here euerie man that bought, put up his
purse againe, and to such as would not buy, counterfeit warning was
sundrie times giuen by the roge and his associate, to beware of the
cut-purse, & take to their purses, which made them often feel where
their purses were, either in sleeue, hose, or at girdle, to know
whether they were safe or no. Thus the crafty copesmates were
acquainted with what they most desired, and as they were scatred by
shouldring, thrusting, feining to let fall somthing, and other wilie
tricks fit for their purporse: heere one lost his purse, there another
had his pocket pickt, & to say all in briefe, at one instant, vpon the
complaint of one or two that saw their purses were gone, eight more in
the same companie, found themselues in like predicament. Some angrie,
others sorrowfull, and all greatly discontented, looking about them,
knewe not who to suspect or challenge, in that the villaines
themselues that had thus beguiled them, made shew that they had
sustained like losse. But one angry fellow, more impacient then all
the rest, he falls vpon the ballad singer, and beating him with his
fists well favouredly, sayes, if he had not listned his singing, he
had not lost his purse, and therefore would not be otherwise
perswaded, but that they two and the cutpurses were compacted
together. The rest that had lost their purses likewise, & saw that so
many complaine togither: they iump in opinion with the other fellow, &
begin to tug & hale the ballad singers when one after one, the false
knaves began to shrink away with the purses, by means of some officer
then being there present, the two Roges were had before a iustice, and
upon his discreete examination made, it was found, that they and the
cut-purses were compacted together, and that by this unsuspected
villanie, they had deceived many. The one Foole-taker himself, with
one or two more of that companie, was not long after apprehended: when
I doubt not but they had their reward answerable to their deseruing:
for I heare of their iorney westward, but not of their returne: let
this forewarne those that listen singing in the streets.

Of a craftie mate, that brought two young men vnto a Tauerne, where
departing with a Cup, hee left them to pay both for the wine and Cup.

A friend of mine sent mee this note, and assuring me the truth
thereof, I thought necessary to let it downe amongst the rest: both
for the honest simplicitie on the one side and most cunni