The praise, antiquity, and commodity, of beggery, beggers, and begging. Iohn Taylor

The praise, antiquity, and commodity, of beggery, beggers, and begging. Iohn Taylor

Table of contents

Title page

TO THE BRIGHT EYE-DAZELING MIRROVR OF MIRTH, Adelantado of Alacrity, the Pump of pastime, spout of sport, and Regent of ridiculous Confabulations, ARCHIBALD ARMESTRONG, alias the Court ARCHY.

THE PRAISE, ANTIQVITY, AND COMMODITY of Beggerie, Beggers, and Begging.

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THE PRAISE, ANTIQVITY, AND COMMODITY of Beggerie, Beggers, and Begging.

A Begger from an Antient house begins,

Antiquity of Beggers.

Old Adams soone, and heire vnto his sins:

And as our father Adam did possesse

The world,

Vniuersality.

there's not a Begger that hath lesse.

For whereof is the world compact and fram'd

But Elements, which to our fence are nam'd,

The Earth, the Ayre, the Water, and the Fire,

With which all liue, without which all-expire.

These, euery Begger hath in plenteous store,

And euery mighty Monarch hath no more.

Nor can the greatest Potentate aliue,

The meanest Begger of these things depriue.

The Earth is common,

Earth.

both for birth or Graues,

For Kings, and Beggers, Free-men, and for Slaues:

And a poore Begger as much Ayre will draw,

Ayre.

As he that could keepe all the world in awe.

The Water,

Water.

be it Riuers, Seas, or Spring,

'Tis equall for a Begger as a King.

And the Celestiall Sunne's bright fire,

Fire.

from Heauen

'Mongst all estates most equally is giuen.

[Page]

If these elements could bee bought and solde, the poore beggers should haue small roome for birth, life, or buriall.

Giu'n, not to be ingrost, or bought, not sold,

For gifts and bribes, or base corrupting gold.

These things nor poore or rich, can sell nor buy,

Free for all liuing creatures, till they dye.

An Emperour, a great command doth beate;

But yet a Begger's more secure from feare.

A King may vse disports (as fits the season)

But yet a Begger is more safe from Treason.

A Prince (amidst his cares) may merry be,

But yet a Begger is from flatt'rers free.

A Duke, is a degree magnificent,

But yet a Begger may haue more content.

A Marquesse, is a title of great fame,

A Begger may offend more, with lesse blame.

An Earle, an honourable house may keepe,

But yet a begger may more soundly sleepe.

A Vizecoune may be honour'd and renound,

But yet a begger's on a surer ground.

A Barron, is a Stile belou'd and Noble,

But yet a begger is more stee from troble.

A Knight, is good (if his deserts be such)

But yet a begger may not owe so much.

A good Esquire is worthy of respect,

A begger's in lesse care, though more neglect.

A Gentleman, may good apparell weare,

A begger, from the Mercers booke is cleare.

A Seruing-man that's young, in older yeares

Oft proues an aged begger, it appeares.

Thus all degrees and states, what o're they are,

With beggers happinesse cannot compare

Heau'n is the roofe that Canopies his head,

The cloudes his Curtaines, and the earth his bed,

[Page]The Sunne his fire, the Starre's his candle light,

The Moone his Lampe that guides him in the night.

When scorching Sol makes other mortals sweat,

Each tree doth shade a begger from his heat:

When nipping Winter makes the Cow to quake,

A begger will a Barne for harbour take,

When Trees and Steeples are o're-turn'd with winde,

A begger will a hedge for shelter finde:

And though his inconueniences are store,

Yet still he hath a salue for eu'ry sore,

He for new fashions, owes the Tayler nothing,

Nor to the Draper is in debt for cloathing:

A begger, doth not begger or deceaue

Others, by breaking like a bankerupt Knaue.

He's free from shoulder-clapping Sergeants clawes,

He's out offeare of Enuies canker'd iawes:

He liues in such a safe and happy state,

That he is neither hated, nor doth hate.

None beares him malice, rancour, or despight,

And he dares kill, those that dare him back-bite.

Credit he neither hath or giues to none,

All times and seasons, vnto him are one:

He longs not for, or feares a quarter day,

For Rent he neither doth receiue or pay.

Let Nation against Nation warres denounce,

Let Cannons thunder, and let Muskets bounce:

Let armies, armies, force 'gainst force oppose,

He nothing feares, nor nothing hath to lose.

Let Townes and Towres with batt'ry be o're-turn'd,

Let women be deflowr'd and houses burn'd:

Let men sight pell-mell, and loose life and lim,

If earth and skies-escafe, all's one to him.

[Page]O happy begg'ry, euery liberall Art

Hath left the thanklesse world, and takes thy part:

And learning, conscience, and simplicity,

Plaine dealing, and true perfect honesty,

Sweet Poetry, and high Astronomy,

Musickes delightfull heau'nly harmony,

All these (with begg'ry) most assuredly

Haue made a friendly league to liue and dye.

For Fortune hath decreed, and holds it fit,

Not to giue one man conscience, wealth, and wit:

For they are portions which to twaine belong,

And to giue all to one were double wrong,

Wit, wisedom, wealth, and conscience, are not vsually heredetary, or in one man.

Therefore although the Goddesse want her eyes,

Yet in her blinded bounty she is wise.

I will not say, but wealth and wisedome are

In one, ten, or in more, but 'tis most rare:

And such men are to be in peace or warres,

Admir'd like black Swans, or like blazing Starres.

Two sorts of people fills the whole world full,

The witty Begger, and the wealthy Gull:

A Scholler, stor'd with Ares, with not one crosse,

And Artlesse Naball stor'd with Indian drosse.

I haue seene learning tatter'd, bare and poore,

Whil'st Barbarisme hath domineerd with store:

I haue knowne knowledge, in but meane regard,

Whil'st Ignorance hath rob'd it of reward:

And witlesse Coxcombs, I haue heard dispute,

Whil'st profound Indgements must be dumb and mute.

Apollo, with aduice did wisely grant,

That Poets should be poore, and line in want:

And though plaine Beggers they doe not appeare,

Yet their estates doth shew their kin is neere.

[Page]

The barrennesse of Parnassus.

Parnassus Mount is fruitlesse, bare and sterill,

And all the Muses poore in their apparell:

Bare legg'd, and footed, with disheuel'd haire,

Nor Buskins, Shooes, or Head-tires for to weare.

So farre they are from any shew of thrist,

They scarce haue e're a smock themselues to shift.

Homer, that was the Prince of Poetry,

Was a blinde Begger, and in pouerty:

The pouerty or beggery of the Muses.

And matchlesse Ouid, (in poore wretched case)

Exil'd from Rome to Pontus in disgrace.

And Maniun Maro,

Virgill, hee was borne in a ditch, and afterward being in Rome in seruice with Augustus Caesar, to whom hee many times gaue learned verses, and the Emperour alwayes rewarded him with bread. A Lowse the ground of the first Hexameters.

for some space in Rome,

Was to Augustus but a Stable Groome:

His verses shew he had a learned head,

Yet all his profit was but bread and bread.

A Lowse hath sixe feete, from whose creeping sprawl'd

The first Hexameters, the euer crawl'd:

And euer since, in mem'ry of the same,

A Lowse amongst the Learned is no shame.

Then since the

Parnassus.

mountaines barren Muses bare,

And Prince of Poets had ae Beggers share:

Since their blinde Soueraigne was a Begger poore,

How can the Subiects but be voyd of store?

What are their figures, numbers, types and tropes,

But Emblems of poore shadowes, and vaine hopes.

Their allegories, similies, allusions,

Threed-bare, doe end in beggerly conclusions:

Nor can their Comedies and Tragedies,

Their Comitragy, Traggecomedies,

No pastorall preterplupastorall,

Their Morall studies, and Historicall,

Their sharp I-ambick, high Heroick Saphique,

And all where with their painefull studies traffique:

[Page]All these cannot allow a meanes compleate

To keepe them out of Debt with Clothes and meate.

And though a Poet have th' accomplish'd partes

Of Learning, and the Axiomes of all Artes:

What though he study all his braines to dust,

To make his Fame Immortall, and not rust,

Reuoluing day by day and night by night,

And waste himselfe in giuing others light,

Yet this is all the Guerdon he shall haue,

That begg'ry will attend him his Graue.

He (in his owne Conceit) may haue this blisse,

And sing, My minde to me a Kingdome is.

But 'tis a Kingdome wanting forme or matter,

Or substance, like the Moonshine in the water.

For as a learned

Chris. Marlo.

Poet wrote before,

Grosse Golde runnes headlong from them, to the Bore;

For which this vnauoyded Vow Ile make,

To loue a Begger for Poets sake.

I that ne're dranke of Agganippes Well,

That in Parnissus Suburbes scarce doe dwell,

That neuer tasted the Pegassiar Spring,

Or Tempe, nor e'reheard the Muses sing,

I (that in Vearse) can onely Rime and matter

Quite from the purpose, Method, or the matter.

Yet some for friendship, Ignorance, or pitty

Will say my lines may passe, indifferent, pritty:

And for this little, Itching, Vearsing vaine,

With me the Begger vowes he will remaine.

But if I could but once true Poetry win,

He would sticke close to me, as is my Skin.

And sure if any man beneath the Sky,

Had to his Nurse a Witch, it must be I,

[Page]For I remember many yeares agoe,

When I would Cry, as Children vse to doe:

My Nurse to still me, or to make me cease

From crying would say hush lambe, prey thee peace.

But I (like many youth or froward boyes)

Would yaule, and baule, and make a wewling noyse

Then shee (in anger) in her armes would snatch me,

And bid the Begger, or bulbegger catch me,

With take him Begger, take him would she say,

Then did the Begger such hard hold fast lay

Vpon my backe, that yet I neuer could

Nor euer shall in force him leaue his holde

The reason therefore why I am not Rich

I thinke is, cause my Nurse was halfe a witch.

But since it is decreed that I must be

A begger, welcome begg'ry vnto me:

Ile patiently embrace my destir'd Fate

And liue as well on some of higher Rate.

Yet shall my begg'ry no strange Suites deuise

As Monopolies to catch Fleas or Flyes:

Or the Sole making of all Bleachers prickes,

Or Corkes for bottles, or for euery sixe

Smelt, Seacrab, Flounder, Playee or Whiting mop,

One, as a Duty vnto me to drop

Nor to marke Cheeses, Ile not beg at all,

Nor for the Mouse trap Geometricall.

Nor will I impudently beg for I and,

Nor (with Ambition) beg to haue Command:

Or meate, or cloathes, or that which few men giue,

Ile neuer beg for money whilst I liue.

Yet money I esteeme a precious thing,

Because it beares and picture of my King:

[Page]Vnto my King I will a seruant be,

And make his pictures seruants vnto men.

One onely Begg'ry euer I'le embrace,

Ile beg for grace, of him that can give grace,

Who all thinges feedes and fils, and ouer-seeth

Who giues, and casteth no man in the teeth.

So much for that, now on my Theame againe,

What vertues Begg'ry still doth entertaine.

First amongst Beggers, there's not one in twenty,

But hath the Art of memory most plenty:

When those that are possest with riches store

(If e're they were in Beggers state and poore)

They quite forget it, and will euer hate

The memory of any Beggers state.

For fortune, fauour, or benignity,

May rayse a Begger vnto Dignity:

When like a bladder, puft with pride and pelfe,

Hee'l neither know his betters, nor himselfe,

But if a Begger hath bin wealthy euer,

He from his minde puts that remembrance neuer.

And thus if it be Rightly vnderstood,

A beggers Memory is euer good.

Nor he by Gluttony, or swimish surfet,

Doth purchase Sicknes with his bodies forfeit.

On bonds or bills, he borrowes not, or lends,

He neither by extortion gets or spends.

No Vsury he neither takes or gines:

Oppresse he cannot, yet opprest he liues.

Nor when he dyes, he leaues no wrangling heyres

To lose by Law that which was his or theirs

Men that are blinde in iudgement may see this

Which of the Rich, or Beggers hath to oft blisse:

[Page]On which most pleasure, Fortune seemes to hurle,

The Lowsie begger, or the gowty Churle:

The Ragged begger sitting in the Stocks,

Or the Embrodered Gallant with the Pocks.

A Begger euery way is Adams Son,

For in a Garden Adam first begun:

And so a Begger euen from his birth,

Doth make his Garden the whole entire Earth.

The fieldes of Corne doth yeeld him straw and bread

To Feed and Lodge, and Hat to hide his head:

And in the stead of Cut-throat slaughtering Shambles,

Each Hedge allowes him Berryes from the brambles.

The Bullesse, hedge Peake, Hips and Hawes, and Sloes,

Attends his appetite where e're he goes:

As for his Sallets, better neuer was,

Then acute Sorrell, and sweet three leau'd Grasse,

And as for Sawce he seldome is at Charges

For euery Crabtree doth affoord them Vergis.

His banket, somtimes is greene Beanes and Peason,

Nuts, Peares, Plumbes, Apples, as they are in season.

His musicke waytes on him in euery bush,

The Mauis, Bulfinch, Blackbird and the Thrush:

The mounting Larke, sings in the lofty Sky,

And Robin Redbrest makes him melody.

The Nightingale chants most melodiously,

The chirping Sparrow, and the chattering Pye.

My neighbour Cuckow, alwayes in one tune,

Sings like a Townsman still in May and Iune.

These feather'd Fidlers, sing, and leape and play,

The begger takes delight, and God doth pay.

Moreouer (to accomplish his Content)

There's nothing wants to please his sight or sent.

[Page]The Earth embrodered with the various hew

Of Greene, Red, Yellow, Purple, Watchet, Blew:

Carnation, Crimson, Damaske, spotles White,

And euery colour that may please the sight.

The odoriserous Mint, the Eglantine,

The Woodbine, Primrose, and the Cowslip fine.

The Honisuckle, and the Daffadill,

The fragrant Time, delights the Begger still.

He may plucke Violets in any place

And Rue, but very seldome hearbe of Grace:

Hearts-ease he hath and Loue and Idle both,

It in his bones hath a continuall growth.

His Drinke he neuer doth goe farre to looke,

Each Spring's his Host, his Hostesse is each Brooke:

Where he may quaffe and too't againe by fits,

And neuer stand in feare to hurt his wits,

For why that Ale, is Grandam Natures brewing,

And very seldome sets her Guests a spewing;

Vnmixt, and vnsophisticated drinke,

That neuer makes men stagger, reele and winke.

Besides a begger hath this pleasure more,

He neuer payes, or neuer goes on score:

But let him drinke and quaffe both night and day,

Ther's neither Chalke, nor Post, or ought to pay.

But after all this single-soal'd small Ale,

I thinke it best to tell a merry tale:

There was a Rich hard miserable Lord,

That kept a knauish Foole at bed and boord,

(As Great men oft affected haue such Elues.

And lou'd a Foole, as they haue lou'd themselues.)

But Nature to this Foole such vertue gaue,

Two simples in one Compound, Foole and Knaue.

[Page]This Noble Lord, Ignobly did oppresse

His Tenants, raising Rents to such excesse:

That they their states not able to maintaine,

They turn'd starke beggers in a yeare or twaine.

Yet though this Lord were too too miserable,

He in his House kept a well furnish'd Table:

Great store of Beggers dayly at his Gate,

Which he did feed, and much Compassionate.

(For 'tis within the power of mighty men

To make fiue hundred Beggers, and feed Ten.

At last, vpon a time the Lord and's Foole,

Walk'd after Dinner their hot bloods to coole,

And seeing three or foure score Beggers stand

To seeke Reliefe from his hard Clutched hand,

The Nobleman thus spake his Foole vnto,

Quoth he, what shall I with these Beggers doe?

Since (quoth the Foole) you for my Iudgement call,

I thinke it best we straight wayes hang them all.

That were great pitty, then the Lord reply'd

For them and me our Sauiour equall dy'd:

Th' are Christians (although beggers) therefore yet

Hanging's vncharitable, and vnsit.

Tush (said the Foole) they are but beggers thoe,

And thou canst spare them, therefore let them goe:

If thou wilt doe, as thou hast done before,

Thou canst in one yeare make as many more.

And he that can picke nothing from this tale,

Then let him with the begger drinke small Ale.

Thus is a Begger a strange kinde of creature,

And begg'ry is an Art that liues by Nature:

For he neglects all Trades, all Occupations,

All functions, Mysteries, Artes, and Corporations.

[Page]Hee's his owne Law, and doth euen what he lift.

And is a persit right Gimnosophist.

A Phylosophicall Pithagoras,

That without care his life away doth passe.

A Begger neuer growes mad with too much study.

A Lawyer must for what he gets take paines,

And study night and day, and toyle his braines,

With diligence to sift out Right from Wrong,

Writes, trauels, pleades, with hands, and feet, and tong.

And for to end Debate, doth oft debate

With Rhetoricke, and Logicke Intricate:

And after all his trauell and his toyle,

If that part which he pleads for get the foyle,

The Clyent blames the Lawyer, and the Lawes,

And neuer mindes the badnes of his Cause.

Tis better with a Begger that is Dumbe,

Whose tongue-lesse mouth doth onely vtter mum:

In study, and in care, no time he spends,

Dumbe Rhetorick moues Charity.

And hath his busines at his finger ends.

And with dumbe Rhetoricke, and with Logicke mute,

Liues and gaines more, then many that Dispute.

If case a Begger be olde, weake or Ill,

The weake Begger haue a great aduantage over the strong.

It makes his gaines, and commings in more still;

When beggers that are strong, are paide with mocks,

Or threatned with the Cage, the Whip, or Stocks.

Hee's better borne then any Prince or Peere,

In's Mothers wombe three quarters of a yeare:

Beggers (for th' most part well borne.

And when his birth hath made her belly slacke,

Shee foure or fiue yeares beares him at her backe,

He liues as if it were Grim Saturnes Raigne,

Or as the Golden age were come againe.

Moreouer many vertues doe attend

Virtues that Beggers haue

On Beggers, and on them doe they depend:

[Page]Humility's a Vertue,

Humility.

and they are

In signe of Humblenes, continuall bare:

And Patience is a vertue of great worth,

Patience.

Which any begger much expresseth forth,

I saw a Begger Rayl'd at, yet stood mute,

Before a Beadle, of but base Repute.

For Fortitude a begger doth excell,

Fortitude.

There's nothing can his valiant courage quell:

Nor heate or colde, thirst, hunger, Famines rage,

He dares out-dare Stocks, whipping-posts, or Cage.

Hee's of the greatest Temperance vnder heauen,

Temperance.

And (for the most part) seeds on what is giuen.

He waytes vpon a Lady, of high price,

Whose birth-place was Coelestiall paradice.

One of the Graces, a most heauenly Dame,

And Charity's her all admired Name:

It waytes on Charity a worthy bountiful Mistres.

Her hand's ne're shut, her glory is in giuing,

On her the Begger waytes, and gets his liuing.

Antiquity.

His State's more ancient then a Gentleman,

It from the Elder brother (Caine) began:

Beggery descended from Caine, who was the first man that euer was borne, & heire apparant to the whole world.

Of Runagates and vagabonds hee was

The first that wandring o're the earth did passe.

But what's a Vagabond and a Runagate?

True Annagramatiz'd I will relate:

RVNAGATE, Annagram, AGRANTE. VAGABONDE, Annagram, GAVE A BOND.

And many well borne Gallants, mad and fond,

Haue with a Graunt so often Gaue a Bond.

[Page]And wrap'd their states so in a Parchment skin,

They Vagabonds and Runagates haue bin.

Honour

A begger's nob'ly borne, all men will yeeld,

His getting, and his birth b'ing in the field:

And all the world knowes 'tis no idle fable,

To say and sweare the field is honourable.

Curtesie.

A begger is most courteous when he begges,

And hath an excellent skill in making legges:

But if he could make Armes but halfe so well,

Security.

For Herauldry his cunning would excell.

A begger in great safety doth remaine,

He's out of danger to be rob'd or slaine:

In feare and perill he is neuer put,

And (for his wealth) no thiefe his throat will cut.

Bounty.

He's farre more bountifull then is Lord,

A world of hangers on at bed and boord:

Which he doth lodge, and daily cloath and feed,

Them and their Issue, that encrease and breed;

Power.

For 'tis disparagement, and open wrong,

To say a begger's not a thousand strong:

Frugality.

Yet haue I seene a begger with his Many,

Come in at a Play-house, all in for one penny.

And though of creatures Lice are almost least,

Yet is a Lowse a very valiant beast.

But did not strength vnto her courage want,

She would kill Lyon, Beare, or Elephant.

What is it that she can but she dares do,

She'le combate with a King, and stand to't to:

She's not a starter like the dust-bred-Flea,

She's a great trauailer by land and sea,

And dares take any Lady by the Rea.

She neuer from a battell yet did flye,

[Page]For with a Souldier she will line and dye.

And sure (I thinke) I said not much amis,

To say a Lowse her selfe a souldier is.

An Hoast of Lice did to submission bring

Hard-harted Pharoh the Egyptian King.

But when these cruell creatures doe want meate,

Mans flesh and blood like Canibals they eate.

They are vnto the begger Natures gifts,

Who very seldome puts them to their shifts.

A Begger is no shifting fellow. True friendship

These are his Guard, which will not him forsake,

Till Death course doth of his carkasse make.

A begger liues here in this vale of sorrow,

And trauels here to day, and there tomorrow.

The next day being neither here, nor there:

But almost no where, and yet euery where.

Beggers are trauellers.

He neuer labours, yet he doth expresse

Himselfe an enemie to Idlenesse.

He is seldom idle, though hee neuer works.

In Court, Campe, Citie, Countrey, in the Ocean

A begger is a right: perpetuall motion,

His great deuotion is in generall,

He either prayes for all, or preyes on all.

Deuotion.

And it is vniuersally profest,

Vniuersality.

From South to North, from East vnto the West.

On his owne merits he will not relie,

He is a louer of good works.

By others mens good works he'le line and die.

That begg'ry is most nat'rall all men know,

Our naked comming to the world doth show:

Peggery is naturall, and generall to all the world.

Not worth a simple rotten ragge, or clout,

Our seely earkasses to wrap about.

That it will is, and hath perpetuall bin,

Beggery is perpetual.

All goe as naked out, as they came in,

We leaue our cloathes, which were our couers here,

[Page]For Beggers that come after vs to weare.

The generality of beggerie.

Thus all the world in generall beggers are,

And all alike comes in, and goes out bare.

It is most necessary for euery one to liue and dye a Begger.

And who so liues here in the best degree,

Must (euery day) a daily begger bee:

And when his life hath runne vnto his date,

He dies a begger, or a reprobate.

(Good Reader, pray misconster not this case,

I meane no profanation in this place)

Then since these vertues waite on beggery,

As milde Humility, and Charity,

With Patience, Fortitude, and Courtesie,

And Temp'rance, Honour, Health, Frugality,

Security, Vniuersality,

Necessity, and Perpetuity,

And since heau'n sends the Subiect and the Prince

All Beggers hither, and no better hence,

Since begg'ry is our portion, and our lot,

Our Patrimony, birth-right, and what not:

Let vs pursue our function, let vs do

That (which by nature) we were borne vnto.

And whil'st my Muse a little doth repose,

I'le Character a Begger out in prose.

Now it followes, that I shew some part of their formes, cariage, manners, and behauiour, their seuerall Garbs, tones, and salutations that they acost their Clyents or Benefactours withall, for they can wisely, and discreetely suite their Phrase and language, to bee correspondent to their owne shape, and suteable to whomsoeuer they begge of, as for example suppose a Begger hee in the shape or forme of a maundering, or wandering Souldier, with one arme, [Page] leg or eye, or some such maim; then imagine that there passeth by him some Lord, Knigt, or scarce a Gentleman, it makes no matter which, then his Honour or his Worship shall be affronted in this manner:

Braue man of Honour, cast a fauourable looke vpon the wounded estate of a distressed Gentleman, that hath borne Armes for his Countrey in the hottest broyles of the Netherlāds, with the losse of his members; Cleueland hath felt my strength; I haue bickered with the French, at Brest & Deep; I haue past the Straights, the dangerous Gulph: the Groyne can speake my seruice (Right Honorable) with no lesse then two dangerous hurts hardly brought off from Bummil Leaguer, which I would vnwillinly discouer to your manliness, whose beliefe shall be therein as much auailable as eye sight. Fortune hath onely left me a tongue to bemone my losses, and one eye to be witnesse of your noble bountie; I would be loth to weary your Lordship with the relations of my trauels, to whom the storie of these warres are as familiar as to my self; your worthy liberalitie is the spurre to valour, and the sauegard of his country; and in your honorable memorie my tong shall supplys the defects of my limbes, and proclaime your merit through the 17 Prouinces, whither your bountie shall beare this witherd bodie, to interre it with the bloud which I left there as a pledge of my returne.

This is the martiall or decaied military kind of begging; which if he speed, then he can fit himselfe with a prayer accordingly, for the prosperitie of his liberall benefactor, as thus:

Peace be to thy loines (Right honourable) and plentie at thy board, oppression in the country, and extortion in the citie, embroder thy carkas, and keepe thy Concubine constant, that Taylers may sue to thee for worke, more then for paiment, [Page] and Sericants may stand and gaze at thy faire progresse by the Compters, whist thy coach mares shall whurrie thee free from Attachments.

Then (after a scrub or shrug) you must conceiue that he meetes with a Lawyer, and fitting his phrase to his language, he assaults him thus, and ioynes issue.

Humbly sheweth to your good Worship, your poore suppliant hauing aduanced his bill in the late warres of Sweaden Copenhage, and Stock Holland; after Replications in particular, and Reiovnders drawne, with bloudy pens and dreadfull characters, your petitioner ioyned issue in that fearfull day of hearing, at the grand castle of Smolesco, where he came off with the losse of his inheritance, hauing the euidence of his limbes violently rent from him, to make open passage to the beneuolent charitie of such of such pious persons as is your good worship; for you are the true souldiers of the country, whose warres concerne the domestique peace of our nation, as such as my selfe doth the forreine. My breeding was Gentle, Sir, and my birth English, a younger brother, driuen to my shifts, to auoide the soule accidents of home-bred miseries; I measured forrein paces, and was deliuerd abroad of my breeding at home, in which estate the hand of your bountie must support me, or else calamitie will crawle euer me, which hath no Surgeon but the gallowes, to which I hope the Law will not deliuer me, seeing it carries so faire a face as the reuerend aspect of your maisterships countenance.

By this time you must suppose that his bount being awak'd he giues him somewhat; when with a correspondent prayer he thus takes his benevale.

May the Termes be euerlasting to thee, thou man of tong, and may contentions grow and multiply, may Actions beget Actions, and Cases engender Cases as thicke as hops, may [Page] euery day of the yeare be a Shroue tuesday; let Proclamations forbid fighting, to increase actions of battry, that thy Cassock may be three pilde, and the welts of thy gowne may not grow thread bare.

Perhaps he meetes with some countrey Farmer, or some honest Russet home-spun plaine-dealing plowiogger, whom he assaults with a volley of lyes and brauadoes, in maner and forme following.

You shall do well to take notice (countryman and friend) that I am a souldier and a gentleman, who hauing bin made Fortunes tennis ball, was lately cast vpon these coasts of my country by the mercilesse crueltie of the raging tempestuous seas, where I haue bin in that distresse that the whole Christian world durst not so much as looke on: mine Armes hath bin feared by all the enemies that euer beheld them aduanc'd, and my command hath bin dreadfull through Europe, Asia, Africa and America, from the Suns Easterne rising to his Westerne declination. I was the first man that entred (despight the mouth of the cannon) into the famous city of Portrega, a citie fiue times greater then Constantinople, where the great Turke then kept his Seraglio, Basha Caphy, Basha Indae, and Mustapha Despot of Seruia being my prisoners, whose ransomes yeelded my sword three millions of Hungarian duckets; with which returning, thinking to make thee and the rest of my nation rich, the ship which transported me (being ouerladen) tooke such a leake that she sunke, not a mortall eye being able to see one pennie of that vncountable treasure, my selfe (as you see preserued) a miserable spectacle of vnfortunate chance, for getting astride vpon a demyculuering of brasse, I was weather-beaten three leagues; on shore, as you see, an ominous map of manquelling calamitie, to the reliefe whereof, my fellow and friend, (for so my [Page] now pouertie makes me vouchsafe to call thee) I must intreat thy manhood, by offering a parcell of thy substance; make no delayes, Sir, for I would be loth to exercise my valour on thee, and make thee the first Christian that should feele the impregnable strength and vigour of my victorious arm, which hath done to death so many Turkes, Pagans and Infidels as cannot truly be numbred.

After all this superfluous fustian, the poore man vnwillingly drawes and giues him some small mite, more for feare or lying, then either for loue or charitie. His fury being abated, he takes his leaue thus:

Faire be thy Haruest, and foule thy winter, that plentie may fil thy barnes, and feare of scarcitie raise thy price, may thy Landlord liue vnmarried, that thy fine may not be raisde, to buy thy new Landladie a French petlicoate or a new Blocke Beauer, nor thy rents raisde to keepe her tire in fashion.

INuention many thousand waies could go,

To shew their variations to and fro:

A Iustice of peace is as the world to a begger, a Beadle as the flesh, and a Constable as the diveil.

For as vpon the soule of man attends,

The world, the flesh, the diuell, (three wicked friends)

So likewise hath a begger other three,

With whom his humour neuer could agree.

A Iustice, to the world he doth compare,

A Iustice will wink or conniue at a beggers faults often, partly for pity, & partly to a cold trouble

And for his flesh, a Beadle is a snare:

But he that he of all accounts most euill,

He thinks a Constable to be the deuill.

And 'tis as easie for him as to drinke,

To blind the world, and make a Iustice winke:

The Beadle (for the flesh) 'is little paine,

A whipping wil be looue cured.

Which smart he can recouer soone againe.

[Page]But yet the Diuells (the Constable) a spirit,

From hole to hole that hunts him like a ferrit,

Both day and night he haunts him as a ghost,

A Constable in a Bugbeare to a begger.

And of all furies he torments him most.

All's one for that, though some things fa'l out ill,

A begger seldome rides vp Holborne hill:

Nor is he taken with a theeuish trap,

And made dispute with Doctors Stories

Sybutae

cap.

A common theefe, for euery groute he gaines,

His life doth venture, besides all his paines:

For euery thing he eates, or drinkes, or weares,

To lose his eares, or gaine a rope he feares.

But for a begger, be it hee or shee,

They are from all these choaking dangers free.

And though (for sinne) when mankind first began,

A curse was laid on all the race of man,

That of his labours he should liue and eate,

And get his bread by trauell and by sweate:

But if that any from this curse be free,

A begger must he be, and none but he.

For euery foole most certainly doth know,

A begger doth not dig, delue, plow, or sow:

He neither harrowes, plants, lops, fels, nor rakes,

Nor any way he paines or labour takes.

Let swine be meazeld, let sheepe die and rot,

Let moraine kill the cattell, he cares not:

He will not worke and sweat, and yet hee'l feed,

And each mans labour must supply his need.

Thus without paines of care, his life hee'l spend,

And liues vntill he dies, and there's an end.

[Page]But I this reekning do of beggry make,

That it much better is to giue then take:

Yet if my substance will not serue to giue,

Lie (of my betters) take, with thankes, and liue.

FINIS.

[Page]

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

THE PRAISE, ANTIQVITY, and commodity, of Beggery, Beggers, and Begging.

By IOHN TAYLOR.

Beggers Bush. A Maunbering Begger. A gallant Begger.

At London Printed by E. A. for Henry Gosson, and are to be sold by Edward Wright neere Christs Church Gate. 1621.

TO THE BRIGHT EYE-DAZELING MIRROVR OF MIRTH, Adelantado of Alacrity, the Pump of pastime, spout of sport, and Regent of ridiculous Confabulations, ARCHIBALD ARMESTRONG, alias the Court ARCHY.

[Page]

[Page]

ENuie and Hate are such daily followers, and deadly enemies, of the wife, honest, and vertuous, that my hope is, that they will neuer doe you wrong or iniurie: And my beliefe is, that (as you haue euer) you will alwayes carie your selfe so worthily in all your actions, that your best deserts shall neither merrit envie or hatred. I haue heere made bold to present to your illiterate protection, a beggerly Pamphlet of my threed-bare inuention: I doe assure you that I was more troubled in studying where to finde a fit Patron, then I was in writing the Booke; I thought to haue dedicated it to Beggers Bush neere Andeuer, or to his Hawthorne brother within a mile of Huntington: but I considered at last, that the laps of your long Coate could shelter me as well [...]r better then any beggerly Thorne-lush. I did once dedicate a Booke to your patronage, of the supposed drowning of M. Thomas Coriat, and I did also dedicate tryce small Treatises to a Leash of Knights; and because you all foure make a well match'd Murniuall of Patrons,A Gleek. (for you all alike very illiberally put your hands in your pockets, and to make your monies euen, gaue me nothing:) It makes me the bolder at this time to come vpon you againe, not doubting but your bounty will require [Page] my loue and paines with as much more. It may be that your high affaires (wherein you are continually pestred with needlesse imployments) rubs your minde quite from the Ryas, that you doe not see in what declining predicament your owne sometimes esteemed quality is: for the dayes hath beene that many men kept Fooles, but now (to saue that charge) the most part of such Benefactors performe the function themselues: So that if you take not a speedy order, fooling will bee as common as begging or whore-maisters, and the sight or presence either of your worthy selfe, or any of your long-taild tribe (which was wont to be seene and heard with admiration) will be no more regarded. To preuent which, I would counsell you to make a Corporation of fooling, and that none shall intrude into the society hereafter, but such as shall be Apprentizes to the quality, of which those that are now liuing, to contribute toward the building or purchasing of a Hall, your selfe (during your life) to be perpetuall Maister of the Company. I heare that the valarous Sir Thomas, Knight of the Sunne, hath had such a proiect in his head, end hath presumed to petition for himselfe, to haue the sole approbation of all authorized Fooles and Buffones. But for aught I see, you neede not feare that he will preuent you in this Monopoly, hee being so farre from the sufficiencie of a generall super-intendant, that he is esteemed unworthy to be a setter vp of the trade: for mine owne part, a Beadles place is onely my ambition, to whip those out of the Society that are malapert fooles, surcie fooles, prodigall fooles, courteous fooles, proud fooles, counter fait fooles, or any one that is more Knaue than Foole. Apart of Bridewell would serue silly for a Hall, and the Armes of the brotherhood shall be an Asses head Dormant, in a field Gules, with a Bable and three Coxcombs rampant, and two morice-bels pendant, with a Whip passant lashant for the Crest, the Esoucheon mantled with powdred Vermine. This if you please to take [Page] in hand, no doubt but the worke will be meritorious and notorious, and as the Romane Emperours Nero, Caligula, and Heliogabelus, are as famous for their acts, lines, and deathes, as the good Augustus, Alexander, Seuerus, and Marcus Aurelius: So shall you be remembred in succeeding ages beyond the memory of Scoggin, or worthy Will Summers. I pray you be not angry that I doe not salute you with the flattering Epheihites, of honest, courteous, friendly, louing or kinde; for as yet you neuer gaue mee occasion to doe you any such iniurie: I protest Sir, I doe loue you with that affection as is correspondent to the vaccuity of your Worthinesse, and I am assured that at all times you will stand my friend in word or deede, for as much as comes to an vnbaked Tabacco-Pipe. In which assurance I kisse your hand as innocent as the new borne Babe, or Lamb in the Cradle, and shall euer wish you a nimble tongue, to make other mens money runne into your Purse, and quicke heeles to out-runne the or Hue and crie, if occasion require.

He that admires your vnparallelable parts, and wisheth the reuersion of your gaines rather then your Office:

Iohn Taylor.

Information about this book

Title statement

The praise, antiquity, and commodity, of beggery, beggers, and begging. Iohn Taylor

Taylor, John, 1580-1653.

Edition statement

1621

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A13487

ID [STC]

STC 23786

ID [STC]

ESTC S118267

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99853474

ID [PROQUEST]

99853474

ID [VID]

18857

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A13487)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 18857)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1036:18)

Source

— The praise, antiquity, and commodity, of beggery, beggers, and begging. Iohn Taylor, Taylor, John, 1580-1653..

Extent

[28] p.

Printed by E[dward] A[llde] for Henry Gosson, and are to be sold by Edward Wright neere Christs Church Gate,. London :: 1621.. (Mostly in verse.) (With a title-page woodcut.) (Printer's name from STC.) (Signatures: A-D⁴ (-A1, D4).) (Running title reads: The begger.) (Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.)

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