The art of living in London, or, A caution how gentlemen, countreymen and strangers drawn by occasion of businesse should dispose of themselves in the thriftiest way not onely in the citie but in all other populous places as also a direction to the poorer sort that come thither to seeke their fortunes / by H. P. Peacham, Henry, 1576?-1643? This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A56777 of text R22580 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing P942). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 16 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A56777 Wing P942 ESTC R22580 12621464 ocm 12621464 64533 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A56777) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 64533) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 251:E145, no 20) The art of living in London, or, A caution how gentlemen, countreymen and strangers drawn by occasion of businesse should dispose of themselves in the thriftiest way not onely in the citie but in all other populous places as also a direction to the poorer sort that come thither to seeke their fortunes / by H. P. Peacham, Henry, 1576?-1643? [8] p. Printed for Iohn Gyles and are to be sold by Samuel Rand ..., [London] : 1642. Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library. eng London (England) -- History. London (England) -- Social life and customs. A56777 R22580 (Wing P942). civilwar no The art of living in London, or, A caution how gentlemen, countreymen and strangers, drawn by occasion of businesse, should dispose of thems Peacham, Henry 1642 3084 2 5 0 0 0 0 23 C The rate of 23 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2002-02 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2002-03 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-04 TCP Staff (Michigan) Sampled and proofread 2002-04 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-05 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE ART Of living in LONDON , OR , A Caution how Gentlemen , Countreymen and Strangers , drawn by occasion of businesse , should dispose of themselves in the thriftiest way , not onely in the Citie , but in all other populous places . AS ALSO , A direction to the poorer sort that come thither to seeke their Fortunes . By H. P. Printed for Iohn Gyles , and are to be sold by Samuel Rand , at his shop at Barnards Inne in Holborne . 1642. THE ART OF LIVING IN LONDON . IT is a greater peece of skill to live in a populous place , where multitudes of people reside then in a so●itary and private place among a few ; yet some natures are so caried and led away with variety of acquaintance and company , that it is a death unto them to live by and to themselves , which indeed is the happiest life of all and hath ever bin most contenting , and pleasing to the best and wisest men . Now our most populous places are Cities , and among us London , or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . The Citie , whether all sorts reside . Noble and simple rich and poore yong and old , from all places and Countries either for pleasure ( and let me adde beside , to save the charge of House-keeping in the Countrey ) or for profit , as Lawyers to the Tearmes , Country-men and women to Smithsield and the Markets or for necessity , as poore yong men and maids to seeke services and places , serving-men Masters , and some others all manner of imploiment . Now the Citie being like a vast Sea ( full of gusts ) fearfull dangerous shelves and rocks , ready at every storme to sinke and cast away , the weake and unexperienced Barke ( with her fresh-water souldiers ) as wanting her compasse and her skilfull Pilot ; my selfe , like another Columbus or Drake , acquainted with her rough entertainment and stormes , have drawn you this chart or map for your guide , as well out of mine owne , as my many friends experience . Who therefore soever shall have occasion to come to the City for the occasions before mentioned ; the first thing he is to doe , is to arme himselfe with patience , and to thinke that he is entred into a wood , where there is as many bryers as people , every one as ready to catch hold of your sleece , as your selfe ; for we see that sheepe when they passe through a thorny or a bushie place they leave locks or wooll behinde them ; so imagine a populous Citie could not live nor subsist ( like the stomacke ) except it have helpe and nourishment from the other parts and members . Therefore the first rule I give you , next to the due service of God on the Saboth , and at other times is the choice of your company and acquaintance , for according to that every man findes his owne valuation high or loe ; that is , we are esteemed to be such as we keepe company withall , as well in estate as condition ; if you cannot finde such fitting for you , apply your selfe to your friends , if you have any , or the friends of your friend ; if you have not them neither , ( I speake to the meaner and more inferiour ) be sure that you take your lodging at lest in some honest house of credit ; whether it be Inne , Alehouse , or other private house , which I could rather wish because in the other , the multiplicity of resort and company of all sorts will draw you to much need esse and vaine expence ; as in pots of Beere or Ale , Tobacco , perhaps cards , dice , the Shovelboord-Table &c. But first of all have an eye to , and a care of your maine businesse , or the end of your coming to towne , as it were at what marke you wou●d 〈◊〉 your arrow ; which being throughly considered , for your purse sake , pursue it with all expedition : for the Citie is like a quick-sand the longer you stand upon it the deeper you sinke ; if here mony or meanes to get it be wanting . But imagine you have money of your owne and come hither onely for your pleasure , as being tired and weary of your Countrey , if you husband it not thriftily , you may quickly take a nap upon penilesse bench : so many are the occasions here offered that are ready every houre to picke your purse ; as perpetuall visits of vaine and vselesse acquaintance ; necssitous persons ever upon borrowing hand with you ; cloathes in the fashion , this or that new Play , play at Ordinaries , Taverne feasts and meetings , Horse and Coach hire ; beside those britle comodities they carry ; Boat-hire to Kingston , Winsor , and other places , with the like . For an Antidote to these severall poysons , let me prescribe to my Citie Country Gentleman these receits or remedies . First , being come to the Citie , avoid idlenesse , which commonly drawes after a traine of many vices : I call idlenesse keeping your chamber , consuming the day lying in bed , or risen in walking up and downe from street to street , to this or that Gentlemans chamber , having no businesse at all , and cannot meet with usefull company , let the Bible , and other bookes of piety , such as treat of Philosophy , Naturall or Morall History , the Mathematickes , as Arithmeticke , Geometry , Musicke ; sometime Heraldry , and the like , be your chiefe company : for you shall finde books no flatterers , nor expensive in your converse with them . Beside , you shall meet with those who can instruct you in all those Arts which Tully calles Venales , which are taught for money as the Mathematickes themselves , Dancing , Fencing , Riding , Painting , and the like . Next , have a care of saving and improving your money to the best : As who would bespeake a supper or a dinner at all adventure at a Taverne , and not know the price of every dish , as the Italians and other Nations doe , while they laugh at our English for their vaine profusenesse and simplicity , who when the dinner is ended , must stand to the curtesie of a nimble-tonged Drawer ; or a manyringed whistling Mistresse whether they or you should bee Masters of your money . Beside one dish well drest gives a good stomacke more and better content then a variety of twenty . And above all things beware of beastly drunkennesse , which ( as Horace truly saith , doth Affigere humo divinae particulam aurae . And well he may Affigere humo , or naile to the ground : for some are found sometimes so drunke , who being fallen upon the ground ; or ( which is worse ) in the kennell , are not able to stirre or move againe . Drinking begets chalenges and quarrels and occasioneth the death of many , as is knowne by almost daily experience . Hence are Newgate , the Counters , and other prisons fild with our young heires and swaggering gallants , to the sorrow of their friends , and joy of their Iaylors . Again , men when they are in drinke , are apt to say or doe any thing as become sureties for decayed companions , or lending them ready money out of their purses which when they have slept upon it , they curse and are ready to hang themselves beside the terror of conscience , and extreame melancholy which sticks by them a long time after . Drunken men againe are apt to lose their Hats , Clokes or Rapiers not to know what they have spent , how much money they have ; and full oft they have their pockets pickt by Whores and Knaves . There is lesse danger in out-doores recreations then , as shooting , Boules , riding , Tennis , &c. Next , let every man beware of play and gaming , as Cards , especially Dice , at Ordinaries and other places : for in the Citie there are many , who when they live onely by cheating , are so cunning , that they will so strip a young Heire , or Novice , but lately come to towne , and Wood-cocke like so pull his wings , that hee shall in a short time never be able to flye over ten Acres of his owne Land . These and the like errours are the cause why so many faire estates being neere or not very farre from the Citie , have beene so often bought and sold , and the truth is , very few have held out in a name to the third generation . Let a monyed man or Gentleman especially beware in the City , ab istis calidis & calidis solis filiabus , as Lipsius : these over-hot and crafty daughters of the Sunne , your silken and gold-laced harlots every where ( especially in the Suburbs ) to bee found : these have been and are daily the ruine of thousands ; and if they happen to alure and entice him , which is onely to cheat him , and picke his pocket to boot , with the bargaine she makes ; but let him resolutely say as Diogenes did to Lais of Corinth , Non tanti emam poenitentiam , I will not buy repentance at such a rate . Let him also in the City have a speciall care whom he entertaines into his service , let him or they have friends of his acquaintance , who may undertake for them but not at all adventure every stragler . What sayes old Tusser in his booke of good Husbandry ? Take Runagate Robin to pitie his need , And looke to be filcht as sure as thy Creed . And if you bring one with you out of the Countrey ( except you have a great eye over him ) he will quickly be corrupted in the Citie with much acquaintance : then shall you helpe your selfe to bed , see your horse starved in the stable , and never rubd ; your linnen lost at the Landresses ; in a word your selfe every where neglected . Thinke it therefore no disgrace in a Citie Inne , to see your horse every day your selfe and to see him well meated rubd and watered he shal make you amends in your journey . Occhio di patrono ingrassa lo Cavallo , the Masters eye makes the horse fat : besides , remember what Salomon saith , The righteous man regardeth the life of his beast , but the ungodly have cruell hearts . I saw , I remember , a Carrier flea his horse alive , being able on the way to goe no farther , his too heavy burthen having broke his back , insomuch as he tumbled raw in his own skin . Next ; let a Gentleman living in the Citie have a care to keepe himselfe out of debt , let him owe as little as he can to his Taylor for following the fashion , then which there can be no greater misery ; for then if he walkes abroad he is ready to be snapt up at every lanes end , by Serjeants Marshals men , or Baylies ; or keeping his chamber , let him stirre never so little be betraid by some false knave or other ; in the meane time his creditors , if they be of the inferior sort ( nay their scolding and clamorous wives , and every sawcie prentice ) will be ready to disgrace him ; and if arested , he shall be hald to prison many times like a dogge , if he returnes but the lest ill word ; if he be a landed man , let him take heed of Vsurers and their factors , of whom he shall finde as much mercy in cities , as an Oxe cheeke from a Butchers Curre : but I will turn my discourse now to such as but accidentally make their abode here , either through businesse to see friends , or sent for by Authority . Next after the setting up of their horses , and seeing them well used ( which should be your chiefest care at your first alighting in the citie , with all diligence follow your businesse , let not vaine and byoccasions take you off from it , as going to Tavernes , seeing Playes , and now and then to worse places , so lose your time , spend your money , and sometime leave your businesse uneffected . To avoid these take a private chamber , wherein you may passe your spare time in doing something or other and what you call for , pay for , without going upon the score ; especially in Citie-Alehouses , where in many places you shall be torne out of your skin ( if it were possible ) even for a debt of two pence : and though you have spent twenty or fourty pounds in one of their houses , your Host , especially your Hostesse , will hardly bid you drink in a twelve-moneth ; but if they bee at dinner or supper , never to eate a bit with them : for that were an undoing to them in their opinion . Againe , walking abroad , take heed with what company you sort your selfe withall : if you are a Countrey man , and but newly come to towne you will be smelt out by some cheaters or other , who will salute , call you by your name ( which perhaps one of their company meeting you in another street , hath learned by way of mistaking you for another man , which is an old tricke ) carry you to the Taverne , saying they are a kin to some one dwelling neere you , &c. But all trickes of late yeares have been so plainly discovered , and are so generally knowne almost to every childe , that their practice is out of date and now no great feare of them ; yet an Item can doe you no hurt . You shall not doe amisse if you send for your diet to your owne chamber an hot joynt of meat of Mutton , Veale or the like , what you leave covered with a faire napkin , will serve you to break-fast the next morning , or when you please . Keepe out of throngs and publicke places , where multitudes of people are , for saving your purse ; the fingers of a number goe beyond your sense of feeling . A Tradesmans wife of the Exchange , one day when her husband was following some businesse in the Citie , desired him he would give her leave to goe see a Play , which shee had not done in seaven yeares . Hee bade her take his Prentise along with her , and goe ; but especially to have a care of her purse : which shee warranted him shee would . Sitting in a Box among some Gallants and gallant Wenches , and returning when the Play was done , returned to her husband , and told him she had lost her purse . Wife , quoth he , did I not give you warning of it ? How much money was there in it ? quoth shee , truly foure peeces six shillings , and a silver Tooth-picker : quoth her husband , where did you put it ? Vnder my Peticote between that and my smocke . What quoth he , did you feele no hand there ? Yes , quoth shee , I felt ones hand there ; but I did not thinke hee had come for that . So much for the guard of your purse . Now for such as are of the poorest condition , and come to the Citie , compelled by necessitie to try their fortunes , to seeke services , or other meanes to live , let them presently provide themselves if they can ( for here is imployment for all hands that will worke ) or returne home againe before they finde or feele the extremity of want ; otherwise they shall finde it farre worse then the Countrey ; because if they want , here are more occasions to draw them into ill courses then there , as being constrained to steale , and to shorten their dayes , to seeke death in the errour of their lives , as Salomon saith . Young maids , who never knew ill in their lives , to bee enticed by impudent Bawds , to turne common Whores , and the like ; but if they can provide themselves , and take honest courses , by the blessing of God , they may come to as great preferment as Aldermen and Aldermens wives : For poverty of it selfe is no vice but by accident . Whom hath the Citie more advanced then poore mens children ? The Citie it selfe being the most charitablest place of the whole , and having done more good deeds then halfe the Land beside . In a word , for a conclusion , let mee give all commers , not onely to London , but all other like populous places this one and onely rule never to be forgotten , which is , To serve God , avoid Idlenesse , to keepe your money , and to beware of ill company . FINIS .