Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (5).pdf/11

11 thou hast carried all the wisdom that is in it hither with thee. No, no, says George, the shepherds in Scotland will dispute with any bishop in London, and exceed them very far in education. The bishop took this as an affront, and several noblemen affirmed it to be as the Scot had said: beats were laid on each side, and three of the bishops were chosen and sent away to Scotland, to dispute it with the shepherds, accompanied with several others, who were to be bear witness of what they should hear pass between them. Now, George knowing which way they went, immediately took another road, and was in Scotland before them. He then made acquaintance with a shepherd on the border, whose pasture lay on the road side where the bishops were to pass; and there he mounted himself in a shepherd's dress: and when he saw the bishops appear, he conveyed his flock to the road-side, and there fell a chanting a Latin ballad. When the bishops came up to George, one of them asked him in French, what'o'clock it was. To which he answered in Hebrew, It was directly about the time of the day it was yesterday at this time. Another asked him in Greek, What countryman he was. To which he answered in Flemish, If you knew that you would be as wise as myself. A third asked him in Dutch, Where he was educate. To which he auswered in Gaelic, Herding my sheep between this and Lochaber. This they desired him to explain in English, which he immediately did. Now, says one of them, we need proceed no farther. What, says George, are you butchers? I'll sell you a few sheep. To this they made no answer, but went away shamefully, saying, they believed the Scots had been through all the nations in the world for their education, or the devil had taught them. Now when George