"Hang her, jade, quoth John; I can't endure her, as long as she keeps that rascal Jack's company." They told him, the way to reclaim her was to take her into his house; that by conversation the childish humours of their younger days might be worn out. These arguments were enforced by a certain incident. It happened that John was at that time about making his will and entailing his estate[1], the very same in which Nic. Frog is named executor. Now his sister Peg's name being in the entail, he could not make a thorough settlement without her consent. There was, indeed, a malicious story went about, as if John's last wife had fallen in love with Jack as he was eating custard on horseback[2]: that she persuaded John to take his sister into the house, the better to drive on the intrigue with Jack, concluding he would follow his mistress Peg. All I can infer from this story, is, that when one has got a bad character in the world, people will report and believe any thing of one, true or false. But to return to my story; when Peg received John's message, she huffed and stormed like the devil[3]: "My brother John, quoth she, is grown wondrous kind-hearted all of a sudden,, but I meikle doubt whether it be not mair for their own conveniency than for my good: he draws up his writs and his deeds, forsooth, and I must set my hand to
- ↑ The succession to the crown having been settled by act of parliament in England, upon the house of Hanover, and no such act having passed in Scotland, then a separate kingdom, it was thought a proper time to complete the union which had been often attempted, and which was recommended to the Scots by king William III.
- ↑ A presbyterian lord mayor of London.
- ↑ The Scots expressed their fears for the presbyterian government, and of being burdened with the English national debts.
