John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 1: Comic and Humorous: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, ClassifiedGraham, Dougal
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John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 1: Comic and Humorous: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, Classified
Graham, Dougal
Chapbooks, Scottish; English literature -- 18th century; Graham, Dougal, 1724-1779; Popular literature -- Scotland
6. A nobleman in England agreed with the king how to put a trick
upon George, to try his manly courage, in sending him to a certain
place for a bag of money. On his way home, through St James’ park,
they caused a sturdy fellow to go and set upon him by the way, and
take the money from him. The fellow being armed with sword and
pistol, came up quickly, and attacked George with these words, You,
sir, deliver what money you have, or you are a dead man. To which
George answered, sir, I have some indeed, but ’tis not my own, and
therefore do not like to part with it: nevertheless, since being
determined as you are, to exchange blows for it, pray do me the
favour to fire your pistol through the flap of my cloak, that the
owners may see I have been in danger of my life before I parted
with it, which he accordingly did. No sooner had he fired the
pistol, than George whipt out his hanger from below his cloak and
with one stroke cut off his right hand, wherein he held his sword,
so that both his sword and the hand fell to the ground; but George
lifted his hand and carried it to the king. No sooner did he come
before them, but they asked him, saying, well, George, did you see
any body to trouble you by the way? None, said he, but one fellow,
who was going to take the money from me, but I made him give me his
hand he would not do the like again. You did? says the fellow’s
master. Yes, I did, says George; let work bear witness, throwing
down the fellow’s hand on the table before them all.
7. Now, this last exploit of George’s caused many of the English
to hate him; and, among the rest, a young nobleman fell a joking
of George, saying, he would be as famous a champion for Scotland
as Sir William Wallace was. Ay, ay, says George, Wallace was a
brave man in his time.--True indeed, says the young nobleman, but
when he came to London, we did him all manner of justice, and for
honour of the Scots, we have his effigy in the s---- to this very
day. And do you know the reason of that, says George? No, I don’t,
says he. Well, I’ll tell you, says George: he was such a terror
to Englishmen, when he was alive, that the sight of his picture
yet makes them p---- themselves. The English took this answer as a
great affront, and forthwith caused Wallace’s picture to be taken
out of all their s----.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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