English literature -- Early modern, 1500-1700; English wit and humor; Great Britain -- Civilization -- 17th century -- Literary collections
[52.] One _Dromo_, a certaine Tiler, sitting upon a ridge of a House,
laying on certaine roofe tiles, looking backe, and reaching somewhat
too far for a little morter, that lay by him, fell backward and by
good hap, fell upon a man that was sitting under the house, whom with
his fall he bruised to death, but thereby saved his owne life. Not
many dayes after, a sonne of the dead mans, caused this man to be
apprehended for murther, and, having him before the Judge, cried unto
the Judge for justice: who asking the prisoner what hee could say for
himselfe, received this answer. Truly, Sir, I never thought the man
any hurt, neither did I thinke to fall: but since it was my hap to hit
upon him to save my life, if it please your Lordship, I am contented
that he shall have justice; for my selfe, I had no malice to his
father, though I see he hath a great deale to me: but let him doe his
worst, I care not, I aske no favour: let him go up to the top of the
house where I sate, and I will sit where his father sate; let him fall
from the place as cunningly as hee can, and fall upon mee to save his
life, I will bee contented. The Judge seeing the mans innocency,
and how farre he was from intent of any evill to the man whom he
had slaine, willed the complainant to take this course for his
contentment: which he refusing, was dismissed the Court, and the
Prisoner thus by his wity answer released.
[110.] There was a certaine farmer that lost forty pounds betwixt
_Cambridge_ and _London_, and being so great a summe, he made
proclamation in all market Townes there abouts, that whosoever had
found forty and five pounds, should have the five pounds for his
labour for finding it, and therefore he put in the five pound more
than was lost. It was Maister _Hobsons_ fortune to find the same
sum of forty pounds, and brought the same to the baylive of _Ware_ &
required the five pounds for his paines, as it was proclaymed. When
the country farmer understood this, and that he must needs pay five
pounds for the finding, he sayd that there was in the purse five and
forty pounds, and so would hee have his owne mony and five pounds
over. So long they strove, that the matter was brought before a
Justice of the Peace, which was one Maister _Fleetwood_, who after
was Recorder of London; but when Maister _Fleetwood_ understood by the
bayleife that the proclamation was made for a purse of five and forty
pound, he demanded where it was. Here, quoth the baylie, and gave
it him. Is it just forty pound? said Maister _Fleetwood_. Yes truly,
(quoth the bayleife) Here maister _Hobson_, sayd Ma. _Fleetwood_, take
you this mony for it is your owne, and if you chance to find a purse
of five and forty pound, bring it to this honest farmer. That is mine,
quoth the farmer, for I lost just forty pound. You speake too late
(quoth Maister _Fleetwood_). Thus the farmer lost the mony, and
maister _Hobson_ had it according to justice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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