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The Lyfe of Robert the Deuyll, a Romance. From the Ed. by W. De Worde
The Lyfe of Robert the Deuyll a Romance From the Ed by W De Worde Author:Robert General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1828 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: THE PLEASANT HISTORIE OF THE SIXE WORTHY YEOMEN OF THE WEST. In the dayes of King Henry the first, who was the first king that instituted the high Court of Parliament, there liued nine men, which for the trade of Clothing, were famous throughout all England. Which Art in those dayes was held in high reputation, both in respect of the great riches that thereby was gotten, as also of the benefit it brought to the whole Common-wealth: the yonger sons of knights and Gentlemen, to whom their Fathers would leaue no lands, were most commonly preferred to learne this trade, to the end, that thereby they might liue in good estate, and driue forth their dayes in prosperity. Among all Crafts this was the onely chiefe, for that it was the greatest merchandize, by the which our Country became famous thorowout all Nations. And it was verily thought, that the one halfe of the people in the land liued in those dayes therby,'and in such good sort, that in the Common-wealth there werefewornobeggers at all: poore people, whom God lightly blessed with most children, did by inclines of this occupation so order them, that by the time that they were come to be sixe or seuen yeeres of age, they were able to get their owne bread: Idlenesse was then banished our coast, so that it was a rare thing to heare of a thiefe in those dayes. Therefore it was not without cause that Clothiers were then both honoured and loued, among whom these nine persons in this kings dayes were of great credit, viz. Tho. Cole of Reading, Gray of Glocester, Sutton of Salisburie, Fitzallen of Worcester, (commonly called William of Worcester) Tom Doue...« less