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THE WISE MEN OF GOTHAM

Τ Α L Ε XII.

A Man in Gotham that did not love his wife, and ſhe having fair hair, her huſband ſaid divers times he would cut it off, but durſt not do it when ſhe was awake, ſo he reſolved to do it when ſhe was aſleep; therefore one night he took up a pair of ſheers and put them under his pillow; which his wife perceiving, ſaid to one of her maids, go to bed to my huſband, for he intends to cut off my hair to night, let him cut off thy hair, and I will give thee as good a kirtle as ever thou didſt fee. The maid did ſo, and feigning herſelf aſleep, which the man perceiving, cut off the maid's hair, and wrapped it about the ſheers, and laid them under the pillow, and went to ſleep: the maid aroſe, and the wife took the hair and ſheers, and went to the hall, and there burnt the hair. The man had a fine horſe that he loved much, and the goodwife went into the ſtable, cut off the horſe's tail, wrapped the ſheers up in it, and then laid them under the pillow again. Her huſband ſeeing her combing her head in the morning, marvelled very much thereat. The girl ſeeing her maſter in a deep ſtudy, ſaid, What the devil hils the horſe in the ſtable? he bleeds prodigiouſly. The man ran into the ſtable, and found the horſe's tail was cut off; then going to his bed, he found the ſheers wrapped up in his horſe's tail. He then went to his wife, ſaying, crave thy mercy, for I intended to cut off thy hair, but have cut off my own horſe's tail. Yea, ſaid ſhe, ſelf-do, ſelf-have. Many men think