[270] This tale, which is a very old one, is also found in _Jests to
Make You Merie_, by T[homas] D[ekker] and George Wilkins, Lond. 1607,
4to. and in the _Philosophers Banquet_, 1614, 3vo.
+ _Of hym that had his goose stole._ lxxxv.
+ A man, that had a goose stoole from hym, went and complayned to the
curate, and desyred hym to do so moche as helpe, that he had his goose
again. The curate sayde he wolde. So on Sonday the curate, as though he
wolde curse, wente vp in to the pulpit, and bade euery body syt downe.
So, whan they were set, he said: why sit ye nat downe? We be set all
redy, quod they. Naye (quod the curate) he that dyd stele the goose
sitteth nat. Yes, that I do, quod he. Sayste thou that, quod the curate?
I charge the, on peyne of cursing, to bryng the goose home ageyn.
+ _Of the begger that sayd he was kyn to kyng Philip of Macedone._
lxxxvi.
+ There came a begger to kyng Philip of Macedone on a tyme, and prayde
the kyng to gyue hym some what; and farther he sayde he was his kynse
man. And whan the kyng asked hym which way, he answered and sayde howe
they came bothe of Adam. Than the kynge commanded to gyue hym an almes.
Whan the begger sawe it was but a small pece of moneye, he sayde, that
was nat a semely gyfte for a kynge. The kynge answered: if I shuld gyue
euery manne so moche, that is my kynse manne lyke as thou arte, I shulde
leaue nothynge for my selfe.[271]
+ _Of Dantes answere to the iester._ lxxxvii.
+ Dantes the poete dwelled a whyle with Can, the Prince de la
Scale,[272] with whome also dwelled an other Florentyne, that hadde
neyther lernynge nor prudence, and was a man mete for nothynge but to
scoffe and ieste; but yet with his mery toyes, he so moued the sayd Can,
that he dydde greatly enryche hym. And, bycause Dantes dispised his
foolysshenes, this scoffer sayd to hym: how cometh it, Dantes, that thou
art helde[273] so wyse and so well lerned, and yet arte poore and nedy?
I am an vnlerned man and am an ignorant fole, and yet I am farre richer
than thou art. To whom Dantes answered: if I may fynde a lord lyke and
conformable to my maners, as thou hast founde to thyn, he wyll lyke wyse
make me ryche.