An Out-of-the-Way Reproof
King James I, being one day in the North, a violent tempest burst loose and a church being the nearest building, his majesty took shelter there, and sat down in an obscure and low seat. The minister had just mounted the pulpit and soon recognized the king, notwithstanding his plain costume. He commenced his sermon, however, and went on with it logically and quietly, but at last, suddenly starting off at a tangent, he commenced to inveigh most violently against the habit of swearing, and expatiated on this subject till the end of his discourse.
After the sermon was ended the king had his dinner, to which he invited the minister, and when the bottle had circulated for a while: "Parson," says the king, "why didst thou flee so from thy text?"
"If it please your majesty," was the reply, "when you took the pains to come so far out of your way to hear me, I thought it very good manners for me to step a little way out of my text to meet with your majesty."
"By my saul, mon," exclaimed James, "and thou hast met with me so as never mon did."
It will be remembered that James I was notorious for cursing and swearing, in a manner almost verging on blasphemy. [[9]]
A Castle Stor(e)y
A Glasgow antiquary recently visited an old castle, and asked one of the villagers if he knew anything of an old story about the building.
"Ay," said the rustic, "there was another auld storey, but it fell down lang since."