Page:Pleasant history of Poor Robin, the merry sadler of Walden.pdf/16

16 that he was a great gamester at cards, being addicted thereunto, that he would oft-times play on Sundays: The committee thus informed, sent for the person to answer this accusation; who receiving the warrant, made no excuse nor delay, but with all haste made his appearance before them; with him also came the informer, to justify his accusation. Being thus met together, the committee began to reprove the parson for being addicted to such a vice, as to be noted for a common player at cards. "Indeed," said the parson, "I am so far from it, that I know not what a pair of cards meaneth." "Sir," quoth the informer, if you please to search his pockets, I believe you will find a pair there at present, for he seldom goeth without such tackling. Whereupon the committee commanding his pockets to be searched, they found a pair of cards there indeed: but the parson denied them to be cards, saying, "They may be cards to you but to me they are an Almanack." And and being demanded how he could make it appear he answered thus: "First," quoth he, "here is as many spits of cards as there be quarters in a year; and as many Court-cards as there be mouths in a year; and as many cards as there be weeks in a year;