The Third and Last Part of Conny-Catching. (1592): With the new deuised knauish arte of Foole-takingGreene, Robert
General
The Third and Last Part of Conny-Catching. (1592): With the new deuised knauish arte of Foole-taking
Greene, Robert
Crime -- England -- London -- Early works to 1800; London (England) -- Social life and customs -- Early works to 1800
forsaketh his bed, & hauing gotten al the plate bound up togither in
his cloke, goeth down into the shop, where well remembring both the
plate & parcels, maketh vp his pack with some twenty pounds worth of
goods more. Then setling to his engin, he getteth the doore off the
hinges, and being foorth, lifteth close to againe, and so departs,
meeting with in a doozen paces, three or foure of his companions that
lurked therabouts for the purpose. Their word for knowing each other,
as is said, was Quest, and this villains comfortable newes to them,
was Twag, signifiyng hee had sped: ech takes a fleece for easier
carriage, and so away to Belbrow, which as I haue heard is as they
interpret it, the house of a theefe receiuer, without which they can
do nothing, and this house with an apt porter to it, standes ready for
them al houres of the night: too many such are there in London, the
maisters whereof beare countenance of honest substantiall men, but all
their living is gotten in this order, the end of such (though they
scape awhile) will be sailing westward in a Cart to Eiborn. Imagine
these villanies there in their iollitie, the one porting point by
point his cunning deceipt, and the other (fitting his humour)
extolling the deede with no meane commendations. But returning to the
honest Citizen, who finding in the morning how dearly he paid for a
gammon of bacon, and a cheese, and how his kinde courtesie was thus
trecherously requited: blames the poore maide, as innocent herein as
himselfe, and imprisoning her, thinking so to regaine his owne: griefe
with ill cherishing there shortens her life: And thus ensueth one hard
hap upon another, to the great griefe both of maister and mistresse,
when the trueth was knowne, that they so wronged their honest servant:
how it may forewarne others, I leave to your owne opinions, that see
what extraordinarie devises are now avayed, to beguile the simple and
honest liberall minded.
Of a notable knave, who for his cunning deceiving a gentleman of his
purse: scorned the name of a Conny-catcher, and would needs be termed
a Foole-taker, as maister and beginner Of that new found Arte.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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