THE
HISTORY
OF
JOHN CHEAP
THE CHAPMAN.
PREFACE.
JOHN CHEAP the Chapman, was a very comical short thick fellow, with a broad face and a long nose both lame and lazy, and something leacherous among the lasses: he chose rather to sit idle than work at ⟨any⟩ time, as he was a hater of hard labour. No ⟨man⟩ needed to offer him cheese and bread, after he ⟨curs'd⟩ it he would not have it; for he would blush at ⟨bread⟩ and milk, when hungry, as a beggar doth at a bawbee. He got the name of John Cheap the chapman by his selling twenty needles for a penny, and ⟨twa⟩ leather laces for a farthing.
He swore no oaths but one, which was, Let ⟨me⟩ never sin.
He used no imprecations, Lut let me neither ⟨cheat⟩ nor be cheated, but rather cheat, &c.
He gave bad counsel to none but children, to ⟨burn⟩ the bone combs, that their mother might buy another when he came again.
He never fought with any but dogs, and the goodwives' daughters in their daffing, and that's not dangerous.
