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King William's kindness is not to be forgotten, who not only relieved us from tyranny, but had such a sympathy for Scotland when in distress of famine, that he offered all who would transport victual to Scotland that they might do it custom free, and have twenty-pence for each boll.
I cannot pass this occasion of giving remarks on some observable providences that followed these strange judgements, on persons who dwelt on low-lying fertile places, who laid themselves out to raise markets, when at such a height, and had little sympathy with the poor, or those who lived in cold muirish places, who thought those who lived in those fertile places had a little heaven: but soon thereafter their little heavens were turned into little hells, by unexpected providences. Some wrote sixteen remarks upon that terrible fire which fell out on the 2d or 3d of February. 1700. in the Parliament Close in Edinburgh. One was, that most of those people who dwelt there, were rich, and lived sumptuously and had little sympathy with the distressed case of the land that their fine houses, which were eleven years in building, were in a few hours turned to a burnt, ruinous heap. But, more especially, there was a farmer in the parish of West Calder (in which parish 300 of 900 examinable persons died) who at that time was reckoned worth 6000 merks of money and goods, that had very little to spare to the poor; the victual lay spoiling in his house and yard, waiting for a greater price. Two honest servant-lasses, whose names were Nisbet, being cast out of service, (for every one could not have it, many said, they got too much wages that got meat for work) these two lasses would not steal, and they were ashamed to beg they crept into an empty house, and sat there wanting meat till their sight was almost gone; and then they went, about a mile of way, to that farmer's yard, and cut four stocks of kail to save their lives: He found them, and drave them before him to the Laird of Bawd, who was a Justice of Peace, that he might get them punished. The Laird enquired what moved them to go by so many yards and go to his? They said, these in their way were in straits themselves, and he could bestspare
