Poor Robins perambulation from Saffron-Walden to London performed this month of July, 1678. Poor Robin. 1678 Approx. 43 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 13 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A66709 Wing W3076 ESTC R26388 09448162 ocm 09448162 43135 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. A66709) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 43135) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1321:4) Poor Robins perambulation from Saffron-Walden to London performed this month of July, 1678. Poor Robin. Winstanley, William, 1628?-1698. 22 p. Printed by T.E. and are to be sold by the General Assemby of Hawkers, London : 1678. In verse. "With allowance, July 11, 1678, Ro. L'Estrange." William Winstanley is usually credited with authorship of the Poor Robin pamphlets--NUC pre-1956 imprints. Reproduction of original in the Harvard University Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Hotels -- England -- Poetry. Bars (Drinking establishments) -- England -- Poetry. Taverns (Inns) -- England -- Poetry. 2005-08 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-10 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-05 Taryn Hakala Sampled and proofread 2006-05 Taryn Hakala Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Poor Robins PERAMBULATION FROM Saffron-Walden TO LONDON : Performed this Month of JVLY , 1678. With Allowance , July 11. 1678. Ro. L'Estrange . LONDON : Printed for T.E. and are to be Sold by the General Assembly of Hawkers , 1678. Poor ROBIN'S Perambulation from Saffron-Walden to London , &c. NOw have amongst you Gallants , here 's a story Will make you laugh , or else I should be sorry : 'T is of a Journey lately made from Walden To London , and of several places call'd in As by the way I travel'd , with their Rarities Of Vice and Virtue , and their great disparities . 'T was in the year of Grace call'd Sixteen hundred Seventy and seven , as our account is numbred , The Eve o' th' Scottish Champion St. Andrew , Who wore as good a sword as e're man drew , Being the twenty-ninth day of November , Called St. Saturnine as I remember , The very next day when the Term was ended , Wherein much ( ah too much ) Coin is expended , The sign was in Aquarius , or the Legs , Being Wednesday , a day for Fish and Eggs. The Moon full four days old , the wind was North , When I on this mad Journey did set forth . As for the Tide I will not mention here , For we have neither Sea nor Thames us near , And therefore of their Ebbs , or of their flowing , Very few persons thereabouts are knowing . Thus having shown you when , in the next place I 'le show you whence my Journey I did trace : 'T was from the Rose and Crown , where Mr. Eve Doth keep a House like to an Under-sheriff ; There is good Sack , good French-Wine , and good Beer . And if you 'l dine or sup , there is good cheer : Or does your stomack to a Breakfast stand , There 's cold roast Beef , or Pork at your command . For those men who the truth of this deny it , Let them go there , and do as I did , try it ; There for your money you shall have kind usage , Good words , and reckonings right , without abusage . There at my parting , some kind friends of mine Would needs bestow on me a quart of Wine , Where with stout drinking e're my parting hour , That Quart was made at least a three or four ; But Sol his speedy journey would not stay , And posting-time did call me thence away : Yet would my Jovial friends on me attend Part of my Journey unto Audley-end , By them call'd Nineveh , but no great City , Though too much sin may be there , more 's the pity There at the sign ( of such a thing I think As never swam on pond or rivers brink ) Of a Black Swan , which is as rare 't is said As of a wench with child to be a maid . Yet although of this Sign there 's no such thing , It was a sign there was good drink within , And that we found fresh , sprightly , and well tasted ; With drinking which , we a long hour wasted . But friends at last must part , though loth they be . And so with much leave-taking then did we , When , ' cause bad company should be withstood , I walkt alone , and so had none but good . The first Town I came to , was Wenden nam'd , Who hate Eighth Henry , though a King much sam'd ; The reason of the same , they understand He was the first man ever wore a Band , And that 's a fashion to which they 'l not come , As being chargeable and troublesome , Therefore without Bands commonly they go , By which sign you a Wenden-man may know . From Wenden I my course did next way bend Unto the place is called Sparrows-end , Where Mr. Harris my old friend the Tanner Did entertain me in most courteous manner , And having drunk such strong drink as we found , With which his House doth commonly abound , To Newport-pond my course I next way bent , And in at the sign of the Black-Bull went , Where scarcely in a room I had set down When in came my old friends kind Mr. Br — And Mr. Woo — two who love their friend With true and hearty love unto the end ; For though they in another Town do live , They to their Neighbour some kind Visits give . 'T was twelve a Clock , Dinner-time did approach , When men whet Knives on Wheels of Cart or Coach ; The Cloth was laid , and by the scent o' th' meat One might perceive there something was to eat , And so it prov'd indeed , for from the pot Came forth a Rump of Beef was piping hot ; And from the Spit was brought a loyn of Mutton Would satisfie the stomack of a Glutton ; For like a Loyn of Beef it might been knighted ; To which our Hostess kindly us invited , Which we accepted of ; and to delight her , Told her none could deny such an inviter : For she 's a Widow of such excellent carriage , Would make a man most happy in her Marriage , Being young , fresh , fair , of a most pregnant wit , And for a kind good Husband sure most fit . We having din'd , and join'd a pint or two , Then forwards on my Journey I did go . And first I came unto a Town called Rickling , Where for to stay a while I made no stickling , But presently in at the Kings-head fell , Where of Compounding Dick I there heard tell , To whom if that it please you to resort ye , He for a hundred pound will mortgage forty Shillings a year , nor do you think I jest , It 's very true indeed , probatum est . Or lend him lesser sums , which if you do , For twenty Shillings he will pay you two ; Not two and twenty Shillings , no such plenty , I mean he 'l pay you two Shillings for twenty ; Pray lend him then , and this shall be your portion , You shall not need fear being su'd for extortion . From the Kings-head I out of doors scarce went , But was in Quenden-street incontinent ; Of many a handsome Country-House the station , It seems to be a little Corporation , Yet are the Houses not so neat as strong , And doth most to one Gentleman belong . For nothing on it can you look asquint , Unless cause there is ne're an Ale-house in 't . Good air , brave Woods , and fine rich Meadow-ground , And doth with every sort of Grain abound . The young men there do bear the Bell away From all the Towns about at Foot-ball play . Unto a Farmers House I went out-right , Who entertained me like to a Knight : And though at Newport I had din'd before , Yet here with him I must eat one bit more , Some Ribs of Pork new kill'd , broil'd on a Gridiron Of seven ribs , three on each side , and one mid-iron . But ere they laid them on , they did them Salt , A Shooing-horn to draw down juice of Malt ; Yet thus much of his Beer 's strength I do know , 'T would well go down without helps thereunto ; And who thereof to drink too much on 't ventures , 'T will turn him Scrivener for to make Indentures ; Which made me have a care of that same drink , Because some Scriveners are K — s I think , But whether so or no I 'le leave to Pen , They may be Knaves or may be honest men : But to the matter , ere that we did part I of his liquor took down many a quart ; Then fear lest I should of a Fox-skin smell , I bid to him ( as he made me ) farewell . From Quenden I my ready course did frame Thorow a Town that hath an Vgly name , Indeed to call it so they did not well , Because that handsom Women in it dwell ; Nor are the Men for ought that I can find But good condition'd , debonair , and kind : And therefore he who ere the name it gave , To call it so was but an ugly K — . From Vgly I next way to Stansted travel'd , Upon a plain High-way well ston'd and gravel'd ; This Town of Stansted for distinctions sake Doth unto it the name Montfitchet take , From the Montfitchets once Lords of great fame , And who ere while were owners of the same . There at the Bell , at my old friend's George Perrin , We drunk and tipled like unto a Herring ; For there is Ale and Stale-beer strong and mighty , Will burn i th' fire like unto Aqua-vitae ; And that the reason is , as you may know , That this Bells Liquor makes Mens Clappers go : Then when mens brains begin for to grow addle , Some talk of riding ne'r sat on a Saddle , And every one doth think himself a Prince , Though he in 's Pocket scarce hath Thirteen-pence . This Town from Walden is eight miles they say , All which long space I travel'd in one day , But wearied sore , and having drunken deep , The leaden god then summon'd me to sleep ; So that for to repose my drowzy head , It was not long before I went to bed ; And though I did not go out of my way , Yet I that very night in Holland lay . Next morn , ere Titan shew'd his glorious head , My Host did rouze me from my drowzy bed ; And for so doing this was his pretence , To pay a Groat for my last nights offence , Which I soon gave unto the jovial Croney , For being so ore-reached by Vulpone ; And being up , we briskly did it spend , And so of the round Groat made a square end . Thus arm'd with Toast and Ale , my Muse and I , Having no other in our company , Footed it on the Road , and straightway came Unto a Town Birchanger call'd by name , Of which there is a Proverb very old , From one Age still unto another told That there they christen Calves , which by mens bounty It may extend to each Town in the County ; Because the plenty of the Veal from thence , To call them Essex Calves is a pretence . Thorow Birchanger I pass'd without drinking , The reason thereof you perhaps are thinking ; Yet don't believe herein that I do scoff-ye , They there sell neither Ale , Wine , Beer , nor Coffee ; Therefore unless without Town they be sped , They very soberly may go to Bed : But though such liquors are not sold among them , Because that I would willingly not wrong them , Strong drink in private Houses there may be , Of which the owners may be frank and free ; But whether that the same be so or no , To tell to you the truth , I do not know , Therefore it to avouch I were to blame , Unless that I had tasted of the same . Thus something dry within , yet ne'retheless In a good plight , my way I next address Unto a place call'd Hockrell , and there took In at the Crown , with honest Mr. Cook ; Now here I did no entertainment lack , With French-Wine , Rhenish , and good Spanish Sack ; And being Dinner-time I fill'd my gullet , Begun with powder'd Beef , ended with Pullet ; And after Dinner we to drinking fixt , With taking of Tobacco intermixt . Minding that Town my Journeys end should be For that same night , I was resolv'd to see The rarities of the same , which to disclose A little while I 'le turn my Verse to Prose . This place called Hockrell belongeth to Bishop Storford , so named from the Bishops of London , who once had a Palace here , being an ancient Castle given by William the Conquerour unto the Bishop Mauritius , with all the appurtenances belonging thereunto for ever ; the Ruins of which Castle remain to this day . On the upper side of the Town stands a fair Church , in which lie Interred many of the Flemings , a Family whose numerous branches have spread themselves thorough England , Scotland and Wales , ever since the time of Sir John le Fleming , Knight , who flourished in the Reign of King William Rufus . Their Market ( which is kept on on Thursdays ) is very well served with all sorts of Provisions for the sustentation of life , especially Barley and Malt , which makes our English Bachanialian juice ; the operations of which liquor take from the Poet : Whilst Pearls and Rubies doth strong drink disclose ▪ They make their purse poor to enrich their nose . They have three Fairs in the year , one nine days before Whitsontide , another nine days after it , and the third on Michaelmas-day . This Town is also accommodated with three Taverns , viz. the Crown , the Rein-deer , and the George , at either of which , bringing the merry Chink , you may have the merry drink . How many Ale-houses is there , I had not time to number , only I saw the signs of some Horned Beasts , as the Bull , the Ram , &c. but what the people are that dwell therein , I know not , but guess you may have good liquor there for your money . As for the Cage and Stocks there , let those who have been in them give you a description of them . And now after this serious view of the Town , I returned to my Quarters , where I had dined , and took up my lodging there that night . From Bishop-Storford I next day set forth Unto a Town is called Sabridgworth , Contracted Sapssord ; but call 't what you will , In the same place it did , the Town stands still . Good Corn they say within the same doth grow , And good Beer may be in 't for ought I know ; But at that time I had no list to drink , So past I thorough it , and sav'd my Chink . Unto Pye-corner went I , to the Rose , Where for a time I staid and tope't my nose ; There was a jolly Hostess , and good tipple , Would make the tongue run , and the legs a cripple . But of large drinking , Reader , this know of it , There is small pleasure in it , and less profit ; 'T will quickly empty all the purse of crosses , Which will breed discontentment for such losses . My Hostess without coyn you can't accost her , Her rule is , No peny , no Pater-noster ; She cares not for your company a bean-straw , You can't come at her back-side with a hand-saw . But if you have the white and yellow mettle , She simpers like to a Furmety-kettle . The servants nimble are , and you may brag on The credit , not to call twice for a flaggon : The female servants , lest they should be shent , Do answer ( as they are ) incontinent . For Claret , Sack , strong Beer you shall not stand Sir , Both Hostess , men and maids , are at command Sir. But if the Purse chance to be in the wane , Then you may call , and call , and call again , You have free liberty for to be gone Sir , For quickly come , is turn'd anon , anon Sir. Therefore kind Reader spend not all away , But keep a peny ' gainst a rainy day ; Then shall you welcome be where e're you come , Where otherwise more welcome is your room . But I 've digrest , but hope have not transgrest In these invective lines I 've here exprest ; Yet Reader know , although Inns and Ale-houses Were not ordain'd for men to drink Carrouses , Yet are they for the Trav'ller necessary , Who else his meat and drink must with him carry ; And very oftentimes it would be found He must his lodging take on the cold ground ; This also must of them be understood , That many Hosts and Hostesses are good , Use people kindly for their drink and diet , And lodg them softly , where they rest in quiet . Where we will leave them sleeping in their bed , To show how after in my way I sped . Crossing the Fields , I in short space came down To Eastwick , to the sign o' th' Rose and Crown , Where for to stay I did not once intend , But at the Inn-door there I met a friend , An old acquaintance newly come from London , Where women some are done , some men are undone ; To see how resolutions soon may alter , At sight of him my legs began to falter , And though before I had no list to drink , Now other thoughts into my mind did sink ; Methoughts I was as dry as was a bottle Turn'd upside downward , and without a stopple ; My eyes 'gan view the door , which open stood To invite all Company in that wou'd ; Seeing an opportunity so fit , How every thing invited us to it , My friend and I resolv'd e're we did go , To enter in and drink a quart or two ; Yet did we think the House not so resplendent , Because no Bush was to the sign dependent ; But this gave comfort , What could not be cur'd , It must be with a patient mind endur'd ; Because therefore no Wine we could come by , We were resolv'd Beer should us satisfie . Being in , the first thing that our eyes beheld , ( like to two Soldiers marching in the field ) Came in a Bag-pudding and piece of Beef , Which unto hungry stomacks gives relief . By what is writ , Reader , thou maist suppose ( without the smelling , snuffing sence , the Nose ) 'T was Dinner time , when men do meat devour , Or ( as the Quaker saith ) 'bout the Twelfth hour , Our Stomacks were provided for the meat , Nor did our Host fail for to bid us eat , Few complements need to be us'd to do it , For ( hungry ) we did stoutly fall unto it . And being thus refresht with wholsom diet , You 'd think our Stomacks should have been at quiet : But other thoughts did in our mind take place , And liquor there was wanting in the case ; Our Hostess she was very blithe and handy , And brought us in a quartern of Nantz-Brandy , A Liquor which the Dutch-men prize , I think , More than Ambrosia which the gods do drink ; Therefore its fame unto the Heav'ns they raise , Indeed that Liquor well deserveth praise Beyond Metheglin , Vsquebah , or Perry , Or nappy Ale that makes mens hearts full merry . Worstershire-Sider , nor yet Brunswick-Mum , In goodness nothing near unto it come . Your liquorish Steponey , or your Bracket , For goodness like to Brandy they much lack it . Cardimum , Rosa-solis , Aqua-vitae , Although that they be very strong and mighty , They are no more comparable to Brandy , Than is a Gyant to a Jack-a-dandy : Nor yet that Liquor Fancy on us thrusts , Which scalds our mouths , and tasts like to burnt Crusts , As Black as Soot , or as the River Stix , Which they with Kennel water ( surely ) mix , It comes far short of Brandy all will say , Not to be mention'd with it the same day . Brandy ( according to the drinking Law ) It is both good and wholesom burnt or raw ; Or raw mixed with Sugar , if you do it , There is no drink comparable unto it ; It clears the Stomach , and it helps digestion , And is a wholesom Liquor without question . Now we at this good Liquor there did stay Till two full hours were wasted of the day ; When time , which every one of truth convinces , And will not stay one jot , no not for Princes , Told us that we must part , that too much drinking Cripled the Legs , and made the wits be shrinking , Then ' cause we would not be contradictory To Time , although to part we were right sorry , We paid the shot , a thing must not be undone , And parted , he towards York , and I towards London . From thence I on my journey forwards fell Unto a Town nam'd Stansted-Deal , or Dell , So call'd ' cause it is in a bottom founded , With Dells or watry places most surrounded : Here runs a River which doth save them charges , Being capable of bearing Boats and Barges , By which to London they send store of Grain , And bring thence Coles and other things again . There is good liquor in that Town they say , But 't was near half a mile out of my way : Wherefore because I would not go about , I of that nappy liquor went without ; For why , the nearest way to London lies Over a Common-meddow call'd the Ryes , Which way I took , and crossed the New-River , That unto London doth her Streams deliver . But now some other matters to explain , A while I 'le turn my Verse to Prose again . As I was thus going over the Ryes , there over-took me a Journey-man Shoo-maker , going so fast , as if his business required wonderful hast ; however I had that inquisitiveness to ask him why he went so fast , and that if he went softlier I should be glad of his company , as being alone : He replied , that he was one of the Gentle-Craft , and having by the perswasions of Monsieur Malt-worm spent all his chink , he must hast to London that night , having no Money to accommodate him with a lodging by the way . I laughed heartily at his discourse , and told him he was not to be blamed for being money-less , seeing the same was ordained by Jupiter before . Those words struck Crispin into a great amazement , who would needs know how it came to pass that Jupiter should be such an enemy to good fellowship ? Marry ( said I ) I think him to be no enemy unto good fellowship , though it hath happened that he hath predestin'd most of you to be unthrifts , the manner whereof I will relate unto you . It happened some Ages before my Grandmother was born , that Jupiter and Mercury travelled together upon the earth ; Mercury was wonderfully hungry , and had no Money in his Purse to buy him any food ; and at last to his great comfort he spied where a company of Taylors were at dinner with butter'd Pease , eating their Pease with their Needles points one by one : Mercury came to them , and asked them his alms ; they proudly bid him sit down and do as he saw them did , and with that delivered him a Needle . The poor God being passing hungry , could not content his Maw with eating one by one , but turned the eye of his Needle , and eat two or three together ; which the Taylors seeing , they start up , and said , What fellow , a Shovel and Spade to butter'd Pease ! hast thou no more manners ? Get out of our company : and so they sent him packing with many strokes . Mercury coming back , Jupiter demanded of him what news ? And he told him how churlishly he was used by the Taylors . Well , wandering on further , Mercury espied where a company of Shoo-makers were at Dinner with powdred Beef and Brewess ; going to them , before he could ask them any alms , they said , Welcom good fellow , what is thy Stomack up ? Wilt thou do as we do , and taste of our Beef ? Mercury thanked them , and sat down and eat his Belly-full , and drank well of Double-Beer ; and when he had done , went home to his Master ; as soon as he came , Jupiter asked him what news ? And he said , I have lighted amongst a crew of Shoo-makers , the boonest Fellows that ever I met withal , they have frankly fed me without grudging , and therefore grant me a Boon for them . Ask what thou wilt , Mercury ( quoth he ) and it shall be granted . Why then quoth he , grant that for this good turn they have done me , they may ever spend a Groat afore they can earn Twopence ; It shall be granted quoth he : Mercury , as soon as Jupiter had said the word , he bethought himself , and said , Not so , but that they may earn a Groat before they spend Twopence , for my Tongue slipt at first ; but Jupiter replied , my grant cannot be recalled , your first wish must stand firm . And hence it comes to pass that by Mercuries mistake , and Jupiters grant , that the Journey-men of the Gentle-craft have been ever since such boon blades , and toping good Fellows . Crispin heard my Story with much attention , and I perceived that had his Purse been answerable to his heart , we had tasted what liquor had been at the next Ale-house : But as the old song says , Poverty parts good company ; my Lady Pecunia having parted from him , he soon parted from me , and made all the hast he could towards London . Passing thus as I told you o're , the Rye , Incontinent to Hodsden I did hie , A great th'row-fare , consisting of one street , But seated in an Air wholesom and sweet ; There is therein of Inns the duce and all , But Beer in them methought was very small , I try'd not only one , but two or three , But Beer in none did with my taste agree ; Indeed there is good Ale at the Thatcht-house , Which followed will give a man a douce , And likewise in the Town you there may see Of Taverns there 's no less than two or three , Wherein with Wine you there may fill your gorges , But not so good ( methinks ) as my friend Georges . There is a Statue of a Nimph-like charm , Which always holds a Pitcher in her arm , Through which she water constant doth deliver , Which saves the fetching of it from the River ; What other Rarities in this Town be , Let them who list go thither for to see . From thence I went and had a little pull At Broksborn , at the Sign of the Black-Bull , Where though there was not high and mighty Liquor , 'T was stronger than at Hodsden , and more quicker ; Quicker in two respects , Pots came more thick , And then the Beer in drinking was more quick ; But having by such quickness much coyn spent , I parted thence , and unto Wormly went ; There did I stay all night at the White-Hind , And found an Host was debonair and kind . He told me many tricks done in his youth , Which if so be they all of them were truth , I must conclude ( for so it plain appears ) He was an arch wag in his younger years . My Hostess she was bonny , tite , and neat , And full of mirth , as is an Egg of meat . She bid me kindly welcome , so she may I think to any one that freely pay ; Yet this I 'le say , her Meat was of the best , Fresh , sweet , and good , and very cleanly drest ; All her discourse was pleasant , sweet as honey , And I was kindly welcome for my money . Next morn no sooner Phoebus did appear , And with his beams did gild our Hemisphear , But I soon shook off Morpheus drowzy clog , First drank , and paid , then forwards on did jog Unto a Town call'd Cheshunt , wheretofore Was a Religious House of Nuns great store ; These Nuns were Maids or Virgins , chuse you which , Or at the leastwise they should have been such , But same hath told ( if same hath not beli'd them ) They no such Cattel were by those that try'd them ; For under ground they had a private Cell To Waltham-Abby where the Monks did dwell , By which conveyance they each other met , And many Bastards by this means did get ; But whether that the same were true or no , 'T is only God Almighty that doth know . This Cheshunt Town is three miles long or near , And scattered with Houses here and there ; Some Alehouses upon the Road I saw , And some with bushes , shew'ng they Wine did draw , But whether Beer or Wine were good or bad , To tast thereof no time as then I had : For should a man at every Ale-house call , 'T would empty his Purse , and spoil his brains withal ; And truly unto me it is a wonder To see how Ale-houses the Road do ●●●●er , It does to me much admiration give To think which ways they make a shift to live ! And yet I think a man may wonder more That many men about them live so poor ! The Reason is , that what these poor men gain , The Ale-houses for drink from them do drain ; And so these poor men , to be term'd good fellows , Do toil and moil for to maintain the Ale-house . As to this purpose did a Neighbour mine , Who to maintain the Ale-wives to go fine , And idly live , whatever that he got He spent upon them , on the Pipe and Pot ; He following this Trade continually , Fell grievous sick , as if he straight would die ; Desiring his Wives pity , he to move her , Told her if that please God he did recover , And that his help he to him would be giving , Hee 'd make the Ale-wives to spin for their living . Soon after he recover'd his distemper , But quickly grew he to be idem-semper , The Ale-houses he no ways would refrain , Which made his wife thus carefully complain , Husband , you said , if that God sent you health , You would unto your self return your wealth , And make the Ale-wives for their living spin , But now another mind I see you 're in . True Wife ( reply'd the man ) I were to blame Should I deny 't , and still my mind 's the same : But first they must have Money wherewithall For to buy Flax , ere they to spinning fall . " Thus still what vice a man is to addicted , " He by excuses seeks to be protected . But to return where I did leave before , This Town of Cheshunt having passed o're , I came to Waltham-Cross , from London Town A Dozen miles just , either up or down : Of which same Cross , because that I will write , I will again in Prose a while indite . This Cross was erected by King Edward the first , in memory of his Wife Queen Eleanor , a renowned and vertuous Lady , Sister to Alphonsus King of Castile , Daughter to King Ferdinand the third , and only Child of Joan his second Wife , Daughter and Heir of John Earl of Ponthien . She accompanied her Husband to the Holy Land , in which Voyage , he being stabbed by a Saracen with a poysoned Dagger , when no Medicine could extract the poyson , she did it with her Tongue , licking daily , while her Husband slept , his rankling wounds , whereby they perfectly closed , and yet her self received no harm ! So soveraign a medicine ( said Speed ) is a womans tongue , anointed with the vertue of lovely affection . Pity it is , saith Mr. Fuller , such a pretty story should not be true , because then we might hear of one womans tongue that hath done good , whereas otherwise we have heard of a hundred womens tongues that have done hurt . However , no question she was a woman of excellent parts , to our Nation a loving Mother , and ( saith Walsingham ) the Column and Pillar , as it were , of the whole Realm . She dyed at Herdby in Lincolnshire , November 29 , 1290 , having been King Edwards Wife 36 years , who erected to her honour these Crosses , as Statues , at Lincoln , Grantham , Stanford , Geddington , Northampton , Stony-Stratford , Dunstable , St. Albans , this at Waltham , and one at Westminster called Charing-cross ; which last was by the Rump , that Maggot-end of a Parliament , pulled down ; to such uncertain periods come oftentimes the fairest Structures , as this which was built of Marble , and therefore the more subject to the covetousness of avaritious hands . Thus , as John Taylor hath it , Old Charing-Cross that lasted many lives , Is turn'd to Saltsellers and H●f●s of Knives . But this Cross at Waltham being not so rich , escaped ruine , though time hath made it something ruinous in respect of its former beauty and splendor . But enough of this Cross , lest I cross my Reader with the tediousness of the relation thereof . From Waltham-Cross I went to Enfield Town , Unto the Sign there of the Rose and Crown , A noted place ; which House much money takes For sale of Butter'd bread , Eel-pies and Cakes ; There also is good Beer , and Ale so great , 'T is said that it will make a Cat to speak . But there is one thing makes amends for all , Although their Ale be great , their pots are small . This House is call'd old Joans , but wherefore so , To tell to you the truth , I do not know ; Nor can we ought of its antiquity read In learned Cambden , or laborious Speed , For had they at the same but tope't their nose , They would have writ of it I do suppose ; Nor did John Taylor the brave Water ▪ Poet In all his rambling Travels surely know it , For honest John did ne're commit that crime , To drink good Ale , and mention not the Sign ; But since that time I have informed been , That those same persons who now live therein , Were in another House living e're while , Nearer to London much about a mile , And coming for to live where now they do , They brought the name of old Joans thither too . Here after I had staid a little space , Towards London then I forwarder did trace , And weary as I was at last did come To the Blew Bell in merry Edmonton ; I call it merry , for it doth appear That once a merry Devil lived there . Or else the story lies , and the Devil 's in 't , If men would dare for to put lies in print ; But ancient Records they be-like do tell One Peter Faber he therein did dwell , And he deceiv'd the Devil as 't is sed , The Devil sure was fairly brought to bed ; That he should be deceiv'd 't is to be wonder'd , Where one deceives him , he deceives a hunder'd . But Holla Muse , where runs my busie pen ! Return unto thy subject once agen , Here at the Bell I found good Beer , good Sack , Nor did they Customers at that time lack , Whose postures to express as they sat quaffing , Would make a Horse his Bridle break with laughing : Here one sate in a fume of Tunidado , Whose vapours unto Heaven did make scalado ; Another he did spit and spall so sore As if he 'd see what he had drunk before ; Another he did sing so out of frame , 'T would scare the schreich-owles for to hear the same ; One had his tongue continually a walking , Yet none could gain one wise word by his talking ; Another did better decorum keep , Nodding his head a while he fell asleep ; Some could not to one seat their breeches fix , But walking still were full of antick tricks : So each a several posture did express , Acted with very much rediculousness , That it would make one think , a man to see What kind of Beasts and Anticks , Drunkards be , That he from over-drinking should refrain , Or having been drunk , ne're be drunk again . Here at the Bell I little time did stay , Drank only one bare pint , and went my way . But in the Road another Tavern spi'd , Where what juice was within I went and tri'd ; To give you commendations of the Wine It much doth need , 't was neither brisk nor fine , Racy , nor pure ; therefore I do not scoff , It needs much praises for to put it off ; But yet the Drawer like an honest Lad Told me , although the first pint proved bad , Bid me I should not be too much perplext , For why it should be mended in the next ; But I well knowing his wire-drawing tricks , By which on many a person they do fix ; Did leave him for some other one to taper on , And bid adieu to him and his blue apron . Next I to Totnam-High-cross took my way , And at the Sign o' th' Swan a while did stay , Being by a friend call'd in , who with a glance From out the window spied me by chance ; No Complements betwixt us were neglected , Being glad to meet together unexpected , And then as when friends meet , the common use Is to enquire straight , Pray what good news ? So was it then with us , our tongues 'gan prate Of such transactions as were done of late , And afterwards to other matters fell ; And first of all our tongues began to tell How Honesty we thought from earth was fled , Money was scarce , and that made trading dead . That men of parts were flighted and neglected , Whilst mimick anticks were too much respected ; How that Hypocrisie bare so much rule , Plain dealing now accounted was a fool ; How yea and nay , if you do rightly scan him , Would cozen , but more slylier far than dam-●im ; That some men , though in Knavery were mounted ; Yet would be angry to be Knaves accounted ▪ These last were my friends words which he me told , But I straightway desir'd him to hold , And bid him speak with better circumspection , ( There is no gen'ral Rule without exception ) For in our Country I my self did know As great a Knave as thereabouts did grow , Who cause he would be known to be a Knave , To have it under-hand five shillings gave , And that this was a ▪ real truth , no jest , Hundreds might sign it with Probatum est . Thus we of Knav'ry did our judgments scan , Yet Knav'ry will be us'd do what we can ; Which made that Knave to think he did not leese , When as he paid ten pounds by one poor Cheese ; Well may we say with Rombus the School master , 'T will cause a broken head to have such plaister ; And thus a man might eas'ly make it plain , That some are but bare Knaves , some Knaves in grain . But to return where we did leave before ▪ And of these cheating Knaves to write no more : Commanding Time which will not stay for no man , Me to my Journey once again did summon ; My friend and I that was so honest hearted , Drunk to each other ▪ then shook hands and parted . Going still nearer London , I did come In little space of time to Newington . Now as I past along I cast my eye on , The Signs of Cock and Pie , and Bull and Lion , And Handsome Hostesses , with smiling looks , And thought that Jack-daws might be caught by Rooks. So I ne're staid , but unto Kingsland came , Where at that place I found the very same Signs to invite the people in to drink , Where ( if you will ) you may spend store of Chink . From thence my course to London I did bend , And at the City made my Journeys ▪ END .