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sooner had he done this, but it went weeping and crying, O! let never a rogue put trust in his countryman after me. Now, says George, I told you the devil cares not stay in my country, nor yet look a scotsman in the face in his own. What, says the Italian lord, do you imagine this to be the devil's own country? It appears so, says George, for he is the oldest residenter in it, I know: but my Lord, said he, and please your grace I think clergymen are very scant in this country, when you have kept the devil so long for a chaplain. The nobleman gave no answer to this; but expressed his sorrow to be very great for the loss of his brownie.
The ambassador having done his business in Italy, they returned homeward; and on their way the ambassador began to question George, how he thought to escape Paris without committing idolatry? No, no, says George, I never did worship any image nor never shall; but I shall make them worship the worst in my guts. No sooner were they arrived at Paris but George leaves the ambassador, and goes directly to the Virgin Mary, and jumps in over the rail to the holy ground, (as they termed it) whereon she stood, where few durst go but priests and friars: and there he loosed his breeches, and made such groaning
easing himself, that he was heard by the priests and friars who were walking near by, and they perceiving this heinous abomination, ran upon him like a pack of hounds, and carried him before the cardinals and father confessors, where he was allowed to speak for himself, which he did as follows: 'May it please your most excellent worships to hear my reasons before you pronounce sentence against me. It was my misfortune to be passing through this city some months ago with the British ambassador on our way to Italy, and one day, while we were walking in the king's
