Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchannan.pdf/10

( 10 ) to the murdered perſon, neareſt relatives as a price of blood, and the murderer got a remit. Now George leaving this to be contrary to Moſes's la, was very much grieved to ſee ſo many pardons ſealed with the king's hand for murder, almost one every week; it being ſo uſual for the king to ſubſcribe them, that he did not read them, nor enquire what they were for which cauſe George writes a right to the crown, and ſent it to the king to be ſubſcribed which he actually did, and never looking what it was, returned it in George; no ſooner had he received it, but he goes to the king, and told him, it was not time for him now to fit there; whereat the king was greatly amazed, ſtarted up; then George in a great haſte ſits himſelf down in the king's chair, forthwith declared himſelf king, ſaying, You who was king, muſt be fool, for I am now the wiſeſt man. The king at this was greatly offended, until George ſhowed him his ſeal and ſubſcription; but from that day forth, he knew what he ſubſcribed.

The next pardon that came to be ſealed by the king, was a gentleman that had killed two men before, and had got pardons for them by money. This being the third, the king ſeemed ſilent in looking over the petition, George ſtanding by, aſked the king what he was going to ſeal now? To which he anſwered, it is a remit for a man that has killed three men ſundry times; I gave him two remits before. O ſays George he has killed none but one man. And who killed the other two, ſays the king. You did, ſays George for at you had given him juſtice be killed the firſt, he had kiſſed no more. When the king heard theſe words, he threw down the pen, and declared that ſuch an et to ſave a murderer, ſhould be null ever after by him.

One day after this, George having no money, he goes away, and sets pick and ſpade, and then falls to digging at a corner of the king's palace, which the king perceiving from his window, calls what he was wanting there? Are you going to undermine my houſe, and make it fall? No my ſovereign, ſaid he, but it is verily reported that there is plenty of money about this houſe, and where it can be, ſays George, I cannot find, for it is not within the houſe to do me ſervice, then ſurely it muſt be below it. O George, that is a crave after the new ration; what money you want, I'll order it to you. Then my ſovereign, I'll dig no more.

Our time after this, George being in the country, he came to an inn, where he alighted to refreſh himſelf and his horſe; the inn-keeper charged him double price for everything he called for; George never grumbled at this, but gave hits all his demands, and away he goes on his journey; and where be quartered the night following, he was uſed after