Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (17).pdf/32

( 32 ) men were ſent to Scotland to ſee. The firſt was Duddingſton, near Edinburgh: when they came there and aſked for the bone bridges, the people ſhewed them ſteps almoſt between every door, of the ſkulls of ſheepheads, which they uſed as ſtepping ſtones. The ſecond was a little country village, between Stirling and Perth, called Auchterarder, where there is a large ſtrand, and which rans through the middle of the town, and almoſt at every door, there is a ſtock or ſtone laid over the ſtrand, whereupon they paſſed to the oppoſite neighbours: and when a flood came they could lift there wooden bridges in caſe they should be taken away; and theſe they called their draw bridges. The third was a village near Cambuſnethan, which they paſſed from the one end to the other, but there was not a ſtair in it all: ſo they returned to England, and told what kind of bone and draw bridges they were, and how that there was not a ſtair in all that place, therefore no man could run in below it.

Now George being old and highly advanced in years, finding his natural ſtrength and state of health decaying he petitioned King James to let him return to Scotland to viſit his friends and lands of his nativity; which he willingly granted, (not thinking that his deſign was never to return;) for George had a great deſire to reſign his ſoul and breath in that part of the world where he received them, and that his body and bones might be laid among his anceſtors, which was counted a great honour former times.

So accordingly George came to the pariſh of Buchanan, on the weſt of Scotland whereby he, viſited all his friends and relations before his death, during which, the king ſent ſeveral meſſages for him to return in all the haſte he could; but he abſolutely refuſed telling him that he would never ſee him again which grieved the king very much to hear him expreſs himself in that manner. After this he king ſent him a letter, threatning him very ſharply. if he did not appear in London in the ſpace of ten days he should bring him to London whether he would or not. Unto which as an anſwer, George ſent him a famous letter of admonition, both anent the government of his kingdom, and the weſt being of his ſoul; which cauſed the king weep very bitterly, when he read it over, with the following verſe:

My honour'd leige, and ſovereign King, Of your boaſting great I dread nothing! On your ſend and favour I'll ſcarcely venture; Ere that day; I'll be where few kings enter.

END OF THE EXPLOITS.