Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchannan.pdf/30

( 30 ) the taylor to he apprehended, and tried for the murder of his father. The jury could not bring it is as a withal murder, neither could they altogether i the tayler; the jury gave it to the judges, and the judges to the king. The king aſked George's advice in this hard m ter. Why, ſays George, I'll give you ſay opinion in a in you muſt cauſe the taylor ſtand on the ſtreet, as the place when the old gentleman was, when he was killed by the taylor, and then let the old gentleman's ſon, the taylor's adverſary go up to the window front whence the taylor fell, and jump down and kill the taylor, as he did his father; for I can make no more of it: You for it was a great merry for the taylor he had the old gentleman below ſure, or elſe he had e killed on the ſpot, and that it was the old gentleman's let r misfortune to die there. The taylor's adverſary hearing this ſentence paſſed, he would not venture to jumpover the window, and ſo the taylor got clear off.

PART VI.

GEORGE being one night in company with ſome Engliſh noblemen, in preſence of the king, they began to demonſtrate ſuch a fine as place as England was, both for beautiful buildings and fruitful fields. One gentleman ſaid he knew a place in England, though they ſhould crop the graſs even with the ground at night, and lay down a crown on it before an hundred witneſſes, and againſt to-morrow you would not know where to find it. This may ſeem very ſtrange to ſome, ſays George, but it is no myſtery to me; wing theſe would be enough of them who ſaw the crown place laid down, ready enough to come and take it up before tomorrow. But ſays George, I know a place in the weſt of Scotland, where, if you tether a horſe at nigh, againſt the next morning you will not ſee him. What a pox will take him away, ſays the Engliſhman. Only ſuch people, ſays George, as will take away your crown piece. O! ſays the Engliſh nobleman, you know what I mean

Then, ſays George, you talk much of towns you have in England. I know three towns in poor Scotland, for properties you have none ſuch. Pray, ſays the nobleman, what are these properties? Why, ſays George I know one town own where there are an hundred hone bridges in it; where, there are fifty draw bridges in it: ane- where, though a man commits murder, treaſon, ſo much money, if he runs to that town, gets , no law or juſtice can harm him. The no- immediately to ſhake an hundred pounds that was an ſuch town in Europe, beſides in Scotland. They George to tell but the names of theſe town