“ So Simon returned back to the well, but his pail was lost, and he made a lamentation for it, enquiring about it but could hear nothing of it; and as the proverb says, one sorrow never comes alone; for in going in doors, the fire was flaming, and the bottom of the kettle burnt out. At the fight of this he fell to wringing his hands, and crying out with a lamentable tone, never was a man so unfortunate as poor Simon; what shall I say to my wife when she comes; first, I have lost the pail, second I have burnt out the bottom of the kettle. ”

“ When Simon saw this he could not forbear weeping and began to tell her a dismal story concerning the stocks; but she wanted her money for the eggs: But Simon being deaf, could not hear her, which made her fall on him with such fury, that at last he was obliged to run upstairs and jump out of the chamber window which when she saw, she followed him down the town with an hundred boys and girls after them, Simon still crying out to the people people, You may see what it is to be married. ”

“ When a man is determin’d on taking a wife,
’Tis a time to be nice—his quiet’s the price,
The odds are against—he’s wretched for life,
I can point out the charm to remove ev’ry harm,
So attend all ye batchelors taking a wife. ”

“ Thou rogue and rascal it is you that ruins all the poor women’s husbands in the town, and therefore you shall not go unrewarded, giving him such licks over the back and shoulders, as made poor Jobson lay in his bed for a fortnight. ”

“ Yes, sweet Margery, Margery I hope I shall in time. Well, says she I will you once more: Here, take this basket of eggs, and go to market and sell them and be sure do not break them nor spend the money, for if you do, sorrow will be your (illegible text) and you may expect to feel the weight my hand more than ever you have done yet. At which harsh words he trembled, and looked as white as his wife’s smock, for fear he should miscarry with his basket of eggs, for he knew his wife would be as good as her word.
Then Simon taking his basket of eggs, trudged to the market ”

“ The man riding on, Simon could not pace with him, so he desired him to leave it for him at the mill; he promised he would, but never intended to perform.--- Simon thus losing his sack of corn, knew not how to go home, and shew his face before his wife, until he got two or three of his neighbours to go with him, to beg for his pardon, and to help to make up the differences between them which they did after a long parly. So that for the crime he passed unpunished.
CHAP. IV.
Simon goes to the Market with his Basket of Eggs: breaks them all by the way, and is set in the stocks. ”

“ When John came to man’s state to the age of twenty-one years, he tell'd his mither he won’d hae a wife of some sort either young or auld, widow or lass, if they had but head, hips, tongue and tail, he should tak them, and weel I wat mither quoth he they’ll get a lumping penny worth o’ me, take me wha’ will. ”

“ John. A deed goodman, as ye’er ay dealing among dead beasts and living beasts, w’d put them awa’ amang other beasts, or gin ye be aun ony penny, let some body take them up o’ desperate debt, I sude flee the sykes fiae them, they anger’d you and sham’d you baith wi' their bastards, a wheen daft jades gets men or they are married, & bairns or they get bridals. ”

“ His mither tells him o' the black butcher on Ti’ot side, who had three dochters, and every one o' them had something, there was Kate. Ann, and Grizy, had a hundred merks the piece; Kate and Ann had both bastards, Grizy, the eldest, had a hump-back, high-breast, baker-legged,a short wry neck, thrawn mouth, and goggle ey’d, a perfect AEsop of the female kind, with as many crooked conditions within as without, a very lump of loun-like ill nature, row’d a’ together as if she had been nine months in a haggies. ”

“ BUT although he was not punished, according to the severe correction he had formerly received, yet he had not escaped the several railings in his ears for several days after, ever anon she crying out. You sot, (illegible text) you never be wise? ”