92 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART i. 



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 gipsies, and 

 near to them sat a gang of beggars. The gipsies were then to 

 divide all the money that had l^een 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 corporation ; 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 gipsy was, by consent, to have a 

 third part of the 205., which all men know is 6s. 8d. 



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 203., which all men 

 know to be 43. 



The fourth and last gipsy was to have a sixth part of the 2os., 

 which all men know to be 35. 4d. 

 As for example, 



3 times 6s. 8d. is 205. 

 And so is 4 times 55. . . 2os. 

 And so is 5 times 45. . . 205. 

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



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

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

 of it for himself. 



As for example, s. d. 

 6 8 

 S o 

 4 o 

 3 4 



make but , . 190 

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



