[39] i. 270: A ballett intituled _Tom Tell Truth_, A.D. 1565; and i. 307, 'an interlude, _the Cruell Detter_ by Wager,' licenst to Colwell in 1565-6.
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._
¶ Our Brotherhood[40] of Vacabondes, If you would know where dwell: In graues end Barge which syldome standes. The talke wyll shew ryght well.
¶ 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.
*[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.
*[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=.
AN Abraham man is he that walketh bare armed, and bare legged, and fayneth hym selfe mad, and caryeth a packe of wool, or a stycke with baken on it, or such lyke toy, and nameth himselfe poore Tom.
A Ruffeler goeth wyth a weapon to seeke seruice, saying he hath bene a Seruitor in the wars, and beggeth for his reliefe. But his chiefest trade is to robbe poore wayfaring men and market women.
A Prygman goeth with a stycke in hys hand like an idle person. His propertye is to steale cloathes of the hedge, which they call storing of the Rogeman: or els filtch Poultry, carying them to the Alehouse, whych they call the Bowsyng In, & ther syt playing at cardes and dice, tyl that is spent which they haue so fylched.