Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (10).pdf/7

 ney: he being armed with ſword and piſtol, came up briſk- ly, and attacked George with theſe words, You, Sir, deli- ver what money you have, or you are a dead man: to which George anſwered, Sir, I have money indeed, but 'tis not my own, and I am ſorry to give it; nevertheleſs, ſince I am not armed as you are to exchange blows for it, you ſhall have it; but pray, do me the favour as to fire your piſtol through the flap of my cloak, that the owners may ſee I have been in danger of my life before I loſt the money, which he accord- ingly performed. No ſooner had he fired it, than George whips out his hanger from below his cloak, and with one ſtroke cut of his right hand, wherein he held his ſword, ſo that both his ſword and the hand fell to the ground; but George lifted his hand, and carried it to the King. No ſooner did he come before them, but they aſked him, ſaying, Well George, did you ſee any body to trouble you by the way? No, ſaid he, but one fellow, who was going to take the money from me, but I made him give me his hand he would not do the like again. You did, ſays the fellow's maſter? Yes, I did, ſays George, let work bear Witneſs, throwing down the fellow's hand on the table before them.

Now this laſt exploit of George's cauſed many of the Engliſh to hate him, and among the reſt, a young nobleman fell a jocking of George, in ſaying, he would be as famous a champion for Scotland as Sir William Wallace was: Ay, ay, ſays George, William Wallace was a brave man in his time. True, indeed, ſays the other, but when he came to London, we did him all manner of juſtice, and for honour of the Scots, we have his effigy in the ſhite-houſes to this very day. And do you not know the reaſon of that, ſays George? No, I don't, ſays he. Well, I'll tell you, ſays George, he was ſuch a terror to the Engliſhmen when he was alive, that a ſight of him yet makes them beſhite them- ſelves. The Engliſh took this anſwer as a great affront, and forthwith cauſed Wallace's picture to be taken out of that place.

EORGE happened one night to be in company with a Biſhop, and ſo they fell to argumenting anent religion,