stealing, and what legerdemaine lacke they: not fearing the shamefull and horrible death of hanging. The cause of which inconuenience doth not onely issue from nipping neede & wringing want, for all ye steale, are not pinched with pouerty, but som steale to maintaine their excessive and prodigall expences in apparell, their lewdnes of lyfe, their hautines of hart, theyr wantonnes of maners, theyr wilfull ydlenes, their ambitious brauery, and the pryde of the sawcy Salacones' μεγαλορροῦτον vaine glorious and arrogant in behauiour, whose delight dependeth wholly to mount nimbly on horsebacke, to make them leape lustely, spryng and praunce, galloppe and amble, to runne a race, to wynde in compasse, and so forthe, lining all together vpon the fatnesse of the spoyle. Other som ther be which steale, being thereto prouoked by penury & neede, like masterlesse mē applying themselues to no honest trade, but raunging vp and downe impudently begging, and complayning of bodily weakenesse where is no want of abilitie. But valiaunt Valentine th'emperour, by holsome lawes prouided that suche as hauing no corporall sicknesse, solde themselues to begging, pleded pouerty wyth pretended infirmitie, & cloaked their ydle and slouthfull life with colourable shifts and cloudy cossening, should be a perpetuall slaue and drudge to him, by whom their impudent ydlenes was bewrayed, and layed against them in publique place, least the insufferable slouthfullnes of such vagabondes should be burthenous to the people, or being so hatefull and odious, should growe into an example. Alfredus likewise in the gouernment of his commonwealth, procured such increase of credite to iustice and upright dealing by his prudent actes and statutes, that if a mā trauailing by the hygh way of the countrey vnder his dominion, chaunced to lose a budget full of gold, or his capease farsed with things of great value, late in the euening, he shoulde find it where he lost it, safe, sound, and vntouched the next morning, yea (which is a wonder) at any time for a whole monethes space if he sought for it, as Ingulphus
