Sometime with lunatic bans, sometimes with prayers,
Enforce their charity."
In Dekker's "Belman of London" [1608] all the different species of beggars are enumerated. Amongst the rest mentioned "Tom of Bedlam's" band of madcaps; otherwise called Poor Tom's flock of wild geese or hair-brains, are called Abraham men. An Abraham man is afterwards described in this manner: "Of all the mad rascalls (that are of this wing) the Abraham-man is the most phantastick. The fellow (quoth this old lady of the Lake vnto me) that sat halfe naked (at table to day) from the girdle vpward, is the best Abraham-man that euer came to my house, & the notablest villaine: he sweares he hath bin in bedlam, and will talke frantickly of purpose: you see pinns stuck in sundry places of his naked flesh, especially in his armes, which paine hee gladly puts himselfe to (beeing indeede no torment at all, his skin is either so dead with some fowle disease, or so hardened with weather) onley to make you beleeue he is out of his wits: he calls himselfe by the name of Poore Tom, and comming neere any body cryes out, Poore Tom is a cold. Of these Abraham-men, some be exceeding mery, and doe nothing but sing songs, fashioned out of their owne braines, some will dance; others will doe nothing but either laugh or weepe; others are dogged, and are sullen both in looke and speech, that, spying but small company in a house, they boldly and bluntly enter, compelling the servants through feare to giue them what they demaund, which is commonly bacon, or something that will yielde ready mony." [Edit. 1608, sign. D 2.] Of this respectable fraternity Diccon seems to have been a member. Massinger mentions them in "A New Way to Pay Old Debts," act ii., sc. 1: "Are they padders, or Abraham-men, that are your consorts?"
[186] The summer beam or dorman. Poles laid over a stable or other building.—Ray's "Collection of English Words," p. 167.
[187] A sort is a company. So in Jonson's "Every man out of his Humour," act ii., sc. 3: "I speak it not gloriously, nor out of affectation, but there's he and the count Frugale, signior Illustre, signior Luculento, and a sort of them," &c. Also, in Nash's "Pierce Pennilesse," 1592, p. 6, "I know a great sort of good fellows that would venture," &c. Again, in the "Vocacyon of Johan Bale," 1533; "In parell of pyrates, robbers, and murthirors, and a great sort more." And in Skelton's Works, edit. 1736, p. 136—
"Another sorte of sluttes
Some brought walnutes."
See also Dr Johnson and Mr Steevens's Notes on Shakspeare, Vol. III. p. 69.
[188] An old trot or trat, Dr Grey says, signifies a decrepid old woman or an old drab. In which sense it is used in Gawin Douglas' Virgil, B. iv. p. 96, 97—
"Out on the old trat agit wyffe or dame."