The groundworke of conny-catching, the manner of their pedlers-French, and the meanes to vnderstand the same with the cunning slights of the counterfeit cranke : therein are h[a]nd[l]ed the practises of the visiter, the fetches of the shifter and rufflar, the deceits of their doxes, the deuises of priggers, the names of the base loytering losels, and the meanes of euery blacke-art-mans shifts, with the reproofe of all the diuellish practises / done by a iustice of peace of great authoritie, who hath had the examining of diuers of them.

A Doxe. Cap. 20.

THese Doxes be broken and spoyled of their maydenhead by the vpright men, and then they are called Doxe, & not afore: afterward she is common for any that will vse her, as h•• mo is a common name to all men. Such as be faire and somewhat handsome, keepe company with the walking Morts▪ & are rea∣die alwais for the vpright men, and chiefly mantained by th•• ••t the other inferior sort will resort to noble mens places, & Gen∣tlemens houses, standing at the gate, or lurking on the backside in some out house, or vnder som hedge or thicket, expecting their pray, which is, for the vncomly company of some courteous gest that will refresh them with meat and some money, where ex∣change is made ware for ware: this bread and meat they vse to carry in their great hosen, so that these beastly bribing breeches serue many times for bawdy purposes. I chanced not long since familiarly to commune with a Doxe that came to my gate, and surely a pleasant harlot, and not so pleasant as witty, and not so witty as void of all grace and goodnes▪ I founde by her talke that she had passed her time lewdly eighteene yeres in walking

about. I thought this a necessary instrument to attaine some knowledge by, and before I would grope her mind, I made her both to eate and drinke well: that done, I promised her some money if she would open and discouer to me such questions as I would aske of her, & neuer to bewray her, nor disclose her name. And you should saith she▪ I were vndone: feare not that quoth I, but I pray thee say nothing but truth. I will not q. I: Then first tell me quoth I, how many vpright men and Roges doest thou know, or hast thou knowne and beene conuersant with, & what their names be: she paused a while, and demanded of him why he did aske. For nothing els said I, but to know them whē they come to my gate. Now by my troth quoth she then are you neuer the neare, for all my acquaintance for the most part are dead. Dead quoth I, how dyed they, for want of cherishing, or of painfull diseases? Then she sighed and said they were han∣ged. What all quoth I, and so many walke abroad as daily I see? By my troth said she, I know not past six or seuen by their names and named them to me. When were they hanged quoth I? Some seuen yeares ago, some three yeares, and some with∣in this fortnight, and declared wher they were executed, which I knew well to be true by the report of others. Why q. I, did not this fearefull sight much greeue thee for thy time long and euill spent. I was sorry quoth she, for some of them were louing men: for I lacked not when they had it, and they wanted not when I had it, and diuers of them I neuer did forsake till the gallowes parted vs. O mercifull God quoth I, and beganne to blesse mee. Why do you so quoth she? alas you know that euerie one must haue a liuing. Other matters I talkt of, but this now may suffise to shew the Reader as it were in a glasse the bolde beastly life of these Doxes. For such as haue gone any time a∣broad, will neuer forsake their trade to die therfore, I haue had good proofe thereof. There is one a notorious harlot of this af∣finitie, called Besse Bottomley, she hath but one hand, and shee hath murthered two children at the least.