Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchannan.pdf/25

( 25 ) Now, after a ſumptious dinner, the biſhop took George into his library, showing him a great quantity of books, whish George praiſed very much, and among there was an old Hebrew Bible, which George taking up, aſked at the biſhop what book it was? the biſhop looking at very ſincerely, ſaid he could not tell. Why then do you keep a book that you do not know the name of it? It may be the book of black art. No, I don't think that, ſaid the biſhop, but can you tell what it is? Yes ſays George, it is the Bible, the beſt book for a biſhop I know it he had eyes to ſee the inſide of it: So he deſired George to read a piece of it, but when he did, he could not understand it, he therefore deſited him to explain, which ſentence he did as follows, Iſaiah ix. 16. "For the leaders of the people cauſed them to err, and they that are led of them are deſtroyed." To which George added, this is the blind leading the blind. So taking his leave of the biſhop, he parted with him, ſaying theſe words:

Good night, hail maſter biſhop, Of books you have great ſtore, Yet cannot read the half of them, Then what uſe are they for!

Many of the clergymen in England deſired greatly to be in company with George, because of his comical and witty expreſſions: ſo George happened one night to be called into a company where there were two biſhops, as alſo a prieſt who wanted to be li ſed by them. One of the biſhops aſked George, Why the people of Scotland did not love biſhops? Becauſe, ſays George, they are like old beggars advanced to be rulers over barrow-men, ſtill miſtructing them in things they know pet themſelves, ordering them to carry ſtones to the builders, which they will not receive, and which they themſelves had never power to move; the Scots having knowledge of this, late to ſee the biſhops have great lordſhips for their ignorance, and the poor labourers have little or nothing for their toil. One of the biſhops looking at George with an angry countenance, anſwered ſaying, Then Scot must be made a biſhop yourſelf, and we biſhops made prieſts, and that will leave well for your turn. No, no, ſaid George, that will not do, for if I be made a biſhop, I'll have no broken biſhops to ſerve as prieſts under me, for they are ſuch bad maſters, they will become the worſt of all ſervants. At this the two biſhops left the m in a great paſſion, leaving George and the young prieſt only by themſelves Now, now, ſays George, this proves the biſhops to be but hirelings, and not true ſhepherds, (pointing to the young prieſt) you ſee they have fled for their own ſafety, and left you a lamb before the mouth of