Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of Geo. Buchanan.pdf/24

22 hard matter. Why, says George, I will give you my opinion in a minute: you must cause the tailor to stand in the street, where the old gentleman was when he was killed by the tailor, and then let the old gentleman’s son, the tailor’s adversary, get up to the window from whence the tailor fell, and jump down and so kill the tailor as he did his father. The tailor’s adversary hearing the sentence past, he would not venture to jump out of the window, and so the tailor got clear off.

George went into the mint one day when they were melting gold. One of them asked George if he would have his hat lull of gold? George readily accorded, but it burned the bottom out of his hat, as they knew it would, and for the bout foiled George. However George, to be up with them, bought a tine, large hat, and caused a plate of copper to be put betwixt the hat and the lining; and returning next day they jestingly asked him if he would have another hat lull of gold; he said he would. They gave it red hot, and George now laughed at them in his turn; telling them that his new hat was a good one, and stood fire better than the old one, and so carried it off honestly, and being afterwards prosecuted for to return it, he excused himself, telling the judge, that he took nothing but what was given him, and therefore he was honourably acquitted, and the other heartily laughed at.

George being now far advanced in years, and being weary of the great fatigue and folly of the court fashions, a short time before his death, he had a great desire to visit his native country, and the place of his nativity. Therefore he petitioned the king for permission to do so, which was granted. So he set out for Scotland, and went to the parish of Buchanan, in Dumbartonshire, where he visited all his relations and friends.—But George staying