Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (3).pdf/20

 two dollars to carry him to the Bell-Inn on London bridge: the one he gave him in hand as he entered the coach and he was to give him the other as soon as he saw him come out of the coach door. So away the coachman drives to London in haste, in which time George wrote the following lines—

These lines George battered on the inside of the coach, and when he came within a mile of London, he took a knife and cut a great hole in the back side of the coach, through which he came out and to make his promise good to the coachman that he was to give him the other dollar as soon as ever he saw him come out the coach door. The poor coachman drove on till he came to the aforesaid inn, where he alighted and opened the door to let out his passenger; but seeing the coach empty, and great hole in the back side of it, he cried. I believe I have had the devil in the coach and he has taken away the backside of it, with him. The people of the inn came flocking about to see what was done; and then perceived the lines on the inside of the coach, which the bishop came to read himself. They all concluded it to be done by George but could make nothing of it, for the bishop said to pursue might well make it worse but no better.