Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (10).pdf/26

 be but hirelings, and not true ſhepherds, pointing to the young prieſt, you ſee they are fled for their own ſafety and they have left you a lamb, before the mouth of me a fox, and who knows but I may worry you! Run, run, too, maſter sheep, ſays George, and if you have eyes guide them two blind ſhepherds down ſtairs, and over ditches, but I am afraid you'll tumble all in a ditch together. This raiſed ſuch an indignation in the biſhops' breaſts, that they deſired no more of George's company or converſation.

One time after this, George being in the country about twenty miles diſtant from London, and on his way homeward, came up after him a fine gilded coach, which George being informed belonged to the biſhop of Canterbury, and was going to London for his lordſhip; George addreſſes himſelf to the coachman, for to have a paſſage with him in the coach to London: so he bargained with the coachman for two dollars to carry him to the Bell inn on London bridge; the one he gave him in hand, as he entered the coach door, and the other he was to give him as ſoon as ever he would ſee him come out at the coach door; ſo away the coachman drives for London in all haſte; in which time George wrote the following MOTTO:

Theſe lines George battered upon the inſide of the coach, and when he came within a mile of London, tools a knife, and cut a great hole in the backfide of the coach, where he came out; and to make his promiſe good to the coachman, that he was to give him the other dollar as ſoon as ever he ſaw him one out at the coach door. The poor coach man drove on till be came to the foreſaid inn, where he alighted and opened the door to let out his paſſenger; but ſeeing the coach empty, and a great role in the backſide of it, he cried out, he believed he had had the devil in his coach, and that he had taken away the backſide of it with him. The people of the inn came all docking about to ſee what was done, and