Page:Comical history of Simple John and his twelve misfortunes (9).pdf/20

20 MISFORTUNE IX.

His mother-in-law, with several auld witty wives, held a private council on John's conduct, and bad luck, and con- cluded 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 war- lock to his face, and said, he had put such a black bargain in 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 o her body is a clean deil. The Min- ister began to exhort him to peace and patience, telling him that marriages were made in heaven : " Ye're a baist liar, says John, for I was married in your ain kitchen, and at the blackguards in the town was there, and it had 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