nth of May." As will be seen in
the illustration to No. 26, while the Haberdasher was propounding his
problem of the triangle, this young Squire was standing in the background
making a drawing of some kind; for "He could songs make and well indite,
Joust and eke dance, and well portray and write."

The Knight turned to him after a while and said, "My son, what is it over
which thou dost take so great pains withal?" and the Squire answered, "I
have bethought me how I might portray in one only stroke a picture of our
late sovereign lord King Edward the Third, who hath been dead these ten
years. 'Tis a riddle to find where the stroke doth begin and where it
doth also end. To him who first shall show it unto me will I give the
portraiture."

[Illustration]

I am able to present a facsimile of the original drawing, which was won
by the Man of Law. It may be here remarked that the pilgrimage set out
from Southwark on 17th April 1387, and Edward the Third died in 1377.

24.--_The Friar's Puzzle._

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.

[Illustration]

25.--_The Parson's Puzzle._

The Parson was a really devout and good man. "A better priest I trow
there nowhere is." His virtues and charity made him beloved by all his
flock, to whom he presented his teaching with patience and simplicity;
"but first he followed it himself." Now, Chaucer is careful to tell us
that "Wide was his parish, and houses far asunder, But he neglected
nought for rain or thunder;" and it is with his parochial visitations
that the Parson's puzzle actually dealt. He produced a plan of part of
his parish, through which a small river ran that joined the sea some
hundreds of miles to the south. I give a facsimile of the plan.

[Illus