[319] Rope.

We cannot forget how coldrif the French women seimed to be in the winter.  The marchands wifes and thorow all the shops every one have their lame choffer[320] ful of rid charcoal wt their hands in among the mids of it almost.  The beggar wifes going up and doune the streits had them also.

       * * * * * [321]

    [320] Earthenware chafing dish.

    [321] Twenty-two lines erased in MS.

We cannot forget the shift that the poor folk which have no bowets[322] (which generally are not so good as ours) take when they go out under night, as I have sein them when I have bein going or coming from Mr. Alex’rs, and it would have bein so dark that I could not sy my finger before me.  It is they take a peice wood thats brunt only at one end, and goes thorow the toune waging[323] it from one syde to the other, it casting a litle light before him.  It would almost fly[324] a man in a dark night to sie it at a distance, and always approaching him, til he keen what it is.

    [322] Lanterns.

    [323] Wagging.

    [324] Frighten.

We cannot but insert a not of a Northren Ministers preaching.  His text was about Piters threefold denial of Christ, and that wt oaths.  Beloved, its wery much controverted amongs the learned what ware the oaths that Piter swoore, yet the most part condeschends that they ware thir:  the 1, God confound me, if I keen such a man; the 2, Devil ding me in testons;[325] the third, by Gods wounds, I do not keen him.  Mungo Murray of the life gard was in the kirk, and resolving to make sport came to the Minister after the kirk was scailed, telling him that he agreed wt him about the 1 [first] 2 oaths that they ware so, but he could not be of his mind about the thrid, by Gods wounds, for Christ had not yet received any wounds, so that he could not swear by Gods wounds.  The Minister began, Sir, I am very glad that ye take the freedom to propon your doubts, for its a signe of attention.  As to your difficulty, ye would know that a man when he is sorest prest he wil swear sorest, so that Peter keipt the greatest oath last; also ye would know that it was a Profetical oath, as give he sould have sayd, by the wounds that Christ is to receave.

    [325] Teston or testoon, a small silver coin.  The last in Scotland were
        coined by Mary in 1561, value 5s.  Scots.

In the Hylands their was a minister that was to give the Communion to his Parish wheir it had not bein given 6 or 7 years before.  For that effect they sent to Monross[326] to buy the win, which being come, he and his elders bit to tast it for fear of poisoning their honest parishioners.  Er ever they wist of themselfes they fand it so good that they licked it out every drap, and was forced to give the communion in good rid aile.

    [326] Montrose.

We most not forget the story of the English Capitaine, who thinking to flie his Hostesse, he was so frighted himselfe, his man wtout his direction having bought a great oxes hyde and covered himselfe wt it, that looping over the stair for hast he brake on of his legs.