London's Looking-glass

London's Looking-glass (in full, Londons Looking-glasse. Or The Copy of a Letter, written by an English Travayler, to the Apprentices of London) is an anonymous pamphlet printed in 1621. The fictional dialogue, set in an inn in Rouen, is narrated by an Englishman.


 * "It hapned of late, that being in this Citty at dinner at an Ordinary, there was at the table divers Gentlemen of different nations, as an Italian, a Spaniard, and a German, the rest of the company beeing all French. After we had dyned, the Spaniard drew out of his pocket a letter, newly receaved from England, conteyning the newes of the barbarous misusage of the King of Spayne his Ambassador by the Apprentices of London, which being read, al the company at the table looked upon me, to see what I would say to the matter. But this being an act that could beare no excuse, I could not but blush thereat, and with an Italian shrugge, silently sit ashamed."

(p. 5)