The Fraternitye of Vacabondes
As wel of ruflyng Vacabondes, as of beggerly, of women as of men, of Gyrles as of Boyes,
with
their proper names and qualities.
With a description of the crafty company of
Cousoners and Shifters.
¶ Wherunto also is adioyned
the.xxv. Orders of Knaues,
otherwyse called
a Quartern of Knaues.
Confirmed for euer by Cocke Lorell.
( * )
¶ The Vprightman speaketh.
¶ Our Brotherhood40 of Vacabondes,
If you would know where dwell:
In graues end Barge which syldome standes.
The talke wyll shew ryght well.
¶ Cocke Lorell aunswereth.
¶ Some orders of my Knaues also
In that Barge shall ye fynde:
For no where shall ye walke I trow,
But ye shall see their kynde.
¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Awdeley, dwellyng in little Britayne streete without Aldersgate.
1575.
[leaf 1b.]
¶ The Printer to the Reader.
THis brotherhood of Vacabondes,
To shew that there be such in deede
Both Iustices and men of Landes,
Wyll testifye it if it neede.
For at a Sessions as they sat,
By chaunce a Vacabond was got.
¶ Who promysde if they would him spare,
And keepe his name from knowledge then:
He would as straunge a thing declare,
As euer they knew synce they were men.
But if my fellowes do know (sayd he)
That thus I dyd, they would kyll me.
¶ They graunting him this his request,
He dyd declare as here is read,
Both names and states of most and least,
Of this their Vacabondes brotherhood.
Which at the request of a worshipful man
I haue set it forth as well as I can.
FINIS
[leaf 2]
¶ The
Fraternitye of Vacabondes
both rufling and beggerly,
Men and women, Boyes and Gyrles,
wyth
their proper names and qualities.
Whereunto are adioyned
the company of Cousoners and Shifters.