Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	answer_n	gentleman_n	letter_n	942	5	7.5099	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02140	A notable discouery of coosenage Now daily practised by sundry lewd persons, called connie-catchers, and crosse-byters. Plainely laying open those pernitious sleights that hath brought many ignorant men to confusion. ... With a delightfull discourse of the coosenage of colliers. By R. Greene, Maister of Arts.	Greene, Robert, 1558?-1592.	1592 (1592)	STC 12280; ESTC S105834	25,497	32

heereafter to disparage that mysticall science of Conny-catching if not and that I proue too weake for him in sophistrie I meane to borrowe Wil● Bickertous blade of as good a temper as Morglay King Arthures sword was and so challenge him to the single combat But desirous to ende the quarrell with the pen●e if it be possible heare what I haue learned in Whittington Colledge Yours in cardes and dice Cu●bert cony-catcher THE ARTE OF CONNI-CATCHING THere be requisite effectually to act the art of Conny-catching thrée seuerall parties the Setter the Uerser and the barnacle The nature of the Setter is to draw anie person familiarly to drinke with him which person they call the conie and their method is according to the man they aime at if a gentleman marchant or apprentice the cony is the more easily caught in that they are soone induced to plaie and therefore I omit the circumstance which they vse in catching of them And because the poore countrie farmer or yeoman is the mark which they most of all shoote at who they know comes not empty to the Terme I will discouer the meanes they put in practise to bring in some honest simple and ignorant mē to their purpose The coni-catchers apparelled like honest ciuel Gentlemen or good fellowes with a smooth face as if butter would not melt in their mouths after dinner when the clients are come from Westminster hall and are at leasure to walke vp and downe Pauls Fléet stréet Holborne the strond and such common hanted places where these coos●ing companions attend onely to spie out a pray who as they sée a plaine countrie felow wel and cleanly apparelled either in a coat of home spū ru●●et or of fréeze as the time requires and a side pouch at his side there is a conie saith one At that word out slies the Setter ouertaking the man begins to salute him thus sir God saue you you are welc●me to London how doth all our friends in the countrie I hope they be all in health The countrie man seeing a man so curteous he knows not halfe in a brown studie at this strange salutation perhaps makes him this answere syr al our frends in the countrie are wel thankes be to God but truly I knowe you not you must pardon me Why sir saith the setter gessing by his tongue what countrie man he is are ye not such a countryman if he saie yes● then he creeps vpon him closely if he say no then straight the setter comes ouer him thus In good sooth syr I know you by your face and haue bin in your companis before I praie you if without offence let me craue your name and the place of your abode The simple man straight ●els him where he dwels his name and who be his next neighbors and what countrie Gentlemen dwell about him After he hath lerned all of him then he comes ouer his fallows kindly sir thogh I haue bin somwhat bold to be inquisitiue of your name yet hold me excused for I tooke you for a friend of mine but since by mistaking I haue made you slacke your busines wele drink a quart of wine or a pot of ale together if the foole bee so readie as to go then the conie is caught but if hee smackes the setter and smels a rat by his clawing and will not drinke with him then awaie goes the setter and discourseth to the verser y t name of the man the parish he dwels in and what Gentlemen are his néere neighbors with that awaie goes he● and crossing the man at some turning méets him full in the face gréets him thus What goodman Barton how fare all our friends about you you are wel met I haue the wine for you you are welcome to towne The poore Countrie man hearing himselfe named by a man he knows not maruels and answeres that he knows him not and craues pardon Not mee g●●dman Barton haue you forgot me why I am such a mans kinsman your neighbor not farre off how doth this or that good Gentleman my friend good Lord that I should be out of your remembrance I haue bin at your house diuerse times Indéed syr saith the Farmer are you such a mans kinsman surely syr if you had not challenged acquaintance of me I shoulde neuer haue knowen you I haue cleane forgotten you but I know the good gentleman your cosyn well he is my verie good neighbor And for his sake sayth the verser wele drinke ere we parte happily the man thankes him to the wine or ale they go then ere they part they make him a conie and so feret claw him at cards that they leaue him as bare of monie as an ape of a taile Thus haue the filthie fellowes their subtill fetches to drawe on poore men ●o fall into their coosning practises Thus like consuming moths of y e commonwealth they praie vpon the ignorance of such plain soules as measure all their owne honestie not regarding either conscience or the fatall reuenge thats threatned for such idle and licentious persons do but imploy al their wi●s to ouerthrow such as with their handy thrift satisfie their harty thirst they preferring cosenage before labor and chusing an idle practise before an honest forme of good liuing Wel to the method againe of taking vp their conies If the poore countrimā smoke them stil and wil not stoup vnto either of their lures then one either the verser or the setter or some of their crue for there is a fraternitie betwixt them steps before the cony as he goeth lets drop twelue pence in the high way that of force the conny must see it The countriman spying the shilling maketh not daintie for quis nisi mentis inops oblatum respuit aurum but stoupeth very mannerly and taketh it vp then one of the conny catchers behind crieth halfe part and so chalengeth ●alfe of his finding the countriman content offreth to change the mony nay faith frend saith the verser tis il luck to kéepe found mony wele go spend it in a pottle of wine or a breakefast dinner or supper as the time of day requires if the cony say he wil not then answeres the verser spend my part if stil the cony refuse he taketh halfe and away If they spy y ● countriman to be of a hauing and couetous mind then haue they a further policie to draw him on another that knoweth the place of his abode méeteth him and saith sir wel met I haue run hastely to ouertake you I pray you dwel you not in Darbishire in such a village yea marry do I frend saith the cony then replies the verser truely sir I haue a sute to you I am going out of towne and must send a letter to the parson of your parish you shal not refuse to doe a stranger such fauor as to carry it him haply as men may in time meet it may lye in my lot to do you as good a turn and