The apprehension of Nicholas Jennings: a study of an Elizabethan conman

The apprehension of Nicholas Jennings: a study of an Elizabethan conman In London during the winter months of November to January 1566-67 events surrounding the arrest of one of the city's many beggars illustrate the problems of vagrancy and law enforcement in an unusual way. The story highlights other significant matters: author-printer relations, the sensitive question of official censorship and the issue of business ethics in the sixteenth century. The spectacle of poverty (or rather of ubiquitous beggars organised under leaders termed 'Upright Men' was a growing menace to respectable society which called for a new insight into the workings of Tudor society. The chief participants in the events about to be described were an astute former Kentish Justice of the Peace, Thomas Harman; a sly and crafty rogue named Nicholas Jennings, and a seemingly public-spirited London printer called William Griffith. Linking this unlikely trio was a book written by Thomas Harman entitled A Caveat or Warening for Commen Cursetors Vulgarely called Vagabones.1 This book arose out of Harman's concern at the alarming increase in the numbers of vagrants traversing the English counties. For twenty years, primarily from his o w n dealings but also using the reports of tenants and neighbours, he had studied and recorded information about the types and habits of wandering beggars, or rather the cursetors as he had renamed them.2 M e n and women who came begging at his door were very closely questioned, promised, in rather bad faith, total secrecy and then, 'with fayre flatteringe wordes, money, and good chere',3 pressed into revealing the names of associates and the actual organisation of the bands of vagabonds. By this means he was able to collect names and even descriptions of their dishonest tricks. Since he lived in Crayford in Kent, close to Watling Street which was the main London highway, he was very well placed himself for observing and encountering these wayfarers. Revelation of the true nature and practices of English rogues and vagabonds was, he wrote on his title-page, for 'the utility and profit of his natural Country'.4 Indeed, his analysis of the organised sub-culture of beggars has sociological significance and the work also makes an important contribution to the genre of rogue literature. 1 The text referred to here is the edition of F. J. Furnivall and E. Viles in The Fraternity of Vacabondes by John Awdeley, Harmon's Caveat, Haben's Sermon, etc., Early English Text Society ES 9, London, 1869 (hereafter Caveat). 2 Caveat, Epistle to the Reader, p. 27. (Harman also acknowledged the use of an earlier work by John Awdeley, The Fraternitye of Vacabondes, 1565 and 1575: Pollard and Redgrave 12790, and see above, n. 1.) 3 Ibid., Dedication, p. 20. 4 Ibid., Title page, repeated in The Epistle to the Reader, p. 28. P A R E R G O N ns 11.2, December 1993 1 8 5. Ahern The Dedicatory Epistle was addressed to no less a person than the celebrated 'Bess of Hardwick' now, by her fourth marriage, Countess of Shrewsbury. In this he enlarged upon his purpose to expose the nature of the deceptions practised by knaves and rascals upon the unwary public and he also added that it was to urge justices, constables and bailiffs 'to be more vigilant to punish these malefactors'.6 His choice of William Griffith7 as the printer of his work proved most suitable because not only did Griffith take that particular instruction to heart but he also acted upon it Harman's further admonition in the Dedication to set aside 'all fear, sloth and pity' in punishing vagabonds was equally acceptable to Griffith. What were the circumstances in which this printer was able to demonstrate that he shared his author's concern over the increasing numbers of wily, crafty beggars?8 They were the events surrounding the pursuit and apprehension by William Griffith, the printer, of Nicholas Jennings alias Nicholas Blunt, the counterfeit crank.9 Jennings was, in the canting language used by the beggars, an Upright Man, a leader among his fellows, who begged in the city of London using various disguises. H e wasfirstencountered...