Page:History of the Haverel wives, or, The folly of witless women displayed (3).pdf/5

Rh Jan.) A wat well did they, for the maiſt of them is dead and rotten, and the reſt o' then gade awa' to Italy, where the auld Pape their father, the de'il, the witches, brownies and faries dwal; and then we got anither ſort o' goſpel fouks, it they ca'd curits, fine ſort o' dainty honeſt fouks they war, but gay and greedy, they did not like ſculduddery-wark, but ſaid na' meikle againſt it, for a hantle o' bits a callens wad a gotten twa or three baſtards before they wad a gotten breeks; they beit to hae their tithes of everthing that grew, mony a time my father wiſt they wad tak the tithes o' his hemp too, an it were to hang themſels, they were ay warſt Whare a poor man or wife died, altho' they left weans fatherleſs and mitherleſs, a deed they wad a ſent their bellman, an wi' his lang prelatic fingers he wad a' harl'd the upper pair o' blankets aff o' the poor things bed, for ſome rent that they gard fouks pay for dying, a ſae did they een, and yet they keepit a hantle o' braw haly days, and days o' meikle meat, Faſtern's-een and Yule-days, when we gat our wames fou o' fat broſe, and a ſuppet Yule ſowens till our ſarks had been like to rive, and after that a eaten roſted cheeſe and white puddings well spiced, O braw times for the guts, well I wat everbody might live then that had ony thing to live on.

Mag.) But dear Janet ye're bra' an lang o' the memory, do ye mind o' the waefu'