The canting academy, or, The devils cabinet opened wherein is shewn the mysterious and villanous practices of that wicked crew, commonly known by the names of hectors, trapanners, gilts, &c. : to which is added a compleat canting-dictionary, both of old words, and such as are now most in use : with several new catches and songs, compos'd by the choisest wits of the age ...

Of Palliards or Clapperdogeons.

THese Palliards or Clapperdogeons are Beggars born, who have their Morts in the streets, with children, either of their own, or borrowed ones, lying about them on straw; and in this manner they beg, and with these they beg, extracting thereby the greater pitty; these jades know how to screw their faces into what pittiful posture they please, and have melting words at their fingers ends; as For Gods sake bestow your Charity on these poor Fatherless Children; My Husband was kill'd at Sea, and I being sick and unable to work, am ready to starve, with these poor Infants; by these and the like expressions, with the cryes of the children, which she forceth them to, by pinching or other∣wise, she picks up a great deal of money, whilst he:

Comrogue lies begging in the fields with Clymes ••r artificial Sores. The way they commonly take to make them is by Spere-wort or Arsnick, which will draw blisters; or they take unslaked Lime and Soap, mingled with the rust of old Iron, these being well tempered together, and spread thick on two pieces of leather, they apply to the leg, binding it thereunto very hard, which in a very little time will fret the skin so, that the flesh will appear all raw, then they take blood and rub it over the leg, which being fully dried makes the leg appear black, letting the seeming sore peep out of some holes out of the Matterish clouts that are wrapt about it.

I saw a fellow not long since sitting by the road side, on a Mudwall in the way to Islington (this was his constant stand on Sabbath days, there being at that time the greatest concourse of people if the Weather be fair) I say this fellow had one hand ti∣ed up in a white cloath, and pinned to his breast, his cloaths were indifferent good, but had a better face by much, I mean an honest harmless look, and seemed so bashful and modest that he beg'd of none but with his pale face and pittiful looks: and this way of begging prov'd more prevalent then the bawling of two or thre fellows that lay a little above him on the ground, with grievious sore legs, seem∣ingly not able to stand or go of them.

I observ'd this fellow several times in this very place, not imagining this silent Counterfeit was of the Society of those clamorous Rogues who lay nigh him, till one day having an occasion to go o•• ver to the bank-side, in a Garden house, there did I see this lame handed fellow with the other confe∣derate Cripples playing at Nine pins as nimble as a Squirrel in a Bell-Cage.

I took no notice of them at that time, no more then what my ears suffer'd by the hideous din of their execrable Oaths; not being longer able to be near them, I return'd home, resolving to take the first opportunity to detect these Rogues. Where∣fore I went with two or three more to the place ac∣cording to the usual time where these Beggars took up their stand to beg, and approaching my modest silent Mumper, I askt him what ailed his hand, or how he came by that lameness? To tell you the truth Sir, said he, I am a poor Translator, or Cobler com∣monly called, and one day it was my mischance, (and then the tears stood in his eyes) as I was working, to run the Awl quite through my hand; neglecting it, it fester'd, so that now it is in a sad condition, and not being able to work, I am ready to starve, having sold all my little stock already, either to cure my hand, or maintain my self, but now all is gone. Alas poor man, said It let me see your hand for I am a Chyrur∣geon. O Sir, cry'd the fellow, I shall die instantly if you open ie. Hereupon I grasped his pretended sore hand very hard, and told him I would see it; at which he roar'd as if he had been on the Dutch Rack at Amboyna; which noise gathered abundance of peo∣ple about us, and every one condemning my hard∣heartedness, till I told them what a cheat he was, and bid them if they would nor credit me, yet be∣lieve their own eyes, and so opened his hand, which was sound and not hurt in the least. Now good people secure this fellow, and you shall see I will discover more of the Gang yonder; the Cripples that lay a little way off hearing me say so, got up, and prov'd such excellent footmen, notwithstand∣ing their pretended lameness, that though several followed them, yet none could come nigh them; which caused so great a laughter, with shooting,

that one would have thought the People half di∣stracted. This fellow whom I had caused to be se∣cured was carried before a Justice, and from thence to Bridewell, where he received the severe lash for his abominable hypocrisie.

A Story much like this I have heard of, done in Dorsetshire. Once a year at a place called Wood∣berry-hill, on the top thereof is kept a Fair, and because it is somewhat considerable, thither resort the Beggars all round the Country, lying at the bot∣tom of the hill begging in heaps. An arch Crack that had observed what counterfeit Rogues the major part of these were, went to the top of the hill, and unpinning a wheel took it off and brought it to the brow of the Hill, which was very high and indifferently steep, and crying out to the Beggars below, have at ye blind Harpers, lets the Wheel go, hereupon the Counterfeit cut the strings to their counterfeit lame legs, and ran for it, and those that had not the time for it, roled one over other, and by this confusion (which was the most pleasant and comical sight could be seen) their Knavery was discovered losing the benefit of that present Fair, and many more afterwards. More might be said of the Clapperdogeon, but let this suffice.