Page:History of John Cheap the chapman (5).pdf/3



JOHN CHEAP by chance, at ſome certain time, doubtleſs againſt my will, was born at the Hottom near Habertehoy mill: my father was a Scots Highlandman, and my mother a Yorkſhire wench, but honeſt, which cauſes me to be of a mongrel kind; I made myſelf a chapman when very young, in great hopes of being rich when I became old but fortune was fickle and ſo was I; for I had not been a chapman above two days, until I began to conſider the danger of deep ditches, midden-dubs, biting dogs and boggles in barns, bangſter wives and weet ſacks; and what comfort is it, to ly in a cows oxter, the length of a cold winter night; to ſit behind backs, till the kail be a' cuttied up, then to lick colley's leavings.

My firſt journey was thro' Old Kilpatrick all the day long I got no meat nor money until the evening, I began to aſk for lodging, then every wife, to get me away, would either give me a cogful of kail, or a piece of cake. Well, ſays I to myſelf, If this be the way, I ſhall begin in the morning to aſk for lodging, or any time when I am hungry. Thus I continued going from houſe to houſe, until my belly was like to burſt, and my pockets could hold no more; at laſt I came to a farmer's houſe, but thinking it not dark enough to prevail for lodging, I ſat down upon a ſtone at the end of the houſe, till day-light would go away out of the weſt; and as I was getting up to go into the houſe, out comes the goodwife, as