7 (James I.), wrote a curious pamphlet on the
abuses of this compter. "For what extreme extortion," says the angry
writer, "is it when a gentleman is brought in by the watch for some
misdemeanour committed, that he must pay at least an angell before he be
discharged; hee must pay twelvepence for turning the key at the
master-side dore two shillings to the chamberleine, twelvepence for his
garnish for wine, tenpence for his dinner, whether he stay or no, and
when he comes to be discharged at the booke, it will cost at least three
shillings and sixpence more, besides sixpence for the booke-keeper's
paines, and sixpence for the porter.... And if a gentleman stay there
but one night, he must pay for his garnish sixteene pence, besides a
groate for his lodging, and so much for his sheetes ... When a gentleman
is upon his discharge, and hath given satisfaction for his executions,
they must have fees for irons, three halfepence in the pound, besides
the other fees, so that if a man were in for a thousand or fifteene
hundred pound execution, they will if a man is so madde have so many
three halfepence.

"This little Hole is as a little citty in a commonwealth, for as in a
citty there are all kinds of officers, trades, and vocations, so there
is in this place, as we may make a pretty resemblance between them. In
steede of a Lord Maior, we have a master steward to over-see and correct
all misdemeanours as shall arise.... And lastly, as in a citty there is
all kinds of trades, so is there heere, for heere you shall see a cobler
sitting mending olde showes, and singing as merrily as if hee were under
a stall abroad; not farre from him you shall see a taylor sit
crosse-legged (like a witch) on his cushion, theatning the ruine of our
fellow prisoner, the AEgyptian vermine; in another place you may behold a
saddler empannelling all his wits together how to patch this Scotchpadde
handsomely, or mend the old gentlewoman's crooper that was almost burst
in pieces. You may have a phisition here, that for a bottle of sack will
undertake to give you as good a medicine for melancholly as any doctor
will for five pounds. Besides, if you desire to bee remouved before a
judge, you shall have a tinker-like attorney not farre distant from you,
that in stopping up one hole in a broken cause, will make twenty before
hee hath made an end, and at last will leave you in prison as bare of
money as he himself is of honesty. Heere is your cholericke cooke