Page:Fun upon fun, or, The comical and merry tricks of Leper the tailor (1).pdf/22

22 says, if thou be an earthly creature, take that tankard and drink,’ which he did. Then says he his master, ‘Leper called me up, and said you wanted me in all haste.’ ‘ Ho, ho, says the laird, find out the story now; if I had Leper I would run my sword through him.’ But Leper before this was away for Glasgow with his meal.

Leper was in use to give his lads their Sunday supper, which obliged him to stay from the kirk in the afternoon, he having neither wife nor servant maid; so one Sunday afternoon, as he was cooking his pot, John Muckle Cheek and James Puff and Blaw, two civileers, having more zeal than knowledge, came upon him, and said, what is the matter, sir, you go not to the kirk? Leper replied, I am reading my book, and cooking my pot which I think is a work of necessity. Then say the one to the other, ‘Don’t answer that graceless fellow, we’ll make him appear before his betters So they took the kail pot, and puts a staff throng the bools, and bears it to the clerk’s chamber. Leper, who was never at a loss for invention, goes to the Principal of the college’s house, nobody being at home but a lass roasting a leg of mutton. Leper says. My dear, will you go and bring me a pint of ale, and I’ll turn the spit till you come back. The lass was no sooner gone, than he runs away way with the leg of mutton, which served his lads and him for their supper. When the Principal came home, he was neither to haud nor to bind he was so angry; so on Monday he goes and makes complaint to the Lord Provost, who sends two officers for Leper, who came immediately. - My Lord asked him how he dared to take away the