Page:Comical history of Simple John and his twelve misfortunes (4).pdf/21

 pay’d skins as I hae gotten, ye wad a kend what it is; 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 catched, and put twa hours into the stocks, and at last his wife came and rubbed his legs, threw 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 all that night for scolding. John got up in the morning lang or day, and left his Tormentor in bed, fell asleep upon his loom with the candle in his hand, and so set the web, heddles, reed, and treadle cords in fire. By chance his old Viper looked out of the bed, or the whole house had been gone. Up she got, and with her cries alarmed the neighbourhood, who came to her relief,