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.

The discouery of the Courbing Law.

THe Courber, which the common people call the Hooker, is he that with a Curbe (as they tearme it) or hooke, do pull out of a windowe any loose linnen cloth, appare•…•…l or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 o∣ther houshold stuffe what soeuer, wh•…•… stolne par∣cells, they in their Art call snappinges: to the per∣formance of this law there be required, onely two p•…•…sons, the Courber and the Warpe: the Courber h•…•… office is to spye in the day time sit places where his trade may be practised at night, and comming to any window if it be ope, then he hath his purpose if shut, then growing into the nature of the blacke Art, hath his trickers, which are engines of Iron so cunningly wrought, that he will cut a barr of Iron in two with then so easilye, that scarcelye shall the standers by heare him: then when he hath the win∣dow open and spyes any fat snappings worth the Curbing, then streight he sets the Warp to watch, who hath a long cloak to couer whatsoeuer he gets,

then doth the other thrust in a long hooke some nine foote in length (which he calleth a Curbe) that hath at the end a crooke with thrée tynes turned contrary so that tis vnpossible to misse if there be anye snap∣pinges abroade: Now this longe hooke they call a Curbe, and because you shall not wonder how they carry it for being espyed, know this that it is made with ioyntes like an angle rod, and can be conuaid into the forme of a trunchion & worne in the hand like a walking staffe, vntill they come to their pur∣pose and then they let it out at the length and hooke or curbe what soeuer is loose and within the reache, and then he conueyes it to the Warpe, and from thence (as they list) their snappinges goes to the Broker or to the Bawd, and there they haue as ready money for it as Merchants haue for their ware in the Exchaunge: beside, there is a Dyuer which is in the very nature of the Courber, for as he puts in a hooke, so the other puts in at the win∣dowe some little figging boy who playes his parte notably, and perhaps the youth is so well instructed that he is a scholler in the blacke Arte, and can pick a locke if it be not to crosse warded, and deliuer to the Dyuer what snappinges he findes in the cham∣ber. Thus you heare what the Courber doth and the Dyuer, and what inconuenience growes to many by their base villanyes: therefore I do wish all men seruants and maids, to be carefull for their Masters commodities, and to leaue no loose endes abroade, especially in chambers where windowes open to the streete, least the Courber take them as snappinges, and conuaye them to the couseninge Broker.

Let this suffise, and now I will recreate your wits with a merry Tale or two.