BRother Prog, welcom to Town from the We­ſtern Circuit; you have had a fine time to range about the Countries, and to fill your pockets with niſe prize Moneys, and ſuch Law trinkets at the Country Sizes; you have had a good Harveſt, I hope, you look ſo brisk.

Brother, 'tis good making Hay while the Sun ſhines: I have been (as you ſay) compaſſing the earth, and I had pro ſelytes whereſoever I came; my old Mr. Bateman who has been an old Fox in the Kennel of the Law, had his hands full of Trials, and then I could not want Fees, Prag, and I made no ſcruple of conſcience to ſwallow them, all was Fiſh that came to our Nets, and we Fiſh in troubled Waters; the Country-Hobs brought in Tribute to us, and ſwarmed at the Aſſiſes like Flies about a Hony-Pot; when they hear of a Tax or a Prize Money, they hum, and mumble and grumble, but ſure they take us for their Save-Alls, as indeed we are, for we prick them on faſt to our ſleeves till they end in a ſnuff and ſpend all they have: I till thee they care not how the Plough goes, but how their Writs and Subpaenaes take: Our Writings they take for Canonical: by our Tricks in Law we can fetch2 out their Crowns, and make their Angels flie into our pock­ets clean out of their ſight: I found ſpecial gleaning there after my Mrs. Raking, but that Harveſt is gone till Mid-Lent come. Well, ſhall we diſſolve a little Fee or a Bribe into Ca­nary at our Meeting?

Ile go with you becauſe we ſhall meet our Brothers, Bold-face and Hold-Caſe at the Devil by St. Dunſtans, and there wee'l confer together, for I have matter of Importance to declare to you.

Content; for I would hear ſome News; the next Cli­ent ſhall be ſure to pay for our Mirth, and therefore we will be free: We know how to cut large thongs of other ſides: I tell the Prag, our Profeſſion is the ſublimeſt part of high Myſterie; there are divers hard Land-Lords who ſqueeſe their Tenants by Rack Rents, but we not onelie diſtrain the Te­nants Purſes, but we extract the very Land-Lords blood and Lands, and whole Lordſhips by our ſcribling on a tenterd Sheepskin.

'Tis ſo, Brother Prog, for my Suitor old Mr. Hold­faſt has told me, that when he firſt knew how to make an In­denture, and a old Noverint Uniuerſi, he had but one four pence half penny ith' houſe, & owed his Land-Lord a whole yeers Rent of 6. s. 8. d. for his Cottage, and had but one poor Hock-Bed for himſelf and three children, and that without Sheets; and was glad of an old Sheeps-head and Gather with a three penny Barley Loaf once in a week, and neither Horſe nor Cow, Cock nor Hen, and yet by living neer to a Market Town he pretending his Skill to the Law, did by his little Skill make a ſhift in two yeers to pick up halfe twenty pounds, and with ſome of that got him a black Cloak with a Velvet Cape, a one-eard ſpavin'd Horſe, and a buckrom bag with three Cauſes in it, and came up at the Term time as brisk as an old Fox in a Doublet, and ſped his Cauſes, and re­turned again with looks and Language among the Country Bumpkins as lofty as if he had been one of the Maſters of the Chancerie, or a Serjeant at Law, and in twenty yeers ſpace writes Eſquire, and poſſeſſes 1000 l. per Ann. keeps his Coach and four Horſes, fares like a Prince. And I that am but one3 of the whelps of that Litter, yet you ſee how I am maintain­ed under him till I be ready to prog for my ſelf: And I am a pretty expert Setter at the Game alreadie; one Michael­mas Term more, and another Circuit will fleſh me for prey, and I have Tallons and Appetite eager as a Spar-hawk to ſeiſe a Client.

See, yonder come our Fellows, birds of Prey and the ſame Feather; true Voragoes; excellent Horſe-Leeches; ſpecial Spunges; dextrous Pick-Pockets; nimble Rook•; their tongues are as nimble as their fingers, and both as nimble as an Eeles tail: Come, let's bear near up to'm to know how the rack rides. Fitly met Comrades; how ſtands the Caſe with you you two?

Well, for we feel no want; the Countrey was fat and full againſt our coming, and wee laid aboard ſtoutly; we had ſpecial Supporters met us wherever we ſojourned, we open'd the Countrey mens caſes and Capons, happie was he that could firſt preſent us with fat fees; we began to ſuſpect that they got their money noughtilie they were ſo earneſt to part with them: They murmure at their Land-Lords, and mutter at their Parſons, and curſe their Collectors of Taxes, but dare not vent a ſyllable againſt our Polititians of the Law; we have the length of their feet; and what ſhift ſoever they make for the other three ſorts of Drawers, they will be ſure not to ſtarve their Lawyers; we have them at our Devo­tion; when they offer a caſe to us, they are ſure to pay and to pray to. But why prate we here? letts into our Harbour, and ſhew the Vintners Gallyfoiſts that 'tis no vocation with us; but we by the help of the Summers fagary at the Nor­thern Aſſiſes, can be as jovial as in the midſt of Michaelmas Term.

Tut, why ſtay we here? Ile enter, and it ſhall be a Leather-Doublets Fee that I intend to digeſt in good Sack amongſt you; Ile ne'er demur upon it; comes Fellows; I hope you will not ſtay till you be ſubpaenaed into the Court: Here's ſpecial Sack thats a ſufficient lure to draw in, and as bird-lime, and catch Game. I tell you Comrades, that the day is our own.4 the Parſon dare not come neer to peep into a Tavern for fear of ſcandal, and the Souldiers Pay will not reach it; and the Citizens what by paying of Taxes decay of Trading, and finding their Wives rich clothes for their pride, ſeldome adventure into Taverns; and when they do, alas tis halfe a pinte, Club, and away to their Shops; ſo that we and our Cli­ents have the onely preferment to drink Wine and truly we may well do it, becauſe it comes on free coſt to us; and our Clients take a price in paying, becauſe they hope we will the ſooner further their cauſe: Is not this true my blades? And therefore lets enjoy our ſelves without melancholly?

Hang melancholly, our Fortunes fall to our hands: Its enough for old ſequeſtred Parſons, and decayed Eſquires, and Knights who have loſt their Eſtates, for their conſciences to be dull and melanchollick; but wiſer then ſo; we are of that Tribe who can ſell conſcience; and if it come to be debated either to part with our monies or our conſci­ence, we know which ſhall be firſt thruſt out of doors; and for certain, Weſtminſter-Hall and Lawyers Chambers are not fit places for conſcience to ſet up her Trade in. Was ſhe not baniſh'd out of England? If ſhe be not there's no abi­ding for her in our Purfues or Juriſdictions. I am ſure there has been many Declarations, and Judgements, and Executi­ons againſt her, and many motes and private debates to caſt out her Suits; and if at any time tis admitted, it appears in Forma pauperis, and thats meerly pro forma, for faſhion ſake, to make a mock of her; and indeed, tis a good Preſident all that come to us in hope to ſpeed, to come well lined with Caſh more then conſcience. Piſh, lets not talk more of her, for ſhe's at beſt but an old ſtale Lady out of faſhion and fa­vour too. Come now, lets diſcourſe of ſome News, Brother Prag, you ſaid you had ſome matter of conſequence to be heard; out with it we pray you, and lets all partake of it.

Truly ſo I fear you will before you would; for I have been plodding and contriving how to avoid or overthrow it, for I love it as Cats love Muſtard, or as the Devil loves Holy-Water; it makes my hair briſtle when I think on't; all my my hopes are, that are too good to continue long. I believe5 you heard of them at the Countrey Aſſiſes, they are called the Committee for References; People are mainly taken with them, and ſpeak high in their commendation, and that they do a world of good to Debtors and Priſoners, and all that are vexed with Chancery Suits &c. and tedious Law-caſes for they do that in an Afternoon which we hang and draw out in Chancery ſix or ſeven yeers; ye know all what fine fetches we have to ſpin out a cauſe in any of our Coverts and Cages.

Well, is this the News and certain, does it ſo ſtartle you that it makes you look as if you were poſſeſſed with Eſſex, or a Kentiſh-Ague? It frights you as if you was ſerved with a Warrant for Jamaica or Hiſpaniola. Come, come, lets paſſe off the thoughts of it, for it makes you look as if you had the Yellows, or black-Jaundies: Hang't, it will cauſe you to fall into a Conſumption, and to end your dayes as Judas, in diſpair and a halter; for my part, I love no ſuch Purgation, though I confeſſe there's many have tauen a turn and one ſlip out of the world, for leſſe Villainies then we are guilty of, for we rob more in our chambers then they do up­on the high-way: Lawyers and their Clarks are as danger­ous for mens purſes as Dr. Nicholas Clarks; our Pens are as bad as their Piſtols; for they make men onely to ſtand, but we make them to fall: A Hare has not more Muſes then we have ſleights, traverſes, compaſſings, windings, turnings, wheelings, falſifyings, broyls and turmoyls in our Game at Law: Will. the Conqueror was our good Founder, and all the Rings have been ſpecial Benefactors to our cunning Soci­ety and who knows but that the Arch-Biſhops and Biſhops, and all the old Prieſts followed our Courts with conſtant fee, and were excellently verſed in our Muſe; nay, the poor Cu­rates of 10 l. per ann. would ſue at Law for tithe Eggs, or Geeſe, or for two penny offerings: At Eaſter Weſtminſter-Hall and all our Inns ſwarmed with that Tribe of Levi, but ſince the Reformation they are poor, and now are quiet by force: Curſt Gows have ſhort horns; the Preſbyters teeth water to be in our Court, but that they dare not for fear of ſcandal or ejection: Wel, for my part if all agree to it ſince8 we have pretty well wetted our whiſtles, lets hear this mat­ter, and debate on it.

Agreed, it ſtands us upon; for if they ſtand, we fall; and if they come in, we muſt pack out; but yet they will finde more to rout us and root us up, then they did by civil Lawyers, Doctors and Proctors, or then they did of the old Prelates, Biſhops, Deans, Chapi­ters, Arch-Deacons and their Officials; we have ſtronger Forts then theirs, we're Juro Divino; weel finde them a little more Play; our Dependancies and Relations are firmer, and knit and tyed Legaliter by Law, yes Statute Law: If we look to our friends Sublime and tough for Law, what ſay you to that, vaſt Neſt of Waſps, and-Hornets, and Horſe-Lea­ches, Attorneys, Soliciters and their Clarks, with Scriveners, Indenture-makers, and other Hanibies? Beſides, my noble Slaves, Have we not in all the Countries Under Sheriffs and Bailiffs, and Bums, Informers, and Setters, and Promoters; which are as ſo many Decoys, Cheats, and meer Petty fog­ging Forſts, and Hackney-Jades for us and our Maſters to ride on at our Pleaſure?

Handſomly and dextrouſly pleaded Brother Hold-Caſe, thou mayeſt, if the Chancery-court continues in its highneſſe, come to be one of the Maſters, for thou haſt thoſe qualities that advances men of that Robe of subtilty, Elo­quence and Confidence; and now pray hear what I think of thoſe that are commonly called REFERREES, I do not ſay but that the men are noble, and honeſt, and fit In­ſtruments for honeſt Imployments, and act according to e­quity and a good conſcience; but whats that to us, or what need we be afraid of their Court? for I tell you merry blades, that alas they take but our leavings, and meddle on­ly with poor Petitioners which we have long ago had the pulling of, and becauſe they had no more feathers, were not worth our conſideration, and ſo were either hung up as dead flies, and fowls in our Courts, or elſe they meddle with ſuch caſes and perſons whoſe Creditors have arreſted and laid up in a Counter, or ſome other of the Devils Purlews, for moneys which they (being in Law) borrowed to feed7 us withal, and they being ſpent, what care we what becomes of them; for he or they that come amongſt us when all their Angels are flown, may do as thoſe who come to ſee a Play without money, they might ſtand without to be laught at, but ſhould not come in to hear or ſee how the game is plaid: I tell you the truth, I went one day to be a Spectator and a hearer at White-Hall, and at firſt entrance I ſpyed two or three of old Mr. Squeeze-Purſes Clyents, and three or four of Sergeant Horſe-Leaches decayed followers, who looked as though they had been Priſon-powder'd, and were as you know, in ſuch a Term outſworn by two or three of the old Velvet-Doublet-Knights of the Poſt, becauſe they wanted moneys to fee and to feed the two cormorants any longer; their Petitions were not (as they might and ſhould indeed have been) made againſt the Lawyers, but againſt their mer­cileſſe Creditors, and ſo they had their freedome from impri­ſonment, paying ſome little pittance from out of their week­ly labor to their creditors; for we pull•d and eat the two Geeſe, and the creditors got a Feather; ſome of them in­deed ſaid that they had been 10. 12. yeers in the Chancery, and I know not how long before at the Common Law. And at thoſe words I thought and doubted I ſhould have heard ſome of Comittee cenſure, the proceedings of our Courts, but they did not ſpeak any thing to that, but bad the poor ſneaks be diligent in Labour, and careful to pay their Credi­tors as God ſhould inable; and added in the end, Come no more into Law, nor meddle not with Lawyers, &c. and ſo diſmiſt them; and what hurt is all this to us? I add one thing more to comfort us; Alas good ſouls! they do ſit, 'tis true, and are judicious perſons; but they have no power to binde or looſe, or to determine a cauſe, or force any to ſtand to their Orders or Determinations; perſwade they may, but not command obedience to their Decrees; and it is a doubt whether all that they have done be availing and binding; or whether they ſit now in Parliament time; there is a buzzing and flying rumor, but 'tis no more that they ſhall be confir­med, and have power to act by Authority of Parliament; it may be ſo; what then? I'le declare to you my judgement (ſly8 ſlaves) in this particular, not to diſparage our ſelves, but to our comfort, Are there any hopes that ſuch a conſcienci­ous Court of Equity and Charity ſhould be now erected and eſtabliſhed de Novo? Who will plead for it? or petition to any purpoſe to obtain it? Firſt, not the Commiſſioners themſelves; for 'tis a toil and trouble to them and ſpends their Spirits, their time and their moneys too, for they have but their labor for their pain and hard language, and deep cenſures by too many of the Creditors for their good inten­tions, & their place is impoſed upon them, they never ſought it; and what hopes are there I ſay, that ſuch a noble, juſt, and upright a Court as this is ſhould continue long, there being no Fees or means of Maintenance, and the men themſelves are ſo generous and Chriſtianly ſpirited, that they ſcorn (that which our Tribe moſt love) fat and frequent bribes, and dayly Fees.

And further I ſay, if a company of poor, deſparate and forlorne Priſoners and Debtors ſhould come and hang about the Parliament for the ſettlement of ſuch a Court, is it not firſt extrajudicial? May it not ſeem to tend to innovation in the State, to introduce and eſtabliſh a new Law? to be ſure the Petitioners will be (being poor) ſonndly checkt; for have not our Maſters and Lords a great voice in the Houſe? and do you think that ever ſuch a Petition will be granted as long as they ſit there? it being ſo contrary to our practice and profit, and tending to the almoſt ſubverſion? however to be a check and curb to all our Inns of Court, and ſo not likely to paſs current.

But to put the queſtion one ſtop further, if it ſhould, which I never fear it will, yet I warrant you our Grandees will have the ordering of it, and the Committee of REFERREES muſt be referr'd to them to State and Model; and they'l be ſure to put in Objections enough againſt it, to demur to per­fect it; and when tis done it ſhall not want cautions, provi­ſoes, and reſtrants, as I could name ſome.

• 1. That it ſhould not infringe the ancient Priviledges of any Court of Law eſtabliſhed nor any old Lawyers.
• 9
• 2. That it ſhould not bind any from Appeals to our higher Courts if the parties have Moneys.
• 3. They ſhould not meddle in Arduis in hard Caſes nor in rich mens Cauſes, but in trivial poor Caſes.
• 4. That they ſhould not ſit of themſelves, but to have ſome of our Tribe to join with them to ſpie out their intentions, and to give early intelligence to our Maſters.
• 5. That all Clients who would come in there, ſhould firſt be well pull'd and fleec'd by us who will be careful that they ſhall come poor enough amongſt them.
• 6. That they ſhall ſit but once in ſeven yeers, and that in a forenoon, and to looſe their dinner for their pains.
• 7. That before they ſit they ſhal petition for leave of the Ma­sters of the Chancery, or ſome others well affected to the Law, and to have the Juſt Approbation of 300. Sergeants, Eench­ers and Barreſters: 500. old lean fac'd Attorneys; and ſome 2000 of our yonger Fry-Clarks and ſuch Sherks; there are other jerks and quirks for them, but theſe my nimble Pate thinks fit for our good. And now I pray tell me my jovial hearts, what reaſon have we to be afraid of ſuch improbable, and almoſt impoſſible News; hang't, lets have th'other cup of Sack.

Admirably well pleaded arguing a ſublime and zea­lous ſpirit for advance of the Law; and I tell you, I could wiſh thy ſpeech were preſented to ſome chief Officers; and I hold it ſitting, if we intend our own good, to petition ſome of our Grandees to endeavor to ſtop ſuch petition if it ſhould come in; for though I am glad to hear what is ſpoken on our behalf; yet I aſſure I doubt it much that ſuch a thing may be effected, which I do for theſe reaſons following:

1. We all know that we are hated of all men, and not with­out cauſe; as for our fees, and bribes, and deferring, and de­murring in mens cauſes, and ſuffering, and procuring their Ruine, and we are curſt as Foxes for woorying Lambs.

2. We are generally envied for our wealth; and many of us, if not moſt of us, are ſuſpected not to favour this preſent thing call'd Government, our affections are of another bent:10 and then many of us have been of thoſe creatures that are called Delinquents and Mags, &c. and the world knows we are ſetled on the Lees, and deſerve a purgation. I know ſome great ones that fear night and day, and expect a change, and think they have ſeen their beſt dayes.

3. That Court of REFERREES is known ſo much already and applauded, they are judicious godly men, gene­rally reputed ſuch as are men of courage, fearing God, and hating covetouſneſſe, and ſo unreprovable; they covet not (as we do too much) any mans ſilver or gold: And then they are men that have ſwords by their ſides, and great ſup­porters and then they do all (which we never did care to do) for conſcience and charity; and then (I ſpeak it with grief) tis a more honorable, neceſſary, and a juſter courſe & Court then ever we intended to hare ſet up: What think you theſe my maſters ſpeak truth (which we ſeldom do) May it not be ſet up think you?

Hang ſuch puny ſpirits, I think you are turn'd Quaker; for my part I ſee nothing as yet to fear, for men come as faſt into nets as ever they did: All men knows not of that Committee, and I intend to hinder it as much as I can; I love it as I do ſower Ale in Summer, or as Waſps do a Tar-Pot: However the fatteſt Oxen will be ſure to go firſt to the Slaughter-Houſe; ſuch poor ſquitterlings and dwinder­lings as we are not regarded or look'd upon; and to be ſure if I ever be brought into queſtion; Ile do by my old rich Maſters as Dr. Duck did by the little Arch-Piſhip of Cant lay all the faults, and corruptions, and deceits, on their ſhoulders, and many of them will bear a ſtout brunt; they are well lin'd, and know their ſhifts and their falſhoods; if they do not, let them ſuffer for their faults, for they deſerve it.

Nay, there's more in't then ſo, for you cannot chooſe but hear how the Parliament hath ſet up an honorable Com­mittee11 for Grievances; and if they ſhould be ſtrict to relieve Petitioners, I doubt many of our Tribe will be fetch'd in to anſwer for our former iniquities; however they will eaſe us of many Clyents; for ſure men will leave our Courts where they have been ſo hurried and wooryed, and apply themſelves there where they are ſure to finde men of conſci­ence to determine their buſineſſe without Fees or under feel­ings; what think you of this news? I doubt a poor Michael­mas Term: I proteſt it puts me to ſuch ſhrugs, that I am as afraid to be brought in to their Court, as a Spaniard does to ſee an Engliſh Frigot: And truly I have been ſo much uſed to the Art of drawing, draining and purloining mens Pockets, that I had rather ſteal then beg; and work is counted ſo poor and baſe, that I had rather hang then labour: and for to be a Soldier and fight for 5. s. alas! Lawyers know how to make men jar and quarrel, but love not to come into danger them­ſelves: I never read of any Lord General or ſtout Soldier was bred up a Lawyer; Schollars indeed to often venture to the Wars, and prove good Commanders, for poverty forces them out; but as for our Society, the ratling Drums paſſing but by a window, ſhake my ſpirits ſo, that they make my hand write as though I had the Palſie in my joints: If our Trade thrives not, Ile turn a Gentlemans Bailiff, or ſome Informer to a covetous Landlord, or elſe get into a Countrey Belfree and teach rimmer & Accidence Boyes for 2. d. pe week. I am looking to provide againſt a ſtorm, for I doubt it will fall before we think on't.

Well Brother Prag, I doubt tis too true as you have ſpoken: I muſt confeſſe, (though you know we love it not) that our Profeſſion is generally corrupted, theres few honeſt or upright Practitioners amongſt us: Thou knoweſt that CuRSITORS OFFICE, Oh! tis a ſubtile deluding Covert of politick Rooks; theres a knot of FERRITS and POLECATS, shat know how to; hunt their GAME into their CONY-BO­ROUGHS, and there woory them to the purpoſe:12 we have other moſt intricate and exquiſite coops and cages to keep yong Suitors faſt in alſo: Ah! 'twas a fine time for our trade when Court-hand writing, and bald curtald Latine Writs were all in faſhion; whenas no Vicar, or Parſon, or Curate could expound it, but the Under-Sheriff, or ſome old Attorney in a whole county could tell what to make of our Writs and Warrants; the countrey people would ſtare at a Subpaena, at if it had been a ſpel made by an old conjurer; and when it was politickly and powerfully pronounced and ſerved, would ſo ſtartle the poor Farmers, that their gaſtly looks when they come home would frighten their wives, and ſo ſcare their very cows, that they would be horn mad to ſee their Maſter look as if he were run out of his wits; he comes home ſo maſked, that he fetches his poor cattel and horſes ſtraw for hay, and chaff for corn.

Well my truſty Trojans, you have uttered your Judgments, and I have heard the caſe opened; & I hope 'twil be as my Brother Prog hath ſpoken, that is, That we are ſo many, and ſo ſtrongly rooted, that we ſhall not eaſily be routed; and yet I confeſs the ſitting of the Parliament a little ſtartles me, for I ſaw it in the last Politicus, that they are about to overſee us; but may not two or three hundred thouſand pounds purchaſe our free­dom? Such a ſum or a greater may be quickly gathered up in all our quarters and diviſions; and good ſtore of moneys has a ſtrong influence among us, I am ſure they have: And ſuch a ſum what is it amongst ſo many? Ha my hearts! When I conſider our numbers and riches, even us here in and about London and Weſt­minſter, ſuch a ſum is nothing: Homer does not more exquiſite­ly number up the Ships that ſailed to Troy, then I can do our Brigades and our Palaces; as to give you a ſhort recital of them, in London theres tha•ſtrong and spacious Guild-hall, Oh what bawling, and ſqualling, and miſealling, and brawling may you hear there four dayes in the week! Oh! there is ſpecial trading: quick returns, nimble Catch-poles, ſure Tenter-hooks of our ſide, but leave them & come to our end of the Town, and there have we not firſt two Temples well repleniſhed, not a Chamben empty; there's that notorious walk for the Knights of Poſt, who trudge round the pillars like old blinde Mill-horſes, and indeed do de­ſerve13 a ſound laſh for their work. What think you of Serjeants Inn well ſeated and ſtored, eſpecially in a full term time: Theres alſo Lincolns-Inne, and Grayes-Inne, two grand Societies for practice and profit: Have we not alſo Davies-Inne, Bernards-Inne, Pur­nivals-Inn, Staples-Inn, Claffords-Inne, Clements, Inne, Lyons-Inn, New Inn, &c. For Offices how many; as Curſiſters Office, ſix Clarks Office, with — all fouly full. There is enough of us in all theſe places, and in all England beſides, that if our hearts were as ſtout as our heads are crafty, might of our ſelves engage the Spaniard, and if we were put to it, could (propriis ſumpti­bus) maintain the weight and charges of that War. Now my ſure Trouts, can you fear ſuch a thing as our decay of Trade, or a bou­sting of us from our places: tis true, we are as bad as bad can be, but will not our monies (think you) ſtand us in ſtead when we ſhall be put to it? this, this is my hopes, and if this fail, I give all for loſt except I can ſupport my Fortunes by joyning with ſome old widow in the Countrey, and to get an old houſe over my head, and feed upon luſty bag-puddings, and old reez'd Ba­con; ſome way or other I muſt invent, for I had rather be advan­ced in a ſnickle, then to go a ſhit-board in one of our Frigots; Can­non Bullets are hard caſes to digeſt; they bawl far louder then any Attorneys or Councellors do in Westminſter-Hall; Our Tribe has been long on multiplication; we are like Frogs, Locuſts and Caterpillars, for number, and if we taught the Rule of Re­duction, (which is but fitting) I am ſure I ſhall out for one; but it angers me moſt to think how all ſorts of people will laugh at us, and ſtont us, none will pitty us, ſo that I ſhall be aſhamed al­moſt to ſee my own face in a glaſs.

Wel Gentlemen, let me ſpeak my mind, & in a word or two, and ſo at preſent lets part; I ſay, that I doubt: our numbers are like our abuſes, too too many; every one does ſo exclaim againſt us, eſpecially for our pride, being but inferior Clarks, and yet our legs are ſet out with ſilk Stock­ins, and Spaniſh ſhooes, with our Ribans of all colours and beauties, our clothe of the pureſt cloth, if not Silks, with our heads perſumed, and curled, and criſped, with Rings of Gold in our Band-ſtrings, O this waſteful garb in our attire, makes all men to hate us, and deſire that we may be well fleeced as14 we have done others, and therefore lets comfort our ſelves with tother cup of Sack, for I fear that a day of reckoning is approaching againſt our numbers and manners; and if ſo, we may be glad of a cup of ſix ſhilling-beer, and a piece of monkey Suffolk-Cheeſe for our Dinners: And this I do add to all the reſt, if we do ſuffer we cannot excuſe our ſelves, or accuſe others; and ſo I am reſolv'd to endure the worſt and ſay nothing, for we have our deſerts come what will.