Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (17).pdf/25

( 25 ) made a great bowel full of milk broſe and ſet them down between the biſhop and George; then George deſired the biſhop to aſk a bleſſing for what they were to receive. The biſhop-did-not know what he meant by a bleſſing, it not being uſual for the Engliſh to do ſo, asked at George what it was, but George took up a great ramhorn ſpoon, and ſlapped it into the biſhop's hand ſaying, there it is my lord, What! ſays the biſhop, call you that a bleſſing? we call that a ſpoon, O my lord, ſays George it is the beſt bleſſing you can aſk, if it do not come empty.

Well, ſays the biſhop, and how do you call this ſccalded meat? Why ſays George, we call it Scots broſe. O, ſaid the biſhop, I cannot eat it. O ſaid he the thing we cannot eat we ſup my lord, ſince you are in a Scotsman's houſe, you muſt partake of a Scotſman's victuals. Then ſaid the biſhop, I always thought the Scots had lived well till now, I would not be a Scotſman for the world. O, ſays George, if a Scotſman lives but 20 years and gets but 19 years meat, he cannot be badely off. What, not badly, and want a year's victals? ſaid the biſhop, upon my word of honour, if I wanted one day's victuals, I'd be ſure to die the next! O ſays George, we drink water when we cannot do better, and that puts us in remembrance of wealth, for a diſh of contentment is good cheer.

Then ſaid the biſhop, I'll drink water too, if it be good for the memory. Ay do, ſaid George, and you will remember me when you do ſo. Now after dinner the biſhop took his leave of George, and deſired him next day to come and dine with him.

PART V.

NEXT day, George, acording to promiſe, went to the biſhop's lodging; but no ſooner did the biſhop ſee George. than he ſaluted him with theſe words:

Your ſervant, maſter wiſe man, and yet you have no books?

How can you have knowledge that no man inſtructs?

George anſwered,

Your ſervant maſter biſhop, your ſalutation's good; Your knowledge is in your liberary, while others are in their hood Now after a ſumputous dinner, the biſhop took George into his library, ſhewing him a grea quantity of books which George praiſed ver y much, and among the reſt was an old Hebrew Bible, which George taking up aſked at the biſhop, what book it was? the biſhop Looking at it very ſincerly, ſaid he could not tell. Why then do you keep a book that you po not know the name of it: It may be the book of black art. No, I don't think that, ſaid the biſhop, but can you

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