Page:Merry tales of the wise men of Gotham (3).pdf/11

 there be of you. One of them counted eleven; but he did not count himſelf. Well, ſaid the Courtier, what will you give me, and I will find the twelfth man? Sir, ſaid they, you ſhall have all the money that we have got. He then began with the firſt, and gave him a ſtroke over the ſhoulders with his whip, which made him groan, ſaying, Here is one; and ſo he ſerved them all. When he came to the laſt, he paid him well. ſaying, Here is the twelfth man. Bleſſings on thy heart, -ſaid they, for finding our brother.

A Man of Gotham riding along the high-way, ſaw a cheeſe lying on the ground; ſo he drew his ſword and pricked it with the point, in order to pick it up, but could not do it. So he rode back to Nottingham, in order to buy a long ſword to pick up the cheeſe but another man coming that way, alighted and picked it up and rode away with it. The Man of Gotham returning to the place, he pulled out his ſword, and pricking the ground, ſaid. If I had had but this ſword, I ſhould have had the cheeſe myſelf, but: now another has got it.