Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchannan.pdf/28

( 28 ) which made George laugh very heartily, while the poor widow ſat weeping like one diſtraſted. Poor woman, ſays George, you need not think that man will ſpeak a word for you, or any elſe, unleſs you had brought him a purſe of gold to looſe his tongue: but no I have got a ſcheme of the matter, you may go home and have patience till the time come, and then my life for yours, poor woman, that I will ſend you an attorney who will do your buſineſs for nothing. He gave the poor woman more courage than any ſhe had ſpoke with in London; for every one told her that all the attorneys in the world could not free her. Se accordingly at the day appointed, George dreſſed himſelf like an attorney, with his gown, and every thing as he had been ſo.

The court being fenced, and the proofs read over, the expences and value of the pack having amounted to above ſeven hundred rounds, was ordered to be put in a decree againſt the poor widow, which every one was bemoaning but could give her no relief. Now George kept himſel ſilent, hearing them all with great patience, until the very nick of time, he thought proper to addreſs himſelf to the judges as follows: "My Lords Judges, and Gentlemen of the honourable court and company, I have come from London gratis, out of pure pity, to ſpeak a word or two in favour of this poor woman, who hath ſpent all her means defence of a falſe accuſatian raiſed againſt her; and not when her money is gone, her ſpeakers are dumb, and I ſ none to plead the cauſe of this poor widow. Now when ſentence is upon the brink of being pronounced againſt her earneſtly deſire this court to molify and drop the expence altogether; it is enough when the poor woman hath the pa to pay for you all know the poor woman was no way enriched by it, when the other two men got it away." Th the purſuer's attorney made anſwer as follows: "Sir, would have thought, you who have come from London and profeſſeth to be a doctor of law, ſhould know bet things; know you not, that he who gains the plea, g the expences as well as the ſum, or be what at will." Y in muſt, and ſhall be too ſaid the judges. Then ſaid Go That is all I want; which ſet the whole court a laughing thinking he was a fool and become an adverſary to the p woman. Give over your ſport, gentlemen, ſays G I have not done yet.

"My Lords Judges, you'll hear me in this; if the p woman made a bargain with this merchant, and other t who was with him, for to keep that pack ſafely, and del it to none of them ut they were all three preſent, no let that man who is here at this time go and ſeek the at two, and they all have their pa k ſo ſhe has the p enough, but ſhe will keep by her firſt bargain.