Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (15).pdf/20

 20       T H E  W I T T Y  E X P L O I T S have his hat full of gold? George readily accepted, but it burnt the bottom out of his hat, as they knew it would, and for that bout they foiled George. However, George to be even with them, bought a fine large hat, and cauſed a plate of copper to be put betwixt the hat, and the lining; and returning next day, they jeſtingly aſked him, if he would have another hat full of gold? he ſaid he would: They gave it red hot, and George now laughed at them in his turn; telling them, That his new hat was a good one, and ſtood fire better than the old one, and ſo carried it off honeſtly; and being afterwards proſecute for to return it, he excuſed himſelf, telling the judge, That he took nothing but what was given him; and therefore he was honourably acquitted, and the other heartily laughed at. In the reign of King James the VI. George dining one day with the Lord Mayor, after two or three healths, the miniſtry was toaſted, but when it came to George's turn to drink, he diverted it ſome time, by telling a ſtory to the perſon who ſat next to him, the chief magiſtrate not ſeeing his toaſt go round, calls out, What ſticks the miniſtry at? At nothing, cries George, and ſo drank off his glaſs. George being one day along with the King and his nobles a-hunting, and being but very ſorrily mounted; when he was ſpurring up his horſe, he obſerved the horſe to have a trick of falling down on his knees, George immediately thought how he ſhould make uſe of that very thing to divert his majeſty; therefore pretended that his hole could ſet haves, and knowing ſome hare ſeats, rode that way to how the company the truth of what he affirmed, but when he had found the hare, by giving his horſe a ſpur he immediately clapped down; this he repeated ſeveral times, till he put the whole company in belief that what he had ſaid was true: And one of the noblemen being charmed with the performance of George's horſe, would have George change with him. George ſeemed at firſt unwilling to part with his horſe; but at laſt was prevailed upon to part with his for the nobleman's horſe, and a hundred guineas to boot. But afterwards riding thro' a river pretty deep, the nobleman ſpurring his new horſe, he clapped down on his belly, which George ſeeing, called out to the company to return with the dogs, for the nobleman's horſe had certainly ſet a hare, which