I have often observed these rascals sneaking from gentlemen's doors with
wallets or hats' full of good victuals, which they either carry to their
trulls, or sell for a trifle. By this means, our butcher's, our baker's,
our poulterer's, and cheesemonger's bills are monstrously exaggerated;
not to mention candles just lighted, which sell for fivepence a pound,
and many other perquisites best known to themselves and the pilfering
villains their confederates.
Add to this, that their continual gaming sets servants upon their wits to
supply this extravagance, though at the same time the master's pocket
pays for it, and the time which should be spent in a gentleman's service
is loitered away among these rakehells, insomuch that half our messages
are ineffectual, the time intended being often expired before the message
is delivered.
How many frequent robberies are committed by these japanners? And to how
many more are they confederates? Silver spoons, spurs, and other small
pieces of plate, are every day missing, and very often found upon these
sort of gentlemen; yet are they permitted, to the shame of all our good
laws, and the scandal of our most excellent government, to lurk about our
streets, to debauch our servants and apprentices, and support an infinite
number of scandalous, shameless trulls, yet more wicked than themselves,
for not a Jack among them but must have his Gill.
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