^08 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



indeed by any other sleights and secrets belonging to their mys- 

 terious government. And the sum tliat 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 gipsies, according to their several 

 degrees in their commonwealth. 



And the first or chiefest gipsey was, by consent, to have a third 

 part of the twenty shillings ; which all men know is 6s. 8d. 



The second was to have a fourth part of the 20s., which all men 



know to be 5s. 



The third was to have a fifth part of the 20s., which all men 



know to be 4s. 



The fourth and last gipsey was to have a sixth part of the 20s., 

 which all men know to be 3s. 4d. 



As for example, 



3 times 6s. 8d. is 20s. 



And so is 4 times 5s 20s. 



And so is 5 times 4s 20s. 



And so is 6 times 3s. 4d 20s. 



And yet he that divided the money was so very a gipsey, that 

 though he gave to every one these said sums, yet he kept one 

 shilling of it for himself. 



As for example, 



make but 19 



But now you shall know, that when the four gipsies saw that 

 he had got one shilling by dividing tlic money, though not one of 

 them knew any reason to demand more, yet, like lords and cour- 

 tiers, every gipsey envied him that was the gainer, and wrangled 



