s
crummes or fragments, from a frequented ordinarie: of which shreads he
shapes a cote to fit any credulous foole that will weare it. You shall
never observe him make any reply in places of publike concourse; hee
ingenuously acknowledges himselfe to bee more bounden to the happinesse of
a retentive memory, than eyther ability of tongue, or pregnancy of
conceite. He carryes his table-booke still about with him, but dares not
pull it out publikely. Yet no sooner is the table drawne, than he turnes
notarie; by which meanes hee recovers the charge of his ordinarie. Paules
is his walke in winter; Moorfields[DJ] in sommer. Where the whole
discipline, designes, projects, and exploits of the States, Netherlands,
Poland, Switzer, Crimchan and all, are within the compasse of one
quadrangle walke most judiciously and punctually discovered. But long he
must not walke, lest hee make his newes-presse stand. Thanks to his good
invention, he can collect much out of a very little: no matter though more
experienced judgements disprove him; hee is anonymos, and that wil secure
him. To make his reports more credible or, (which he and his stationer
onely aymes at,) more vendible, in the relation of every occurrent he
renders you the day of the moneth; and to approve himselfe a scholler, he
annexeth these Latine parcells, or parcell-gilt sentences, _veteri stylo,
novo stylo_. Palisados, parapets, counterscarfes, forts, fortresses,
rampiers, bulwarks, are his usual dialect. Hee writes as if he would doe
some mischiefe, yet the charge of his shot is but paper. Hee will
sometimes start in his sleepe, as one affrighted with visions, which I can
impute to no other cause but to the terrible skirmishes which he
discoursed of in the day-time. He has now tyed himselfe apprentice to the
trade of minting, and must weekly performe his taske, or (beside the losse
which accrues to himselfe,) he disappoints a number of no small fooles,
whose discourse, discipline, and discretion, is drilled from his
state-service. These you shall know by their Mondai's morning question, a
little before Exchange time; _Stationer, have you any newes?_ Which they
no sooner purchase than peruse; and, early by next morning, (lest their
countrey friend should be deprived of the benefit of so rich a prize,)
they freely vent the substance of it, with some illustrations, if their
understanding can furnish them that way. He would make you beleeve that
hee were knowne to some forraine