ECCLESIASTICAL INFORMERS. 109 



But who e're doth ahhorre it, 

 The citie smoakes for it ; 

 Now full of fier shops 

 And fowle spitting chops, 

 So neesing and coughing, 

 That my ghost fell to scoffing, 

 And to myself said, 

 Here's filthie fumes made ; 

 Good phisicke of force 

 To cure a sicke horse." 



In the curious Pamphlet published about 1626, com- 

 prising a dialogue between the Proctor and Parator, 

 or informer to the Ecclesiastical Courts; the latter 

 notes his gains from closing the tobacco shops on 

 stated days, having " gotten good booty from transgres- 

 sors against holy clayes, of Chandlers, Ale-Houses, 

 Tavernes, Tobacco-shops, Butchers, Comfit-makers, 

 Gunsmiths, Bakers, Brokers, Cookes, Weavers, and 

 divers other malefactors against our terrible Canons 

 and Jurisdiction : for had I but given them a severe 

 looke, I could by that meanes have made them draw 

 their purses, or else they knew whither they were to 

 be fetcht up with a Coram Nomine. I have put 80 

 of these fearfull Birds into one net, and I alwaies held 

 correspondency with the Clarks of Parishes, so that I 

 could stand by a pillar in the Church, and heare them 

 all excommunicated at once, by the poore Curate, who 

 durst not disobey for fear of the mighty command of 

 the Judges of the Courts, whose awfull injunctions 

 were as formidable to such ten pound a year fellowes, 

 as Canon shot to young Sea-men." 



D'Avenant, writing in 1634, speaks of the custom of 



