And thus much in part of the administration of justice used in our
country, wherein, notwithstanding that we do not often hear of
horrible, merciless, and wilful murders (such I mean as are not seldom
seen in the countries of the main), yet now and then some manslaughter
and bloody robberies are perpetrated and committed, contrary to the
laws, which be severely punished, and in such wise as I have before
reported. Certes there is no greater mischief done in England than by
robberies, the first by young shifting gentlemen, which oftentimes do
bear more port than they are able to maintain. Secondly by
serving-men, whose wages cannot suffice so much as to find them
breeches; wherefore they are now and then constrained either to keep
highways, and break into the wealthy men's houses with the first sort,
or else to walk up and down in gentlemen's and rich farmers' pastures,
there to see and view which horses feed best, whereby they many times
get something, although with hard adventure: it hath been known by
their confession at the gallows that some one such chapman hath had
forty, fifty, or sixty stolen horses at pasture here and there abroad
in the country at a time, which they have sold at fairs and markets
far off, they themselves in the mean season being taken about home for
honest yeomen, and very wealthy drovers, till their dealings have been
betrayed.
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