_ against _Barbican_, and falleth into _West
Smithfield_. A Place also of Note for the Sale of Apparel, Linnen, and
Upholsters Goods, both Secondhand and New, but chiefly for old, for
which it is of note." See also p. 284 of the same book, and Cunningham's
_Hand Book of London_, edit. 1848, _in voce_, with the authorities and
illustrations there given. Rowlands, in his _Letting of Humors Blood in
the Head Vein_, 1611, Sign. C. 2 _verso_, celebrates this spot as one of
the principal haunts of the pawnbrokers. In _Wits Recreations_, 1640
(edit. 1817, p. 109), there is the following epigram:--

"He which for 's wife a widow doth obtain, Doth like to those that buy
clothes in _Long Lane_, One coat's not fit, another's too too old, Their
faults I know not, but th' are manifold."

Day, in the _Parliament of Bees_, 1641, 40, Sign. C, speaks very
disrespectfully of the population of Long Lane in his time. See
_Maroccus Extaticus_, 1595 (Percy Soc. ed. p. 16), Dekker's _Knights'
Conjuring_, 1607, ed. Rimbault, p. 54. Webster's Works, by Hazlitt, i.
94. and Taylor's Works, 1630, Sign. Ggg4. The _Swan_ Inn has
disappeared, but whether it has merged in the _Barley Mow_, or the _Old
Red Cow_, I do not know.

[321] Nearest.

[322] The original reading is, _so while they were doying_.

[323] Innkeeper. This form of the word continued to be used by English
writers even in the later half of the seventeenth century.

+ _How a mery man deuised to cal people to a playe._ cxxxiii.

+ A Mery man, called Qualitees,[324] on a tyme sette vp billes vpon
postes aboute London, that who so euer woulde come to Northumberlande
Place[325] should here suche an antycke plaie[326] that, both for the
mattier and handelyng, the lyke was neuer heard before. For all they
that shoulde playe therin were gentilmen.

Those bylles moued the people (whan the daye came) to come thyther
thycke and threfolde. Now he had hyred two men to stande at the gate
with a boxe (as the facion is), who toke of euery persone that came in a
peny, or an halfe peny at the least. So whan he thought the market was
at the best, he came to the gate, and toke from the men[327] the boxe
with money, and geuynge theym their duitie, bade them go into the hall,
and see the rome kepte: for hee shoulde gooe and fetche in the plaiers.
They went in, and he went out, and lockt the gate faste, and toke the
key with hym: and gat hym on hys geldynge, whiche stode ready saddilled
withou