[Awdelay, John.]

The fraternitye of vacabondes; as wel of ruslyng vacabondes, as of beggerly, of women as of men, of gyrles as of boyes, with their proper names and qualities. With a description of the crafty company of cousoners and shifters

Westminster: reprinted for Machell Stace, 1813. Fourth edition, slim 8vo, pp. [4], 27, [1]; title printed in red and black; an untrimmed copy in later 19th century half red morocco over marbled boards, gilt spine. The first edition appeared in 1565 and the third in 1603. These early editions are virtually unobtainable. Awdelay's was the first attempt in English to describe "cant." Chandler, Literature of Roguery, p. 88 comments on the accuracy of Awdelay's work, especially in its "knowledge of the orders actually established among rogues". See Alston IX, p. 46. Item #44466

Price: $375.00