life at a deare rate and to that end he barricadoed himselfe within the house turning the Table and Stooles topsie turvie against the doore The newes being spread that little Iames was within the house made diverse people flock together to see the issue among others many of the Guard hastned thither and endeavoured by Ladders to enter through the Window but Little Iames having charged two Pistols and two Muskets with them watching his opportunity when their thoughts were at the highest humbled eleven of them to the ground his Wench at the same time charging as fast as hee discharged and by that last office testified the greatnesse of her courage and affection As for him he was so animated with rage and dispaire that he often thrust out his head at the Window endeavouring to hasten his assured death by the honourable blow of some Musket to eescape the dis-honour of the Gallowes The people assembled more and more and about an hundred persons had now encompassed the House armed with Muskets Pikes and Halberds little Iames after he had discharged divers shot at last fell into a scarcity of Bullets which being perceived some mounted upon the Ladders whilst others broke open the doores every one admired the desperate stoutnesse of this Theefe in resisting so many people but hee resisted in vain for his houre was then come yet would he not for a long time yeeld himselfe but would have killed himselfe had not his Wench hindred him at length the multitude entring he was forced to yeeld to the fury of the people who drag'd him to prison where hee lay not long before hee was condemned to bee broken on the Wheele The day of his death being spread abroad caused a multitude of people to be assembled in the place of execution every one wondring to see one so yong to have perpetrated halfe so many villanies Some pittied his youth others rejoyced to see him cut off so timely as for me I must confesse I was not a jot moved with pitty but was glad to see him punished according to his deserts Behold here the Life and death of this notorious Rogue whereby it may be considered how much it behooves Parents to chastise their children in their youth and not to suffer them to live in too great a liberty CHAP. XI The Story of Pallioly and his Choake-peare WE may compare youth to a young twigge whose tendernesse yeelds to the least motion and is easily bended either to the right or left hand being made fruitful or barren according to the industry or negligence of the Owner So is it with youth if he once findes the path of vertue by the care of his Parents he may be made continue and increase in the same but contrary acts produce contrary effects and wee cannot expect a greater comfort and joy from those that are vertuous then sorrow and griefe from those that continue in a vicious course of life I would therefore advise all Parents and Guardians to be exceeding carefull and wary in the education of their Children especially to beware of the poyson of ill example not suffering them to frequent the company of such as are debaucht for we naturally follow with eagernes those actions which we see authorized by former presidents Pallioly was a pretty well favoured youth a fit lodging to entertaine vertue as no doubt he would have done had not the over fond affection of his Father permitted him to make choice of those courses which are most opposite to vertue and best pleasing our sensuall appetites and inclination His ingenuity was such that had he beene trained up vertuously his wisdome might have made him as famous as his wit wrongly imployed hath now made him infamous he was borne neere unto Tholouse where he remained not long but out of a vaine curiosity and curious vanity he first forsaking his earthly father that hee might the better forget his heavenly betook himselfe towards Paris where he abode not long before his riot and excesse had wholly emptied his Purse of coyne and his wits being quickned by necessity he studied to supply his want by this following device Hee first makes a paire of hands of Wax and fastens them to his shoulders so artificially that he could when he pleased put them through his Cloak with these hee goes to the Church of S. Mederic where he understood that a great concourse of people would that day be by reason of a learned Man that then intended to preach being come into the Church hee espies a Gentlewoman with a silver Watch by her side who was praying in the body of the Church among many others who every minute expected the Preachers comming out of the Chancell by her he kneeles placing a Book on these his artificiall hands and seemes to fix his eyes on both The Gentlewoman wonders at his rudenesse in comming so neere her and conceives it to be only want of breeding in him she casts her eyes on him and sees him with a Book in his hand and praying modesty permitted her to look but not too earnestly to gaze on him she therefore without mistrust holds on her devotion and he his she hers to God and he his to the Devill as appeared by the sequell for while she at the elevation of the Host bowes downe to the ground and in humility kisseth it he nips off the Watch and having likewise hypocritically kissed the ground departed Not long after he goes to a Smith of his acquaintance a very skilfull man in his Trade and one wholly at his beck and gives him instruction how to make a kinde of Instrument in the likenesse of a little Bowle which by the helpe of small springs within it might open and inlarge it selfe so that being clapt into a mans mouth it could not be removed without the Key purposely made to that end this being finished according to his minde and brought unto him he termed a Choke-peare he might have termed it a Devils Peare for never was there a worse tasted fruit Eridas a rich Citizen dwelling about the Royall Exchange was the first who made triall how hard this Peare was of digestion for Pallioly knowing by common report that he was rich chose out his opportunity when all his houshold servants were busied in country affaires and none at home with him but one Lackey and then being accompanied with three or foure such spend-thrifs as himselfe he came to the house and boldly desired to speake with Eridas the Lackey supposing them to have been Gentlemen of worth by reason of their decent apparell went unto his Master and told him that there were some Gentlemen below that desired to speake with him but Eridas comming unto them and desiring to know their pleasure was taken aside by Pallioly who in no lesse brief then rough terms told him that they were poore Souldiers pinched by poverty whose wants must be releeved by his excesse that it was needlesse for him to endeavour resistance for
45. Chap. 7. Polidamors entertainement among Theeves p. 53. Chap. 8. A prodigious History of the Treacheries of Valesio p. 67. Chap. 9. A young Cutpurse made free p. 91. Chap. 10. The life and death of little Iames. p. 99. Chap. 11. The story of Pallioly and his Choak-peare p. 123. Chap. 12. The wicked servant p. 1â—5 Chap. 13. The dangerous adventures and miraculous escapes of Colyrias p. 161. Chap. 14. One often cheated p. 173. Chap. 15. A strange Robbery of a Merchants shop p. 183. Chap. 16. The cunning escape of a Cheater oot of Prison p. 188. Chap. 17. A Theefe caught in a Trap. p. 193. Chap. 18. The story of Amboise la Forge a notable Cut-purse p. 201. Chap. 19. A Relation of the notable cheats performed by one Mutio. p. 221. Chap. 20. A facetious Relation how one Maillard cheated a Goldsmith of a rich piece of Plate p. 238. Chapt. 21. The multiplicity of Theeves p. 263. Chap. 22. A facetious Relation of a Parisian Theef condemned to the Gallies at Marseilles 269. Chap. 23. The gratefull Theef p. 294 THE HISTORY OF THEEVES CHAP. I. Of an Inne-keeper Cheated DEspaire often constraineth us to imbrace Actions which we would reject as pernitious to our soules health if Passion blinded not our Senses but we are for the most part so wedded to our owne perverse wills that we wil not vouchsafe to deliberate with reason but rashly doe whatsoever is presented unto us by our vaine imaginations This is the cause that man cannot so easily see what he is nor whence he draweth his Originall At that time when as Peace began to flowrish in this Kingdome and that the fury of a long warre was appeased It happened that five or sixe cashiered Souldiers not knowing what shifts to make departed out of Paris resolving among themselvs that sithence unconstant Fortune seemed to deny them sufficient Commodities for their sustenance they would use their greatest cunning and utmost endeavor to procure it These people that before had plenty of all things could not now brook a scarcity and therefore resolved to make a correspondency to their former fortunes though by any indirect meanes neither were they long to seek For as it often comes to passe that when men perceive themselvs sinking into the deepest misery even then they finde out a meanes of reliefe So now Necessity dictates unto these cheating fellows an invention by which they for a time shift off these hungry wants which were now ready to oppresse them They in their way chanced to meet with a youth about the age of tenne or twelue yeeres who had been sent from about twelue Leagves distant from thence with a Letter to one in Paris whom they staying one among the rest intending to practise his wit and to recreate both himselfe and companions by an invention adviseth them to cloathe him after the best manner they could possibly and telleth them that as for the rest he doubted not but that he should so well act his part that they should all fare the better for his enterprize They all follow his direction and at length by their joynt endeavours they so well apparell him that one would have taken him for some young Lord although there was a kinde of constraint in his behaviour and that by his actions he sometimes shewed of what stocke he was The tree is knowne by the fruit and the leafe partly manifests the kinde and the quality of the stalke For Generosity appeareth as well by the outward behaviour as it doth by Vertue which is the inward ornament and whosoever will cloathe a Rustick in the habite of a Gentleman shall notwithstanding finde in him the effects of his rude breeding and incivility This youth being thus revested hatched conceits which lifted him up even unto the clouds he already thought himselfe one of the great Lords of France yet for all his high conceits they become his Lawgiver and after mountaines of golden promises they command him upon paine of death not to speake to any one upon any occasion whatsoever more then these two words Etiam and Maxime Having thus grounded their intended deceit they went to take up their lodgings in one of the best Inns about Paris where being arrived they fained themselves to be of the house of the extraordinary Ambassadour of Holland and told the Host that without faile within foure or five dayes the said Ambassadour would passe that way and for an assured testimony of what they spake they shewed unto him the young Gentlemen saying that he was Nephew unto the Ambassadour The Master of the house who deeply considered not what they spake beleeving them entertained them very sumptuously with whatsover they demanded and the notice he tooke during their abode in his house that all of them in generall were submissively respective unto their young Master whom they blazed to be the Ambassadours Minion made him and the rest of the Inne verely beleeve that the reverence which they shewed unto this youth was unfained and what they spake was undoubtedly true Five dayes were now past wherein there was no newes of the Ambassador but what they themselves made in the house in the midst of their Jollities and Banquets The Host knew not what to think of it but not being able to sound the depth of their mysteries he causeth his doubt to reflect upon the reverence which he saw was yeelded unto this new made Gentleman this withholdeth him from any outward shew of suspition and feedes him with the hope of the future comming of the Ambassadour At length eight dayes being pleasantly slipped away and no Ambassadour appearing our Vagabond Souldiers begin to dreame that it was now time for them to take the ayre And to finish their well projected Enterprise one of them sendeth forth his Masters Lackey in fight of the Host to give notice when the Ambassadour approached but he kept not his promise in comming for he was not yet parted from his house and had before privately commanded him to returne by three of the clocke the next morning to give them notice that their Master was drawing neere unto the City This Gullery was well practised the Lackey failed not to come at the appointed houre and knocking at the Gate delivered unto them the welcome newes of their masters approach Whereupon they all start up with speed and having commanded that their horses should be prepared the Master of the Inne ariseth calleth up his servants and all of them confidently settle themselvs in expectation of the Ambassadour when their horses were ready one of them came boldly unto the Host and told him that they must of necessity goe meet their Master that he must prepare a breakfast against their returne which would be within two or three houres at furthest and in the meane time they would leave their yong Master with him so they all parted and forraged the Countrey having merrily recreated themselves at the expence of their Host. In the meane
Theefe they upon the sudden found him cutting off another this made all the people to forsake the Boy and to follow him by which meanes the Boy escaped but the old Cutpurse was by one of the nimblest footmen overtaken who trusting too much to the hold which he had of one of his eares suffered him likewise to escape from him for this crafty old Hang-man having formerly lost his eares for some such mischievous exploit procured others to be so artificially made that they seemed as naturall as others by one of these was he taken which easily comming off gave occasion of wonder to those that pursued him and the meane while that they stood wondring at that he escaped to the Grove into a throng of people who were there assembled to see an Execution of one who was broken on the Wheele from which place he carried two Purses more to his fellowes where hee found his young Cutpurse much discontented that he had so treacherously dealt with him Thus passed this young Boy Master in his Trade after he had beene well beaten though not so well as he justly deserved CHAP. X. The Life and Death of little Iames. IT is hard for one in these dayes to find out a young man endued with a staid wisdome for they suffer themselves to be so violently hurried by the heat of their owne passions that vertue is most commonly over-mastered by vice and reason by a selfe-will inclination the chiefe cause of this is that vice escapes too oft unpunished and that Parents doe commonly slacken the reines of their authority permitting their children to doe whatsoever they vainely desire so that this age being too apt and subject to ruine of it selfe if it be moreover encouraged to evill by the over-fond permission of Parents it is no wonder if at length vice predominate O wonderfull and perverse Age How many Monsters dost thou produce How many children are in these times borne Viper-like to gnaw out the bowels of their Parents causing them to custome themselves in sorrows and mournefull lamentations When wee have once lost that dutifull respect wherein we are obliged towards our Parents how quickly do we lose that which we strictly owe unto God As may appeare exemplified in the insuing History of one Iames who being about the age of fifteene Yeares forsook his Parents who were too carelesse of his education with a full resolution to betake himselfe to a debaucht kinde of life and finding a fit opportunity stole from his Father a great some of money and so fled Not long after hee enrolled himselfe as a Souldier under the command of a Lord who at that time conducted a great Regiment this was in those first troubles wherein France for a time lost the sweet repose of peace by the dissention of some great Peares in the State who were retired from the Kings service to Cantonize it in divers Provinces of the Kingdome While he was in the Army he committed a thousand insolencies and though but little in age and stature yet he grew to that height of wickednes that he was therein inferiour to none He seldome stayed long in a place and where he remained least he sometimes left the greatest marks of his cruelty those who suffered most by him were poore Country people some wherof he would cause to be stretched out before a fire and so by scorching and burning the soles of their feet would force them to confesse where their money lay hee would slash and cut the flesh of others who would not suddenly bring unto him his appointed ransome and would also sometimes ravish those Maids hee by chance met he grew so couragious that no man durst doe him an affront for in foure yeares wherein he lived in the Arrmy he had slain five in single combat who not being patient enough to indure his bravadoes had challenged him of which murthers he soone obtained remission being much favoured of some Great ones and so escaped unpunished The Army being at length cashier'd he was constrain'd being never bred to labour either to steale or beg hee therefore betook himselfe to the Forrest of Senlis where he robbed divers Passengers thence hee went as farre as Cleremont with five or six of his Companions who being armed with Pistols there robbed the Waggon of Amiens thence he betook himselfe to Paris where he committed so many thefts that he was at length by the Society of Cutpurses chosen Ringleader of their Company he carried himselfe so subtilly in his affaires that his most trusty companions could never know where his lodging was only when they met together he would appoint them a rendivous wherto meet the next day and would often punish and sometimes stab those who the day before had executed no enterprize of noate He would sometimes be clothed in the habit of a Physitian in which he would often go to the houses of sick persons and having noated the entries they should not faile the next day to finde themselves robbed he would hide himselfe sometimes a whole day together in a House and at night would open the doores to his Companions at other times he would cause himselfe to be followed by foure or five Tagrags and would hastily come to the house of some Counsellor when he thought most of the houshold servants were elsewhere imployed and having earnestly demanded to speak with him the Counsellor should no sooner approach but little Iames for so they called him would have a Pistoll at his brest and then force him to furnish him with what money he desired He with two or three of his Companions being one day in the faire St. Germain perceived a certain Atturney cheapning a silver Basin of a Goldsmith who not agreeing on the price put the money which hee had offered downe for payment into his pocket whereupon little Iames shewing this Atturney to one of his Comrades commanded him to dive into the bottome of his pocket for that Gudgeon and that otherwise they two should not bee good friends which the other refused to doe as impossible without eminent danger he thereupon called unto him another from whom he received the like deniall He seeing that neither of them would obey his commands conceived a mortall hatred against them and intending shortly to bee revenged he said unto them You will not undertake this enterprise to ease me of imaginary difficulties but assure your selves if I loose it you shall soundly pay for it he having thus spoken left them and came unto the Attourney who was then bargaining with another Goldsmith because he could not agree on the price with the first and finding an opportunity by reason of the throng then about him thrust him with such violence that his Hat fell to the ground which while the Attourney tooke up he gently put his hand into his Pocket and tooke his Purse so that the Attourney having afterward agreed with the Goldsmith for the Basin found no money to pay him which was like to
have caused dissention in regard that the Goldsmith would have forced the Basin on him Little Iames having thus acted his part returned unto his Companions and shewed them the Purse whereat they rejoyced but this their joy was short for Little Iames hating them deadly for their disobedience led them to a by-place called Mount Pernassus where hee commanded the one to stay for him and having drawne the other about a Flight-shot from thence told him in great fury that he could hardly forbeare to kill him whereupon his Comrade desired to know the cause of his anger and the reason why hee spoke such words but Little Iames perceiving that he saucily reasoned with him suddenly drew forth his Sword and ranne him thorow thence he came back to the other whom he had commanded to stay for him on the Mount but lest his companion should suspect any harme or ill intent from him he drew neere unto him with a smiling countenance when the other asking him where his Comrade was he snatcht forth a Poniard and stabbing him therewith he said behold there he is go thou to him He once killed a begging Frier and having taken on him his habit and Letters of Order came unto the Friers at S. Vincents where he was by them for the space of fifteene dayes kindly entertained and being resolved to furnish himselfe before his departure he brought with him from Paris divers sorts of Pick-lock instruments with which hee while the rest of the Convent were about midnight as their custome is at Mattens excusing himselfe for his absence as being constrained thereto by in-disposition of body pickt open a doore where their money lay which hee having taken away cunningly shut the doore and went to bed the next day he arose early and taking his leave of the Superiour returned to Paris where by his begging from doore to doore hee greatly distressed those that were of that Order for when any of them went forth to beg provision they were answered that they were served already and that they had given it to one of their fellowes whereat the Fryers were mightily amazed and could not conceive by any meanes who it was that so grosly abused them by this meanes did Little Iames commit sundry great thefts within the Citizens houses he having free entrance by reason of his habit but it came to passe at length that the Fryers of Saint Vincents having found out his arch knavery desired some Officers within the City to search for him but their labour was in vaine untill it hapned that one of those Fryers not long after entring into a certaine house for an almes met this Iames comming forth of the same House whereupon hee intreated the Servants to lay hands on him which they did and having lustily beaten him were about to have led him to a Justice but by the comming of some of his Associates who guarded him hee was rescued Little Iames taking an especiall notice of them came the the next morning having changed his habit neere unto the place where those Servants dwelt and craftily enquires their names and the names of their Parents which having fully understood he appointed 2. or 3. of his companions to meet him at a house not far from thence at which time he wrote this Letter unto one of the Lackeys which had beaten him whose name was Francis Maire the Contents of the Letter was as followeth Sonne I Am come purposely into this City to acquaint you with some affaires which have lately happened in our parts you have lived long here with little profit I have found a Match fit for you in our Countrey which you must not neglect It is not alwayes time to sow we must sometimes reape I would willingly have come unto your lodging but that perhaps in so doing your Master would have suspected that I came purposely to entise you away wherefore I should bee glad to see you at my lodging whither this bearer will conduct you I will in the meane time cause a Breakfast to be provided for you against you come and if you bring a friend with you he shall be welcome and his entertainement shall be the best we can provide Farewell Having sealed this Letter he directs one of his young Cut-purses unto the house where this Maire dwelt who having received it failed not to come with his Companion where being arrived he was informed that his father was gone into the City and had left command for them to goe to Breakfast and not to stay for him They therefore being earnestly intreated to sit down did but they had not sate long before little Iames entred and saluted them but they at first knew him not untill he withdrawing himselfe into an innerroome presently came forth in his Fryers habit then were the Lackyes in extreme perplexity and would have forsaken the Table but Little Iames and his company suddenly seazed on them and stripping them naked he first lashed them with Stirrop-leathers then with a more then barbarous cruelty caused their skins to bee gashed and after they being all bloudy hee put them into a great Tub of feathers where they had little ease nothing could their cryes availe them by reason that the House stood in a by-place farre from any common resort and after having done them many other injuries hee at mid-night sent them away feathered like so many Fowle and immediately he and his company forsooke the house Having discoursed of the manner of his Life let us come now unto his Death and see whether it bee as tragick as the actions of his life did prognosticate The fame of this notorious Theef augmented daily in Paris and twenty Leagues round there about so that the Provost thought it a part of his duty to make diligent search after him hee gives strict order therefore to his Troopes deligently to give attendance with whom hee made a Rode towards the Forrest of Fountaine-bleau it being the common place where he lurked but the subtilty of little Iames deceived him for he having intelligence of it disguising himselfe like a country Ploughman passed through the middest of them and came to Paris without being knowne but in vaine escapes he who drawes his punishment after him For he being one day in a Tennis Court was earnestly noated by some of the Provosts men who were going to play which exceedingly daunted him yet without seeming to feare or suspect any thing he passed by them but the Officers presently following him saw him enter into a house where a yong Wench dwelt whom he had debaucht and and at that time maintained whereupon they besetting the house and one of them knocking at the doore hee himselfe came to the Window and demanded their businesse although hee too well knew their intent the Officers without using many words began to break open the doore when little Iames on the other side arming himselfe with a fierce resolution foreseeing that he could not escape death resolved to sell his
and that therefore he should recommend himselfe to God Melander in this extremity knew not what to doe but being resolved in his old age to sell his life to them at a deare rate he suddenly endeavoured to seize upon an Halbert which was at his beds head but Alexis with his Companions to prevent it rushed upon him and gave him 20. or 30. blows with Clubs wherewith they dasht out his brains behold these barbarous cruelties committed by a servant yet that which followeth seemes inhumane Melander brought with him into the same house one of his daughters exceeding fair to looke unto his houshold-affaires this maid was mariageable and might have been well matched had not the cruelty of these Rogues cut the threed of her life Shee lay in the next Chamber to that of Melander when hearing the out-cry of her Father she hid her selfe betweene the bed and the wall thinking so to avoid her insuing death Alexis notwithstanding who was well acquainted with every corner of the House having slaine Melander came into the maids chamber and having espied her commanded his Companions to draw her forth who held her whilest he like a bruit beast ravisht her and not content with this hee caused his Companions to doe the like To expresse this action fully and the lamentable meanes she made seeing her selfe brought into this so miserable estate requires the Pen of one more eloquent These her lamentations might have broken an heart of Adamant but it was so farre from molifying of theirs that they proceeded yet further for without compassion of her tender age beauty or Sex they there bereaved her of her life Then Alexis being thus master of the House caused the doors to be barricadoed and so fell to ransaking and rifling the whole house preparing themselvs to be gone the next night they spent the next day in jollity and mirth but night being come they having loaded the Boat with the best housholdstuffe and themselves with money in all to the value of two thousand pounds they about midnight departed not being perceived of any which made Alexis confident of his safety but God who seeth both things past things present and things to come would not permit so impious an act to scape undiscovered it being in vaine for humane wisdome to thinke to avoide the irrevocable Decree of the Almighty Two dayes passed wherein was no news of Melander the Vine-dressers wondred to find no body at his house which made one of them goe to Paris to see whether hee were not there where meeting with Alexis who now lay rioting and swaggering in Taverns he asked him for his Master at which demand he seem'd to wonder saying That hee supposed to have found him at his Countrey-house and as if he had been much troubled at the news he suddenly forsook his company and hastened towards the house of Melander where he with foure or five others having for a long time knocked at the doore and no body answering broke into the house where upon their first entrance they found the maid stretched forth dead upon the floore whereat they were amazed but Alexis chiefly seemed to take on crying out that there had been theeves in the house thence they ascended up into the chamber where they found Melander likewise murdered Then did Alexis fall down and kisse the corps of his dead master saying Alas alas What doe mine eyes behold Is it you my deare master that are so miserably murdered whilest I by my too long absence could not yeeld thee succour Ah miserable and unfortunate Alexis How great is this dayes losse Thou hast lost all thy support and fortune on which thou hast grounded the anchor of thy hopes thou hast lost that which thou hast most affected and to be short thou hast lost thy most kinde and dearly beloved master O God thou revenger of murder punish this crime and suffer not the authours to lie concealed He spake this with so cunning a dissimulation that those who were present seeing his Crocodiles-teares beleeved that those bewailing lamentations proceeded from his sincere love and extreme affection Then searching the rest of the chambers they found the poore daughter of Melander likewise massacred whereat he again powred forth a torrent of teares perswading the standers by that his griefes were much increased by this wofull spectacle The bruit and rumour of this massacre was quickly spread abroad which caused a great concourse of people to come see so bloudy and seldome heard of tragedie Alexis in the meane time remaines in the house as master of the same receives all those that come to see it and by his unusuall sadnesse endeavours to cloke his treachery and to make it an argument of his fidelity but some wiser then others prying further into this busines began not onely to doubt of his fidelity but secretly seemed to accuse him to be authour of the murder some said that those teares were but fained and that so many sobs and sighs in a meere servant no way allied unto him could not proceed but from a deep dissimulation others excused him and said that Alexis having for a long time been in the service of Melander with hope by him to better his fortune had just cause exceedingly to grieve at this losse so disadvantagious to his good but among all some pleaded so strongly against him that he was by their advice seized upon and imprisoned at which he being much astonished called the heavens to be witnesses and revengers of their tyrannie vowing that he had never the least thought of so barbarous a cruelty but they notwithstanding having imprisoned him prepared his enditement and made diligent enquiry where and how he had spent the last two dayes but the murderers had so secretly managed their affairs that no man could depose any thing against them God onely and their own consciences accusing them so that the prisoner was for that time set at liberty He was no sooner dismist but he began to blaze abroad his innocencie and accuse them who had imprisoned him of injustice six moneths were already past wherein this crime was as it were smothered in silence and buried in oblivion and the murderers were confident that it would be no more questioned but they were much deceived in their opinion for not long after foure of the said murderers which were the Father sonne sonne in law and a Mason as we have said met in a certain village neere Paris and being willing to renew their ancient leagues they went to the next Taverne where they began to carouse and be merry but as they were in the midst of their mirth there came ten or twelve of the Marshalls men who being wearied with some pursuit which they had made came by chance to refresh themselves to the same place and being entred they put off their coats meaning to sit down at the end of the same table then the marks of their office appearing put these cruell confederates in such a