master, and wants a mistress to look narrowly unto her.

30. Also, we think it convenient, that some shall take their neighbour's bed for their own; some the servant for their master; and if candles could tell tales, some will take a familiar for a flea. Also we think it meet, that there should be many fowlers, who, instead of larks, will catch lobcocks'; and many for want of wit, shall sell their freehold for tobaccopipes and red petticoats. Likewise, we think it convenient, that there should be many takers; some would be taken for wise men, who, indeed, are very fools; for some will take cracked angels' of your debtors, and a quart of malmsy when they cannot get a pottle.'

31. But, stay a while, whither are we carried leaving the greatest laws unpublished, and establishing the less? Therefore, we enact and ordain, as a necessary statute, that there shall great contentions fall between soldiers and archers, and, if the fray be not decided over a pot of ale and a black pudding, great bloodshed is like to ensue; for some shall maintain, that a Turk can be hit at twelve score pricks in Finsbury Fields, Ergo, the bow and shafts

'LOBCOCK.-A lubber.

"CRACKED ANGELS.-Bad money.

POTTLE.-A measure of two quarts.

*PRICK.-A peg in the centre of a target, to hit which gave the first prize in archery.

won Boulogne; others say thata pot-gun' is a dangerous weapon against a mud-wall, and an enemy to the painter's work; amongst these controversies we will send forth our commission to god Cupid, being an archer, who shall decide the doubt and prove that archery is heavenly, for, in meditation thereof, he hath lost his eyes.

32. O gentle fellow-soldiers, then leave your controversies, if you love a woman, for I will prove it, that a mince-pie is better than a musket; and he that dare gainsay me, let him meet me at the Dagger in Cheap, with a case of pewter spoons, and I will answer it; and, if I prove not that a mince-pie is the better weapon, let me dine twice a week at Duke Humphry's table.

33. It is furthermore established, that the four knaves at the cards shall suddenly leap from out the bunch, and desperately prank about the new play-house, to seek out their old master, Captain Crop-ear; also it is thought meet, that some men, in these days, shall be politic without reason, and write more in one line than they can prove in an age.

34. Furthermore, it shall be lawful for some to study which way they may walk to get them a stomach to their meat, whilst others are as careful

'POT-GUN-i.e., pop-gun. "PAINTER'S WORK.-That on sign boards. "DAGGER IN CHEAP.-A celebrated Pie-House in Cheapside.

to get meat to put into their bellies; likewise there shall be great persecution in the commonwealth of kitchen fees, so that some desperate woman shall boil, try, and see the poor tallow to the general commodity of all the whole company of tallowchandlers.

35. Alas! alas! how are we troubled to think on these dangerous times; for tailors, by act of parliament, may lawfully invent new fashions; and he that takes Irish Aquavitæ by the pint, may by the law stumble without offence, and break his face; and it shall be thought convenient, that some be so desperately bent, as they shall go into my Lord Mayor's buttery, when all the barrels be full, without either sword or dagger about them; many men shall be so venturously given, as they shall go into Petticoat Lane, and yet come out again as honestly as they went first in.

36. In like manner, it shall be lawful for Thames water to cleanse as much as ever it did in times past and, if the brewers at London buy store of good malt, poor bargemen at Queenhithe shall have a whole quart for a penny; St. Thomas's onions shall be sold by the rope at Billingsgate by the statute, and sempsters in the Exchange shall become so conscionable, that a man, without offence, may buy a falling band1 for twelve pence.

'FALLING-BAND.-A neck-band worn so as to fall on the shoulders.

37. It shall be lawful for smiths to love good ale, and, if it be possible to have a frost of three weeks long in July, men shall not be afraid of a good fire at Midsummer. Porter's baskets shall have authority to hold more than they can honestly carry away and such a drought shall come amongst cans1 at Bartholomew Fair in Smithfield, that they shall never continue long filled.

38. The images in the Temple Church, if they rise again, shall have a commission to dig down Charing Cross with their fauchons2; and millers, by custom, shall have small mind to morning-prayers, if the wind serve them in any corner on Sunday. Those that go to wars, and can get nothing, may come home poor by authority; and those, that play fast and loose with woman's apron string, may chance make a journey for a Winchester pigeon; for prevention thereof, drink every morning a draught of noli me tangere, and by that means, thou shalt be sure to escape the physician's purgatory.*

'CANS.-Ale-house pots.

"FAUCHIONS.-Swords.

"A WINCHESTER PIGEON OR GOOSE.-A name for a syphilitic bubo; 16th Cent. It is thought to have originated from the circumstance of the public stews at Bankside, in Southwark, being under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Winchester (temp. Hen. IV).

had belike some private dealings with her, and there got a goose. -The cunning jade comes into th' court, and there deposes that she gave him true Winchester measure. Cure for a Cuckold, act iv, scene 1. "Then ther's a Goose that breeds at Winchester, And of all Geese my mind is least to her;

For three or foure weekes after she is rost,

She keeps her heat more hotter than a tost." Jo. Taylor's Goose.

PHYSICIAN'S PURGATORY.-A salvation.

39.

Furthermore, it shall be lawful for bakers

to thrive by two things; that is, scores well paid, and millers that are honest.

40. Physicians, by other men's harms, and churchyards by often burials.

41. Also, we think it necessary for the commonwealth, that the salmon shall be better sold in Fish-street, than the beer shall be at Billingsgate. And heart's ease among the company of herb-wives, shall be worth as much as they can get for it by the statute.

42.

43. It is further enacted and agreed upon, that those that run fourscore miles a foot, on a winter's day, shall have a sore thirst about seven of the clock in the evening.

44. And such as are inclined to the dropsy, may be lawfully cured, if the physicians know how. 45. Also, we ordain and appoint, that, if there be no great store of tempests, two half-penny loaves shall be gold for a penny in Whitechapel.

47. Chaucer's books, by act of parliament, shall in these days prove more witty than ever they were before; for there shall so many sudden, or rather sodden wits, step abroad, that a flea shall not frisk forth unless they comment upon her.

47. O what a detestable trouble shall be among women about fourscore and ten years old, for such have had more teeth about them, than they