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

5 multitude of spectators cried out with loud huzzas and laughter. Now, says George, I told you we would end in and about where we began, and that is in clean dirt.

On a time after this, the king and his court were going into the country, and they would have George to ride before them in the fool's dress'; whereupon he seemed unwilling, but it was the king's pleasure. So George was mounted upon and old horse with the heels hanging down, and a palmer coat, patched over with pictures of divers kinds. George rode before them in this posture, which caused great laughter and diversion, until they came to an inn, where they alighted to dine; and in the time they were at dinner, George went into the stables, and with a knife cut all their horses' chafts, not sore, but so as they might bleed. Now, as soon as dinner was over, and they mounted their horses again, George riding before them as usual, in his palmer coat and old boots, they began to make their game of him; then George turning about suddenly, clapped his hands with a loud laughter, the king asked him what made him laugh so? Laugh, says George, how can I but laugh when horses cannot hold their peace? O my sovereign, says he don't you see how your horses have rent their chafts laughing at my old boots? Then every man looking at his horse's chafts, they were all in a rage against George. The king caused George to dismount directly, and charged him never to let him see his face on English ground. Now, George knowing that nothing could reconcile the king at this time, he came away to, and caused make him a pair of great boots, and put a quantity of Scotch earth in each of them, and away he goes for London, to see the king once more. He hearing the