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 merry tale how a Miller had his purse cut in New gate market.

IT fortuned that a Nip and his staul drin∣king at the thrée Tuns in Newgate mar∣ket, sitting in one of the roomes next to the stréete, they might perceiue wher a meale man stood selling of meale, and had a large bag by his side, where by coniecture there was some store of money, the old Coole, the old cut purse I mean, spying this, was delighted with the shew of so glo∣rious an obiect, for a full purse is as pleasing to a Cut purse eie, as the curious Phisnomy of Venus was to the amorons God of war, and entring to a merry vaine as one that counted that purchase his own, discouered it to the Nouice and bad him goe & nip it, the young toward scholler although perhaps he had striken some few stroks before, yet séeing no great presse of people, and the meale-mans hande often vppon his bagge, as if hee had in times past smoakte some of their faculty, was halfe afraide and doubted of his owne experience and so refused to doe it. Away villaine saith the old Nippe, art thou fainte harted, belonges it to our trade to des∣paire? If thou wilt onely doe common worke, and not make experience of some harde matters to at∣tempt, thou wilt neuer be maister of thine occupa∣tion, therefore try thy wits and doe it, at this the young stripling stalkes me out of the Tauern, and féeling if his Cuttle boung were glibbe and of a good edge, went to this meale-man to enter combate hand to hand with his purse, but séeing the meale∣mans eye was still abroade, and for want of other sport that he plaied with his purse, he was afraide to trust eyther to his witte or Fortune, and there∣fore

went backe againe without any act athieued. How now saith the olde Nip what hast thou done, nothing quoth he, the knaue is so wary, that it is vn possible to get any purchase there, for be stands pla∣ing with his purse for want of other exercise. At this his fellow lookes out and smiles, making this reply. And doest thou count it impossible to haue the meale-mans boung, lend me thy knife for mine is left at home, & thou shalt sée me strike it straight, and I will shew thée a Method, how perhaps here∣after to doe the like after my example, and to make thee a good scholler, and therefore goe with me and doe as I shall instruct thée, begin but a fained quar∣rell, and when I giue thée a watche woord, then throwe flower in my face, and if I misse his purse let me be hanged for my labour, with that he gaue him certaine principles to obserue, and then paide for the wine and out they went together. As soon as they were come to the meals-man, the olde Nippe began to iest with the other about the Mil∣lers sacke, and the other replied as knauishlye, at last, the elder called the younger Roague, Roague thou Swaine, quoth hee, doest thou or darest thou dishonour mee with such a base title? And with that taking a whole hand full of meale out of the sacke, threw it full in the olde Nippes necke and his brest, and then ranne away. Hee being thus dusted with meale, intreated the meale man to wipe it out of his necke, and stoopte downe his head, the meale man laughing to sée him so rayed and whited, was willing to shake off the meale, and the whilst, while hee was busie about that, the Nippe had stroken the purse and done his feate, and both courteously thanked the meale man and close∣ly

went away with his purchase. The poore man thinking little of this Cheate, began againe to play with his purse stringes, and suspected nothing till he had soulde a pecke of meale, and offered to change money, and then hee found his purse bottomlesse, which strooke such a colde quandary to his stomack, as if in a frosty morning hee had druncke a draught of small béere next his heart, hee began then to ex∣claime against such villaines, and called to minde how in shaking the dust out of the Gentlemans necke, he shakte his money out of his purse, and so the poore meale man fetch a great sigh, knit vp his sacke and went sorowing home.

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