Page:Pleasant history of Poor Robin, the merry sadler of Walden.pdf/15

15 opinion instead of a fool they took him for a jeering companion: And to fit him for his gloves, bad him to the pump and soundly bedrencht him from head to foot: having occasion to go through Birching Lane, and being ask'd by the salesmen, "Country-men, what lacky o?" "Marry," quoth he, "that which I fear you cannot furnish me with!," and being importuned of them to know what it was: "why," quoth he, "that which you have none of: I want honesty." Night approaching, Poor Robin and his walking mate repaired to their Inn, where, after they had supt, and drunk five or six jugs of beer with the host of the house, and some of his men, (for inn-keeper's servants drink most of their beer at other men's cost), his friend loving no tobacco, and Poor Rubin desiring the heathenish weed, to pass away the time, they agreed among themselves that every one of the company should either tell a tale or sing a song. Poor Robin the first mentioned the same, beginning in this manner.

CHAP. XIV.

A Tale of a pair of Cards

Not many ages since, a parson of a country village was accused to a committee,