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THE MERRY TALES OF GOTHAM

They went back to the brook where they had been fiſhing, and fought up and down for him that was drowned, making great lamentation. A courtier coming by, aſked what it was they fought for, and why they were ſorrowful? Oh! ſaid they, this day we went to fiſh in the brook; twelve of us came out together, and one is drowned. Said the courtier, tell how many there be of you. One of them ſaid eleven; but he did not tell himſelf. Well, ſaid the courtier, what will you give me, and I will find the twelfth man? Sir, ſaid they, all the money we have got. Give me the money, ſaid he; 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, and they groaned at the matter. When he came to the laſt, he paid him well, ſaying, here is the twelfth man; God's bleſſing on thy heart, ſaid they, for finding our brother.

T Α Ι Ε XI.

À Man of Gotham riding along the highway, ſaw a cheeſe, ſo drew his ſword and pricked it with the point, in order to pick it up. Another man came by and alighted, and picked it up, and rode away with it. The man of Gotham rides back to Nottingham to buy a long ſword to pick up the cheeſe ; and returning to the place where the cheeſe did ly, he pulled out his ſword, pricking the ground, and ſaid, If I had had but this ſword, I ſhould have had the cheeſe myſelf, but now another has got it.