ain in the council house, but
by open proclamation would command them to avoid whensoever anything
touching the state of the land was to be consulted upon. Pirates and
robbers by sea are condemned in the Court of the Admiralty, and hanged
on the shore at low-water mark, where they are left till three tides
have overwashed them. Finally, such as having walls and banks near
unto the sea, and do suffer the same to decay (after convenient
admonition), whereby the water entereth and drowneth up the country,
are by a certain ancient custom apprehended, condemned, and staked in
the breach, where they remain for ever as parcel of the foundation of
the new wall that is to be made upon them, as I have heard reported.

And thus much in part of the administration of justice used in our
country, wherein, notwithstanding that we do not often hear of
horrible, merciless, and wilful murders (such I mean as are not seldom
seen in the countries of the main), yet now and then some manslaughter
and bloody robberies are perpetrated and committed, contrary to the
laws, which be severely punished, and in such wise as I have before
reported. Certes there is no greater mischief done in England than by
robberies, the first by young shifting gentlemen, which oftentimes do
bear more port than they are able to maintain. Secondly by
serving-men, whose wages cannot suffice so much as to find them
breeches; wherefore they are now and then constrained either to keep
highways, and break into the wealthy men's houses with the first sort,
or else to walk up and down in gentlemen's and rich farmers' pastures,
there to see and view which horses feed best, whereby they many times
get something, although with hard adventure: it hath been known by
their confession at the gallows that some one such chapman hath had
forty, fifty, or sixty stolen horses at pasture here and there abroad
in the country at a time, which they have sold at fairs and markets
far off, they themselves in the mean season being taken about home for
honest yeomen, and very wealthy drovers, till their dealings have been
betrayed. It is not long since one of this company was apprehended,
who was before time reputed for a very honest and wealthy townsman; he
uttered also more horses than any of his trade, because he sold a
reasonable pennyworth and was a fairspoken man. It was his custom
likewise to say, if any man hucked hard with him about the price of a
gelding, "So God help me, gentlemen (