Page:Merry tales of the wise men of Gotham (9).pdf/21

 ( 21 ) meal's meat in the year. As for alms- deeds what fhould they give that have nothing? in Lent, you muft refrain from drunkenneis,and abftain from drink. No, not fo, faid one fellow, for it is an old proverb, ‘ That fifh fhould ‘ fwim.' Yes, faid the prieft, it. muft fwim in the water, I crave your mer- cy, quoth the fellow, I thought it fhould have fwam in fine ale ,for I have been told fo.Soon after the men of Gotham came to fhrift, and being feven in number, the Prieft knew not what penance to give them. He faid, If I injoin you to pray, you cannot fay your pater-nofter.And it is but folly to make you faft, becaufe you never eat a good meal’s meat. Labour hard, and get a good dinner on Sun- day, and I will partake of it, another man he enjoined to fare well on Mon- day, and another on Tuefday, and one after another, that one of them fhould fare wellonce in the week, that he might have a part of their meat And as for alms-deeds, the Prieft faid. ye be but beggars, all except one or two, therefore beftow your alms, on your-