
with thee.

Thou doest likewise Lye with Vsury : how often hast thou
bin found in bed with her ! How often hath she bin

SINNES OF LONDON 27

openly disgraced at the Crosse for a Strumpet ! yet still
doest thou keepe her company, and art not ashamed of it,
because you conmiit Sinne together, euen in those houses
that haue paynted posts standing at the Gates. What
vngodly brats and kindred hath she brought thee ? for
vpon Vsury hast thou begotten Extortion, (a strong, but an
vnmannerly child,) Hardnes of heart, a very murderer, and
Bad Conscience, who is so vnruly, that he seemes to be sent
vnto thee, to be thy euerlasting paine. Then hath she
Sonnes in law, and they are all Scriueners : those Scriueners
haue base sonnes, and they are all common Brokers ; those
Brokers likewise send a number into the world, & they are
all Common Theeues.

All of these may easily giue Armes : for thej^ fetch their
discent from hell, where are as many Gentlemen, as in any
one place, in any kingdome.

Thou doost lye with sundrie others, and committest
strange whoredomes, which by vse and boldnesse grow so
common, that they seeme to be no whoredomes at all. Yet
thine owne abhominations would not appeare so vilely,
but that thou makest thy buildings a Brothelry to others :
for thou sufferest Religion to lye with Hipocrisie : Charity
to lye with Ostentation : Friendship to lye with Hollow-
heartednes : the Chtirle to lye with Simony : Justice to
lye with Bribery, and last of all, Conscience to lye with
euerie one. So that now shee is full of diseases : But thou
knowest the medicine for al these Feauers that shake thee :
be therfore to thy selfe thine owne Phisitian, and by strong
Pilles purge away this second infection that is breeding
vpon thee, before it strike to the heart.

Falshood and Lying thus haue had their day, and like
Almanackes of the last yeare, are now gon out : let vs follow
them a step or two farther to see how they ride, and then
(if we can) leaue them, for I perceiue it growes late, because
Candle-light (who is next to enter vpo the stage) is making
himself ready to act his Comicall Scenes. The Chariot

28 THE SEVEN DEADLY SINNES OF LONDON

then that Lying is drawne in, is made al of whetstones ;
Wantonnes and euil custome are his Horses : a Foole is the
Coachman that driues them : a couple of swearing Fencers
sometimes leade the Horses by the reynes, and sometimes
flourish before them to make roome. Worshipfully is this
Lord of Limbo attended, for Knights theselues follow close
at his heeles ; Mary they are not Post and Poyre-Knightes
but one of the Post. Amongst whose traine is shuffled in
a company of scambhng ignorant PeUi-foggars, leane
Knaues and hungrie, for they hue vpon nothing but the
scraps of the Law, and heere and there (hke a Prune in
White-broth) is stucke a spruice but a meere prating
vnpractised Law^^ers Clarke all in blacke. At the tajde of
all (when this goodly Pageant is passed by) follow a crowde
of euerie trade some, amongst whome least we be smothered,
and bee taken to bee of the same Hst, let vs strike downe
my way.

Namf-^ odi frojanu Vulgus.

3- Candle-light.
OR,

The Nocturnall Tryumph.

O Candle-light ! and art thou one of the Cursed
Crew ? hast thou bin set at the Table of Princes, &
Noblemen ? haue all sortes of people doone reuer-
ence vnto thee, and stood bare so soone as euer they haue
seene thee ? haue Theeues, Traytors, and Murderers been
affraide to come in thy presence, because they knewe thee
iust, and that thou wouldest discouer them ? And art thou
now a harborer of all kindes of Vices ? nay, doost thou
play the capitall Vice thy selfe ?

Hast thou had so many learned Lectures read before thee,
& is the light of thy Vnder standing now cleane put out,
and haue so many profound schoUers profited by thee ?
hast thou doone such good to Vniuersities, beene such a
guide to the Lame, and seene the dooing of so many good
workes, yet doest thou now looke dimly, and with a dull
eye vpon al Goodnes ? What comfort haue sickmen taken
(in weary and irkesome nights) but onely in thee ? thou hast
been their Phisition and Apothecary, and when the relUsh
of nothing could please them, the very shadow of thee
hath beene to them a restoritiue Consolation. The Nurse
hath stilled her wayward Infant, shewing it but to thee :
What gladnes hast thou put into Mariners bosomes, when
thou hast met them on the Sea ? What loy into the faint
and benighted Trauailer when he has met thee on the land?

29

30 THE SEVEN DEADLY

How many poore Handy-craftes men by Thee haue earned
the best part of their Huing ? And art thou now become a
Companion for Drunkards, for leachers, and for prodi-
galles ? Art thou turnd Reprobate ? thou wilt burne for
it in hell, And so odious is this thy Apostacy, and hiding
thy self fro y^ light of the truth, y* at thy death & going out
of the world, euen they y^ loue thee best, wil tread thee
vnder their feete : yea I y* haue thus plaid the Herrald,
& proclaimd thy good parts, wil now play the Cryer
and cal thee into open court, to arraigne thee for thy
misdemeanors.

lyCt the world therefore vnderstand, that this Tallow-
facde Gentleman (cald Candle-light) so soone as euer the
Sunne was gon out of sight, and that darkenes like a thief
out of a hedge crept vpon the earth, sweate till hee dropt
agen, with bustling to come into the Cittie. For hauing no
more but one onely eye (and that fierie red with drinking &
sitting vp late) he was ashamed to be scene by day, know-
ing he should be laught to scorne, and hooted at. He
makes his entrance therefore at Alder sgate of set purpose,
for though the streete be f aire and spatious, yet few hghtes
in mistie euenings, vsing there to thrust out their golde
heads he thought that the aptest circle for him to be
raised in, because there his Glittering would make greatest
show.

What expectation was there of his coming ? setting
aside y* bonfiers, there is not more triumphing on Mid-
sommer night. No sooner was he aduaunced vp into the
moste famous Streetes, but a number of shops for ioy
beganne to shut in : Mercers rolde vp their silkes and
Veluets : the Goldsmithes drew backe their Plate, & all
the Citty lookt Hke a priuate Play-house, when the windowes
are clapt downe, as if some Nocturnal, or dismall Tragedy
were presently to be acted before all the Trades-men.
But Caualiero Candle-light came for no such solemnitie :
No he had other Crackers in hand to which hee watcht

SINNES OF I.ONDON 31

but his hotire to giue fire. Scarce was his entrance blown
abroad, but the Bauckrupt, the Fellon, and all that owed
any mony, and for feare of arrests, or Justices warrants,
had like so many Snayles kept their houses ouer their heads
al the day before, began now to creep out of their shels, &
to stalke vp & down the streets as vprightly, & with as
proud a gate as if they meant to knock against the starres
with the crownes of their heads.

The damask-coated Cittizen, that sat in his shop both
forenoone and afternoone, and lookt more sowerly on his
poore neighbors, then if he had drunke a quart of Vineger
at a draught, sneakes out of his owne doores, and slips into
a Tauerne, where either alone, or with some other that
battles their money together, they so plye themselues with
penny pots, which (like small-shot) goe off, powring into
their fat paunches, that at length they haue not an eye to
see withall, not a good legge to stand vpon. In which pickle
if anj^e of them happen to be iustled downe by a post
(that in spite of them will take the wall) and so reeles them
into the kennell, who takes them vp or leades them home ?
who has them to bed, and with a pillow smothes this stealing
so of good liquor, but that brazen-face Candle-light ? Nay
more, hee intices their verie Prentices to make their
desperate sallyes out, & quicke retyres in (contrarie to the
Oath of their Indentures) which are seuen 3^eares a swearing,
onely for their Pintes, and away.

Tush, this is nothing : yong shopkeepers that haue but
newly ventured vpon the pikes of marriage, who are euery
houre shewing their wares to their Customers, plying their
businesse harder all da}^ then Vulcan does his Anuile, and
seeme better husbands than Fidlers that scrape for a poore
lining both day and night, yet euen these if they can but
get Candle-light, to sit vp all night with them in any house
of Reckning (thats to say in a Tauerne) they fall roundly to
play the London prize, and thats at three seuerall weapons,
Drinking, Dauncing, & Dicing, Their wiues lying aU that

32 THE SEVEN DEADLY

time in their beds sighing like widowes, which is lamentable :
the giddie-braind husbads wasting the portions they had
with them , which lost once, they are (like IVIaiden-heades)
neuer recouerable. Or which is worse, this going a Bat-
fowling a nights, beeing noted by some wise yong-man or
other, that knowes how to handle such cases, the bush
is beaten for them at home, whilest they catch the bird
abroade, but what bird is it ? the Woodcocke.

Neuer did any Cittie pocket vp such wrong at the hands
of one, ouer whom she is so iealous, and so tender, that in
Winter nights if he be but missing, and hide himselfe in the
darke, I know not how many Beadles are sent vp and downe
the streetes to crie him : yet you see, there is more cause
she should send out to curse him. For what Villanies
are not abroad so long as Candle-light is stirring ? The
Seruing-man dare then walke with his wench : the Priuate
Puncke (otherwise called one that boords in London)
who like a Pigeon sits biUing all day within doores, and
feares to steppe ouer the thresholde, does then walke the
round till midnight, after she hath beene swaggering
amongst pottle pots and Vintners boyes. Nay, the sober
Perpetuana suited Puritane, that dares not (so much as
by Moone-light) come neere the Suburb-shadow of a house,
where they set stewed Prunes befor you, raps as boldly
at the hatch, when he knowes Candle-light is within, as if
he were a new chosen Constable. When al doores are lockt
vp, when no eyes are open, when birds sit silent in bushes,
and beasts lie sleeping vnder hedges, when no creature can
be smelt to be vp but they that may be smelt euery night
a streets length ere you come at them, euen then doth this
Ignis fatuus {Candle-light) walke like a Fire-drake into
sundrie corners. If you will not beleeue this, shoote but
your eye through the Iron grates into the Cellers of Vint-
ners, there you shall see him hold his necke in a lin, made
of a clift hoope-sticke, to throttle him from telHng tales,
whilest they most abhominably iumble together all the

SINNES OF LONDON 33

papisticall drinkes that are brought from beyond-sea :
the poore wines are rackt and made to confesse anie thing :
the Spanish & the French meeting both in the bottome of
the Cellar, conspire together in their cups, to lay the
Englishman (if he euer come into their company) vnder
the boord.

To be short, such strange mad musick doe they play vpon
their Sacke-buttes, that if Candle-light beeing oner come
with the steeme of newe sweete Wines, when they are at
worke, shoulde not tell them tis time to goe to bedde, they
would make all the Hogges-heads that vse to come to
the house, to daunce the Cannaries till they reeld againe.
When the Grape-mongers and hee are parted, hee walkes
vp and downe the streetes squiring olde Mdwiues to anie
house, (verie secretly) where any Bastards are to be brought
into the worlde. From them, (about the houre when
Spirits walke, and Cats goe a gossipping) hee visits the
Watch, where creeping into the Beadles Cothouse (which
standes betweene his legges, that are lapt rounde about
with peeces of Rugge, as if he had newe strucke off Shackles)
and seeing the Watch-men to nodde at him, hee hydes
himselfe presently, (knowing the token) vnder the flappe
of a gowne, and teaches them (by instinct) howe to steale
nappes into their heades, because hee sees all their
Cloakes haue not one good nappe vppon them : and vppon
his warrant snort they so lowde, that to those Night-walkers
(whose wittes are vp so late) it serues as a Watch-worde to
keepe out of the reach of their browne Billes : by which
meanes they neuer come to aunswere the matter before
maister Constable, and the Bench vppon which his men
(that shoulde watch) doe sitte : so that the Counters are
cheated of Prisoners, to the great dammage of those that
shoulde haue their mornings draught out of the Garnish.

O Candle-light, Candle-light ! to howe manie costly
Sacke-possets, and reare Banquets hast thou beene inuited
by Prentices and Kitchen-maidens ? When the Bell-man
3

34 THE SEVEN DEADI.Y

for anger to spie (such a Purloyner of Cittizens goods) so
many, hath bounced at the doore like a madde man. At
which (as if Robin Good-fellow had beene coniur'd vp
amongst them) the Wenches haue falne into the handes of
the Greene-sicknesse, and the yong fellowes into colde
Agues, with verie feare least their maister (like olde leronimo
and Isabella his wife after him) starting out of his naked
bed should come downe (with a Weapon in his hande) and
this in his mouth : What out-cryes full vs from our naked
bedde ? Who calks ? &c. as the Players can tell you. O
Candle-light, howe hast thou stuncke then, when they haue
popt thee out of their companye : howe hast thou taken
it in snuffe, when thou hast beene smelt out especially the
maister of the house exclayming, that by day that deede
of darknesse had not beene. One Vennie more with thee,
and then I haue done.

How many lips haue beene worne out with kissing at the
street doore, or in y* entry (in a winking bhnd euening ?)
how many odde matches and vneuen manages haue been
made there betweene young Prentises and there maisters
daughters, whilest thou (O Candle-light) hast stood watching
at the staires heade, that none could come steaHng downe
by thee, but they must bee scene ?

It appeares by these articles put in against thee, that
thou art partly a Bawd to diuerse loose sinnes, and partly
a Coozener : for if any in the Cittie haue badde wares
lying deade vppon their handes, thou art better than Aqua
vitce to fetch life into them, and to sende them packing.
Thou shaft therefore bee taken out of thy proude Chariot,
and bee carted : yet first will wee see what workmanship,
and what stuffe it is made of, to the intent that if it bee
not daungerous for a Cittie to keepe anie Relique belonging
to such a crooked Saint, It may bee hung vp as a monu-
ment to shewe with what dishonour thou wert driuen out
of so noble a lodging, to deface whose buildings thou hast
beene so enuious, that when thou hast beene left alone by

SINNES OF lyONDON 35

any thing that woulde take fire, thou hast burnt to the
ground many of her goodlyest houses.

Candle-lights Coach is made all of Home, shauen as thin
as Changelinges are. It is drawne (with ease) by two
Rats : the Coachman is a Chaundler, who so sweats with
yearking them, that he drops tallowe, and that feedes them
as prouender : yet are the lashes that hee giues the squeak-
ing V ermine more deadly to them then al the Ratsbane
in Bucklersburie. Painefulnesse and Studdy are his two
lyackeyes and run by him : Darknesse, Conspiracy, Oppor-
tunitie, Stratagems and Feare, are his attendants : hee's
sued vnto by Diggars in Mines, Grauers, Schollers, Mariners,
Nurses, Drunkards, Vnthriftes and shrode Husbands : hee
destroyes that which feedes him, & therefore Ingratitude
comes behinde all this, drilling them before her. The next
Diuel that is to be commaunded vp, is a very lazie one, and
will be long in rising : let vs therefore vnbinde this, and
fall to other Charmes.

/

4- Sloth :
OR
The fourth dayes Tryumph.

MAn (doubtlesse) was not created to bee an idle
fellow, for then he should bee Gods Vagabond :
he was made for other purpose then to be euer
eating as swine : euer sleeping as Dormise : euer dumb as
fishes in the Sea, or euer prating to no purpose, as birdes
of the ayre : he was not set in this Vniuersall Orchard
to stand still as a Tree, and so to bee cut downe, but
to be cut downe if he should stand still. And to haue
him remember this, he carries certaine Watches with
Larums about him, that are euer striking : for all the
Enginous Wheeles of the Soiile are continually going :
though the body lye neuer so fast bownde in Slumbers,
the imagination runnes too and fro, the phantasie flyes
round about, the vitall Spirits waike vp and downe, yea
the very pulses shew actiuitie, and their hammers are
still beating, so that euen in his very dreames, it is
whispered in his eare that hee must bee dooing some-
thing.

If hee had not these prompters at his elbows., yet euerie
member of his body (if it could speake) would chide him if
they were put to no vse, cosidering what noble workman-
ship is bestowed vpon them. For man no sooner gets vpon
his legges, but they are made so that either hee may run
or goe : when he is weary, they can giue him ease by

36

THE SEVEN DEADI.Y SINNES OF I.ONDON zi

stading still, if he will not stand, the Knees serue like
Hindges to bow vp and downe, and to let him kneele. His
armes haue artificiall cordes and stringes, which shorten
or flye out to their length at pleasure : They winde about
the bodye like a siluer Girdle, and being held out before,
are weapos to defend it : at the end of the armes, are two
beautiful Mathematicall Instruments, with fine seuerall
motions in each of them, and thirtie other mouing Engines,
by which they stirre both. His head hkewise standes
vppon three Skrewes, the one is directly forward to teach
him Prouidence, the other two are on eather side one, to
arme him with Circumspection : How busie are both the
eyes, to keepe danger from him euerie way.

But admit hee had none of these Wonderfidl Volumes to
reade ouer, yet hee sees the clowdes alwaies working : the
waters euer labouring : the earth continuallye bringing
foorth : he sees the Sunne haue a hye colour with taking
paines for the day. The Moone pale and sickly, with sitting
vp for the night : the Stars mustring their armyes together
to guard the Moone. All of them, and all that is in the
world, seruing as Schoolemaisters, & the world it selfe as
an Academ to bring vp man in knowledge, and to put him
still into action.

How then dares this nastie, and loathsome sin of Sloth
venture into a Citie amongst so many people ? who doth
he hope wil giue him entertainmet ? what lodging (thinks
he) can be taine vp, where he & his heauy-headed copany
may take their afternoones nap soundly ? for in euery
street, carts and Coaches make such a thundring as if the
world ranne vpon wheeles : at euerie comer, men, women,
and children meete in such shoales, that postes are sette vp
of purpose to strengthen the houses, least with iusthng one
another they should shoulder them downe. Besides,
hammers are beating in one place. Tubs hooping in another.
Pots clincking in a third, water-tankards running at tilt in a
fourth : heere are Porters sweating vnder burdens, there

38 THE SEVEN DEADLY

Marchants-men bearing bags of money, Chapmen (as if
they were at Leape-frog) skippe out of one shop into
another : Tradesmen (as if they were dancing Galhards)
are lusty at legges and neuer stand still : all are as busie
as countrie Atturneyes at an Assises : how then can
Idlenes thinke to inhabit heere ?

Yet the Worship full Sir, (that leades a Gentlemans life,
and dooth nothing) though he comes but slowly on (as if
hee trodde a French March) yet hee comes and with a
great trayne at his tayle, as if the countrie had brought
vp some Fellon to one of our Gayles, So is he conuaide by
nine or tenne drowsie Malt-men, that \y& nodding ouer
their Sackes, and euen a moste sleepie and still Triumph
begins his entrance at BisJwpsgate.

An armie of substantiall Housholders (moste of them
liuing by the hardnesse of the hand) came in Battaile
array, with spred Banners, bearing the Armes of their
seuerall occupations to meete this Cowardly Generall and
to beate him backe. But hee sommoning a parlee, ham-
mered out such a strong Oration in praise of Ease, that they
all strucke vp their Drums, flung vp their Round-Cappes,
and (as if it had beene another William the Conqueror) came
marching in with him and lodged him in the quietest
streete in the Cittie, for so his Lazinesse requested.

Hee then presently gaue licenses to all the Vintners, to
keepe open house, and to empt3^e their Hogsheades to all
commers, who did so, dying their grates into a drunkards
blush (to make them knowne from the Grates of a prison)
least customers should reele away from them, and hanging
out new bushes, that if men at their going out, could not
see the signe, yet they might not loose themselues in the
bush. He likewise gaue order that dicing-houses, and
bowHng alleyes should be erected, whereupon a number of
poore handy-crafts-men, that before wrought night and day,
made stocks to theselues of ten groates, & crowns a peece,
and what by Betting, Lurches, Rubbers and such tricks,

SINNES OF LONDON 39

they neuer tooke care for a good daies worke afterwards.
For as Letchery is patron of al your Suburb Colledges, and
sets vp Vaulting-houses, and Daunsing-Schooles : and as
Drunkennesse when it least can stand, does best hold vp
Alehouses, So Sloth is a founder of the Almeshouses first
mentioned, & is a good Benefactor to these last.

The Players prayed for his comming, they lost nothing by
it, the comming in of tenne Embassadors was neuer so
sweete to them, as this our sinne was : their houses smoakt
euerye after noone with Stinkards, who were so glewed
together in crowdes with the Steames of strong breath,
that when they came foorth, their faces lookt as if they had
beene perboylde : And this Comicall Tearme-time they
hoped for, at the least all the summer, because tis giuen
out that Sloth himselfe will come, and sit in the two-pennie
galleries amongst the Gentlemen, and see their Knaueries
and their pastimes.

But alas ! if these were the sorest diseases [Thou noblest
City of the now-noblest Nation) that Idlenes does infect thee
with : thou hast Phisick sufiicient in thy selfe, to purge thy
bodie of them. No, no, hee is not slothful!, that is onelye
lazie, that onetye wastes his good houres, and his Siluer in
Luxury, & licentious ease, or that onely (like a standing
water) does nothing, but gather corruption : no, hee is the
true Slothfull man that does no good. And how many
would crie Guilty vnto thee, if this were their Inditement ?
Thy Maiestrates that (when they see thee most in danger)
put vp the swordes, that lustice hath guided, to their
loynes, & flie into the countrie, leaning thee destitute of
their Counsell, they would crie guilt}^ they are slothfull.

Thy Phisitions, that fearing to die by that which they
liue, {sicknes) doe most vnkindely leaue thee when y" art
ready to lye vpon thy death bed. They are slothful, They
would crie Guilty. Thy great men, and such as haue been
thy Rulers, that being taken out of poore Cradles, &
nursed vp by thee, haue fild their Gofers with golde, and

40 THE SEVEN DEADI.Y

their names w* honour, yet afterwards growing weary of
thee, (Hke Mules hauing suckt their dammes) most ingrate-
fully haue they stolne from thee, spending those blessings
which were thine, vpon those that no way deserue them.
Are not These Slothful ? They would crie guiltye. There
is yet one more, whome I would not heare to Cry Guilty,
because (of all others) I would not haue them slothfull.
\ O you that speake the language of Angels, and should
indeed be Angels amogst vs, you that haue offices aboue
those of Kinges, that haue warrat to comaund Princes, &
controle them, if they doe amisse : you that are Stewards
ouer the Kings house of heauen, and lye heere as Embas-
sadors about the greatest State-matters in the world :
what a dishonour were it to your places, if it should bee
knowne that you are Sloathfull ? you are sworne labourers,
to worke in a Vineyard, which if you dresse not carefully,
if you cut it not artificially, if you vnderprop it not wisely
whe you see it laden, if you gather not the fruites in it,
when they bee ripe, but suffer them to drop down, and
bee eaten vp by Swine, O what a deere account are you
to make him that must giue you your hire ? you are the
Beames of the Sun that must ripen the Grapes of the Vine,
& if you shine not cleerely, he will ecHpse you for euer :
your tongues are the instruments y' must cut off rancke &
idle Sprigs, to make the bearing-braunches to spred, and vn-
lesse you keep them sharpe, and be euer pruning with them,
he will cast you by, and you shall be eaten vp with rust.
The Church is a garden and you must weede it : it is a
Fountaine, & you must keepe it cleere : it is her Husbands
lewell, and you must poUish it : it is his best belooued, and
you must keepe her chast.

Many Merchants hath this Cittie to her Sonnes, of al
which you are the most noble, you trafficke onely for mens
Soules, sending them to the I^and of Promise, and to the
heauenly lerusalem, and receiuing from thence (in Exchange)
the ritchest Commoditie in the world, your owne saluation.

\

SINNES OF LONDON 41

O therefore bee not you Slothfull : for if being chosen
Pilots, you Sleepe, and so sticke vpon Rockes, you hazard
your owne shipwracke more then theirs that venture with
you.

What a number of Colours are heere grounded, to paint
out Sloth in his vglines, and to make him loathed, whilst
he (yawning, and his Cliin knocking nods into his brest)
regardes not the whips of the moste crabbish Satyristes. f
Let vs therfore looke vpon his Horse-litter that hee rides
in, and so leaue him.

A couple of vnshodde Asses carry it betweene them, it is
all sluttishly ouergrowne with Mosse on the out-side, and
on the inside quilted through out with downe pillowes :
Sleepe and Plenty leade the Fore-Asse ; a pursie double
chind Lcena, riding by on a Sumpter-horse with prouader
at his mouth, & she is the Litter-Driiier : shee keepes two
Pages, & those are an Irish Beggar on the one side, & One
that sayes he has been a Soldier on the other side. His
attendants are Sicknes, Want, Ignorace, Infamy, Bodage,
Palenes, Blockishnes, and Carelesnes. The Retayners
that wear his cloth are Anglers, Dumb Ministers, Players,
Exchange- Wenches, Gamsters, Panders, Whores and Fidlers.

s

Apish7iesse :

OR

The fift dayes Triumph.

Loth was not so slow in his march, when hee entred
the Citie, but Apishnesse (that was to take his turne

V^^ J next) was as quick. Do you not know him ? It

cannot be read in any Chronicle, that he was euer with
Henrie the eight at Bulloigne or at y* winning of Turwin &
Turnay : for (not to behe the sweete Gentleman,) he was
neither in the shell then, no nor then when P aides-steeple
and the Weathercocke were on fire ; by which markes
(without looking in his mouth) you may safely sweare,
that hees but yong, for hees a feirse, dapper fellow, more
light headed then a Musitian : as phantastically attyred as
a Court leaster : wanton in discourse : lasciuious in be-
hauiour ; iocond in good companie : nice in his trencher,
and 3'et he feedes verie hungerly on scraps of songs : he
drinkes in a Glasse well, but vilely in a deepe French-bowle :
yet much about the yeare when Monsieur came in, was
hee begotten, betweene a French Tayler, and an EngHsh
Court-Seamster. This Signior lociilento (as the diuell
would haue it) comes prawncing in at Cripplegate, and he
may well doe it, for indeede all the parts hee playes are
but con'd speeches stolne from others, whose voices and
actions he counterf eites : but so lamely, that all the Cripples
in tenne Spittle-houses, shewe not more halting. The
Grauer Browes were bent against him, and by the awfull

42

THE SEVEN DEADI^Y SINNES OF IvONDON 43

Charmes of Retierend Authoritie, would haue sent liini downe
from whence he came, for they knew howe smooth soeuer
his lookes were, there was a diuell in his bosome : But hee
hauing the stronger faction on his side, set them in a
Mutenie, Sceuitque animis ignobile vulgus, the manie headed
Monster fought as it had beene against Saint George, won
the gate, and then with showtes was the Gaueston of the
Time, brought in. But who brought him in ? None but
richmens sonnes that were left well, and had more money
giuen by will, then they had wit how to bestow it : none
but Prentises almost out of their yeers, and all the Tailors,
Haberdashers, and Embroderers that could be got for loue
or money, for these were prest secretly to the seruice, by
the yong and wanton dames of the Citie, because they would
not be scene to shewe their loue to him themselues.

Man is Gods Ape, and an Ape is Zani to a man, doing
ouer those trickes (especially if they be knauish) which hee
sees done before him : so that Apishnesse is nothing but
counterfetting or imitation : and this flower when it first
came into the Citie, had a prettie scent, and a deHghtfull
colour, hath bene let to run so high, that it is now seeded,
and where it fals there rises vp a stinking weede.

For as man is Gods ape, striuing to make artificiall
flowers, birdes, &c. like to the natural : So for the same
reason are women. Mens Shee Apes, for they will not bee
behind them the bredth of a Taylors yard (which is nothing .
to speake of) in anie new-fangled vpstart fashion. If men 1
get vp French standing collers, women will haue the
French standing coller too : if Dublets with little thick
skirts, (so short that none are able to sit vpon them,)
w omens foreparts are thick-skirted too : by surf etting vpon
which kinde of phantasticall ^/j^sAw^sse in a short time, they
fall into the disease of pride : Pride is infectious, and breedes
prodigahtie : Prodigahtie after it has runne a Uttle, closes
vp and festers, and then turnes to Beggerie. Wittie was
that Painter therefore, that when hee had hmned one of

44 THE SEVEN DEADLY

euery Nation in their proper attyres, and beeing at his
wittes endes howe to drawe an Englishman : At the last
(to giue him a quippe for his follie in apparell) drewe him
Starke naked, with Sheeres in his hand, and cloth on lais
arme, because none could cut out his fashions but himselfe.

For an EngHsh-mans suite is Hke a traitors bodie that
hath beene hanged, drawne, and quartered, and is set vp
in seuerall places : his Codpeece is in Denmarke, the collor
of his Dublet, and the belly in France : the wing and narrow
sleeue in Italy : the short waste hangs ouer a Dutch
Botchers stall in Vtrich : his huge sloppes speakes Spanish :
Polonia giues him the Bootes : the blocke for his heade
alters faster then the Feltmaker can fitte him, and thereupon
we are called in scorne Blockheades. And thus we that
mocke euerie Nation, for keeping one fashion, yet steale
patches from euerie one of them, to peece out our pride,
are now laughing-stocks to them, because their cut so
scuruily becomes us :

This sinne of Apishnesse, whether it bee in apparell, or in
diet, is not of such long life as his fellowes, and for seeing
none but women and fooles keepe him companie, the one
wil be ashamed of him when they begin to haue wrinckles,
the other when they feele their purses hght. The Magis-
trate, the wealthy commoner, and the auncient Cittizen,
disdaine to come neare him : wee were best therefore, take
note of such things as are aboute him, least on a suddaine
hee slip out of sight.

Apishnesse rides in a Chariot made of nothing but cages,
in which are all the strangest out-landish Birds that can
be gotten : the Cages are stucke full of Parats feathers :
the Coach-man is an Italian Mownti-hanck who driues a
Fawne (and a Lambe, for they drawe this Gew-gaw in
Winter, when such beasts are rarest to be had : In Sommer,
it goes alone by the motion of wheeles : two Pages in Hght
coloured suites, embrodered full of Butterflies, with wings
that flutter vp with the winde, run by him, the one being a

SINNES OF LONDON 45

dauncing boy, the other a Tumbler : His attendants are
Folly, Laughter, Inconstancie, Riot, Nicenesse, and Vain-
glorie : when his Court remoues, hee is folowed by Tobac-
conists, Shittlecock-makers , Feather -makers, Cob-web-lawne-
weauers, Perfumers, young Countrie Gentlemen, and Fooles,
In whose Ship whitest they all are sayUng, let vs obserue
what other abuses the Verdimotes Inquest doe present on
the lande, albeit they bee neuer reformed, till a second
Chaos is to bee refined. In the meane time, In noua fert
Animus.

Sh ailing :
OR
The sixt dayes Triumph.

HOw ? S hailing ! Me thinkes Barbers should crie to
their Customers winck hard and come running out
of their shoppes into the open streetes, throwing
ail their Suddes out of their learned lyatin Basons into my
face for presuming to name the Mysterie of Shauing in so
villanous a companie as these seuen are. Is that Trade
(say they) that for so many yeares hath beene held vp by
so many heades, and has out-bearded the stowtest in
England to their faces, Is that Trade, that because it is
euermore Trimming the Citie, hath beene for many yeers
past made vp into a Societie, and hath their Guild, and their
Priniledges with as much freedome as the best, must that
nowe bee counted a sinne (nay and one of the Deadly sinnes)
of the Cittie ? No, no, be not angry with me, (O you that
bandie away none but sweete washing Balles, and cast
none other then Rose-waters for any mans pleasure) for
there is Shauing within the walles of this Great Metropolis,
which you neuer dreamed of : A shauing that takes not
only away the rebeUious haires, but brings the flesh with
it too : and if that cannot suffice, the very bones must
follow. If therfore you, and Fiue companies greater then
yours, should chuse a Colonel, to lead you against this
mightie Tamhurlaine, you are too weake to make him
Retire, and if you should come to a battell, you wotdd
loose the day.

46

THE SEVEN DEADI.Y SINNES OF I.ONDON 47

For behold what Troopes forsake the Standard of the
Citie, and flie to him : neither are they base & common
souldiers, but euen those that haue borne armes a long
time. Be silent therfore, and be patient : and since there
is no remedie but that {this combatant that is so cunning
at the sharp) wil come in, mark in what triumphant and proud
manner, he is marshalled through Newgate : At which
Bulwarke (& none other) did he (in poUcy) desire to shew
himself. First, because he knew if the Citie should play
with him, as they did w* Wiat, Newgate held a nuber, that
though they were false to all the world, would be true to
him. Couragiously therfore does he enter : All of them
that had once serued vnder his colors (and were now to
suffer for the Truth, wliich they had abused) leaping vp
to the Iron lattaces, to beholde their General, & making
such a ratling with shaking their chaines for ioy, as if
Cerberus had bin come fro hell to Hue and die amongst them.
Shauing is now lodged in the heart of the Citie, but by
whom ? and at whose charges ? Mary at a common purse,
to which many are tributaries, & therfore no maruell if he
be feasted royally. The first that paid their mony towards
it, are cruel and couetous I^and-lords, who for the building
vp of a Chimny, which stands them not aboue 30. s. and
for whiting the wals of a tenement, which is scarce worth
the daubing, raise the rent presently (as if it were new put
into y^ Subsidy book) assessing it at 3. H. a yeer more then
euer it went for before : filthy wide-mouthd bandogs
they are, that for a quarters rent will pull out their minis-
ters throte, if he were their tenat : And (though it turn to
the vtter vndoing of a man) being rubd with quicksiluer,
wliich they loue because they haue mangy consciences,
they will let to a drunken Flemming a house ouer his own
coutr>--mans head, thinking hees safe enough from the
thunderbolts of their wiues and children, and from curses,
and the very vengeance of heauen, if he get by the bargaine
but so many Angels as will couer the crowne of his head.

48 THE SEVEN DEADI.Y

The next that laide downe his share, was no Sharer
among the Players, but a shauer of yong Gentlemen, before
euer a haire dare peepe out of their chinnes : and these
are Vsurers : who for a Httle money, and a greate deal of
trash : (as Fire-shouels, browne-paper, motley cloake-bags,
&c.) bring yong Nouices into a fooles Paradice till they
haue sealed the Morgage of their landes, and then Uke
Pedlers, goe they (or some FamiHar spirit for them, raizde
by the Vsurers) vp and downe to cry Commodities, which
scarce yeeld the third part of y^ sum for which they take
them vp.

There are Hkewise other Barbers, who are so well cus-
tomed, that they shaue a whole Citie sometymes in three
dayes, and they doe it (as Bankes his horse did his tricks)
onely by the eye, and the eare : For if they either see no
Magistrate comming towardes them, (as being called back
by the Common-weale for more serious imployments) or
doe but heare that hee lyes sicke, vpon whom the health
of a Cittie is put in hazard : they presently (like Prentises
vpon Shoue-tuesday) take the lawe into their owne handes,
and doe what they Ust. And this I^egion consists of Market-
folkes. Bakers, Brewers, all that weigh their Consciences in
Scales. And lastly, of the two degrees of CoUiers, viz.
those of Char-coles, and those of New-castle. Then haue
you the Shauing of Fatherlesse children, and of widowes,
and thats done by Executors. The Shauing of poore
CHents especially by the Atturneyes Clearkes of your Courts,
and thats done by writing their Billes of costs vpon
Cheuerell. The Shauing of prisoners by extortion, first,
taken by their keepers, for a prison is builded on such ranke
and fertil ground, that if poore wretches sow it with hand-
fiilles of small debts when they come in, if they lie there
but a while to see the comming vp of them : the charges
of the house will bee treble the demaund of the Creditor.
Then haue you Brokers y* shaue poor men by most iewish
interest : marry the dimls trimme them so soone as they

SINNES OF I.ONDON 49

haue washed others. I wil not tell how Vintners shaue
their Guestes with a Httle peece of Paper not aboue three
fingers broade ; for their roomes are like Barbars Chaires :
Men come into them wiUingly to bee Shauen. Onely (which
is worst) bee it knowne to thee [0 thou Queene of Cities) thy
Inhabitants Shaue their Consciences so close, that in the
ende they growe balde, and bring foorth no goodnesse.

Wee haue beene quicke (you see) in Trimming this Cutter
of Queene Hith, because tis his propertie to handle others
so, let vs bee as nymble in praysing his Household-stuff e :
The best part of which is his Chariot, richly adorned, It is
drawen by foure beasts : the 2. formost are a Wolfe (which
will eate till he be readie to burst) and hee is Coach-fellow
to a she-Beare, who is cruell euen to women great with
childe : behinde them are a couple of Blood-houndes : the
Coach-man is as Informer : Two Pettifoggers that haue
beene turned ouer the barre, are his Lackies : his Hous-
hold seruants are Wit (who is his Steward) : Audacitie :
Shifting : Inexorabilitie : and Disquietness of mind : The
Meanie are (besides some persons before named) skeldring
soldiers, and begging schollers.

Crueltie :

OR

The seuenth and last dayes Triumph.

What a weeke of sinfiill Reueling hath heere bin
with these six proud I^ords of Misrule ? to
which of your Hundred parishes (O you
Citizens) haue not some one of these (if not all) remoued
their Courts, and feasted you with them ? your Perculhses
are not strong inough to keepe them out by day, your
Watchmen are too sleepy to spie their steaHng in by
night. There is yet another to enter, as great in power
as his fellowes, as subtill, as full of mischiefe : If
I shoulde name him to you, you would laugh mee to
scorne, because you cannot bee perswaded that such a
one should euer bee suffered to hue within the freedome :
yet if I name him not to you, you may in time, by him
(as by the rest) bee vndone. It is Crueltie, O strange ! mee
thinkes London should start vp out of her soUid founda-
tion, and in anger bee ready to fall vppon him, and grinde
him to dust that durst say, shee is possest with such a
deuill. Cruelty ! the verie sound of it shewes that it is no
Enghsh word : it is a Fury sent out of hel, not to inhabit
within such beautif ull walles, but amongst Turkes and Tar-
tars. The other sixe Monsters transforme themselues into
Amiable shapes, and set golden, inticing Charmes to winne
men to their Circcean loue, they haue Angelical faces to
allure, and bewitching tongues to inchaunt : But Cruelty
is a hag, horred in forme, terrible in voice, formidable in

50

THE SEVEN DEADIvY SINNES OF LONDON 51

threates, A tyrant in his very lookes, and a murderer in all
his actions.

How then commeth it to passe that heere he seekes
entertainment ? For what Cittie in the world, does more
drie vp the teares of the Widdowe, and giues more warmth
to the fatherlesse then tliis ancient and reuerend Grandam
of Citties ? Where hath the Orphan (that is to receiue great
portions) lesse cause to mourne the losse of Parents ? He
findes f oure and twentie graue Senators to bee his Fathers in-
stead of one: the Cittie it selfe to bee his Mother : her Officers
to bee his Seruants, who see that hee want nothing : her
lawes to suffer none to doe him wrong : and though he be
neuer so simple in wit, or so tender in yeares, shee lookes
as warily to that welth which is left him, as to the Apple
of her owne eye. Where haue the Leaper and the Lunatick
Surgery, and Phisicke so good cheape as heere ? their pay-
ment is onely thankes : large Hospitalls are erected (of
purpose to make them lodgings) and the rent is most easie,
onely their prayers : yet for all this, that Charitie hath
her Armes full of children, & that tender-brested Compas-
sion is still in one street or other dooing good workes :
off from the Hindges are one of the 7. Gates readie to bee
hfted, to make roome for this Giant : the Whiflers of your
inferior and Chiefe companies cleere the wayes before him,
men of all trades with shoutes & acclamations followed in
throges behinde him, 5^ea euen the siluer-bearded, &
seuearest lookt cittizes haue giuen him welcomes in their
Parlors.

There are in Lond, & within the buildings, y* roud
about touch her sides, & stand within her reach, Thirteene
strong houses of sorrow, where the prisoner hath his heart
wasting away sometimes a whole prentiship of yeres in
cares. They are most of them built of Freestone, but none
are free within the : cold are their imbracemets : vnwhol-
som is their cheare : dispaireful their lodgings, vncof ort-
able their societies, miserable their inhabitants : O w^hat

i

52 THE SEVEN DEADI^Y

a deale of wretchednes can make shift to lye in a little
roome ! if those 13. houses were built al together, how rich
wold Griefe be, hauing such large inclosures ? Doth cruelty
challegea freemans roome in the City because of these places?
no, the politicke body of the Republike wold be infected,
if such houses as these were not maintained, to keepe vp
those that are vnsound. Claimes he then an inheritance
here, because you haue whipping postes in your streetes
for the Vagabond ? the Stocks and the cage for the vnruely
beggar ? or because you haue Carts for the Bawde and the
Harlot, and Beadles for the Lecher ? neither. Or is it
because so many mothly Sessions are held ? so many
men, women and Children cald to a reconing at the Bar
of death for their Hues ? and so many lamentable hempen
Tragedies acted at Tiburne ? nor for this : Instice should
haue wrong, to haue it so reported. No (you Inhabitants
of this little world of people) Crueltie is a large Tree &
you all stand vnder it : you are cruel in compelhng your
Against children (for wealth) to goe into loathed beds,

Manages. for thcrby you make |them bond-slaues :
what ploughman is so fooHsh to yoake young hecfars &
old bullocks together ? yet such is your husbandry. In
fitting your Coaches with horses, you are very curious to
haue them (so neere as you ca) both of a colour, both of a
height, of an age, of proportion, and will you bee carelesse
in coupling your Children ? he into whose bosome three-
score winters haue thrust their frozen fingars, if hee be
rich (though his breath bee rancker then a Muck-hill, his
bodye more drye than Mummi, and his minde more lame
than Ignorance it selfe) shall haue offered vnto him (but it is
offered as a sacrifice) the tender boosome of a Virgin, vpon
whose fore-head was neuer written sixteene yeares : if she
refuse this Huing death (for lesse than a death it cannot
be vnto her) She is threatned to bee left an out-cast, cursd
for disobedience, raild at daily, and reuylde howerlye : to
saue her selfe from which basenes. She desprately runnes

SINNES OF LONDON 53

into a bondage, and goes to Church to be married, as if
she went to be buried. But what glorye atcheiue you in
these conquests ? you doe wrong to Time, inforcing May
to embrace December : you dishonour Age, in bringing it
into scorne for insufficiency, into a loathing for dotage,
into all mens laughter for iealousie. You make your
Daughters looke wrinckled with sorrowes, before they be
olde, & your sonnes by riot, to be beggars in midst of their
youth. Hence come it, y* murders are often contriued,
& as often acted : our countrie is woful in fresh
examples : Hence comes it, y' the Courtier giues you an
open scoflfe, y' clown a secret mock, the Cittizen y' dwels
at your threshald, a ieery frup : Hence it is, y* if you goe
by water in the calmest day, you are driuen by some
fatall storme into y' vnlucky & dangerous hauen betweene
Greenewich & London. You haue another cruelty in keep-
ing men in prison so long, til sicknes & death deal mildely
with them, and (in despite of al tyranny) baile Against
them out of all executions. When you see a dUors.
poore wretch that to keep life in a loathed body hath not
a house left to couer his head from the tempestes, nor a
bed (but the common bedde which our Mother the earth
allowes him) for his cares to sleepe vppon, when you haue
(by keeping or locking him vp) robd him of all meanes to
get, what seeke you to haue him loose but his life ? The
miserable prisoner is ready to famish, yet that canot mooue
you, the more miserable wife is readye to runne mad with
dispaire, yet that cannot melt 3^ou : the moste of all
miserable, his Children lye crying at your dores, yet nothing
can awaken in you compassion : if his debts be heauie, the
greater and more glorious is your pitty to worke his free-
dome, if they be Hght, the sharper is the Vengeance that will
be heaped vpon your heades for your hardnes of heart.
Wee are moste like to God that made vs, when wee shew
loue one to another, and doe moste looke hke the Diuell
that would destroy vs, when wee are one anothers

54 THE SEVEN DEADI.Y

tormenters. If any haue so much flint growing about his
bosome, that he will needes make Dice of mens bones, I
would there were a lawe to compell liim to make drinking
bowles of their Sculs too : and that euerie miserable debter
that so dyes, might be buried at his Creditors doore, that
when hee strides ouer him he might thinke he still rises vp
(Hke the Ghost in leronimo) cr3dng Reuenge.

Cnieltie hath yet another part to play, it is acted (like the
Against vn- old Morralls at Maningtree) by Trades-men,
Maisters. marryc seuerall companies in the Cittie haue
it in study, and they are neuer perfect in it, till the end of
seauen yeares at least, at which time, they come oS with
it roundly. And this it is : When your seruants haue made
themselues bondmen to inioy your f ruitefull hand-maides,
thats to say, to haue an honest and thriuing Art to Hue
by : when they haue fared hardly with you by Indenture,
& like your Beasts which carry you haue patiently borne
al labours, and all wrongs you could lay vpon them.

When you haue gathered the blossomes of their youth,
and reaped the fruites of their strength, And that you can
no longer (for shame) hold them in Captiuitie, but that by
the lawes of your Country and of conscience, you must
vndoe their fetters. Then, euen then doe you hang moste
weightes at their heeles, to make them sincke downe for
euer : when you are bound to send them into the world
to Hue, you send them into the world to beg : they seru'd
you seuen yeeres to pick vp a poore Huing, and therein you
are iust, for you will be sure it shaU be a poore Huing
indeede they shall pick vp : for what do the rich cubs ?
like foxes they lay their heads together in conspiracy,
burying their leaden consciences vnder the earth, to the
intent that all waters that are wholesome in taste, and haue
the sweetnes of gaine in going downe, may be drawne
through them only, being the great pipes of their Company,
because they see tis the custome of the Citty, to haue all
waters that come thither, conueyed by such large vessels.

SINNES OF LONDON 55

and they will not breake the customes of the Citty. When
they haue the fnllnesse of welth to the brim, that it runs
ouer, they scarce will suffer their poore Seruant to take that
which runs at waste, nor to gather vp the wind-fals, when
all the great trees, as if they grew in the garden of the
Hesperides, are laden with golden apples : no, they would
not haue them gleane the scattered eares of corne, though
they themselues cary away y* full sheafes : as if Trades
that were ordaind to be Communities, had lost their first
priuiledges, and were now turned to Monopolyes. But
remember (d you Rich men) that your Seruants are your
adopted Children, they are naturahzed into your bloud,
and if you hurt theirs, you are guilty of letting out your
owne, than which, what Cruelty can be greater ?

What Gallenist or Paracelsian in the world, by all his
water-casting, and mineraU extractions, would iudge, that
this fairest-fac'de daughter of Brute, (and good daughter
to King Lud, who gaue her her name) should haue so much
corruption in her body ? vnlesse that (beeing 2700 and
now two thousand and seuen hundred yeeres o^'^" j'«'^«

•' since London

old) extreme age should fill her full of diseases ! f«^ ^''f'

1 1 p 1 1 p 1-i butlded by

Who durst not haue sworne for her, that of all Brute,
loathsome sinnes that euer bred within her, she had neuer
toucht the sinne of cruelty ? It had wont to be a Spanish
Sicknes, and hang long (incurably) vpon the body of their
Inquisition ; or else a French disease, running all ouer that
Kingdome in a Massacre ; but that it had infected the
English, especially the people of this now once-againe
N ew-reard-Troy , it was beyond beUefe. But is she cleerely
purg'd of it by those pills that haue before bin giuen her ?
Is she now sound ? Are there no dregs of this thick and
pestilenciall poyson, eating still through her bowels ? Yes :
the vgliest Serpent hath not vncurld himselfe. She hath
sharper and more black inuenomed stings within her, than
yet haue bin shot forth.

There is a Cruelty within thee (faire Troynouant) worse

56 THE SEVEN DEADLY

and more barbarous then all the rest, because it is halfe
Against against thy owne selfe, and halfe against thy

want ofpia- Dead Sonnes and Daughters. Against thy dead
riJiin ex- children wert thou cruell in that dreadfuU,
sicknes° horrid, and Tragicall yeere, when 30000. of them

^^°^' (struck with plagues from heauen) dropt downe

in winding-sheets at thy feet. Thou didst then take away
all Ceremonies due vnto them, and haledst them rudely to
their last beds (like drunkards) without the dead mans
musick (his Bell.) Alack, this was nothing : but thou
tumbledst them into their euerlasting lodgings (ten in one
heape, and twenty in another) as if all the roomes vpo earth
had bin full. The gallant and the begger lay together ;
the scholler and the carter in one bed : the husband saw
his wife, and his deadly enemy whom he hated, within a
paire of sheetes. Sad & vnseemely are such Funeralls :
So felons that are cut downe from the tree of shame and
dishonor, are couered in the earth : So souldiers, after a
mercilesse battaile, receiue vnhansome buriall. But suppose
the Pestiferous Deluge should againe drowne this Httle world
of thine, and that thou must be compeld to breake open
those caues of horror and gastUnesse, to hide more of thy
dead houshold in them, what rotten stenches, and con-
tagious damps would strike vp into thy nosthrils ? thou
couldst not lift vp thy head into the aire, for that (with
her condensed sinnes) would stifle thee ; thou couldst not
diue into the waters, for that they being teinted by the ayre,
would poison thee. Art thou now not cruell against thy
selfe, in not prouiding (before the land-waters of Affliction
come downe againe vpon thee) more and more conueuient
Cabins to lay those in, that are to goe into such farre
countries, who neuer looke to come back againe ? If thou
shouldst deny it, the Graues when they open, will be
witnesses against thee.

Nay, thou hast yet Another Cruelty gnawing in thy
bosome ; for what hope is there y* thou shouldst haue

SINNES OF I.ONDON 57

pitty ouer others, when thou art vnmercifull to thy self !
Ivooke ouer thy walls into thy Orchards and Against
Gardens, and thou shalt see thy seruants and utsTon'tot""'
apprentises sent out cunningly by their Masters ^y"/^,,'^^^
at noone day vpon deadly errands, when they f<'<'^<^^-
perceiue that the Armed Man hath struck them, yea euen
whe they see they haue tokens deliuered them from heauen
to hasten tliither, then send they them forth to walke vpon
their graues, and to gather the flowers theselues that
shall stick their own Herse. And this thy Inhabitants do,
because they are loth & ashamd to haue a writing ouer
their dores, to tell that God hath bin there, they had rather
all their enemies in the world should put them to trouble,
then that he should visit them.

Looke againe ouer thy walls into thy Fields, and thou
shalt heare poore and forsaken wretches lye groaning in
ditches, and trauailing to seeke out Death vpon thy com-
mon hye wayes. Hauing found him, he there throwes downe
their infected carcases, towards wliich, all that passe by,
looke, but (till common shame, and common necessity
compell) none step in to giue them buriall. Thou setst vp
posts to whip them when they are aliue : Set vp an Hospitall
to comfort them being sick, or purchase ground for them to
dwell in when they be well, and that is, when they be dead.

Is it not now hye time to sound a Retreate, after so terrible
a battaile fought betweene the seuen Electors of j-he Con-
the Low Inf email Countryes, and one Uttle Citty ? «'"«'<"••
What armyes come marching along with them ? What
bloudy cullors do they spread ? What Artillery do they
mount to batter the walls ? How vahant are their seuen
Generalls ? How expert ? How full of fortune to conquer ?
Yet nothing sooner ouerthrowes them, than to bid them
battaile first, and to giue them defiance.

Who can denye now, but that Sintie (hke the seuen-headed
Nylus) hath ouerflowed thy banks and thy buildings (d thou
glory of Great Brittaine) and made thee fertile (for many

58 THE SEVEN DEADI.Y

yeeres together) in all kindes of Vices ? Volga, that hath
fift}^ streames falhng one into another, neuer ranne with so
swift and vnresistable a current, as these Black-waters do,
to bring vpon thee an Inundation. If thou (as thou hast
done) kneelest to worship this Beast with Seuen Crowned
Heads, and the Whore that sits vpon it, the fall of thee
(that hast out-stood so many Citties) will be greater then that
of Babylon. She is now gotten within thy walls ; she rides
vp and downe thy streetes, making thee drunke out of her
cup, and marking thee in the forhead with pestilence for
her owne. She causes Violls of wrath to be powred vpon
thee, and goes in triumph away, when she sees thee falhng.
If thou wilt be safe therefore and recouer health, rise vp
in Armes against her, and driue her (and the Monster that
beares her) out at thy Gates. Thou seest how prowdly
and impetuously sixe of these Centaures (that are halfe
man, halfe beast, and halfe diuell) come thundring alongst
thy Habitations, and what rabbles the}^ bring at their heeles;
take now but note of the last, and marke how the seuenth
rides : for if thou findest but the least worthy quahty in
any one of them to make thee loue him, I will write a
Retractation of what is inueyd against them before, and
poUish such an Apology in their defence, that thou shalt
be enamored of them all.

The body and face of this Tyrannous Commander, that
leades thus the Reareward, are already drawne : his Chariot
is framed all of ragged Flint so artificially bestowed, that as
it runnes, they strike one another, and beate out fire that
is able to consume Citties : the wheeles are many, and
swift : the Spokes of the wheeles, are the Shinbones of
wretches that haue bin eaten by misery out of prison. A
couple of vnruly, fierce, and vntamed Tygers (cald Murder
and Rashnes) drew the Chariot : Ignorance holds the reynes
of the one, and Obduration of the other : Selfe-will is the
Coachman. In the vpper end of the Coach, sits Cruelty alone,
vpon a bench made of dead mens sculls. All the way that

SINNES OF I.ONDON 59

he rides, he sucks the hearts of widdowes and father-lesse
children. He keepes neither foote-men nor Pages, for none
will stay long with him. He hath onely one attendant
that euer followes him, called Repentance, but the Beast
that drawes him, runnes away with his good Lord and
Master so fast before, that Repentance being lame (and
therefore slow) tis alwayes very late ere he comes to him.
It is to be feared, that Cruelty is of great authority where
he is knowne, for few or none dare stand against him :
Law only now and then beards him, and stayes him, in
contempt of those that so terribly gallop before him : but
out of the lyawes hands, if he can but snatch a sheathed
sword (as oftentimes hee does) presently hee whips it out,
smiting and wounding with it euery one that giues him
the least crosse word. He comes into the Citty, commonly
at All-gate, beeing drawne that way by the smell of bloud
about the Barres, (for by his good will he drinks no other
liquor :) but when hee findes it to be the bloud of Beasts
(amongst the Butchers) and not of men, he flyes hke
Hghtning along the Causey in a madnes, threatning to
ouer-runne all whom he meetes : but spying the Brokers
of Hownsditch shufHing themselues so long together (hke a
false paire of Cards) till the Knaues be vppermost, onely to
doe homage to him, he stops, kissing all their cheekes, calHng
them all his deerest Sonnes ; and bestowing a damnable
deale of his blessing vpon them, they cry, Roonie for Cruelty,
and are the onely men that bring him into the Citty :
To follow whom vp and downe so farre
as they meane to goe with him,

— Dii me terrent, & lupiter hostis.

FINIS.

Tho. Dekker.

APPENDIX

I AM indebted to my friend Mr. F. P. Wilson for the
suggestion that the elaborate descriptions of the chariot,
wheels, horses, coachmen etc., of the seven Sins, with
which the entry of each of them into London is concluded,
may owe something either directly to St. Bernard (whom
Dekker quotes in his Fonre Birdes of Noah's Arke, 1613),
or to the account of the ' Foure wheeles of the chariot of
coueteousnesse ' given in 1584 by George Whetstone, in his
book A MIROVR \ For Magestrates \ Of CYTIES. The
passage occurs at sig. I. i. verso, and runs : ' 5. Bernard
saith, y* the accursed chariot of coueteousnesse, is drawen
with foure disloyal wheeles of vices, vz. Pusalanimite, Crueltie
misprising of God, and forgetfulnesse of certaine death. The
two horses are named Theft, & Hardnesse. The waggoner
is Earnest desire to haue, who vseth two sharpe whippes :
the one called Disordered appetite to get, the other, Feare to
loose.'

To anyone who reads Dekker 's seven descriptions after
this passage, there can remain no doubt of his indebtedness,
and I fear to weaken a good case by suggesting that there may
be an acknowledgement (whether conscious or not) of the
debt in the fact that Dekker's ' Chariot . . . that Lying is
drawne in, is made al of whetstones ' (28. i.). Still, on the
1584 title-page the earher author's name was given as
Whetstones, as it was on that of his English Myrror in 1586 ;
and Dekker enjoyed a pun.

61

NOTES

THE following notes, with some rare exceptions, are
intended only for the brief explanation of such
terms as might puzzle the average reader of
to-day. Abbreviations are not annotated ; they consist
of y* (the), y*' (that), y" (thou), w* (with), and the sign -
over a vowel, denoting the omission of a following n or m
(the = then or them).

P. 3, 2. Henry Fernior : apparently a minor patron of literature.
To him, in 1608, George Wilkins dedicated his novel of The
Painfull Adventures of Pericles Prince of Tyre.

P. 4, 14. Skeldring : this word has two chief senses ; to beg
(especially with the aid of pretending to be an old soldier) ;
and to swindle, cheat, defraud. See 49, 20 and note.

P. 5, 21. Conr adits Gesner : famous for his series of five books on
natural history, completed by 1587.

P. 9, I. in her streetes : in the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, 1572 ;
see 55, 27.

P. 10, 25. that Wonderfull yeere : in his side-notes, here and on
p. 56, Dekker gives this year as 1602. We should call it 1603,
as Dekker himself did in the title of his pamphlet The Wonder-
full Yeare 1603 (published in that year), but he was working
from the yearly Bills of Mortality, which extended from Decem-
ber to December.

P. 10, 31. Namque . . . refugit : Dekker has in mind Aeneas'
mournful words to Dido, JEneid ii. 10-13:

Sed, si tantus amor casus cognoscere nostros,
Et breviter Trojse supremum audire laborem,
Quanquam animus meminisse horret, luctuque refugit,
Incipiam.

The allusion gains peculiar point from the supposed Trojan
origin of the victims of the plague ; see 55, 17-36, and note.
P. 13, 1. Politick : premeditated and fraudulent.

63

64 NOTES

P. 14, 8. one artn'd with an extemporall speech : the Elizabethan
journalist was well aware of the comic side of civic or academic
addresses of welcome, and indeed of rhetorical exercises in
general. See Percy Reprints No. I, Nashe's Vnfortunate
Traueller, pp. 43-8.

P. 14, 16. tunde : i.e. tuned. -The t is clear enough in the Douce
and Malone copies, and is evidently correct, though Arber
reads ' f[o]unde ' and the Cambridge edition ' funde.'

P. 14, 23. iurnd off : ' turning off the ladder ' is good Elizabethan
for 'hanging.' The phrase is neatly used here to give an
unexpected meaning to ' the ladder of promotion ' in the
previous line. Nashe uses ' tumd ouer ' in the same sense
(Percy Reprints No. I, 55, 3).

P. 15, 3. Vpsy-Freeze, Crambo, Parmizant : these were regular
tippling terms. The first was applied to swilling in the Frisian
manner, and the last commemorates the drinkers of Parma,
but Crambo still awaits precise definition.

P. 15, 17. a Puny : a junior student in the Inns of Court,

P. 15, 21. Politician : in the usual Elizabethan sense of schemer,
conspirator. See 16, 31.

P. 16, 10. Anatomize : dissect.

P. 17, 20. Nam crimine : a reminiscence of the words, et crimine
ab uno Disce omnes, with which .^neas introduces the treachery
of Sinon ; ^neid ii. 65-66.

P. 17, 31. veluet-garded : a velvet-guard was either a trimming of
velvet, or its wearer. These trimmings were affected by
prosperous citizens, and Hotspur's inimitable lines on such
precisiajis in dress and speech are well known (I. Hen. IV., III.
i. 250-60).

P. 18, 5. The Third House : perhaps successive possession by three
generations in the owner's family (cf. tertius heres in Roman
law).

P. 19, 20. Falling : the husband of Juliet's nurse (Romeo and
Juliet, I. iii.) is the only fit commentator for this passage.

P. 20, 16. Derick : he became hangman about 1601, and continued
in the office till about 1647. The modem derrick, a crane,
preserves his memory.

P. 20, 23. welted : Dekker's Newes from Hell shows that usurers
' went in black veluet coats, and welted gownes '.

P. 20, 26. the Noble Science ; see 5, 4, and note. This challenge
by a German swordsman was evidently well known at the
time, but I have not found other allusions to it.

P. 21, 14. Legiar : ambassador.

P. 22, 10. execution : of a wTrit ; see 53, 19.

NOTES 65

P. 24, 21. bottles: the usual word for a bundle of hay suggests

the pun.
P. 27, 4. paynted posts : the accepted sign of such houses.
P. 27, 14. giue Armes : exhibit armorial bearings.
P. 28, 6-8. Knights . . . Post: a knight of the post was the

regular term for a professional false witness. For Post and

Pair the N.E.D. quotes Nares : ' A game on the cards, played

with three cards each, wherein much depends on vying, or

betting on the goodness of your o^\^l hand.'
P. 28, 9. Scamhling : rapacious.
P. 30, 23. circle : that drawn by a magician for purposes of

conjuration.
P. 30, 32. o private Play-house : the private playhouses, not being

open to the weather, could be darkened for scenic illusion.
P. 31, 14. battles : clubs.

P. 32, 8. Woodcocke : habitual Elizabethan slang for a simpleton.
P. 32, 22. Perpetuana suited Puritane : Perpetuana was ' a durable

fabric of wool manufactured in England from the sixteenth

century. ' — N.E.D.
P. 32, 24. stewed Prunes : these appear to have been regularly

provided in the houses already referred to at 27, 4. Such

houses were naturally most frequent in the suburbs, which were

outside the jurisdiction of the city.
P. 33, 2. rackt : to rack wine is the technical phrase for drawing

it from off the lees ; hence the pun.
P. 33, 12. the Cannaries : a lively Spanish dance, supposed to have

originated in the Canary Islands. There is a punning suggestion

that they had ' drunk too much canaries ', which was (as Mistress

Quickly told Doll Tear sheet) ' a marvellous searching wine.'
P. 33, 18. t}ie Beadles Cothouse : the N.E.D.. quoting this passage,

defines cothouse as ' a slight shelter, a shed, outhouse, etc'

Presumably it resembled those still in use by road-menders.
P. 33, 28. browne Billes : halberds.
P. 33, 31. the Counters : the tliree Counters were chiefly employed

as prisons for debt and minor offences.
P. 33> 33- ^^^ Garnish : ' money extorted from a new prisoner,

either as a jailer's fee, or as drink-money for the other prisoners.'

—N.E.D.
P. 33, 35. reare : imperfectly cooked, underdone.
P. 33, 36. the Bell-man : the public watchman, equipped with

bell and lantern.
P. 34, 6. What out-cryes . . . calles : a free version of the famous

opening of the fifth scene of the second act of Kyd's Spanish
Tragedie, when old Jeronimo rushes down to find his son

66 NOTES

Horatio hanged in the bower in his garden. This in his mouth
suggests that Dekker has in mind the woodcut on the title-
page of the quarto, which represents Jeronimo, Bel-imperia,
and one of the murderers, each with a scroll of words issuing
from the mouth. Jeronimo 's words are ' Alas it is my son
Horatio ', but Dekker would remember merely the scroll.
Naked bed may serve to remind the reader of to-day that
night-gowns are a modem invention.

P. 34, 13. in snuff e : in bad part.

P. 34, 15. Vennie : bout (at fencing).

P. 35, 6. yearking : lashing.

P. 35, 9. Bitcklersburie : a street, well known for its druggists, ofl
Walbrook.

P. 35, 13. slirode Husbands: I take shrewd to be used here in a
good sense, to give the opposite of Vnthriftes : those who
husband their resources carefully.

P. 37, 2-10. Hindges . . . Mathematicall Instruments . . . Engines
. . . Skrewes : the comparison of man to a machine was
familiar to Elizabethan thought ; Hamlet touches on it in his
letter to Ophelia (II. ii. 124), and Dowden, commenting on the
passage, cites the full treatment of the subject in T. Bright's
Treatise of Melancholy, 1586.

P. 37, 30. as if the world ranne vpon wheeles : as it does in old
Merrythought's song in the fifth act of The Knight of the
Burning Pestle :

With hey, trixy, terlery-whiskin,
The world it runs on wheels.

P. 38, 16. by the hardnesse of the hand : by manual occupations,
like the ' hard-handed men, that work in Athens here ' who
presented Bottom's tedious brief scene.

P. 38, 27. their grates : the red lattices (tlirough which Bardolph
called to Falstaff's page) which betokened the windows of an
alehouse.

P. 38, 30. bushes : another usual sign of a drinking-house ; whence
the proverb ' Good wine needs no bush.'

P. 38, 36. Lurches, Rubbers : the term ' lurch ' was ' used in various
games to denote a certain concluding state of the score, in
which one player is enormously ahead of the other.' — N.E.D.
' Rubber ' is still in regular use for a set of games, extending if
necessary to three, in which the third is decisive.

P. 39, 32. vnkindely : unnaturally.

P. 40, 12. The Kings house of heauen : we should now write 'the
King of heaven's house.' This is a very late use of the genitive
construction normal in Chaucer's time (e.g. ' the Greekes hors

NOTES 67

Sinon '), but Dekker is using biblical language in this passage,
and the archaism runs naturally from his pen.

P. 41, 15. LcBna : bawd.

P. 42, 8. Turwin & Turnay : Henry VIII besieged and took
Terouanne and Toumay in the late summer of 15 13. See
Percy Reprints No. I, 7, 6.

P. 42, 10. when Paules-steeple . . . on fire : the steeple was set on
fire by lighting on June 4, 1561.

P. 42, 13. feirse : brisk, vigorous ; the word is still used in this
sense in Derbyshire dialect.

P. 42, 19. much about the yeare when Monsieur came in : Francis,
Duke of Anjou, younger brother of Henry III, came to England
to treat of marriage with Elizabeth towards the end of October,
1581, and left in the following February.

P. 43, 7. the Gaueston of the Time : we probably owe the allusion
to Marlowe's character of Gaveston in Edward II.

P. 43, 16. Zani : mimic.

P. 43, 19. flower when : i.e. flower which when.

P. 43, 36. that Painter : Andrew Bordc ; see Introduction, p. x.

P. 44, 8. Codpeece : the nearest modem equivalent would be a
sporran.

P. 44, II. Botcher : a tailor who mends old clothes.

P. 45, 7. Verdimotes Inquest : ' a judicial inquiry made by a
wardmote.' — N.E.D. A wardmote is 'a meeting of the
citizens of a ward ; esp. in the City of London, a meeting of
the liverymen of a ward under the presidency of the alderman.'

P. 46, I. Shauing ■ Cheating.

P. 46, 5. winck hard : while the customers, fearing soap-suds,
followed these instructions, the barbers made good their escape.

P. 46, 7. learned Latin Basons : latten was ' a mixed metal of
yellow colour, either identical with, or closely resembling, brass.'
— N.E.D. Puns upon it were very frequent.

P. 47, 10. Wiat : in his rising to prevent Queen Mary's Spanish
match. Sir Thomas Wyatt attempted to surprise Ludgate at
two o'clock in the morning of February 8, 1553-4. Findingthe
gate shut, and being hopeless of carrying it by assault, he was
obliged to retreat and surrender. Dekker wTOte, in collabora-
tion with John Webster, a play called The Famous History of
Sir Thomas IVyai. With the Coronation of Queen Mary, and
the coming in of King Philip, which was first printed, also by
Edward Allde, in 1607.

P. 47, 25. presently : immediately. The natural procrastination
of mankind had not yet given to ' presently ' and ' by and by '
their modem meaning.

68 NOTES

P. 47, 26. Subsidy book : the register of those liable to contribute
to Government subsidies.

P. 47, 30. qiiicksiUier : the ' quick ' is presumably introduced
only to give excuse for ' mangy ' in the following line.

P. 48, 5-9. Fire-shouels . . . Commodities : a good illustration of
the unsaleable nature of the goods which the usurer of the
time employed for the swindling of his clients, who were forced
to accept them as the whole or part of a loan, and re-sell them
at a heavy loss. The object was to evade the law, which allowed
no interest higher than 10 per cent.

P. 48, 14. Bankes his horse : one of the many references in Eliza-
bethan and later literature to the famous Morocco, reputed to
have been capable of arithmetic, divination, and dancing.

P. 48, 29. Cheuerell : kid-leather, easily stretched. Its pliability
is alluded to by Shakespeare also : ' a sentence is but a cheveril
glove to a good wit,' says Feste [Twelfth Night, III. i. 12).

P. 49, 8. Cutter of Queene Hith : bravo, bully. Queenhithe was
noted for its roughs.

P. 49, 17. Turned ouer the barre : deprived of the status of a
barrister. Nashe speaks of Lucifer as having been ' turnde
ouer heauen barre for a wrangler ' {Percy Reprints No. I,
105, 25).

P. 49, 20. skeldring : begging on fraudulent grounds : see 41,
17, One that saves he has been a Soldier, and 4, 14 and note.

P. 51, 21. worhes : the colon makes an effective pause, though
modem punctuation would use nothing heavier than a comma
after the two clauses in opposition to ' all this '.

P. 51, 32. prentiship : see note to 54, 12.

P. 52, I. a deale of wretchednesse . . . roome : Dekker has in mind
Marlowe's line in The Jew of Malta, I. 72, ' Infinite riches in a
little roome.'

P. 52, 21. hecfars : heifers.

P. 53, 15. hauen : Cuckold's Haven was a point on the Thames
below Greenwich. Allusions to it are naturally frequent in
Elizabethan literature ; the N.E.D. quotes from Day's He
of Gills, 1606, ' A young girle, married to an old man, doth
[long] to run her husband ashore at Cuckolds haven.'

P. 53, 19. executions : see 22, 10, and note.

P. 54, 7. the Ghost in leronirno : the ghost of Andrea, in Kyd's
Spanish Tragedie, appears in the Induction and between the
acts, inciting Revenge (personified) to greater activity. The
ghost is particularly insistent before the final act.

P. 54, 9. Morralls ; Morality plays. Marmingtree was famous for
its Whitsun fair.

NOTKS 69

p. 54, 12. seauen y cares : the period of a ' prentiship.'
P. 55, 17-36. datighier of Brute . . . Troynouant i according to
the popular myth of the Trojan colonisation of Britain, Brute,
the great-grandson of .^neas, reigned over England from
Troynovant (London).
P. 59, 23. paire : pack ; this regular use for a set (pair of stairs,
pair of beads, etc.) probably survives, in modem English, only
of stairs in old collegiate buildings, where such directions as
' two pair left ' may still be had from any porter.

TEXTUAL EMENDATIONS

THE following list enumerates such obvious misprints
in the Douce copy of the edition of 1606 as have
been tacitly corrected in the present text. The list
is of no interest to the general reader, and is given merely
for the information of textual critics and as a guarantee that
the text has been altered only where evident misprints
occur. One of the errors — ' Many ' for ' Mary ' at 28, 7
— was in fact corrected during the printing of the 1606
edition, and the Malone copy has ' Mary.' At 52. 31, the
speUing might at first suggest an original ' blossome,' but
bosom is required for antithesis with 52, 26 (and possibly
54, 2) , though the long f of the period gives, it must be con-
fessed, no such possibihty of mistaking s for o as is afforded
by modem script. However, as ' bossome ' is not an
EHzabethan (or any other) spelling, and ' boosome ' is, I have
ventured to make the change to the latter, which at any
rate retains the same number of letters.

The sign > stands for ' has been emended to.'

Page 4, line 12, they > the: 5. 20, Comadus > Conradus: 14. 23,
feoUwes > fellowes : 21. 26, mony > many: 28. 7, Many >
Mary: 28. 18, profanu > profanu : 30. 10, count > court:
33. 20, of > off : 39. 26, there > their : 44. 9, Duble >
Dublet : 48. 32, thery lie thee > they lie there : 51. 36, scocieties
> societies: 52. 31, bossome > boosome: 53. 11, Courtiers >
Courtier.
Mispunctuation :

Page 9, line 31, (that > that(: 24. 15, because > (because: 28. 12,
\Vliite-broth > White-broth): 30. 17, )and > (and: 36, 23,

71

72 TEXTUAL EMENDATIONS

speake > speake) : him) > him : 38. 3, Galliards ( > Galliards) :

38. 22, (and > and(: came >) came: 38. 23, him) > him:

39. 27, (that > that(: 40. 20, Swine. > Swine,: 48. 6, &c.>
&c.) : 48. 9, Commodities) > Commodities, : 48. 26, Executors,
> Executors. : 50. 9, day. > day, : 52. 24, ca, > ca) : 53. 24,
vp. > vp) : 55. 19, (that > that(.

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