The Friar was a merry fellow, with a sweet tongue and twinkling eyes.
"Courteous he was and lowly of service. There was a man nowhere so
virtuous." Yet he was "the best beggar in all his house," and gave
reasons why "Therefore, instead of weeping and much prayer, Men must give
silver to the needy friar." He went by the name of Hubert. One day he
produced four money bags and spoke as follows: "If the needy friar doth
receive in alms five hundred silver pennies, prithee tell in how many
different ways they may be placed in the four bags." The good man
explained that order made no difference (so that the distribution 50,
100, 150, 200 would be the same as 100, 50, 200, 150, or 200, 50, 100,
150), and one, two, or three bags may at any time be empty.
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