TO FISH FOR TROUT. 



friends Rook and Shark, and our late English Gusman, f to 

 be their arbitrators and umpires ; and so they left this honey- 

 suckle hedge, and went to tell fortunes, and cheat, and get 

 more money and lodging in the next village. 



When these were gone, we heard a high contention 

 amongst the beggars, whether it was easiest to rip a cloak, 

 or to unrip a cloak. One beggar affirmed it was all one. 

 But that was denied by asking her if doing and undoing 

 were all one. Then another said 'twas easiest to unrip a 

 cloak, for that was to let it alone. But she was answered, 

 by asking her how she unripped it if she let it alone ; and 

 she confessed herself mistaken. These and twenty suchlike 

 questions were proposed, and answered with as much beg- 

 garly logic and earnestness, as was ever heard to proceed 

 from the mouth of the most pertinacious schismatic : and 

 sometimes all the beggars, whose number was neither more 

 nor less than the poet's nine Muses, talked together about 

 this ripping and unripping, and so loud that not one heard 

 what the other said ; but at last one beggar craved audience, 

 and told them that old father Clause, whom Ben Jonson 

 in his "Beggar's Bush," 8 created king of their corporation, 

 was to lodge at an alehouse called " Catch-her-by-the-way," 

 not far from Waltham Cross, and in the high road towards 

 London ; and he therefore desired them to spend no more 

 time about that and suchlike questions, but refer all to father 

 I Clause at night, for he was an upright judge, and in the 

 meantime draw cuts, what song should be next sung, and 

 who should sing it. They all agreed to the motion ; and the 

 lot fell to her that was the youngest and veriest virgin of 

 I the company. And she sang Frank Dctvison's song, which 

 he made forty years ago; and all the others of the company 



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