A notable discouery of coosenage Now daily practised by sundry lewd persons, called connie-catchers, and crosse-byters. Plainely laying open those pernitious sleights that hath brought many ignorant men to confusion. ... With a delightfull discourse of the coosenage of colliers. By R. Greene, Maister of Arts.

The art of Cros-biting.

THe Cros-biting law is a publique profession of shame∣les cosenage, nuxt with incestuous whoredomes, as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as was practised in Gomorha or Sodom, though not after the same vnnatural manner: for the method of their mis∣chieuous art (with blushing chekes & trembling hart let it be spoken) is, that these villanous vipers, vnworthy the name of men, base roagues (yet why doe I tearme them so well) being outcasts from God, vipers of the world, and an excremental reuersion of sin, doth consent, nay constrayn•• their wines to yeeld the vse of their bodies to other men, that taking them together, he may cros-bite the party of all the crownes he can presently make, and that the world may sée their monstrous practises, I wil briefly set down the manner.

They haue sundry praies that they cal simplers, which are men fondly and wantonly geuen, whom for a penalti•• of their lust, they fleece of al that euer they haue: some mar¦chants, prentices, seruingmen, gentlemen, yeomen, far∣mers, and all degrees, and this is their forme: there are re∣sident in London & the suburbes, certain men attir••d like Gentlemen, braue fellowes, but basely minded, who liuing in want, as their last refuge, fal vnto this cros-biting law and to maintein themselues•• either marry with some stals whore, or els forsooth keep one as their frēd: and these per∣sons be cōmonly men of the eight lawes before reh••ars••d: either high Lawiers, Uersers, N••ps, Conny-catchers, or

such of the like fraternitie. These when their other ••rades ••ail, as the Cheater, when he hath no cosin to grime with his stop dice, or y^e high lawier, when he hath no set match to ride about, and the Nip when there is no tearme, faire, nor time of great assemblie, then to maintaine the maine chance, they vse the benefite of their wiues or friends, to the cros-biting of such as lust after their filthie enormi∣ties: some simple men are drawen on by subtill meanes, which neuer in••ended such a bad matter. In summer e∣uenings, and in the winter nightes, these traf••ckes, these common truls I meane, walke abroad either in the fields or str••••tes that are commonly hanted, as stales to drawe men into h••ll, and a farre of, as attending applesquires, ce••taine cross-biters stand aloofe, as if they knew them not: now so many men so many affections. Some vn∣ruly mates that place their content in lust, letting slippe the libertie of their ••ies on their painted faces, f••ede vpon their vnchast beauties, till their hearts be set on fire: then come they to these minions, and court them with many sweet words: alas their loues needs no long sutes, for they are forthwith entertained, and either they go to the ••a∣uerne to s••ale vp the match with a pottle of Ipocras, or straight she carries him to some bad place, and there picks his pocket, or else the Cross-biters comes swearing in, & so out-face the dismaied companion, that rather then hee would be brought in ques••ion, he would disburse all that he hath present. But this is but an easie ••osnage. Some other meeting with one of that profession in the street, wil question if she will drinke with him a pint of wine, theyr trade is neuer to refuse, and if for manners they doe, it is but once: & then scarce shall they be warme in the roome, but in comes a terrible fellow, with a side hair•• & a ••car••∣full beard, as though he were one of Polyphemus cut, & he comes frowning in & saith, what hast thou to do•• base knaue-to carrie my sister or my wi••e to the tauern by his ownes you whore, tis some of your cōpanions, I wil haue

you both before the Iustice, Deputie, or Constable, to bée examined. The poore seruingman, apprentise, farmer, or whatsoeuer he is, séeing such a terrible huffe snuffe, s••rea∣ring with his dagger in his hand, is fearefull both of him and to be brought in trouble, and therfore speakes kindly and courteously vnto him, and desires him to be content he meant no harm. The whore, that hath teares at com∣maund, fals a weeping, and cries him mercy. At this sub∣mission of them both he triumphs like a bragard, and wil take no compassion: yet a last, through intreaty of other his companions comming in as strangers, hee is pacified with some forty shillings, and the poor man goes sorrow∣ful away, sighing out that which Salomon hath in his prouerbs, A shameles woman hath hony in her l••ppes, and her throte as sweet as hony, her throte as soft as oyle: but the end of her is more bitter then Aloes, and her tongue is more sharp then a two edged sword, her feet go vnto death, and her steppes leade vnto hell.

Again these ••ruls when they haue got in a no••ice, then straight they pick his purse, and then haue they their cros∣biters redy, to whom they conuey the mony and so offer themselues to be searcht: but the poore man is so outfaced by these cros-biting Russians, that hee is glad to goe a∣way content with his losse, yet are these easie practises. O might the Iustices send out spials in the night, they shold sée how these stréet walkers wiliet in rich garded gowns, queint periwigs, rufs of the largest size, quarter and halfe déep, gloried richly with blew starch, their cheekes died with surfuling water, thus are they trickt vp, and either walke like stales vp and down the stre••ts, or stande like the deuils Siquis at a tauern or alehouse, as if who shoulde say, if any be so minded to satisfie his ••ilthie lust, to lende me his purse, and the deuil his soule, let him come in and be welcome. Now sir comes by a countrey farmer, walk∣ing from his inne to perform some busines, and seeing such a gorgeous damzell, hee wondring at such a braue wench

stand staring her on the face, or perhappes doth but cast a glance, and bid her good spéed, as plain simple swains haue their lustie humors as well as others: the trull straight beginning her exordium with a smile, saith? how now my friend, what want you, would you spe••••••e with anie body here? If the felow ••aue anie bolde sp••••it, perhaps he will offer the wine, & then he is caught, tis inough: in he goes, and they are chamberd: then sends she for her husband, or hir friend, and there either the farmers pocket is stript, or else the cros-biters fall vpon him, and threaten him with bride will and the law: then for feare he giues them all in his purse, and makes them some bill to paie a summe of monie at a certaine daie. If the poore Farmer bee bash∣full, and passeth by one of these shamelesse strumpets, then will she verse it with him, and claime acquaintaunce of him, and by some pollicie or other fall aboord on him, and carr••e him into some house or other: if he but enter in at the doores with her (though the poore Farmer neuer kis•• her) yet then the cros-biters, like vultures, will pray vpon his purse, and rob him of euerie pennie. If there bée anie yong gentleman that is a nouice and hath not séene theyr traines, to hi•• will some common filth (that neuer knew loue) faine an ardent and honest affection, till she and her cros-biters haue verst him to the beggers estate. Ah gen∣tlemen, marchants, yeomen and farmers, let this to you all, and to euery degr••e else, be a caueat to warn you from lust, that your inordinate desire be not a meane to impo∣uerish your purses, discredit your good names, condemns your soules, but also that your wealth got with the sweat of your browes, or left by your parents as a patrimonie, shall be a praie to those coosning cros-biters•• Some fond men are so farre in with these detestable trugs, that they consume what they haue vpon them, and find nothing but a Neapolitan fauor ••or their labor. Reade the seuenth of Salomons prouerbs, and there at large view the descrip∣tion of a shameles and impudent curtizan: yet is there an

other kind of cros-biting which is most pestilent, and that is this. There liues about this to••ne certaine houshol∣ders, yet méere shifters and coosners, who learning some insight in the ciuill law, walke abrode like parators, sum∣ners and informers, beeing none at all either in office or credit, and they go spying about where any marchant, or marchants prentise, citizen, wealthie farmer, or other of credit, either accompany with anie woman familiarly, or else hath gotten some maide with child, as mens natures be prone to sin, straight they come ouer his fallows thus: they send for him to a tauerne, & ther open the matter vn∣to him, which they haue cunningly larned out, telling him he must be presented to the Arches, & the scitation shalbe peremptorily serued in his parish church. The partie a∣fraid to haue his credit crackt with the worshipfull of the Citie, and the rest of his neighbors, & grieuing highly his wife should heare of it, straight takes composition with this cosner for some twentie markes, nay I heard of forty pound cros-bitten at one time, & thē the cosning informer or cros-biter promiseth to wipe him out of the booke, & dis∣charge him from the matter, when it was neither know∣en nor pre••ented: so go they to the woman, and fetch her off if she be maried, and though they haue this grosse sum, yet oft times they cros-bite hir for more: nay thus to they feare citizens, prentises & farmers, that they find but any waie suspitious of the like fault. The cros-biti••g ba••ds, for no better can I tearme them, in that for lucre they conceale the sin, and smoother vp lust, do no! onely inrich themselues mightily thereby, but also discr••dite, hinder, and preiudice the court of the Arches, and the Officers belo••ging to the same. There are some pore blinde patch∣es of that facultie, that haue their Tene••ents purchased, and th••ir plate on the boorde verie solemnly, who onely get their gaines by cros-biting, as is afore rehearsed. But leauing them to the deepe insight of such as be appointed with iustice to correct vice, againe to the ••••ue of my for∣mer

Cros-biters, whose sée simple to liue vpon, is nothing but the following or common, dishonest and idle truls and thereby maintaine themselues brane, and the strumpets in handsome furniture. And to end this act with an Englishe demonstration, ile t••ll you a prety tale of late performed in bishopsgatestreet: there was there fiue trafficques, prettie, but common hufwiues, that stood fast by a tauern dore, loo∣king if some pray would come by for their purpose, anone the eldest of them•• and most experienced in that law, named Mal B. spyed a master of a ship comming along. Here is a simpler quoth she, Ile verse him, or hang me. Sir sayd shee, God euen, what are you so liberall as to bestow on vs thrée good wenches that are drie, a pint of wine. In faith, fayr•• women qd. he, I was neuer nygard for so much, and with that he takes one of them by the hande, and caries them all into the tauern, there he bestowed cheare and ipocras vpon them, drinking hard til the shot came to a noble, so that they three carousing to the Gentleman, made him somewhat tipsie, and the Et venus in vinis, ignis in igne fuit. Wel, night grewe on and hee woulde away, but this mistresse Mal B. stopt his iorney thus: gentleman qd. shee, this vndeserued fauor of yours makes vs so deepely beholding to you, that our abilitie is not able any way to make sufficient satisfa∣ction, yet to shew vs kinde in what we can, you shall not deny me this request, to see my simple house before you goe. The gentleman a little whitled, consented and went with them so the shot was payd and away they goe: without the tauern dore stood two of their husbandes, I.B. and I.R. and they were made priuie to the practise. Home goes the Gen∣tleman with these iolly huswiues stumbling, and at last hee was welcome to M. mals house, and one of the three went into a chamber, and got to bed, whose name was A.B. after they had chatted awhile, the Gentleman would haue beene gone, but shee tolde him that before he went hee shoulde see all the roomes of her house, and so ledde him vp into the chamber where the party lay in bed. Who is here sayd the

gentleman: marry sayth mal a good pretty wench sir, and if you be not wel lie downe by her, you can take no harm of her: Dronkennes desires luste, and so the Gentleman be∣gins to dally, and away goes she with the candle and at last he put off his clothes and went to bed: yet hee was not so dronke but hee could after a while remember his money, and féeling for his Purse all was gone, and three lynkes of his whistle broken off: the sum that was in his purse was in golde and siluer twenty nobles. And thus he was in a maze though his head were al laden, in comes I.B. the good man of the house, and two other with him, and he speaking somewhat loude, Peace Husband quoth shee, there is one in bed, speake not so loud. In bed, saith he, g••gs nownes, ile goe see, and so wil I saith the other: you shal not sayth hys wife, & stroue agaynst him, but vp he goes, he and his cros-biters with him, and séeing the gentleman in bed, out with his dagger, and asked what base villen it was that there sought to dishonest his wife: wel, hee sent one of them for a Constablt, and made the gentleman rise, who halfe drunk had that remembrance to giue faire words, and to intreate him to saue his credit: but no intreatie could serue, but to the Counter he must, and the Constable must be sent for: yet at last one of them intreated that the gentleman might be honestly vsed, and caried to a tauerne to talk of the mat∣ter til a Constable came. Tut saith I. B. ile haue the law vpon him. But the base cros-biter at last stoupt, and to the Tauern they went, where the gentleman did laye hys whistle to pawne for money, and there bestowed as much of them as came to ten shillings, and sate drinking, and chatting, vntil the next morrow. By that the Gentleman had stolne a nap, it waxed day light, and then seeing him∣selfe compassed with these cursed Cros-biters, and remem∣bring his nights vsage, soberly smyling, demanded of them if they could tel who he was, the aunswered no: why then, quoth he, you base cosening Rogues you shal before we d•••• part: and with that drawing his sword, stayed them in the chamber, desiring that the Constable might be sent for: but

this bra••e of his could not dismay M. Mall, for shee had biddden a sharper brunt before, witnes the time of her martirdome, when vpon her shoulders was engrauen the history of her whorish qualities: but she replying, swore, sith he was so lusty, her husband should not put it vp by no meanes. I will tel thée thou base cros-biting baud, quoth he, and you coosening companions, I serue a noble man, & for my credit with him, I refer met to the penaltie hée will impose on you, for by God I wil make you an example to all cros-biters ere I ends with you, I tel you villaines, I serue, and with that he nam••e his Lord. When the guilty whores and coseners heard of his credite and seruice, they began humbly to intreat him to be good to thē: then quoth he, first deliuer me my mony, they vpon that gladly gau•• him all, and restored the linkes of his chaine. When hee had all, he smiled, and sware afresh that he would torment them for al this, that the seueritie of their punishment might be a ••aueat to others to beware of the like coose∣nage: and vppon that knock•• with his foote, and sayde hee would not let them go til he had a constable. Then in ge∣neral they humbled themselues, so recompencing the par∣tie, that he agreed to passe ouer the matter, conditionallie beside, that they would pay the sixtéene shillinges h••e had spent in charges, which they also performed. The Gentle∣man stept his way, and said, you may sée the olde prouerbe fulfilled, Fallere fallentem non est fraus. Thus haue I de∣ciphered an odious practise not worthy to be named: and now wishing al, of what estate soeuer, to beware of filthy lust, and such damnable stale•• as drawes men on to inor∣dinate desires, and rather to spend their coine amongest honest companie, then to bequeath it to such base cros-bi∣ters, as praie vpon men, like rauens vpon dead carcases, I end with this praier, that Cros-biting and Conny-cat∣ching may be as little knowen in England, as the eating of swines flesh was amongst the Iewes. Farewel.

Nas••imur pro patria.

FINIS.