"I live as I like best and find best pays me.
'Tis for others to seek out and follow what best pays themselves."
Many a story was told of him which his fellows liked, youth always
being elated by any deed of prowess and daring in youth. One of these
stories, which was indeed no great one, but picturesque and pretty,
took their fancy greatly, and was much related and laughed gaily over,
and indeed beloved.
He was a strong and wondrous swimmer, having learned the art in his
childhood on the seacoast, being taught by his Grace his father. When
at Oxford it was his custom to rise before the rest of the world, and
in any weather or season plunge into the river and swim and dive and
play in the water like a young river god. He had chosen a favourite
swimming-spot and would undress under cover of the trees and then dash
out to his pastime, and it so chanced that going there one hot
afternoon he fell upon an adventure.
A party of jolly personages of the middle class, who had come up from
town on pleasure and rollicking interest, were taking a jaunt upon the
river in a wherry. 'Twas a wedding-party, and both males and females,
having dined at a tavern, were well filled with ale and in the mood for
disporting themselves. The groom and his men friends, being in
frolicsome humour and knowing nothing whatever of oarsmanship, were
playing great pranks to make the women scream at their daring.
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