ANST - Boar's Breast in history

[Scot and Domino Eddy]

Lots of folks have Gamini Salgado's The Elizabethan Underworld, a great
book about London's seedier side across the Thames. At that time the
suburbs were anything but desireable. Salgado's newly released title is
The Bryn Gwlad Underworld and it describes much of the seamier areas of
old Bryn Gwlad. It is these books we are using to recreate the Boar's
Breast at Le Grande Dispute in Bry Gwlad May 5,6,7.

One of the sources in his new book is the bishop of Bryn Gwlad, William
Dunston, who wrote a pamphlet to educate and protect Bryn Gwlad's
citizens. From his pamphlet An Horibil Discoverye of Foistery, he
writes...

"There came to the Boar's Breast (emphasis mine) a proud yeoman bearing
a full purse of coin. He sat down and played cards with several of the
thiefs and knaves. He knew not their unsavory character for they had
told him they were also from his home parrish of Tempio. One of the
thiefs had his trug (prostitute) come up from behind and place her hands
over his eyes and cry out, "Guess who?" whereupon the others stole from
the table all of the coins and cut his purse as well."

"foisting" is stealing.

"Two thiefs espied a cousin (dupe) and the one, adjuging himself the
more honest-looking did take the man by the arm and say to him. "Friend,
are you from Bryn Gwlad?" he other replied "No, I am not." The first
said "Then let me tell you there are foists and thiefs aplenty here,
watch you purse. A bit of advise from Jack Horn." he then walked away
from the man. The stranger looked to his purse and was much relieved to
find it there. The second espied its place and him and other knaves did
sham fight saying "Clubs! Clubs!" (the rallying cry of Bryn Gwlad's
apprentices) and in the ensuing fight they nipped his purse."


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