Page:History of John Cheap the chapman (5).pdf/20

 goodman? come in by, ye's get a night o' our barn Thanks to you goodwife, an we ſud get nae mair. then being preferred to my old ſeat, and got the to ſtir, until they were near ready, when the  ordered the lad to take the old blankets, and ſhew  my bed in the barn; I then gave the ſowens the  turn, and having about the bigneſs of a nut of C--l, drops it into the pot, then went off to bed in the  faſt as I could, and made faſt both the doors within,  the bewitched ſowens, out of the pot, ſhould attack  in my ſleep. Next morning when I came in, the began to pray for herſelf and all that ſhe had,, "It's Wedneſday thro' a' the warld, and good  you and me, chapman, for ye're either a  a warlock, or ſomething that's no canny, for ye  our ſowens laſt night, for they gaed mad; raged out  the pot, belling and bizzing like barm, I thought  wad run out to the barn to you, ſee how they fill'd  my milk-tub, and a' the diſhes in the houſe is fu'  them." Dear goodwife, ſaid I, they were very when I left them, tho' I did not prie them, and I  them as much good of them as I got, but certainly  are not witcht, but a bleſſing in them, when they  multiplied. 'Gae awa', cryed ſhe in a paſſion, no canny, ye's ne're be here again." I need not  that, ſaid I, for I have nothing to thank you for, but  dinner, ſupper, and breakfaſt, and for a night of  barn, I'll pay it when I come back: "Ay, ay, ſaid, you need not thank me for what ye did not get." That no my fault goodleſs-goodwife, ſaid I, proſperity to you and your witch'd ſowens.

The next little town I came to, and the firſt which I entered, the wife cryed out, 'Plague on  ſnout ſir, ye filthy black-guard chapman like b---h  are, the laſt time ye came here, ye gard our Sandy  the good bane kame it I gaide a sax-pence for in  ay did ye ay, ſae did ye een, and ſaid ye wou'd gie