Page:Merry tales of the wise men of Gotham (11).pdf/21

Wise Men of Gotham.21 from drunkenness, and abstain from drink. No, not so, said one fellow, for it is an old proverb, 'That fish should 'swim.' Yes, said the priest, it must swim in the water. I crave your mercy, quoth the fellow, I thought it should have swam in fine ale, for I have been told so. Soon after the men of Gotham came to shrift, and being seven in number, the priest knew not what penance to give them. He said, If I enjoin you to pray, you cannot say your Pater-noster. And it is but folly to make you fast, because you never eat a good meal's meat. Labour hard, and get a good dinner on Sunday, and I will partake of it, another man he enjoined to fare well on Monday, and another on Tuesday, and one after another, that one or other should fare well once in the week, that he might have part of their meat. And as for alms deeds, the Priest said, Ye be but beggars, all except one or two, therefore bestow your alms on yourselves.

Irishman being asked, whether he or his brother were oldest? I am