WISE MEN OF GOTHAM II leven; but he did not count himſelf. Well, ſaid the courtier, what will you give me, and I will find the twelfth man? Sir, ſaid they, all the money we have got. Give me the money, ſaid he; he then began with the firſt, and gave him a ſtroke over the ſhoulders' with his whip, which made him groan; ſaying, here is one, and ſo he ſerved them all, and they groaned at the mat- ter. When he came to the laſt, he paid. him well, ſaving, Here is the twelſt, man; God's bleſſing on thy heart, ſaid they, for finding our brother, TALE XI. A Man of Gotham tiding along the high-way, ſaw a cheeſe, ſo drew his ſword and pricked it with the point, in order to pick it up. Another man came by and alighted, and picked it up, and rode away with it. 'l'he Man of Gotham rides back to Nottingham, to buy a long ford to pick up the cheeſe; and returning to the place where the cheeſe did ly, he pulled out his ſword, pricking the ground, and ſaid, If I had had but this ſword, I ſhould have had the cheeſe myſelf, but now another has got it.
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