gain. Thus
all things is baptized with the name of having earnest business.

The like knowledge have also the _Merchants_, _Shop-keepers,_ and
others who love company, to alledge for their excuses and defence; but
the most fashionable, give it the name of going to a sale of some
Lands and Houses, Parts of Ships, Merchandizes, Shop-Wares, Meetings,
or Arbitrations. Though many times, in more then a month, there hath
not been the least sale of any of the aforenamed Commodities, or
occasion for any such sort of businesses.

And verily whom do you see sooner or later at the Exchange then these
sort of people? And 'tis no wonder: for since they indeavour not to
have the name of _brave Negotiants_, their principallest aim is to
obtain the name of _great News-mongers,_ and that hath so much
tittle-tattle in it, that it requires a person free from all affairs
and business to be imploied therein.

Here you may perceive them to be the most diligent of all others,
oftner inquiring what tidings there are in the French, English, and
Flanders Letters; then to know what news from the Seas, concerning the
arrivall or loss of Ships, or what Merchandizes, Commodities and
Wares, are risen or fallen in price.

Nevertheless these make the greatest bawling and scolding at their
Wives, if they have not their Dinners made ready for them precisely an
hour before Change-time, just as if the main weight of all the
Traffick and Negotiation at Change, lay upon their shoulders; though
it only tends to follow the train, and to hear some news, or to seek
some Pot-Companions.

These Blades will be sure also, in the Winter time by four, and in the
Summer time by six a clock in the evening, to be precisely at the
Coffe-houses; where, under the taking of a pipe of pure Spanish
Tobacco, some dishes of Coffe, Chocolate, Sherbate, or Limonado, there
is a relation made of the newest tidings, or what is most remarkable
of things that have hapned here or there. They hear there no clock
strike, nor think upon Wives, Children, or Servants, though it were
never so late.

There's another sort of Men, that do not frequent the Exchange, and go
out only about their Shop affairs, these we see taking their pleasures
for several hours together at Queenhithe and other places, with
selling of chatwood; and when they are a weary with walking and
talking, away they go to the Plume of Feathers to rest themselves, and
call for half a pint, or a pint of Sack, and some t