Page:Witty & entertaining exploits of George Buchanan.pdf/21

21 morrow, Father Jacob. To which he replied, I am neither Father Abraham, Father Isaac, nor Father Jacob; but I am Saul, the son of Kish, sent out to seek my father's asses, and, lol I have found three of them. Which answer fully convinced the bishops that they had mistaken their man. 9. A poor Scotchman dined one day at public house in London upon eggs, and not having money to pay, got credit till he should return. The man being lucky in trade, acquired vast riches; and after some years happening to pass that way, calls at the house where he was owing the dinner of eggs. Having called for the innkeeper, he asked him what he had to pay for the dinner of eggs he got from him such a time! The landlord seeing him now rich, gave him a bill of several pounds, telling him as his reason for so extravagant a charge, that these eggs, had they been hatched, would have been chickens; and these, laying more eggs would have been more chickens, and so on, multiplying the eggs and their product till such time as their value amounted to the sum charged. The man refusing to comply with this demand, was charged before a judge. He then made his case known to George, his countryman, who promised to appear in the hour of cause, which he accordingly did, all in sweat, with a great basket of boiled pease, which appearance surprised the judge, who asked him what he meant by these boiled pease! Says George, I am going to how them. When will they grow, said the judge. They will grow, said George, when sodden eggs grow chickens, which answer convinced the judge of the extravagance of the innkeeper's demand, and the Scotsman was acquitted for two pence halfpenny,