Of the Women kinde were only these six.
- 1 Kitchen Morts.
- 2 Dells.
- 3 Doxies.
- 4 Walking Morts.
- 5 Autem Morts.
- 6 Bawdy Baskets.
And now what these several sorts of people are, you shall hear by their descriptions.
1. An Upright-man is the chief of all the Ragged Regiment, he walks like a Commander with a short Truncheon in his hand which he calls his Filch-man; pretends himself to be a decayed Souldier, and claimes a share in all the Booties which any other inferior Rogues do get; he hath all the Morts and Doxies at his beck, and can command them from any other of the Gang at his pleasure. By this description you see there is a great deal of difference betwixt an Upright man and an honest man.
2 A Ruffler is the same in Conditions as an Upright man, like to like quoth the Devil to the Collier; they both of them pretend themselves to be decayed Souldiers, are both of them very imperious over the inferior Subjects of their Common-wealth: receiving tribute also from Rogues, Palliards, Morts, Doxies, &c.
3 The next are Anglers, but they seldome catch Fish till they go up Westward for Flounders. The Rod they angle with is a staff of five or six foot in length, having a hole bored through it within an inch of the top, into which hole do they put an iron hook, and with the same do they angle at windows about midnight, drawing therewith apparrel, sheets, coverlets, or whatsoever they lay hold on, All is Fish that comes to Net.
4 A Rogue, whose very name doth show his nature, and therefore he shall not need any further description.
5 A Wild Rogue is of the same nature as a Rogue, only this is the difference, that the one falls into this infamous and detestable course of life, either thorough laziness, death of Parents, cruelty of Masters, or the like, the wild Rogue is bred up to it from his swadling clouts, born a Rogue, lives all his whole life a Rogue, and disdaines to take upon him any calling or profession whatsoever, but as he lives, so dies a Rogue.
6 Priggers of Prancers are Horse-stealers, for to Prig, signifies in the Canting language to steal, and Prancer signifies a Horse, the Farmers in the Country, and Gentlemen that keep Horses, know these sorts of Rogues too well, by dear experience.
7 Palliards, otherwise called Clapperdugeons, who go alwayes with their Morts at their heels, and to draw people the more to pitty them, with Sperewort or Arsnick raise blisters on their legs, which they can cure again at their pleasure. When they come into the streets of a Town or Country village, they divide themselves, and beg one on one side of the street, and the other on the other side; the purchase which they thus get, they sell to poor Tradesmen, or other labouring people, and with the money are merry at the Bowsing-ken.