Page:Comical history of Simple John, and his twelve misfortunes.pdf/21

Rh pay’d skins as I hae gotten, ye wad a kend what it was; ill chance on you sir; and out he goes cursing like a madman, throwing stanes and breaking the Minister’s windows for which he was caught and put twa hours in the stocks, and at last his lump of corruption came and rubbed his lugs, drew his nose, got him out, and drove him home before her, took a resolution never to set him about any business in time coming, but keep him on his loom.

Now she gave him no sleep a’ that night for scolding, John got up in the morning lang or day, and left his Tormenter in bed, fell asleep upon his loom with the candle in his hand, and so set the web, heddles, reed, and treadle cords in a fire. By chance his old Viper looked out of the bed, or the whole house had been gone. Up she gets, and with her cries alarmed the neighbourhood who came to her relief;