Page:History of John Cheap, the Chapman (7).pdf/4

4 with such force, as made, as I thought the very stone I leaned upon to move, which made me burst out into laughter; then up gets the wife and runs for it; I followed hard after into the house, and as I entered the door, I heard the goodman saying, Ay, ay, goodwife, what's the haste, you run sae fast?

No more passed, until I addressed the goodman for quarters; which he answered, 'indeed lad, we hae nae beds but three, my wife and I, ourselves twa, and the twa bits o' little anes, Willy aadand [sic] Jenny lie in ane; the twa lads, our twa servant men, Willy Black and Tom Eve, lie in anither; auld Maggs my mither, and the lass Jean Tirrem lie thegither, and that fills them a'. 'O but, says I goodman, there is some of them fuller than others, you may let me lie with your mither and the lass: I shall lie heads and thraws wi' them, and keep on my breeks. A good keep me, quo' the lass frae a' temptations to sin, although thou be but a callan, heth I'll rather lie wi' Sannock Garnor. Hout awa, quo' the auld wife, the poor lad may lie on a battle o' strae beyond the fire. No, no, cries the goodwife, he's no be here the night, or I'se no be here. Dear goodwife, said I, what ails you at me! If you will not let me stay, you'll not hinder me to go where I please. Ay, ay, said she, gae where you like; then I got in beyond the fire, beside the goodman. Now, said I, goodwife, I like to be here. A d---l be here, and ye be here the night, said she. Ho, ho, said I, but I'm here first, and first comed, first served, goodwife; but if the ill thief be a friend of yours, you'll hae room for him too. Ye thief-like widdifu', said she, are ye evening me to be sib to the foul thief; 'tis weel kend I am com'd o' gude