Page:Studies in Lowland Scots - Colville - 1909.djvu/97

Rh possession by sasine, a term also familiar to Shakspere from Horatio's statement, "All those his lands which he stood seised of." The general intelligibility of these terms goes far to prove that in old society law was not "a supperfluity" but a "necessar."

The Church was another peculiar institution, with terms in still more popular use. It was governed by an assembly, synod, presbytery and session. In a land of many sects one belonged to a body. In the hey-day of schism a stranger, present at a social gathering of one of these groups, approached a little girl and addressed her affably, but she pulled him up short with, "I dinna belang to the body." No Dissenter could join in the laird's comprehensive toast, "The Kirk, the auldest, the cheapest, and the best." In Moderate circles a Dissenter was classed in a common horror with a Radical, a Patriot, and a Quaker. Such was the attitude of that otherwise meek and worthy man, Dr. Haldane, of St. Andrews. He was reprimanding the beadle for ill-using his wife, but was completely disarmed by the sly rogue's apologia. "Weel, ye see, doctor, she'll no hud awa fae thae Dissenters," eliciting the reply, "Then if you must do it, John, let it be in moderation." Sacerdotalism, ritualism, and the sanctity of consecration found no favour with these sturdy democrats. The minister was but human. One old dame refused to give him his title after he had been made a D.D. When remonstrated with she retorted, "Weel I wat, there's nae doctors in Heevin." The elders were always ready to sound his doctrine or prove his conduct, and even the beadle had a mind of his own about the conduct of the sanctuary. A clergyman, unduly conscious of greatness, after a higher flight than usual, asked his man if he did not share this feeling. "Ou, aye, yer Psaums wuz no that bad."

Little respect was paid to either the kirk or the kirkyard. To uncover on entering the one, or to do anything but gossip or feed calves in the other, savoured of innovation or sacerdotalism. The centre of the tabernacle was the poopit, rising over the lettern, all that was left of the lectern and the old-time institution of the reader, whose place was taken by the precentor. This last functionary was much exercised over the wedding of the metres to tunes. On one occasion when an