Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchannan.pdf/20

( 20 ) gin Mary, and crave mercy of her for the blaſphemous reproaches wherewith he had reproached her. Then George cries out, O may it pleaſe your Majeſty to omit at this time. I dare not look her in the face, ſhe frowns on me with ſuch an angry countenence; this dutiful command of yours muſt be del ved until I return from Italy, and then I ſhall fulfil your demand in paving her all dutiful reſpects, and worſhip unto her a co g what ſhe is. So here the Ambaſſador ſtood bound to George, that he would perform this piece of worſhip at his return, according to the king's pleaſure.

Now during their ſtay in Italy, they chanced to be in a nobleman's houſe, where they kept but few ſervants, becauſe of a ſpirit that did haunt the houſe for the ſpace of two hundred years before that time, ſo that no ſervant could work any kind of labour in or about the houſe for it, except oks, for what they vulgarly ted a brownie, it did all itſelf, and would ſuffer no fellow labourer to work along with it.- On the next morning George got up pretty early, and called for water to waſh himvelf, then directly comes the brownie with a baſon of water in one hand, and a clean cloth in the other. George perceiving him have ſuch a pale ghoſtly countenance, not to he an earthly creature, ſaid. Of what nation are you to which it anſwered in Galic, or E ſh, a country ſhall of yours, Sir. The Ambaſſador ſmiled, and joked George, telling him it was a devil, and how could it be a countryman of his? O, ſays George, I'll ſhew you the contrary of that, for the devil dare not ſtay in our country. George having waſhed himſelf, it came to take away the baſon of water, then ſays George, And how long is it ſince you left your own country? About two hundred and fifty years ago, ſays it. Then certainly, ſays he, thou art a devil, and not an earthly creature. To which it anſwered, I am what I am, and Chriſtians too. Then I am what I am, to com re you, ſays George,-he taking a hand of water, and throwing it upon the old wrinkled face of it, repeating the form of the words of baptiſm in Farſe; ſaying, If thou be a Chriſtian, thou art old enough to be baptized. No ſooner had be done this, but it went off weeping and crying, O! let never a rogue put truſt in his own countryman after me. Now, ſays George, I told you the devil dare not ſtay in my country, not yet look a Scotſman in the face in carn? What? ſays the Italian laird, do you imagine that this is the devills own country? It appears ſo, ſays Georg , for he is the oldeſt reſidenter in it I know; but, my Lord, ſaid he, and if it pleaſe your grace, I think the clergyman e m in this country, when you have kept the devil f n g for a chaplain. The Noblemans to this gave no anſwer, preſſed his ſorrow to be very great for the l of brownie.