Page:Comical history of Simple John and his twelve misfortunes (1).pdf/20

Rh MISFORTUNE IX.

His mother-in-law, with several auld witty wives, held a private council on John’s conduct, and bad luck, and concluded he was bewitched. John was of the same opinion, and went to the Minister, and told him he was the cause of a’ his misfortunes, ca’d him a warlock to his face, and said, he had put such a black bargain into his hand, that he was ruined for ever; insisted either to unmarry them again, or send death and the bellman to take her awa, for she has a lump of mischief on her back and anither on her breast, and the rest of her body is a clean de’il. The Minister began to exhort him to peace and patience, telling him that marriages were made in heaven: “ye’re a biast liar,” says John, “for I was married in your ain kitchen, and a’ the blackguards in the town were there, an had it a been a heaven they wadna win in, yet tell me that matrimony was sic a happy state, but had ye gotten as mony weel