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.

H•••• a flax••wi••e in London s••ru••d a coos••••ng Collier.

NOw Gentlemen by your leaue, and heare a merry iest. There was in the Suburbs of London a Flax-wife that wanted coles, and seeing a Lege•• come by with a couple of sacks, that had before deceiued her in like sort, cheped, bargaind and bought them, and so went in with her to shoote them in her Colehouse. As soone as she saw her coles, shee easily ghessed there was scarce sixe bushels, yet dissembling the matter, she payd him for them and bad him bring her two sacks more. The Collier went his way, and in the meane time the Flax-wife measured the coles, and there was iust fiue bushels & a peck. Hereupon she cald in her neighbors, being a company of women that be∣fore time had also been pincht in their coles, and shewed them the cosenage, and desired their aide to her in tormenting the Collier, which they promist to per∣forme: and thus it fell out. She conueyed them into a backe roome (some sixteen of them) euerie one hauing a good cudgell vnder her apron, straight comes the Collier and saith, Mistres here be your coles: welcome good Collier (quoth shee) I praie thee follow me into the backe side, & shoot them in another roome. The Collier was content and went with her, but as soone as he was in, the good wife lockt the doore and the Collier seeing such a ••••oup of wiues in the roome, was amazed, yet sayd, God speed you all shrewes: welcome (quoth one iolly Dame) being appointed by them all to giue sentence against hi••. who so soone as the Collier had sh•••• his sackes sayd: sirra Collier, knowe that we are heere all assem∣bled as a grand ••••••ie, to determine of thy villanies, for selling vs false sacks of coles, and know that thou art here indited vpon coosnage, therefore hold vp thy hand at the barre, and either saie guiltie or not guiltie, and by whom thou wilt be tried, for thou must 〈◊〉〈◊〉 condigne punishment for the same ere thou depart. The Collier who thought they had but iested, smiled and said, Come on, which of you shall be my iudge. M•••••••••• sir, quoth one iolly dame, that is I, and by GOD you knaue, you sha•••• ••inde I will pronounce sentence against you seuerely, if you bee found guiltie. When the Collier sawe they were in earnest, he sayd, Come, come, open the doore and let me go. With that fiue or sixe wiues started vp and fell vp∣pon the Collier, and gaue him a score of sound lambea••••es with their cudgels, and bad him sp••ake more reuerently to their principall. The Collier feeling it smart, was afraid and thought mirth and curtesie would be the best meane to make a∣mends for his villanie, and therefore sayd he would bee tried by the verdite of the smocke. Vpon this they paneld a Iurie, and the flax-wife gaue euidence; and be∣cause this vnaccustomed Iurie required witnes, she measured the co••les before the Collyers face, vpon which he was found guiltie, and she that sate as principall to giue iudgement vpon him, began as followeth.

Collier, thou art condemned heere by proofe of flat coosnage, and I am now appointed in Conscience to giue sentence against thee, beeing not onely mooued thereunto because of this poore woman, but also for the generall commoditie of my Countrie, and therefore this is my sentence: We haue no pillorie for thee, nor cart to whip thee at, but here I doe award that thou shalt haue as many bastina∣does as thy bones will beare, and then to be turned out of doores without sackes or monie. This sentence being pronounced, she rose vp, & gaue no respit of time for the execution, but according to the sentence before expressed, all the women fell vpon him, beating him extreamly, among whom he lent some lustie buffets, but might ouercomes right, and therefore Ne Hercules contra duos. The women so crusht him, that he was not able to lift his handes to his head, and so with a

broken pa••e or two he was paid, and like lacke drum, faire & orderly turned o••t of doores.

This was the reward that the Collier had, and I praie God all such Coll••ers may be so serued•• and that good wiue•• when they buy such sacks, may giue them su••h pa••ments, and ••hat the Honorable and Wors••ipfull of this land, may looke ••nto this grosse ••buse of Collyers, as well for charitie sake, as also for the benefite of the poore. And so wishing Colliers to a∣mend their deceitfull and dis∣ordred dealing•• here∣in, •• end.