To sacrifice, for idle toys, Is folly greater than the boy's, Who breathless runs the moon t' embrace, Mingled alike in dust shall sleep The simple swain and statesman deep; Of pomp unconscious, senseless, cold, Their relics the same earth shall hold." &c. &c. 80 The Brideling, Sadling and Ryding, of a rich Churle in Hampshire, by the subtill practice of one Iudeth Philips, a professed cunning woman, or Fortune teller. VVith a true discourse of her vnwomanly vsing of a Trype wife, a widow, lately dwelling on the back side of S. Nicholas shambles in London, whom she with her conferates, likewise cosoned. For which fact, shee was at the Sessions house without New-gate arraigned, where she confessed the same, and had judgement for her offence, to be whipped through the Citie, the 14 of February, 1594. [Woodcut of an old man crawling on hands and knees, bridled with large bridone bit in his mouth, and saddled, with Judith mounted sideways, holding the reins in her left, and a purse of money in her right hand.] Printed at London by T. C. and are to be sold by William Barley, at his shop in New-gate Market, neare Christ Church. 1595. qto. Eight leaves. This tract, (of which I am assured there is only one copy known) may serve to unriddle the Quest of Enquirie held upon the Tripe-wife. Ante, p. 34 It has for head title, "a true discouerie of diuers notable villanies practised by one Iudeth Philips the wife of John Philips, of Crowne Alley in Bishops gate streete, the like was neuer in any age committed by a woman." The first relation is" a notable villany committed by this cunning and fine witted woman, in the village of Vpsborne in Hampshire, in distaunce seuen myles or thereaboutes from VVinchester." This woman having gathered some slight information of the persons she intended to cozen on introducing herself obtains credit for her skill in fortune telling, and knowlege where great treasure might be found, by first swearing, "that she came came from the Pope," (the name of her then husband)' and secondly, causing the earth to be dug up at the root of an hollow holly-tree, where an angel and six pence are found, which she had previously placed there. The result was "she demaunded of him for her paines, fourteene pounds, whereat he grumbled to lose so great a gub at one time, yet at last the hope of the treasure hidden under the tree, made him to consent, and so with speede gaue this woman fourteene poundes in ready gold and siluer. Then said this woman, now must I haue the largest chamber in your house behug with the finest linnen you can get, so that nothing about your chamber, but white linner cloth be seen, then must you set five candelsticks, in fiue seuerall places in your chamber, and vnder euery candelsticke, you must put an angel of gold, all which was done as she required: and likewise said she, you must also get a saddle and a bridle, with two new girths thereunto, all which the couetous churle performed in hope to attaine to great wealth then this Iudeth, caused him and his wife to go into the yard, where she set the saddle on his back, and theron girteth it fast with two new girths, and also put a bridle vpon his head, all which being done, she got vppon his back in the saddle, and so rid him three times betwixt the chamber and the holly tree, then said this cosoning queane, you must lye three houres one by another groueling on your bellies vnder this tree, and stir not I charge you, vntill I come backe againe, for I must go into the chamber to meete the Queene of Fairies and welcome her to that holy and vnspotted place, so this churle and his wife, were left quaking in the colde, casting many a long looke for the comming of this woman, but she in the meane time, took downe all the fine linnen clothes from the wals of the chamber and wrapt them vp close in a bundle, and all the gold from vnder the candlesticks, and put them into her purse, then putting herselfe into a faire white smock, somewhat disguised, with a thing on her head all white, and a stick in her hand, she appeared unto him and his wife, vsing some dalliance, as old wiues say, spirits with night spelles do, she vanished away, and againe entered the chamber where her packe laie ready, and so roundly went away, leauing the churle and his wife in their cold lodging: but whe the poore foole sawe the time expired, and his exspected woman did not return, he got him vp, and cast off his saddle and bridle, being halfe dead with colde, retired into the chamber, where he supposed to haue found this cunning woman, taiking with the Queen of Fairies, but when he entered his chamber, and saw both his linnen and his golde conuaide away, fel into such such a perplexity of mind, as though he had bin distraight of his wits: one while greeuing for the losse of his fourteene pounds, another while, for the abuse of his good name, likewise for the penance and disgrace she put him and his wife vnto, the base and rediculous maner of his sadling, his cold lodging and weary time spent vnder the tree to his vtter infamy and shame. And lastly, the losse of his pure and fine linnen, but yet he dissembled his griefe in such order, that his neighbors had no suspition therof, so in all haste, hee took horse and road to VVinchester." Upon a hue and cry, the woman was taken, and afterwards tried at the Assizes, before "Lord Anderson, the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Place...and there receiued such deserued punishment as the law would permit-" Iudeth afterwards associated with "two caterpillars," or two counterfeit gentlemen, P. and V." as appears in the next relation of " a discoverie of the cosoning and ill handling of the Trype wife, by Iudeth Philips and her confederates." Another wood cut repeats the whole length figure of this sharper having a pair of glover's shears in her hand,* and a representation of the Trype wife," There was of late dwelling in London, on the back side of the Shambles, a very rich and wealthy man of good conuersation, who dying, left his wife in such good estate of liuing, as fewe of the trade of selling trypes, might well compare with her. This woman, as it was well knowne amongst her neighbors, had many sutors in the way of marriage, and many of sufficient liuings, which woman's name for her wealth, was bruted through euery part of the citie, so that it came at last to the cares of these two cosoning companions, P. and V. who studied day and night how they might come acquainted with this rich trype wife, so that at last, this practise they deuised. This P. being a very comely man of personage, and of a gentleman like qualitie, went as a suter among the rest, vnto this widow, whereby he learned the condition, and qualitie of the woman, and what large proffers she had in the way of marriage, likewise he vnderstood how that a wealthy Citizen dwelling vpon London Bridge, had receiued from her in pledge of loue, a ring, with fiue diamonds in it, being in value worth fiue poundes, which ring vppon some disagreement, she receiued againe." Possessed of information, of this trifling nature, the plot, to be executed by This is the only allusion to the "vnwomanly vsing" stated in the title, which would have remained unexplained, but for the Quest of Enquiry. Judeth Judeth on the crédulity and weakness of Dame Tripes, com mences. By a forged letter her introduction is effected, and she displays her art in palmistry, with a knowledge of the story of the ring and of the widow's hat falling into the sowse tub, when another lover attempted to salute her. These little facts. serve to impose on the unsuspicious widow, until she was weak enough to believe her late husband hid about the house great store of treasure, and her saying prayers with five candles burning might recover it." But now to our purpose again: This craftie creature [ludeth] calling the Trype wife from her prayers, asked her, what she saw, and what she heard? to whom she answered, that shee heard nothing. Then said this minion againe, you must fetch as much gold, rings, jewels and chaines, to the value of one hundred poundes, and put them into a purse, all which was done: then she tooke the purse with the gold, and wound about it a bottome of woollen yarne, which being done, she requested the widow to go a while from hir, so in the meane space, like a craftie queane, she conueyed the gold into her pocket, and tobke another bottom of yarne, with two stones in it, in the same likenesse the other was off, and gaue it the woman againe, as though it had bin the very same: to whome she said, I pray you mistresse, lock this vp very sure, and looke not into it vntill I come againe, for I must goo and conuerse with a wise man, that is acquainted with the Queen of Fairies, but I request you, that you will send hym by me, a fat turkey and a couple of capons only to get his friendship in the matter, and no doubt but we shall find the hid treasure very shortly which woman through couetousnesse of this money, went presently and bought a turkey, and two fat capons, and sent them with this cosoning cheater by her mayd seruant, into Holborn, but being come neare vnto the place whither she intended to goe, tooke them from the mayd, & so sent her back againe.* Thus this daintie witted Dame, hauing cosoned the trype wife, of all her gold, jewels, & chaines returned ioyfully vnto the lodgings of her two schoole maisters, P. and V." Sending back the maid created a suspicion. It was afterwards planned, that " Iudeth Philips should repaire vnto the widow againe, and tell her that she came from the Queene of Fairies, and bow that shee gaue her in charge (if shee woulde attaine the hidden treasure) to set twelve candelsticks in diuers places of her house and vnder euery candelsticke both golde and siluer, and to set all her plate, rounde about the candles, whereby this subtill headed woman might the easier deceiue her of it: but comming to * See p 36. : the the widowes house again, shee was bidden welcome as before, and requested to come in, but in the meane time the Constable was sent for and shee apprehended and so carried to Newgate..... Her iudgement was to be whipped through the citie.* Thus baue you heard y. notable practises committed by this woman and her associates, and no doubt but there are mo such wicked members in this land. God I beseech thee, roote them from this flourishing realme of England, and from this thrice renowmed Citie of London: that all her Maiesties true subiects, may liue deuoyd of such suspitious thoughts. And sweet countreymen of England, abhorre that idle and wicked kind of life, and if God's pleasure be not to lende you honest maintenance at home, follow her Maiesties warres abroad, and fight in the honor of England's red crosse, then do you shew your duties vnto God, loue vnto your Countrey, and seruice vnto your Queene: For whose long and quiet raign, let all true subjects daily pray. Amen." J. H. Peters Fall. A Godlie sermon upon the historie of Peter's denying Christ, preached before the Queenes most excellent Maiestie. In which sermon we haue to consider of these three 'circumstances; first of the person, second of the euill wherein he fell, and thirdly of the occasion. Wherein euery faithfull Christian may see before his eyes, the patterne of vnfeyned repentance; whereby we may take heede of the falling into sinne againe. Imprinted at London for John Perin, dwelling in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the Angel. 1585. Sixteens. 28 leaves. The writer exemplifies the imperfections of human nature by the characters that remain extolled in history either as warriors, statesmen or writers, yet accused of various errors; and "that as there is no bread without branne, no nut without shel, no tree without barke,. no corne without chaffe, no garden without weedes, no wine without lees, no golde without drosse; so no wyght that liueth, hath lyued, or shall liue, onelye man, without sinne." ** The second time she was also tried by Lord Anderson. This happened on the 14th Feb. 1594, and we may suppose the story was long "bruted through euery part of the citie, as both tracts are dated in the following year. Chronological |