CHAP. V.] THE FOURTH DAY. 161 



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 gipsies ; 



A Gipsy Encampment. 



and near to them, sat a gang of beggars. The gipsies 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 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 twenty shillings ; which all men know is 

 6s. 8*. 



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. 



