Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (10).pdf/28

 man once more plucked up her heart, and went to London to employ a new attorney to ſpeak for her; but for want of gold, ſhe could get none to undertake it. George being in a houſe where he heard the poor Woman making a mournful complaint to one of her attornies, who gave her no comfort nor ſatisfaction; for when the told him, ſhe had no money to ſpend, or give in defence of it, the attorney went away and would hear no more of the Woman's grievous complaint, which made George to laugh very heartily, while the poor widow ſat weeping like one diſtracted. Poor woman, ſays George, you need not think that man will ſpeak a word for you, or any elſe, unleſs you had brought him a purſe of gold to looſe his tongue; but as I have got a ſcheme of the matter, you may go home, and have patience until the time come; and then, my life for yours, poor woman, that I ſhall ſend you an attorney, who will do your buſineſs for nothing. He gave the poor woman more courage than any ſhe had ſpoken with in London; for every one told her, that all the attornies in the world could not free her. So accordingly at the day appointed, George dreſſed himſelf like an attorney with his gown, and every thing as he had really been ſo. The court being fenced, and the proceſs read over, expences and the value of the pack, having amounted to above ſeven hundred pounds, was ordered to be put in decreet againſt the poor Widow, which every one was bemoaning, but could give her no relief. Now George kept himſelf ſilent, hearing them all with great patience, until the very nick of time, he thought proper to addreſs himſelf to the judges as followeth. My lords, judges and gentlemen of this honourable Court and company, I have come from London, gratis, out of pure pity, to ſpeak a word or two in favour of this poor woman, who hath exhauſted all her means in defence of a falſe accuſation charged againſt her, and now when her money is gone, her ſpeakers are dumb, and I ſee none to plead the cauſe of this poor Widow. Now, when ſentence is upon the tapis of being pronounced againſt her, I earneſtly deſire this court to modify and drop the expences altogether. It is enough when the poor Woman has the pack to pay; for you all know the woman was no way enriched by it, when the other men got it away. Then the purſuer's attorney made anſwer as follows. Sir, I would have thought that you, who have come from London, and profeſſes to be a doctor of law,