The Fourth Day ici 



Or, with my Bryan, and a book, 



Loiter long days near Shawford-brook; 



There sit by him, and eat my meat, 



There see the sun both rise and set : 



There bid good morning to next day ; 



There meditate my time away. 

 And Angle on ; and beg to have 

 A quiet passage to a welcome grave. 



When I had ended this composure, I left this 

 place, and saw a brother of the angle sit under that 

 honeysuckle hedge, one that will prove worth your 

 acquaintance. I sat down by him, and presently we 

 met with an accidental piece of merriment, which 

 I will relate to you, for it rains still. 



On the other side of this very hedge sat a gang 

 of gypsies ; and near to them sat a gang of beggars. 

 The gypsies were then to divide all the money that 

 had been got that week, either by stealing linen or 

 poultry, or by fortune-telling or legerdemain, or, 

 indeed, by any other sleights and secrets belonging 

 to their mysterious government. And the sum that 

 was got that week proved to be but twenty and 

 some odd shillings. The odd money was agreed to 

 be distributed amongst the poor of their own corpora- 

 tion : and for the remaining twenty shillings, that was 

 to be divided unto four gentlemen gypsies, accord- 

 ing to their several degrees in their commonwealth. 

 And the first or chiefest gypsy was, by consent, to 

 have a third part of the twenty shillings, which all 

 men know is 6s. 8< The second was to have a 

 fourth part of the 2Os., which all men know to 

 be 55-. The third was to have a fifth part of the 

 2Os., which all men know to be 43. The fourth and 

 last gypsy was to have a sixth part of the 2Os. t which 

 all men know to be 3^. 4^. 





As for example, 



3 times 6s. Sd. are . . 20*. 



And so is 4 times 55. . . 205. 



And so is 5 times 45. . . 20.?. 



And so is 6 times 35. 4^. . 205. 



