Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (10).pdf/14

 he was ſure never to ſee him again alive; therefore, he deſired an agreement with the drover, who at firſt ſeemed unwilling; but the captain put it in his will; ſo the drover quit him for an hundred guineas. This he came to through George's advice.

FTER this, George being in Cornwall about ſome buſineſs, where he chanced to run ſhort of money, and not knowing what to do, being acquainted with none in that country, and knowing his landlord to be loyal to the government, and a great favourite to the king his maſter; takes a piece of brick, and brays it to a ſmall powder mixed with a little chalk, ſo that it might ſeem in colour, like arſenick which is ſtrong poiſon; then tying it up in papers, writing on this direction, the ſtrongeſt poiſon for the king; and on another paper, the ſlower poiſon for the queen. Out he goes on purpoſe, and leaves the papers lying on a table, where he know they would be looking at them; the landlord perceived the direction; ſo in comes George in a great haſte, and calls out, O landlord, did you ſee two ſmall bundles I have loſt, and I know not what I ſhall do, ſo it was my main buſineſs to take them to London.—O! you murdering rogue! cries the landlord, I'll have you hanged for what you intend. George at this made off, and was going to fly for it, but the landlord called for aſſiſtance; ſo he was apprehended, and made priſoner of ſtate, and carried up to London by a troop of horſe; when the people there began to know him, and tell what he was, his guard ſlipt away ſhamefully, and left him; ſo George thanked them for their good company and ſafe convoy.

There was a law made againſt wearing ſwords at balls and aſſemblies, in the reign of King James VI. becauſe they were inconvenient on this occaſion; but George, to be witty on the act, provided himſelf with a very long ſcabbard, and got himſelf introduced to a ball, where the king and his court were preſent; George made ſeveral turns through the company, making his ſcabbard hit againſt their ſhins, and ſometimes ſlipt it below a lady's fardingale; and, in ſhort, moleſted the company ſo much, that he was taken notice of, and ſeized as a perſon who had incurred the penalties of the act aforeſaid. But George excuſed himſelf, telling them, that