And so ys yt in the edit{i}one of Chaucer’s Works, printed in anno Domini 1542, accordinge to the frenche moralizatione of Molinet, fo. 149. where he is called “Roye des Ribauldez,” [Sidenote: The king of Ribalds or Harlottes, an officer of great accompt in times past.] w{hi}che is, the kinge of Ribaldes or Harlottes or evill or wicked persons; one officer of great acco{m}pte in tymes paste, and yet vsed in the courte of France but by one other name, in some parte beinge the office of the marshall of Englande. All whiche, because yo{u} shall not thinke I dreame, (though yt may seme strange to the ignorant to have so greate one officer intituled of suche base p{er}sons as to be called kinge or gouernor of Ribauldes,) [Sidenote: Johannes Tyllius maketh mention of a Rex Ribaldorum.] yo{u} shall here Joh{ann}es Tyllius (in his seconde booke de rebus Gallicis vnder the title de Prefecto pretorio Regis) confirme in these woordes: In domesticis regu{m} constitutionibus, quos proximo capite nominavimus, fit mentio Regis Ribaldorum, officii domestici, quem semper oportet stare extra Portam pretorii, &c. and a litle after the explanynge of their office, he addeth; “sic autem appellantur, quia iam tum homines perditi Ribaldi, et Ribaldæ mulieres puellæq{ue} perditæ vocantur. Regis nomen superiori aut Iudici tribuitur, Quemadmodu{m} magnus Cubicularius dicitur Rex Mercatorum,” &c. Where he maketh the “Regem Ribaldoru{m}” an honorable officer for manye causes, [Sidenote: Also Vincentius Luparius maketh him an honourable officer.] as Vincentius Luparius in his fyrste booke of the Magistrates of france doth also, vnder the title of “Rex Ribaldoru{m} et prouostus Hospitii;” makinge the Iudex pretorianus and this rex ribaldorum or provostus hospitii to seme all one, addinge further (after manye other honorable partes belonginge to this office) that “meretricibus aulicis hospitia assignare solebat.” In whiche pointe, bothe for orderinge and correctinge the harlottes and evill persons followinge the Courte of Englande, (whiche is the duty of the marshall,) the frenche and wee agree. [Sidenote: The Rex Ribaldorum was like unto our Marshall. The Marshalls duties and his powers over Harlotts and lost men.] Wherefor, touching that parte, yo{u} shall heare somewhat of the Marshalls office sett downe and founde in the Customes, whiche Thomas of Brothertonne (sonne to kinge Edwarde the fyrste) challenged to his office of Marshalcye; where, emongst other thinges, are these woordes: eoru{m} (w{hi}che was of the marshalls deputyes executinge that he shoulde ells do hym selfe) interest virgatam à meretricibus prohibere, et deliberare, et habet, ex consuetudine mariscallus ex quâlibet meretrice com[m]uni infra metas hospitii inventa iiij^d. primo die. Quæ, si iteru{m} inventa in Balliuâ suâ inveniatur, capiatur; et coram seneschallo inhibea{n}tur ei hospitia Regis et Reginæ et liberoru{m} suorum, ne iteru{m} ingrediatur, &c. And so