Page:Merry humours, wise sayings, and curious adventures of George Buchanan.pdf/11

 him how to behave before the judge. So, in the time of the trial, George came in while the judge was crying to the man, but never a word he could get him to answer, to tell whether he was guilty or not. After the Justice had given him over for deaf and dumb, others fell a shouting in his ears, but never a word he would speak. Then the judge, perceiving George, called him, saying, George, do you know what is the matter with this man? Yes, I do, says George. What is it? says the judge. Why, says George, the woman made such a noise and crying when he was ravishing her, it has put the poor man quite deaf, I assure you. Is it so? says the judge. No, no, says the woman, my Lord Justice, you may believe me, I lay as mute as a lamb, and never spoke a word all the time. Very well confessed, said the judge, and you have sworn a rape upon him. Take the w———to prison, and let the poor man go about his business, and so it ended.

George happened one time to be in company with a bishop, and so they fell to dispute anent education, and he blanked the bishop remarkably, and the bishop himself owned he was worsted. Then one of the company addressed himself to him in these words: thou Scot, said he should not have left thy country. For what? says he; because thou hast carried all the wisdom that is in it thither with thee. No, no, says he, the shepherds in Scotland will dispute with any bishop in London, and exceed them very far in education. The bishops then took this as an affront, and several noblemen affirmed it to be as the Scot had said; bets were laid on each side, and three of the bishops were chosen, and sent away to Scotland to dispute it with the shepherds, accompanied with several others, who were to bear witness of what they