Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (10).pdf/25

 was an old Hebrew Bible, which George taking up, aſked at the biſhop what book it was? the biſhop looking at it very ſincerely, ſaid he could not tell. Why then do you keep a book, you don't know the name of? It may be the book of black art. No, I don't think that, ſaid the biſhop, but can you tell what it is? Yes, ſays George, it is the Bible, the beſt book for a biſhop I know, if he had eyes to ſee the inſide of it. So he deſired George to read a piece of it; but when he did, he could not underſtand it; therefore, he deſired him to explain it: which ſentence be did as follows, Haiah ix. 19. "For the leaders of this people cauſe them to err: and they that are led of them, are deſtroyed." To which George added, This is the blind leading the blind. So taking his leave of the Biſhop, he parted with him, ſaying theſe words:

Many of the clergymen in England deſired greatly to be in company with George, becauſe of his comical and witty expreſſons; ſo George happened one night to be called into a company, where there were to biſhops, as alſo a prieſt who wanted to be licenſed by them. One of the biſhops aſked George, why the people in Scotland did not love biſhops? Becauſe, ſays George, they are like old beggars, advanced to be rulers over barrow men, ſtill inſtructing them in things they know not themſelves, ordering them to carry ſtones to the builders, which they will not receive, and which they themſelves had never power to move; the Scots having knowledge of this, hate to ſee the biſhops have great lordships for their ignorance, and the poor labourer have little or nothing for their toil. One of the biſhops looking at George, with an angry countenance, anſwered, ſaying, You Scot muſt be made a biſhop youfelf, and we biſhops made prieſts, and that will ſerve well for your turn. No, no, ſaid George, that will not do; for if I be made a biſhop, I'd have no broken biſhops to ſerve as priets under me, for they are ſuch bad maſters they'll become the worſt of all ſervants. At this the two biſhops left the room in a great paſſion, leaving George and the young prieſt only by themſelves. Now, now, ſays George, this proves the biſhops to