Page:History of John Cheap the chapman (5).pdf/13

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JOHN CHEAP THE CHAPMAN
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the earth, ſaid I, which was forbidden to be eaten under the law, and curſed under the goſpel. Be they curſ'd or be they bleſſ'd, ſaid he, I wiſh I had anew of them; but an ye will not take off my beard. ye's get nae meat here to day; then ſaid I, if ye will not give me meat and drink for money, until the Sabbath be paſt, I'll tak on my wallet, and go along with you to the kirk, and tell your miniſter how you uſed me as a hog; no ſaid the goodwife, you ſhall not want your crowdie man. But my heart being full of ſorrow and revenge, a few of them ſufficed me, whereon I paſt over that long day, and at night went to ſleep with my old companions, which was no ſound being afraid of miſtreſs ſow's coming to revenge the quarrel we had the night before.

On the morning I went into the houſe, the goodman ordered me the pottage pot to lick, for, ſays he it is an old property to Chapmen. Well, I had no ſooner begun to it, then out came a great big maſtiff dog from below the bed, and grips me by the breaſt, then turns me over upon my back, and takes the pot himſelf: ay, ay, ſaid the goodman, I think your brother pot-licker and you cannot agree about your breakfaſt? A well, ſaid I, goodman, ye ſaid that pot licking was a Chapman's property but your dog proves the contrary: So away I comes, and meeting the goodwife at the door, bed her farewell forever; but what, ſaid I, is your huſband's name; to which ſhe anſwered, John Swine; I was thinking ſo, ſaid I, he has ſuch dirty faſhions, but whether was yon his mother or his ſiſter I lay with theſe two nights.

All that day I travelled the country Weſt from Haddington, but could get no meat; when I aſked if they had any to ſell, they told me, they never did ſell any bread, and I found by ſad experience, they had none to give for nothing. I came into a little country village, and went through it all, houſe after houſe, and could get neither bread nor ale to buy: at laſt I came into a weaver's houſe, and aſked him if he would lend me a hammer,