Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker

by Thomas Dekker

  AND THESE ARE THEIR RANKES AS THEY STAND IN ORDER. VIZ.

  Rufflers.

  Vpright-men.

  Hookers, alias Anglers,

  Roagues.

  Wilde Roagues.

  Priggers of Prancers.

  Paillards.

  Fraters.

  Prigges.

  Swadders.

  Curtalls.

  Irish Toyles.

  Swigmen.

  Iarkmen.

  Patricoes.

  Kinchin-Coes.

  Abraham-men,

  Mad Tom alias of Bedlam

  Whip-Iackes.

  Counterfet Crankes.

  Dommerats.

  Glymmerers.

  Bawdy-Baskets.

  Autem Morts.

  Doxies.

  Dells.

  Kinchin-Morts.

  Into thus many Regiments are they now deuided: but in former times (aboue foure hundred yeares now past) they did consist of fiue Squadrons onely.

  viz.

  1 Cur•ors, alias Vagabondes.

  2 Faytors.

  3 Robardsemen.

  4 Draw-latches.

  5 Sturdy Beggars.

  And as these people are strange both in names and in their conditions, so doe they speake a Language (proper only to the¯selues) called canting, which is more strange. By none but the souldiers of These tottred bandes is it familiarly or vsually spoken, yet within lesse then fourescorce yeares (now past) not a word of this La¯guage was knowen. The first Inuentor of it, was hang’d, yet left he apt schollers behind him, who haue reduced that into Methode, which he on his death-bed (which was a paire of gallowes) could not so absolutely perfect as he desired.

  It was necessary, that a people (so fast increasing, & so daily practising new & strange Villanies, should borrow to themselues a spéech, we (so neere as they could (none but themselues should vnderstand: & for that cause was this Language, (which some call Pedlers Fre¯ch,) Inue¯ted, to th’intent that (albeit any Spies should secretly steale into their co¯panies to discouer th•) they might fréely vtter their mindes one to another, yet auoide ye da¯ger. The Language therefore of canting, they study euen from their Infancy, that is to say, from the very first houre, that they take vpon them the names of Kinchin Coes, tillthey are grown Rufflers, or Vpright-men, which are the highest in degrée amongst them.

  This word canting séemes to bee deriued from the latine verbe (canto) which signifies in English, to sing, or to make a sound with words, thats to say to speake. And very aptly may canting take his deriuatio¯ a cantando, from singing, because amongst these beggerly consorts that can play vpon no better instruments, the language of canting is a k•de of musicke, and he that in such assemblies can c•nt best, is counted the best Musitian.

  Now as touching the Dialect or phrase it selfe, I sée not that it is grounded vpon any certaine rules; And no meruaile if it haue none, for sithence both the Father of this new kinde of Learning, and the children that study to speake it after him, haue beene from the beginning and stil are, the Breeders and Norishers of albase disorder, in their liuing and in their Manners: how is it possible, they should obserue any Method in their speech, and especialy in such a Language, as serues but onely to vtter discourses of villanies?

  And yet (euen out of all that Irregularity, vnhansomnesse, & Fountaine of Barbarisme) do they draw a kinde of forme: and in some wordes, (aswell simple as compounds) retaine a certaine salte, tasting of some wit and some Learning. As for example, they call a cloake (in the canting tongue) a Togeman, and in Latin, Toga signifies a gowne, or an vpper garment. Pannam is bread: & Panis in Lattin is likewise bread, cassan is cheese, and is a worde barbarously coynd out of the substa¯tiue caseus which also signifies chéese. And so of others.

  Then by ioyning of two simples, doe they make almost all their compounds. As for example: Nab (in the canting tongue) is a head, & Nab-cheate, is a hat or a cap, Which word cheate beeing coupled to other wordes, stands in verry good stead, and dees excellent seruice: For a Smelling cheate, signifies a Nose: a Prat-ling chete, is a tongue. Crashing chetes, are teeth: Hearing chetes are Eares: Fambles are Hands: and therevpon a ring is called a Fa¯bling chete. A Muffling chete, signifies a Napkin. A Belly chete, an Apron A Grunting chete, A Pig: A Cackling Chete, a Cocke or a Capon: A Quacking chete, a duck: A Lowghing chete, a Cow: A Bleating chete, a Calfe, or a Shee•e: and so may that word be marryed to many others besides.

  The word Coue, or Cofe, or Cuffin, signifies a Man, a Fellow, &c. But differs something in his propertie, according as it meetes with other wordes: For a Gen, tleman is called a Gentry Coue, or Cofe: A good fellow is a Bene Cofe: a Churle is called, a Quier Cuffin; Quier signifies naught, and Cuffin (as I said before) a man: and in Canting they terme a Iustice of peace, (because he punisheth them belike) by no other name then by Quier cuffin, that is to say a Churle, or a naughty man. And so, Ken signifiing a house, they call a prison, a Quier ken, thats to say, an ill house.

  Many peeces of this strange coyne could I shew you, but by these small stampes, you may iudge of the greater.

  Now because, a Language is nothing els then heapes of wordes, orderly wouen and composed together: and that (within so narrow a circle as I haue drawne to my selfe) it is impossible to imprint a Dictionarie of all the Canting phrases: I wil at this time not make you surfet on too much, but as if you were walking in a Garden, you shall openly pluck here a flower, and there another, which (as I take it) will be more delightfull then if you gathered them by handfulls.

  But before I lead you into that walke, stay and heare a Canter in his owne language, making , albeit (I thinke) those charmes of Poesie which (at the first) made the barbarous tame, and brought them to ciuil•y, can (vpon these sauage Monsters) worke no such wonder. Yet thus he singes (vppon demaund whether any of his own crue did come that way) to which he answers, yes (quoth he)

  CANTING RITHMES.

  ENOUGH — with bowsy Coue maund Nace,

  Tour the Patring Coue in the Darkeman Case,

  Docked the Dell, for a Coper meke,

  His wach shall feng a Prounces Nab-chete,

  Cyar•m, by Salmon, and thou shalt pek my Iere

  In thy Gan, for my watch it is nace gere,

  For the bene bowse my watch hath a win &c.

  This short Lesson I leaue to be construed by him that is desirous to try his skill in the language, which he may do by helpe of the following Dictionary; into which way that he may more redily come, I will translate into English, this broken French that followes in Prose. Two Canters hauing wrangled a while about some idle quarrell, at length growing friends, thus one of them speakes to the other. viz.

  A CANTER IN PROSE.

  STOWE you beene Cofe: and cut benar whiddes and bing we to Rome vile, to nip a boung: so shall wee haue lowre for the bowsing ken, & when we beng back to the Dewese a vile, we will filch some Duddes, off the Ruffmans, or mill the Ken for a lagge of Dudes.

  THUS IN ENGLISH

  Stowe you, beene cofe: hold your peace good fellow,

  And cut benar whiddes: and speake better words.

  And bing we to Rome vile: and goe we to London.

  To nip a boung: to cut a purse.

  So shall we haue lowre: so shall we haue mony.

  For the bowsing Ken, for the Ale-house.

  And when we bing backe: and when we come backe.

  To the Dewse-a-vile: into the Country.

  We will filch some duddes: we will filch some clothes,

  Off the Ruffmans: from the hedges,

  Or mill the Ken: or rob the house,

  For a lagge of Duddes: for a bucke of clothes.

  NOW TURNE TO YOUR DICTIONARY.

  AND because you shall not haue one dish twice set before you, none of those Canting wordes that are englished before shall here be found: for our intent is to feast you with varietie.

  THE CANTERS DICTIONARIE.

  AVTEM, a church.

  Autem-mort, a married waman.

  Boung,
a purse.

  Borde, a shilling.

  Halfe a Borde, six pence.

  Bowse, drinke.

  Bowsing Ken, an ale-house.

  Bene, good.

  Beneship, very good:

  Bufe, a Dogge,

  Bing a wast, get you hence.

  Caster, a Cloake.

  A Commission, a shirt.

  Chates, the Gallowes.

  To cly the Ierke, to be whipped.

  To cutt, to speake.

  To cutt bene, to speake gently.

  To cutt bene whiddes, to speake good wordes.

  To cutt quier whiddes, to giue euill language.

  To Cant, to speake.

  To couch a Hogshead, to lye downe a sleepe.

  Drawers, Hosen.

  Dudes, clothes.

  Darkemans, the night.

  Dewse-a-vile, the country,

  Dup the Giger, open the dore.

  Fambles, hands.

  Fambling Chete, a King.

  Flag, a Goat

  Glasiers, eyes.

  Gan, a mouth.

  Gage, a Quart pott.

  Grannam, Corne.

  Gybe, a writing.

  Glymmer, fire.

  Gigger, a doore

  Gentry Mort, a Gentlewoman

  Gentry cofes Ken, a Noble mans house

  Harman bek, a Constable.

  Harmans, the Stockes.

  Heaue a bough, rob a Boothe.

  Iarke, a Seale.

  Ken, a house.

  Lage of Dudes, a Bucke of clothes.

  Libbege, a bed.

  Lowre, money.

  Lap, Butter, Milke, or Whaye.

  Libken, a house to lye in.

  Lage, Water.

  Light-mans, the day.

  Mynt, Golde.

  A Make, a halfe-penny.

  Margery prater, a Henne.

  Mawnding, asking.

  To Mill, to steale.

  Mill a Ken, rob a house.

  Nosegent, a Nunne.

  Niggling, companying with a woman.

  Pratt, a Buttock.

  Peck, meate.

  Poplars. Pottage.

  Prancer, a Horse.

  Prigging, Kiding.

  Patrico, a Priest.

  Pad, a way.

  Quaromes, a body.

  Ruff-peck, Bacon.

  Roger, or Tib of the Buttry, a Goose.

  Rome-vile, London.

  Rome-bowse, Wine.

  Rome-mort, a Quéene.

  Ruffmans, the woodes, or bushes.

  Ruffian, the Diuell.

  Stampes: legges.

  Stampers? shooes.

  Slate: a shéete.

  Skew: a cup.

  Salomon: the masse.

  Stuling ken: a house to receiue stolne goods.

  Skipper: a barne.

  Strommel, straw.

  Smelling chete, an Orchard or Garden.

  To scowre the Cramp-ring: to weare boults.

  Stalling: making or ordeyning.

  Tryning: hanging.

  To twore: to sée.

  Wyn: a penny.

  Yarum: milke.

  And thus haue I builded vp a little Mint, where you may coyne wordes for your pleasure. The payment of this was a debt: for the Belman at his farewell (in his first Round which hée walk’d) promised so much. If hée kéepe not touch, by tendring the due Summe, hée desires forbearance, and if any that is more rich in this Canting commodity will lend him any more, or any better, hée will pay his loue double: In the meane time, receiue this, and to giue it a little more weight, you shall haue a Ca¯ting song, wherein you may learne, how This cursed Generation pray, or (to speake truth) curse such Officers as punish them.

  A CANTING SONG.

  THE Ruffin cly the nab of the Harman beck,

  If we mawn•d Pannam, lap or Ruff-peck,

  Or poplars of yarum: he cuts, bing to the Ruffmans,

  Or els he sweares by the light-mans,

  To put our stamps in the Harmans.

  The ruffian cly the ghost of the Harmanbeck,

  If we heaue a booth we cly the Ierke.

  If we niggle, or mill a bowsing Ken,

  Or nip a boung that has but a win,

  Or dup the giger of a Gentry cofes ken,

  To the quier cuffing we bing,

  And then to the quier Ken, to scowre the Cramp-ring,

  And then to the Trin’de on the chates, in the lightmans

  The Bube & Ruffian cly the Harman beck & harmans.

  THUS ENGLISHED.

  THE Diuell take the Constables head,

  If we beg Bacon, Butter-milke or bread.

  Or Pottage, to the hedge he bids vs hie,

  Or sweares (by this light) ith stocks we shall lie.

  The Deuill haunt the Constables ghoast,

  If we rob but a Booth, we are whipd at a poast.

  If an ale-house we rob, or be tane with a whore,

  Or cut a purse that has iust a penny and no more,

  Or come but stealing in at a Gentlemans dore,

  To the Iustice straight we goe,

  And then to the Iayle to be shackled: And so

  To be hangd on the gallowes ith day time: the pox

  And the Deuill take the Constable and his stocks.

  We haus Canted (I feare) too much, let vs now giu••are to the Bel-man, and heare what he speaks in english.

  THE BEL-MANS SECOND NIGHTS WALKE. CHAP. 2

  IT was Terme-time in hel (for you must vnderstand, a Lawyer liues there aswell as heere:) by which meanes don Lucifer (being the iustice for that Countie, where the Brimstone mines are) had better dooings and more rapping at his gates, then all the Doctors & Empericall Quack-saluers of ten citties haue at theirs in a great plague-time. The hal where these Termers were to try their causes, was very large and strongly built, but it had one fault: it was so hot that people could not indure to walk there: Yet to walke there they were compelled, by reason they were drawne thither vppon occasions, and such iustling there was of one another, that it would haue grieued any man to be in the thronges amongst em. Nothing could bee heard but noise, and nothing of that noise be vnderstood, but that it was a sound as of men in a kingdome, when on a suddaine it is in an vprore. Euery one brabled with him that he walked with, or if he did but tell his tale to his Councell, he was so eager in the verry deliuery of that tale, that you would haue sworne he did brabble: and such gnashing of teeth there was when aduersaries met together, that the fyling of ten thousand Sawes cannot yeeld a sound more horrible. The Iudge of the Court had a diuelish countenance, and as cruell hee was in punishing those that were condemned by Lawe, as hée was crabbed in his lookes, whilst he sat to heare their tryals. But albeit there was no pittie to be expected at his hands, yet was he so vpright in iustice, that none could euer fasten bribe vppon him, for he was ready and willing to heare the cries of all commers. Neither durst any Pleader (at the infernall Barre) or any officer of the Court, exact any Fee of Plaintiffes, and such as complained of wrongs and were opprest: but onely they paide that were the wrong dooers, those would they sée dambd ere they should gette out of their fingers, such fellowes they were appointed to vexe at the very soule.

  The matters that here were put in sute, were more then could bee bred in twentie Uacations, yet should a man be dispatched out of hand. In one Terme he had his Iudgement, for heare they neuer stand vppon Returnes, but presently come to Triall. The causes decided here are many; the Clients that complaine many; the Counsellors (that plead till they be hoarse,) many; the Attornies (that runne vp and downe,) infinite; the Clarkes of the Court, not to be numbred. All these haue their hands full; day and night are they so plagued with the bawling of Clients that they neuer can rest.

  The Inck where-with they write, is the blood of Coniurers: they haue no Paper, but all thinges are engrossed in Parchment, and that Parchment is made of Scriueners skinnes flead off, after they haue beene puni•ed for Forgerie: their Standishes are the Scu•s of Usurers: their Pennes, the b
ones of vnconscionable Brokers, and hard-hearted Creditors, that haue made dice of other mens bones, or else of periured Excecutors and blind Ouer-séeers, that haue eaten vp Widdowes and Orphanes to the bare bones: and those Pennes are made of purpose without Nebs, because they, may cast Inck but slowly, in mockery of those who in their life time were slowe in yeelding drops of pitty.

  Would you know what actions are tried here? I wil but turne ouer the Recordes, and read them vnto you as they hang vppon the Fyle.

  The Cou••er is sued heere, and condemned for Ryots.

  The Soldier is sued heere and condemned for murders

  The Scholler is sued here & condemned for He•ezies.

  The Citizen is sued here and condemned for the cityfins.

  The Farmer is sued heere vpon Penal Statutes, and condemned for spoyling the Markets.

  Actions of batterie are brought against Swaggerers, and heere they are bound to the peace.

  Actions of Waste are brought against drunkards and Epicures, and heere they are condemned to begge at the Grate for one drop of colde water to coole their tongues, or one of breade to stay their hunger, yet are they denyed it.