Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (10).pdf/24

 while his ſervant made a great bowl foll of milk broſe, and ſet them between the biſhop and George; then George deſired his lordſhip to aſk a bleſſing to what they were to receive, the biſhop did not know what he meaned by a bleſfing, it not being uſual for the Engliſh to do ſo, aſked at George what it was? but George took up a great ram horn ſpoon, and put it in the biſhop's hand, ſaying, There it is my lord. What, ſays the biſhop, call you that a bleſſing? we call that a ſpoon. O my lord, ſays George, it is the beſt bleſſing you can aſk, if you do not come empty. Well, ſays the biſhop, and how do you call that ſcalded meal? ſays George, we call it Scots broſe. O! ſaid the biſhop, I cannot eat it. O! ſays he, the thing we cannot eat we ſup, my lord, ſince you are in a Scotſman's houſe, you muſt partake of a Scotſman's victuals. Then ſays the biſhop, I always thought the Scots lived well till now; I would not be a Scotſman for the world. O, ſaid George, it a Scotſman live but twenty years, and get but nineteen years meat, he cannot be badly off. What, not badly off, and want a year a victuals? ſaid the biſhop; upon my word of honour, if I wanted one days victuals, I'd be ſure to die the next. O! ſays George, we drink water when we cannot do better, and that puts us in remembrance of wealth: for a diſh of contentment is good cheer. Then, ſaid the biſhop, I'll drink water too if it be good for the memory. Ay do, ſaid George, and you'll remember me when you do ſo. Now, after dinder, the biſhop took his leave of George, and deſired him next day to come and line with him.

EXT day, George, according to his promiſe, went to the biſhop's lodging; but no ſooner did the biſhop ſee George, than he ſaluted him with theſe words:

Now, after a ſumptuous dinner, the biſhop took George into his library, ſhewing him a great quantity of books; which George praiſed very much, and among the reſt,