Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (15).pdf/34

            34   T H E  W I T T Y  E X P L O I T S  Two drunken fellows one day fell a beating one another, on the ſtreets of London, which cauſed a great croud of people throng together to ſee what it was; a taylor, being at work up in a garret, about three or four ſtories high, and he hearing the noiſe in the ſtreet, looked over the window but could not well ſee them; he began to ſtretch himſelf, making a long neck, until he fell down out of the window, and alighted upon an old man who was walking on the ſtreet; the poor taylor was more afraid than hurt, but the man he fell on died directly. His ſon cauſed the taylor to be apprehended, and tried for the murder of his father; the jury could not bring it in as wilful murder, neither could they altogether free the taylor; the jury gave it over to the judges, and the judges to the King. The King aſked George's advice in this hard matter. Why, ſays George, I will give you my opinion in a minute; you muſt cauſe the taylor to ſtand on the ſtreet, in the place where the old gentleman was when he was killed by the taylor, and then let the old gentleman's ſon, the taylor's adverſary, go up to the window from whence the taylor fell, and jump down, and ſo kill the taylor as he did his father: for I can make no more of it. You ſee it was a great mercy for the taylor he had the old gentleman below him, elſe he had been killed on the ſpot, and that it was the old gentleman's lot or misfortune to die there. The taylor's adverſary hearing this ſentence paſt, he would not venture to jump over the window, and ſo the taylor got clear off.

P A R T VI.

GEORGE, being one night in company with ſome Engliſh nobleman in preſence of the King, they began to demonſtrate ſuch a fine place as England was, both for beautiful buildings and fruitful fields; one gentleman ſaid, He knew a place in England, tho' they ſhould crop the graſs even with the ground at night, and lay down a crown on it before a hundred witneſſes, that againſt tomorrow, you would not know where to find it. That may ſeem very ſtrange to ſome, ſays George, but it is no myſtery to me; knowing there would be enough of them who ſaw the crown piece laid down, ready enough to come and take it up before tomorrow. But, ſays George, I know