John Awdelay
Awdeley's Fraternitye of Vacabondes, Harman's Caueat, Haben's Sermon, &c.
"Awdeley's Fraternitye of Vacabondes, Harman's Caueat, Haben's Sermon, &c." edited by Edward Viles and Frederick James Furnivall is a historical collection of tracts composed in the 16th century. This compilation includes works by John Awdeley, Thomas Harman, and Parson Haben, addressing the lives, practices, and social commentary related to vagabonds and thieves in Elizabethan England. The texts offer a fascinating glimpse into the criminal underbelly of society during this period, presenting character sketches of various types of rogues, their languages, and the societal perceptions of these groups. The opening of the work introduces the context and purpose behind the inclusion of these tracts, focusing on Awdeley’s "Fraternitye of Vacabondes", which describes the various orders of rogues and beggars, along with their names and dishonest practices. It notes the interest in such subjects during the era and highlights how these documents serve as both cautionary tales and social commentary. The gathered illustrations of the vagabond life provide a mixture of dire warnings and irreverent humor, setting the tone for the exploration of societal attitudes toward crime and poverty in early modern England.