It may not be amiss to notice in this place, that a considerable part of The Belman of London, bringing to light the most notorious villanies that are now practised in the kingdom, &c. 4to. 1608, is derived from Harman's Caveat. Among the books bequeathed to the Bodleian, by Burton, (4to. G.8. Art. BS.) is a copy of the Belman, with the several passages so borrowed, marked in the hand-writing of the author of the Anatomy of Melancholy, who has also copied the canting dialogue just given, and added several notes of his own on the margin.
FOOTNOTES:
[BV] In the epistle to the reader, the author terms it "this second impression."
[BW] A ruffler seems to have been a bully as well as a beggar, he is thus described in the Fraternitye of Vacabondes; (see p. [228].) "A ruffeler goeth wyth a weapon to seeke seruice, saying he hath bene a seruitor in the wars, and beggeth for his reliefe. But his chiefest trade is to robbe poore way-faring men and market-women." In New Custome a morality, 1573, Creweltie, one of the characters, is termed a ruffler. See also Decker's Belman of London. Sign. C. iv.
[BX] "An upright man is one that goeth wyth the trunchion of a staffe, which staffe they cal a Flitchmā. This man is of so much authority, that meeting with any of his profession, he may cal them to accompt, and comaund a share or snap vnto himselfe of al that they have gained by their trade in one moneth." Fraternitye of Vacabondes.
[BY] This worthy character approaches somewhat near to a shop-lifter. Decker tells us that "their apparele in which they walke is commonly freize jerkins and gallye slops." Belman. Sign. C. iv.
[BZ] A rogue, says Burton, in his MS. notes to Decker's Belman of London, "is not so stoute and [hardy] as the vpright man."
[CA] A person whose parents were rogues.
[CB] "These be called also clapperdogens" and "go with patched clokes." Sign. C. iv.
[CC] A Frater and a Whipiacke, are persons who travel with a counterfeite license, the latter in the dress of a sailor. See Fraternitye, Belman, &c.