Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (15).pdf/7

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ſealed by the King's hand, than he ſaid, Indeed my Sovereign, I threw his hat over the bridge, but his head was in it. Geordy, Geordy, ſays the King, thou wilt never give over till thou be hanged. After this, a nobleman in England agreed with the King, how to put a trick upon George, to try his manly courage, in ſending him to a certain houſe for a bag of money. On his way home thro' St. James' park, they cauſed a ſturdy fellow, to go and ſet the way upon him, and take the money; he, being armed with ſword and piſtol, came up briſkly, and attacked George with theſe words, 'You, Sir, deliver what money you leave, or you are a dead man.' To which George anſwered, Sir, I have money, but it is 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, to fire your piſtol through the lap of my cloak, that the owners may ſee I have been in danger of my life, before I loſt the money;' which he accordingly performed. No ſooner had he fired it, than George whips out his hanger from below his cloak, and with one ſtroke cut off his right hand, wherein he held his ſword, ſo that his ſword and 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 works bear witneſs,' throwing down the fellow's hand upon the table before them all. Now this laſt exploit of George's cauſed many of the Engliſh to hate him, and amongſt the reſt, a young nobleman fell a joking 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-houſe to this very day.' 'And do you not know the reaſon of that? Says George: No, I don't