Page:History of Buckhaven.pdf/5

5 Now, Wise Willie and Witty Eppie the ale wife, lived there about a hundred years ago, Eppie's chamber was their College and court-house where they decide their controversies, and explained their wonders; for the house was like a little kirk, had four windows and a gable door, the wives got leave to flyte their till but fighting was prohibited, as Eppie said, 'Up hands was foul play.' Their fines was a pint of ale and Eppie sold it at a plack the pint. They had neither minister nor magistrate, nor a burleybaille, to brag them with his tolbooth. The Lord of the Manor decided all disputable points and Wise Willie and Witty Eppie, the ale wife were the rulers of the town.

Now Eppie had a daughter, she called her Lingle tailed Nancy, because of her feckless drowth; her waist was like a twitter, she had nae curpen for her creel, being Edinburgh bred, and brought up with her London aunty, was learned to read and sew, made coarse claes, and callicoe mancoes there was nae at scholar in the town but hersel, she read the Bible, and the book of kirk sangs was newly came in fashion. Willie and Eppie told them aye what it meant, and said a' the letters in it was litted by my Lord, for they saw him hae a feather that he dipped in black water, and made brooked scores just like the same, and then he spoke o'er again, and it told him what to say.