t before I promised: St. _Quintane_ be my
good speede, I know I haue runne thorow the hands of many, censured of
diuers, & girded at not of a few: But humanity is euer willinger to
loue then hate: curtesie much forwarder to commend then dispraise:
clemency infinitely proner to absolue then to condemn. Is it not
possible to find sauery hearbs among netles, roses among prickles,
berries among bushes, marrow among bones, grain among stubble, and a
little corne among a great deale of chaffe? In the rankest and
strongest poysons, pure and sweet balmes may be distilled, and some
matter or other worthy to be remembred may be embraced, whosoeuer is
Author. There is nothing so exceeding foolish but hath bene defended
by some wise man, nor any thing so passing wise, but hath bene
confuted by some foole: Tut, St. _Barnard_ saw not all things, and the
best cart may eftsoones ouerthrow: That curld pate _Rufus_ that goes
about with _Zoylus_ to carpe and finde fault, must bring the Standard
of iudgement with him, and make wisedome the moderater of his wit,
otherwise they may be like to purchase to themselues the worshipfull
names of _Dunces_ and _Dottipoles_. So much by the way.

These kinde of people about an hundred yeares agoe, about the twentith
yeare of King _Henry_ the eight, began to gather an head, at the first
heere about the Southerne parts, and this (as I am informed) and as I
can gather, was their beginning.

Certaine Egiptians banished their cuntry (belike not for their good
conditions) ariued heere in England, who being excellent in quaint
trickes and deuises, not known heere at that time among vs, were
esteemed and had in great admiration, for what with strangenesse of
their attire and garments, together with their sleights and
legerdemaines, they were spoke of farre and neere, insomuch that many
of our English loyterers ioyned with them, and in time learned their
craft and cosening. The speach which they vsed was the right Egiptian
language, with whome our Englishmen conuersing with, at last learned
their language. These people continuing about the cuntry in this
fashion, practising their cosening art of fast and loose, and
legerdemaine, purchased to themselues great credit among the cuntry
people, and got much by Palmistry, and telling of fortunes: insomuch
they pittifully cosoned the poore cuntry girles, both of mony, siluer
spoones, and the best of their apparrell, or any good thing they could
make, onely to heare