The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Fourth PartHead, Richard
General
The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Fourth Part
Head, Richard
Rogues and vagabonds -- England -- Fiction
They needed not many words to perswade one, that knew not what to do
with himself; wherefore, he readily consented to their propositions.
Viewing them well, and their Habits, he absolutely concluded, that their
Company had been lately broken, and that they had shared
house-hold-stuff, every one taking what he could lay his hands on of the
Properties, (though very improper to wear publickly) with which,
necessity since hath forc’d them to cover their own nakedness. However,
he was resolv’d to go through, with what he promised, and so calling for
what was to pay, being one and twenty pence among them all, they made a
hard shift to pay the shot within three half-pence, and so marcht off.
They provided him a lodging, where they all lay that night, and the next
morning, their undertaker came, who summoning them all into a large
Room, there appeared also three or four Women, who with the rest
rehearsed their parts in _Actæon_ and _Diana_. After rehersal the
undertaker being informed what our _Soldier of Fortune_ was, came and
saluted him kindly, and welcom’d him into their Society, and giving him
his part to study, carried him to the Tavern, with some of the
three-quarter-sharers, and made him drunk at his initiation.
* * * * *
Having studied _Actæon_ and _Diana_, _Jack Swabber_, _Simkin in the
Chest_, _Miles the Miller_, _Simpleton the Smith_, with divers other
drolling farces, away they strolled into the Countrey, some in a Coach
(by reason of the Properties they carried with them,) others on Foot of
the meaner sort, and some on Horseback; had the most intelligent met
them, it would have puzzled him to have told what they were. The first
thing they did when they came to a Town, was to acquaint the Mayor
thereof with their intent, producing their Patent which authoriz’d them.
Having the grant of the Mayor, most commonly they were permitted the
Town-Hall to play in. At first, commonly they had usually such great
audiences, and got so much Money, that it undid them, for it made them
insolent, idle, careless, always drunk and continually quarrelling, so
that the Town and Countrey growing weary of them, their poverty also
made them weary of the Town. The next place they came at, it may be,
there they would endeavour to regulate those disorders; but no sooner
were they flusht, but they fell into the like confused Chaos. There was
seldom a Rehearsal in the morning, in which there was not some scuffle;
sometimes altogether by the ears, all engaged in a Quarrel, but none
knowing the cause of it. Their differences most commonly did arise from
ones exalting his own worth, by the undervaluing anothers, saying that
such a one had a greater share than he, though he deserved more; that
such a fellow had a noble part, when he had that of a Servant, whereas
he better merited to be a Prince, than the other a Foot-Boy; _Damn me_,
said another, that Fellow that speaks now hath no Soul; a Parrot would
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