CHAP. V.) THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 125 



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 be- 

 longing 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 re- 

 maining twenty shillings, that was to be divided unto four 

 Gentlemen-gypsies, according 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. 

 %d. 



The second was to have a fourth part of the 2OJ., which all 

 men know to be 5^. 



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

 know to be 45-. 



The fourth and last Gypsy was to have a sixth part of the 

 tos., which all mem know to be $s. 4^. 



As, for example, 



3 times 6s. %d. is . 2<w. 



And so is 4 times 5^. ., 2os. 



And so is 5 times 4^. . 2Os t 



And so is 6 times y. 4^. ' . . . . . 2os. 



