han he can sow his land, as the rich
grazier often doth also upon the like device, because grazing requireth a
smaller household and less attendance and charge. If any man come to buy
a bushel or two for his expenses unto the market cross, answer is made:
"Forsooth, here was one even now that bade me money for it, and I hope he
will have it." And to say the truth, these bodgers are fair chapmen; for
there are no more words with them, but "_Let me see it! What shall I give
you? Knit it up! I will have it--go carry it to such a chamber, and if you
bring in twenty_ seme _more in the week-day to such an inn or sollar where
I lay my corn, I will have it, and give you (____) pence or more in every
bushel for six weeks' day of payment than another will_." Thus the bodgers
bear away all, so that the poor artificer and labourer cannot make his
provision in the markets, sith they will hardly nowadays sell by the
bushel, nor break their measure; and so much the rather for that the buyer
will look (as they say) for so much over measure in the bushel as the
bodger will do in a quarter. Nay, the poor man cannot oft get any of the
farmer at home, because he provideth altogether to serve the bodger, or
hath an hope, grounded upon a greedy and insatiable desire of gain, that
the sale will be better in the market, so that he must give twopence or a
groat more in the bushel at his house than the last market craved, or else
go without it, and sleep with a hungry belly. Of the common carriage of
corn over unto the parts beyond the seas I speak not; or at the leastwise,
if I should, I could not touch it alone, but needs must join other
provision withal, whereby not only our friends abroad, but also many of
our adversaries and countrymen, the papists, are abundantly relieved (as
the report goeth); but sith I see it not, I will not so trust mine ears as
to write it for a truth. But to return to our markets again.

By this time the poor occupier hath sold all his crop for need of money,
being ready peradventure to buy again ere long. And now is the whole sale
of corn in the great occupiers' hands, who hitherto have threshed little
or none of their own, but bought up of other men as much as they could
come by. Henceforth also they begin to sell, not by the quarter or load at
the first (for marring the market), but by the bushel or two, or a
horseload at the most, thereby to be seen to keep the cross, either for a
show, or to make men eager to buy,