The second part of conny-catching Contayning the discouery of certaine wondrous coosenages, either superficiallie past ouer, or vtterlie vntoucht in the first. ... R.G.

A discourse, or rather discouery of the Nip and the Foist, laying open the nature of the Cut-purse and Picke-pocket.

[illustration]

NOw Gentlemen, Marchants, Farmers, and termers, yea who soeuer he be, that v∣seth to carrie money about him, let him at∣tentiuely

heare what a péece of newe fond Philoso∣phie, I will lay open to you whose opinions, prin∣ciples, Aphorismes, if you carefully note and retain in memorie, perhappes saue some crownes in your purse ere the yeare passe, and therefore thus: The Nip & the foist, although their subiect is one which they worke on, that is, a well lined purse, yet their manner is different, for the Nip vseth his knife, and the Foist his hand: the one cutting the purse, the o∣ther drawing the pocket: but of these two scuruie trades, the Foist holdeth himselfe of the highest de∣gree, and therefore, they tearme themselues Gen∣tlemen foists, and so much disdaine to be called cut∣purses, as the honest man that liues by his hand or occupation, in so much that the Foist refuseth euen to weare a knife about him to cut his meat with al, least he might be suspected to grow into the nature of the Nippe, yet as I said before is their subiect and haunt both alike, for their gaines lies by all places of reso•…•…t and assemblies, therfore their chiefe walks is Paules, Westminster, the Exchaunge, Plaies, Beare garden, running at Tilt, the Lorde Maiors day, any festiual méetings, fraies, shootings, or great faires: to be short, where so euer there is any extra∣ordinarie resort of people, there the Nippe and the Foist haue fittest oportunity to shewe their iugling agillitie. Commonly, when they spie a Farmer or Marchant, whome they suspect to be well monied, they followe him hard vntill they sée him drawe his purse, then spying in what place he puts it vppe, the stall or the shadows beeing with the Foist or Nip, méets the man at some straight turne & iustles him so hard, that the man marueling, and perhaps quar∣reling with him, the whilest the foist hath his purse

and bids him fare-well. In Paules (especiallie in the tearme time) betwéene ten and eleuen, then is their howers, and there they walke, and perhaps, if there be great presse, strike a stroke in the middle walk, but that is vpon some plaine man that stands gazing about, hauing neuer séene the Church before but their chiefest time is at diuine seruice, when men deuoutly giuen doe go vp to heare either a ser∣mon, or els the harmonie of the Queere and the Or∣ganes: their the Nip and the Foist as deuoutly as if he were some zealous parson, standeth sob•…•…rlie with his eies eleuated vnto heauen when his hand is ei∣ther on the purse or in the pocket, surueing euerie corner of it for coyne, then when the seruice is done and the people presse away, he thrusteth amidst the throng, and there worketh his villanie. So like wise in the markets, they note how euery one putteth vp his purse, and there either in a great presse, or while the partie is cheayning of meat, the Foist is in their pocket and the Nip hath the purse by the strings, or some times •…•…uts out the bottome, for they haue still their stals following them, who thrusteth and iust∣leth him or her whome the Foist is about to draw▪ So likewise at plaies, the Nip standeth there lea∣ning like some manerly gentleman against the doore as men go in, and there finding talke with some of his companions▪ •…•…pieth what euerie man hath in his purse, and where, in what place, and in which sleene or pocket he puts the voung, and accor∣ding to that so he worketh eyther where the thrust is great within, or els as they come out at the dores: but suppose that the first is smoakt, and the man misseth his purs, & apprehendeth him for it then straight, he either conuaieth it to his •…•…all, or els dro∣droppeth

the boong, and w•…•…h a great braue hee defi∣eth his accuser: and though the purse be found at his foote, yet because he hath it not about him, hee comes not within compasse of life. Thus haue they their shifts for the law, and yet at last, so long the pitcher goeth to the brooke that it commeth broken home, and so long the Foists put their villanie in practise, that west-ward they go, and there solemnely make a rehearsall sermon at Tibourne. But againe, to their places of resort, Westminster I marie, that is their chiefest place that brings in their profite, the Tearme-time is their haruest: and therefore, like prouident husband-men they take time while time serues, and make hay while the Sunne shines, fol∣lowing their clients, for they are at the Hall verie early and there they worke like bees, haunting eue∣rie Court, as the Exchecquer chamber, the Starre∣chamber, the Kings-bench, the Common-pleas, an•…•… euerie place where the poore Client standeth to heare his Lawyer handle his matter, for alasse the poore Countrey Gentleman or Farmer is so busied with his causes, and hath his mind so full of cares to sée his counsell and to plie his Atorney, that the least thing in his thought is his purse: but the Eagle∣eied Foist or Nip he watcheth, and séeng the Client draw his purse to pay some charges or fees necessa∣rie for the Court, marketh where he putteth it, and then when he thrusteth into the throng, either to an∣swere for himselfe, or to stand by his Counseller to put him in minde of his cause, the Foist drawes his pocket and leaues the poore client pennilesse. This do they in all courts, and go disguised like Seruing∣men, wringing the simple people by this iugling subtelie, well might therefore the honorable & wor∣shipfull

of those courts doe to take order from suche vilde and base minded cutpurses, that as the lawe hath prouided death for them if they be taken, so they might be rooted out especially from Westmin∣ster where the poore clients are vndone by such ro∣gish catchers. It boots not to tell their course at e∣uerie remooue of her Maiestie when the people flock together, nor at Bartholmew faire, on the Quéens day, at the Tilt-yard and at al other places of assem∣blie: for let this suffice, at any great presse of people or méeting, there the Foist and the Nippe is in his kingdome: Therefore let all men take this caueat, that when they walke abroad amid anie of the fore∣named places or like assemblies, that they tak great care for their purse how they place it, and not leaue it carelesse in their pockets or hoase, for the Foist is so nimble handed that hee excéeds the iugler for agi∣lity, and hath his legier de maine as perfectly: ther∣fore an exquisite Foist must haue thrée properties that a good Surgion should haue, and that is an Ea∣gles eie, a Ladies hand, and a Lyons heart, an Ea∣gles eie to spie a purchase, to haue a quicke insight where the boong lies, and then a Lyons heart not to feare what the end will bee, and then a Ladies hand to be little and nimble, the better to diue into the pocket. These are the perfect properties of a Foist: but you must note that there be diuersities of this kind of people, for there be cittie Nips & coun∣trey Nips, which haunt from faire to faire, and ne∣uer come in London, vnlesse it be at Bartholmewe faire, or some other great and extraordinarie assem∣blies: Nowe there is a mortall hate betweene the Countrey Foist and the Cittie Foist, for if the citie Foist spie one of the connies in London, straight he

séekes by some meanes to smoake him, and so the Countrey Nip if he spie a Cittie Nip in any faire, then hee smoakes him straight, and brings him in danger, if he flée not away the more spéedilie, beside there be women Foists and women Nips, but the woman Foist is most daungerous, for commonlie there is some olde hand, or snoutfair strumpet, who inueigleth either some ignorant man or some yong youth to folly, she hath straight her hād in his poket, and so foiste him of all that hee hath: but let all men take héed of such common harlots, who either sit in the stréets in euenings, or els dwel in baudy houses and are pliant 〈◊〉〈◊〉 euery mans lure, such are alwaies Foists and Pickepockets, and séeke the spoile of all such as meddle with them, and in cosening of such base minded leachers as giue thēselues to such lend companie, are woorthy of what so euer befals, and sometime they catch such a Spanish•…•… pip, that they haue no more hair on their head then on their nails. But leauing such strumpets to their soules confusi∣on and bodies correction in Bride-well: Againe, to our Nips and Foists, who haue a kind of fraternity or brother-hood among them, hauing a hall or place of méeting, where they confer of waightie matters, touching their worke-manship, for they are proui∣dent in that, euerye one of them hath some trustie friend whom he calleth his treasurer, and with him he laies vp some ratable portion, of euery purse hee drawes, that when need requires, and he is brought in danger, he may haue money to make composition with the partie: But of late, there hath bene a great scourge fallen amongst them, for now if a purse bee drawen of any great valew, straight the partie ma∣keth friends to some one or other of the Counsell or

other inferior hir Maiesties Iustices, and then they send out warraunts if they cannot learne who the Foist is, to the kéepers of Newgate that they take vp all the Nips and Foists about the cittie, and let them lie there while the money be reanswered vn∣to the party, so that some pay thrée pound, nay fiue pound at a time according as the same losse did a∣mount vnto, which doth greatly impouerishe their trade, and hinder their figging law. Therefore a∣bout such causes grows their meeting, for they haue a kinde of corporation, as hauing wardens of their company, and a hall: I remember their hall was once about Bushops gate, néere vnto fishers follie, but because it was a noted place, they haue remoo∣ued it to Kent-stréet, and as far as I can learne, it is kept at one Laurence Pickeringes house, one that hath bene if he be not still a notable Foist. A man of good calling he is, and well allied brother in law to Bull the hangman, there kéepe they their feasts and wéekely méetinges, fit for their company. This haue I partlye set downe the nature of the Foist, and the Nip, with their speciall haunts, as a caueat to al estates to beware of such wicked persons, who are as preiudiciall to the Common-wealth as anie other faculty what soeuer; and although they be by the great discretion of the Iudges and Iustices dai∣lie trust vp, yet still there springeth vppe yoong that grow in time to beare fruit fit for the gallowes: let then euery man be as carefull as possibly hee may, and by this caueat take héed of his purs, for the pray makes the théefe, and there and end