I'll tell you, scholar; when I sat last on this primrose-bank, and looked down these meadows, I thought of them as Charles the emperor did of the city of Florence: " That they were too pleasant to be looked on, but only on holy-days ".As I then sat on this very grass, I turned my present thoughts into verse: 'twas a Wish, which I'll repeat to you:-The Angler's wish.
I in these flowery meads would be:
These crystal streams should solace me;
To whose harmonious bubbling noise I with my Angle would rejoice:
Sit here, and see the turtle-dove Court his chaste mate to acts of love:
Or, on that bank, feel the west wind Breathe health and plenty: please my mind, To see sweet dew-drops kiss these flowers, And then washed off by April showers:
Here, hear my Kenna sing a song;
There.see a blackbird feed her young.
Or a leverock build her nest:
Here, give my weary spirits rest, And raise my low-pitch'd thoughts above Earth, or what poor mortals love:
Thus, free from law-suits and the noise Of princes' courts, I would rejoice:
Or, with my Bryan, and a book, Loiter long days near Shawford-brook;There sit by him, and eat my meat, There see the sun both rise and set:
There bid good morning to next day;There meditate my time away, And Angle on; and beg to have A quiet passage to a welcome grave.
When I had ended this composure, I left this place, and saw a brother of the angle sit under that honeysuckle hedge, one that will prove worth your acquaintance.I sat down by him, and presently we met with an accidental piece of merriment, which I will relate to you, for it rains still.
On the other side of this very hedge sat a gang of gypsies; and near to them sat a gang of beggars.The gypsies were then to divide all the money that had been got that week, either by stealing linen or poultry, or by fortune-telling or legerdemain, or, indeed, by any other sleights and secrets belonging to their mysterious government.And the sum that was got that week proved to be but twenty and some odd shillings.The odd money was agreed to be distributed amongst the poor of their own corporation: and for the remaining twenty shillings, that was to be divided unto four gentlemen gypsies, according to their several degrees in their commonwealth.And the first or chiefest gypsy was, by consent, to have a third part of the twenty shillings, which all men know is 6s.
8d.The second was to have a fourth part of the 20s., which all men know to be 5s.The third was to have a fifth part of the 20s., which all men know to be 4s.The fourth and last gypsy was to have a sixth part of the 20s., which all men know to be 3s.4d.
As for example, 3 times 6s.8d.are 20s.
And so is 4 times 5s.are 20s.
And so is 5 times 4s.are 20s.
And so is 6 times 3s.4d.are 20s.
And yet he that divided the money was so very a gypsy, that though he gave to every one these said sums, yet he kept one shilling of it for himselfAs, for example,s.d.
6 8
5 0
4 0
3 4
make but......19 0
But now you shall know, that when the four gypsies saw that he had got one shilling by dividing the money, though not one of them knew any reason to demand more, yet, like lords and courtiers, every gypsy envied him that was the gainer; and wrangled with him; and every one said the remaining shilling belonged to him; and so they fell to so high a contest about it, as none that knows the faithfulness of one gypsy to another will easily believe; only we that have lived these last twenty years are certain that money has been able to do much mischief.
However, the gypsies were too wise to go to law, and did therefore choose their choice friends Rook and Shark, and our late English Gusman, to be their arbitrators and umpires.And so they left this honeysuckle hedge; and went to tell fortunes and cheat, and get more money and lodging in the next village.
When these were gone, we heard as high a contention amongst the beggars, whether it was easiest to rip a cloak, or to unrip a cloak ? One beggar affirmed it was all one: but that was denied, by asking her, If doing and undoing were all one? Then another said, 'twas easiest to unrip a cloak; for that was to let it alone: but she was answered, by asking her, how she unript it if she let it alone ? and she confess herself mistaken.These and twenty such like questions were proposed and answered, with as much beggarly logick and earnestness as was ever heard to proceed from the mouth of the pertinacious schismatick; and sometimes all the beggars, whose number was neither more nor less than the poets' nine muses, talked all together about this ripping and unripping; and so loud, that not one heard what the other said: but, at last, one beggar craved audience; and told them that old father Clause, whom Ben Jonson, in his Beggar's Bush, created King of their corporation, was to lodge at an ale-house, called " Catch-her-by-the-way," not far from Waltham Cross, and in the high road towards London; and he therefore desired them to spend no more time about that and such like questions, but refer all to father Clause at night, for he was an upright judge, and in the meantime draw cuts, what song should be next sung, and who should sing it.They all agreed to the motion; and the lot fell to her that was the youngest, and veriest virgin of the company.And she sung Frank Davison's song, which he made forty years ago; and all the others of the company joined to sing the burthen with her.The ditty was this; but first the burthen:
Bright shines the sun; play, Beggars, play;Here's scraps enough to serve to-day.
What noise of viols is so sweet, As when our merry clappers ring ?
What mirth doth want where Beggars meet ?
A Beggar's life is for a King.
Eat, drink, and play, sleep when we list Go where we will, so stocks be mist.
Bright shines the sun; play, Beggars, play, Here's scraps enough to serve to-day.
The world is ours, and ours alone;
For we alone have world at will We purchase not, all is our own;Both fields and streets we Beggars fill.
Nor care to get, nor fear to keep, Did ever break a Beggar's sleep, Play, Beggars, play; play, Beggars, play;Here's scraps enough to serve to-day.