on the gallowes._

[_Rogue._] Gerry gan the ruffian clye thee.

_A corde in thy mouth, the deuyll take thee._

_Man._ What! stowe you bene cofe and cut benar whydds; and byng we to some
vyle to nyp a bong, so shall we haue lowre for the bousing ken and
when we byng back to the deuseauye, we wyll fylche some duddes of
the ruffemans, or myll the ken for a lagge of dudes.

_What! holde your peace, good fellowe, and speake better wordes;
and go we to London to cut a purse, then shal we haue money for the
ale-house, and when we come backe agayne into the countrey, we wyll
steale some lynnen clothes of one hedges, or robbe some house for a
bucke of clothes._"

I have been induced, from the curiosity and rarity of this tract, to
extend my account of it farther, perhaps, than many of my readers may
think reasonable, and shall, therefore, only add a specimen of Harman's
poetry, with which the original terminates.

"--> Thus J conclude my bolde beggar's booke,
That all estates most playnely maye see;
As in a glasse well pollyshed to looke,
Their double demeaner in eche degree;
Their lyues, their language, their names as they be;
That with this warning their myndes may be warmed
To amende their mysdeedes, and so lyue vnharmed."

Another tract of the same description is noticed in Herbert's Ames (p.
885.) as printed so early as in 1565. A copy of the second edition in the
Bodleian Library, possesses the following title:--"_The Fraternitye of
Uacabondes. As wel of ruflyng Vacabondes, as of beggerly, of women as of
men, of gyrles as of boyes, with their proper names and qualities. With a
description of the crafty company of Cousoners and Shifters. Whereunto
also is adioyned the xxv orders of Knaues, otherwyse called a Quartern of
Knaues. Confirmed for euer by Cocke Lorell[CM], &c. Imprinted at London by
Iohn Awdeley, dwellyng in little Britayne streete without Aldersgate.
1575._" This, although much shorter than Harman's, contains nearly the
same characters, and is therefore thus briefly dismissed. An account of
it, drawn up by the editor of the present volume, may be found in Brydges'
_British Bibliographer_, vol. ii. p. 12.

It may not be amiss to notice in this place, that a considerable part of
_The Belman of London, bringing to light the most notorious villanies that
are now practised in the kingdom, &c._ 4to. 1608, is d