John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 1: Comic and Humorous: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, ClassifiedGraham, Dougal
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John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 1: Comic and Humorous: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, Classified
Graham, Dougal
Chapbooks, Scottish; English literature -- 18th century; Graham, Dougal, 1724-1779; Popular literature -- Scotland
her own language, and alarmed the servants, who came to see what
was the matter. I told them their old sow was going to swallow me
up alive, bid them go and bring her meat, which they did, and the
brute became peaceable.
On the Sabbath morning I came into the house, the goodman asked me
if I could shave any: yes, said I, but never did on the sabbath
day. I fancy, said he, you are some Westland Whig? Sir, said I, you
may suppose me to be what you think proper to-day, but yesternight
you used me like a Tory, when you sent me into the sty to lie in
your sow’s oxter, who is a fitter companion for a devil than any
human creature; the most abominable brute upon the earth, said I,
who was forbidden to be eaten under the law, and cursed under the
gospel. Be they cursed or be they blessed, said he, I wish I had
anew of them: but an’ ye will not take aff my beard, ye’se get nae
meat here the day; then said I, if ye will not give me meat and
drink for money, until the sabbath be past, I’ll take 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 will not want your
crowdle, man. But my heart being full of sorrow and revenge a few
of them sufficed me, whereon I passed over that long day, and at
night went to sleep with my old companions, which was not sound,
being afraid of mistress sow 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 of
chapmen. Well, I had no sooner began to it, than out came a great
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. Well, said I, goodman, you 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,
bade her farewell for ever; 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?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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