Page:History of John Cheap, the chapman (8).pdf/4

 her water with full force, which I bore with very modeſtly, till near an end; then ſhe made the wind follow 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 house I heard the goodman, ſaying, Ay, ay, goodwife, what's the haſte, you run ſo?

No more paſſed, until I addreſſed myſelf to the goodman for quarters; which he anſwered, "Indeed, lad, we hae nae beds but three, my wife and I, ourſells twa, and the twa bits o' little anes, Willie and Jenny lie in ane, the twa lads, our twa ſervant men, Willie Black and Tom lie in anither, and auld Maggs, my mither, and the laſs, Jean Tirram, 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 mother 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 Garner: Hute awa', quo' the auld wife, the poor lad may lie on a battle of 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 gat in beyond the fire, beſide the goodman: Now, ſaid I, goodwife, I like to be here: a d--l be here, an ye be here the night, ſaid ſhe; ho, ho, ſaid I, but I'm here firſt, and firſt com'd, firſt ſerv'd, goodwife; but an' the ill thief be a friend of yours, you'll have room for him too. Ye thief-like widdyfu' ſaid ſhe, are ye evening me to be fib to the foul thief