A Baker

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Title:     A Baker
Author: John Earle [More Titles by Earle]

No man verifies the proverb more, that it is an alms-deed to punish him; for his penalty is a dole,[1] and does the beggars as much good as their dinner. He abhors, therefore, works of charity, and thinks his bread cast away when it is given to the poor. He loves not justice neither, for the weigh-scale's sake, and hates the clerk of the market as his executioner; yet he finds mercy in his offences, and his basket only is sent to prison.[2] Marry a pillory is his deadly enemy, and he never hears well after.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Dole originally signified the portion of alms that was given away at the door of a nobleman. Steevens, note to Shakspeare. Sir John Hawkins affirms that the benefaction distributed at Lambeth palace gate, is to this day called the dole.

[2] That is, the contents of his basket, if discovered to be of light weight, are distributed to the needy prisoners.

[The end]
John Earle's essay: Baker

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