Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (17).pdf/29

( 29 ) nothing. He gave the poor woman more courage than any ſhe had ſpoke with in London; for every one told her that all the attorneys in the world could not free her. So accordingly at the day appointed George dreſſed himſelf like an attorney, with his gown, and every thing as if he had been ſo.

The court being fenced, and the proofs read over the expence and value of the pick having amounted to about ſeven hundred pounds, was ordered to be put in a decreet againſt the poor widow, which every one was bemoaning, but could give her no relief. Now George kept himſelf ſilent, hearing them all with great patience, and the very nick, of time, he thought proper to, addreſs himſelf to the judges as follows? "My Lorde, judges, and gentleman of this honourable court and company, I have come from London gratis, out of pure pity to ſpeak a word or two in favour of this poor woman, who hath ſpent all her means in defence of a falſe accuſation raiſed againſt her: and now when her money is gone, her ſpeakers are dumb, and I ſee none to plead the cauſe of this poor widow. Now when ſentence is upon the brink of being pronounced a gainſt her, I earneſtly deſire this court to molify and drop the expences altogether: it is enough when the poor woman hath the pack to pay; for you all know the poor woman was no ways enriched by it, when the other two men got it away." Then the purſuer's atorney made an anſwer as follows:-"Sir I would have thought you, who have come from London and profeſſeth to be a doctor of law, ſhould know better things; know you not that he who gains the plea, gains the expences as well as the ſum, be what it will." Yes it muſt and ſhall be ſo too, ſaid the judges: Then ſaid George, That is all I want: which ſet the whole court a laughing, thinking he was a fool, and become an adverſary to the poor woman. Give over your ſport, gentlemen, ſays George, I have not done yet.

"My Lords judges, you'll hear me in this: if the poor woman made a bargain with this merchant, and other two who was with him for to keep that pack ſafely, and deliver it to none of them till they were all three preſent, now let that man who is here at this time go and ſeek, the other two, and they ſhall have the pack, for ſhe has the pack ſafe enough, but ſhe will keep by her firſt bargain. So I refer to you judges and gentleman, if this poor wom be not in the right." This made the judges look one to another and the whole court with one voice, declared the woman was in the right, and ordered the purſuer to go and ſeek his two companions. No,