so did this companion, holding his hands
fast over the Gentlemans eyes, sayde: who am I: twise or thrise, in
which time the drab had gotten the purse and put it up. The Gentleman
thinking it had been some merrie friend of his, reckoned the names of
three or foure, when letting him go, the crafty knave dissembling a
bashful shame of what he had done, said: By my troth sir I crie ye
mercy, as I came in at the Church doore, I took ye for such a one
(naming a man) a verie friend of mine, whome you very much resemble: I
beseech ye be not angrie, it was verie boldlye done of me, but in
penance of my fault, so please yee to accept it, I will bestow a
gallon or two of Wine on yee, and so laboured him earnestly to go with
him to the taverne, stil alledging his sorow for mistaking him. The
Gentleman little suspecting how who am I had handled him, seeing how
sorie he was, and seeming to be a man of no such base condition: tooke
all in good part, saying: No harme sir, to take one for another, a
fault wherein any man may easily erre, and so excusing the acceptation
of his wine, because he was busie there with a gentlewoman his friend:
the trecher with courtesie departed, & the drab (having what shee
would) shortning her tale, hee desiring her to come to his Chamber the
next morning, went to the place where her copes-mate and she met, and
not long after, divers other of the crue, who bearing in what manner
this act was performed, smiled a good therat, that she had both got
the Gentlemans purse, her owne money againe, and his advise for iust
nothing. He that had done this tall exploit, in a place so open in
view, so hardly to be come by, & on a man that made no meane esteem of
his wit: bids his fellowes keepe the worthles name of a Conny-catcher
to themselves: for he hence-foorth would bee termed a Foole-taker, and
such as could imitate this quaint example of his, (which he would set
down as an entrance into that art) should not thinke scorne to become
his schollers.

Night drawing on apace, the Gentleman returned home, not al this while
missing his purse, but being set at supper, his wife intreated a pint
of Sack, which hee minding to send for: drewe to his purse, and seeing
it gone, what strange lookes (beside sighs) were betweene him and his
wife. I leave to your supposing, and blame them not: for as I have
heard, there was seven pound in gold, beside thirtie shillings and od
white money in the purse. But in the middle of his grief