the complete angler-第17部分

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；　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　himself

As；　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。

A　hundred　head　of　black　and　white　Upon　our　gowns　securely　feed　If　any　dare　his　master　bite　He　dies　therefore；　as　sure　as　creed。　Thus　Beggars　lord　it　as　they　please；　And　only　Beggars　live　at　ease。　Bright　shines　the　sun；　play；　Beggars；　play；　Here's　scraps　enough　to　serve　to…day。

Venator。　I　thank　you；　good　master；　for　this　piece　of　merriment；　and　this　song；　which　was　well　humoured　by　the　maker；　and　well　remembered　by　you。

Piscator。　But；　I　pray；　forget　not　the　catch　which　you　promised　to　make　against　night；　for　our　countryman；　honest　Coridon；　will　expect　your　catch；　and　my　song；　which　I　must　be　forced　to　patch　up；　for　it　is　so　long　since　I　learnt　it；　that　I　have　forgot　a　part　of　it。　But；　come；　now　it　hath　done　raining；　let's　stretch　our　legs　a　little　in　a　gentle　walk　to　the　river；　and　try　what　interest　our　angles　will　pay　us　for　lending　them　so　long　to　be　used　by　the　Trouts；　lent　them　indeed；　like　usurers；　for　our　profit　and　their　destruction。

Venator。　Oh　me！　look　you；　master；　a　fish！　a　fish！　Oh；　alas；　master；　I　have　lost　her。

Piscator。　Ay　marry；　Sir；　that　was　a　good　fish　indeed：　if　I　had　had　the　luck　to　have　taken　up　that　rod；　then　'tis　twenty　to　one　he　should　not　have　broken　my　line　by　running　to　the　rod's　end；　as　you　suffered　him。　I　would　have　held　him　within　the　bent　of　my　rod；　unless　he　had　been　fellow　to　the　great　Trout　that　is　near　an　ell　long；　which　was　of　such　a　length　and　depth；　that　he　had　his　picture　drawn；　and　now　is　to　be　seen　at　mine　host　Rickabie's；　at　the　George　in　Ware；　and　it　may　be；　by　giving　that　very　great　Trout　the　rod；　that　is；　by　casting　it　to　him　into　the　water；　I　might　have　caught　him　at　the　long　run；　for　so　I　use　always　to　do　when　I　meet　with　an　over…grown　fish；　and　you　will　learn　to　do　so　too；　hereafter；　for　I　tell　you；　scholar；　fishing　is　an　art；　or；　at　least；　it　is　an　art　to　catch　fish。

Venator。　But；　master；　I　have　heard　that　the　great　Trout　you　speak　of　is　a　Salmon。

Piscator。　Trust　me；　scholar；　I　know　not　what　to　say　to　it。　There　are　many　country　people　that　believe　hares　change　sexes　every　year：　and　there　be　very　many　learned　men　think　so　too；　for　in　their　dissecting　them　they　find　many　reasons　to　incline　them　to　that　belief。　And　to　make　the　wonder　seem　yet　less；　that　hares　change　sexes；　note　that　Dr。　Mer。　Casaubon　affirms；　in　his　book　〃　Of　credible　and　incredible　things；〃　that　Gasper　Peucerus；　a　learned　physician；　tells　us　of　a　people　that　once　a　year　turn　wolves；　partly　in　shape；　and　partly　in　conditions。　And　so；　whether　this　were　a　Salmon　when　he　came　into　fresh　water；　and　his　not　returning　into　the　sea　hath　altered　him　to　another　colour　or　kind；　I　am　not　able　to　say；　but　I　am　certain　he　hath　all　the　signs　of　being　a　Trout；　both　for　his　shape；　colour；　and　spots；　and　yet　many　think　he　is　not。

Venator。　But；　master；　will　this　Trout　which　I　had　hold　of　die　？　for　it　is　like　he　hath　the　hook　in　his　belly。

Piscator。　I　will　tell　you；　scholar；　that　unless　the　hook　be　fast　in　his　very　gorge；　'tis　more　than　probable　he　will　live；　and　a　little　time；　with　the　help　of　the　water；　will　rust　the　hook；　and　it　will　in　time　wear　away；　as　the　gravel　doth　in　the　horse…hoof；　which　only　leaves　a　false　quarter。

And　now；　scholar；　let's　go　to　my　rod。　Look　you；　scholar；　I　have　a　fish　too；　but　it　proves　a　logger…headed　Chub：　and　this　is　not　much　amiss；　for　this　will　pleasure　some　poor　body；　as　we　go　to　our　lodging　to　meet　our　brother　Peter　and　honest　Coridon。　Come；　now　bait　your　hook　again；　and　lay　it　into　the　water；　for　it　rains　again；　and　we　will　even　retire　to　the　Sycamore…tree；　and　there　I　will　give　you　more　directions　concerning　fishing；　for　I　would　fain　make　you　an　artist。

Venator。　Yes；　good　master；　I　pray　let　it　be　so。

Piscator。　Well；　scholar；　now　that　we　are　sate　down　and　are　at　ease；　I　shall　tell　you　a　little　more　of　Trout…fishing；　before　I　speak　of　the　Salmon；　which　I　purpose　shall　be　next；　and　then　of　the　Pike　or　Luce。

You　are　to　know；　there　is　night　as　well　as　day　fishing　for　a　Trout；　and　that；　in　the　night；　the　best　Trouts　come　out　of　their　holes。　And　the　manner　of　taking　them　is　on　the　top　of　the　water　with　a　great　lob　or　garden…worm；　or　rather　two；　which　you　are　to　fish　with　in　a　stream　where　the　waters　run　somewhat　quietly；　for　in　a　stream　the　bait　will　not　be　so　well　discerned。　I　say；　in　a　quiet　or　dead　place；　near　to　some　swift；　there　draw　your　bait　over　the　top　of　the　water；　to　and　fro；　and　if　there　be　a　good　Trout　in　the　hole；　he　will　take　it；　especially　if　the　night　be　dark；　for　then　he　is　bold；　and　lies　near　the　top　of　the　water；　watching　the　motion　of　any　frog　or　water…rat；　or　mouse；　that　swims　betwixt　him　and　the　sky；　these　he　hunts　after；　if　he　sees　the　water　but　wrinkle　or　move　in　one　of　these　dead　holes；　where　these　great　old　Trouts　usually　lie；　near　to　their　holds；　for　you　are　to　note；　that　the　great　old　Trout　is　both　subtle　and　fearful；　and　lies　close　all　day；　and　does　not　usually　stir　out　of　his　hold；　but　lies　in　it　as　close　in　the　day　as　the　timorous　hare　does　in　her　form；　for　the　chief　feeding　of　either　is　seldom　in　the　day；　but　usually　in　the　night；　and　then　the　great　Trout　feeds　very　boldly。

And　you　must　fish　for　him　with　a　strong　line；　and　not　a　little　hook；　and　let　him　have　time　to　gorge　your　hook；　for　he　does　not　usually　forsake　it；　as　he　oft　will　in　the　day…fishing。　And　if　the　night　be　not　dark；　then　fish　so　with　an　artificial　fly　of　a　light　colour；　and　at　the　snap：　nay；　he　will　sometimes　rise　at　a　dead　mouse；　or　a　piece　of　cloth；　or　anything　that　seems　to　swim　across　the　water；　or　to　be　in　motion。　This　is　a　choice　way；　but　I　have　not　oft　used　it；　because　it　is　void　of　the　pleasures　that　such　days　as　these；　that　we　two　now　enjoy；　afford　an　angler

And　you　are　to　know；　that　in　Hampshire；　which　I　think　exceeds　all　England　for　swift；　shallow；　clear；　pleasant　brooks；　and　store　of　Trouts；　they　used　to　catch　Trouts　in　the　night；　by　the　light　of　a　torch　or　straw；　which；　when　they　have　discovered；　they　strike　with　a　Trout…spear；　or　other　ways。　This　kind　of　way　they　catch　very　many：　but　I　would　not　believe　it　till　I　was　an　eye…witness　of　it；　nor　do　I　like　it　now　I　have　seen　it。

Venator。　But；　master；　do　not　Trouts　see　us　in　the　night？

Piscator　Yes；　and　hear；　and　smell　too；　both　then　and　in　the　day…time：　for　Gesner　ob