Page:Witty & entertaining exploits of George Buchanan.pdf/10

10 him by the way, and take the money from him. The follow being armed with sword and pistol, camo up quickly and attacked George with these words, You, sir, deliver what money you have, or you are a dead man." To which George answered, "Sir, I have some indeed, but 'tis not my own, and there fore do not like to part with it; nevertheless, since being determined a you are, to exchange blows for it, pray do me the favour to fire your pistol through the flap of my cloak, that the owners may so I have been in great danger of my life before I parted with it, which he accordingly did. No sooner had he. fired the pistol, than George whipt out his hanger from below his cloak and with one stroke cut off his right hand wherein he held his sword, so that both his sword and the hand fell to the ground; but George lifted his hand and carried it to the king. No sooner did he come before them, but they asked him, saying, well, George, did you see anybody to trouble you by the way! None, said he, but one fel- low, who was going to take the money from me, but I made him give to his hand he would not do the like again. You did I says the follow's master, Yes, I did, says George; lot work bear witness, throwing down the follow's hand on the table before them all. 7. Now, this last exploit of George's caused many of the English to hate him; and, among the rest, a young nobleman fell a joking of George, saying he would be a famous a champion for Scotland, as Sir William Wallace was. Ay, ay, says George, Wallace was a brave man in his time. True, indeed, says the young nobleman, but when he came to London, we did him all manner of justice, and for honour of the Scots, we have his effigy in the s—to this