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(illegible text) Jan. De de'ils i' de carles, for you and your mi- niſter is liars, when ye ſay that de de'il was helping Sandy and me to get de bairn. Come, come, ſaid they, pay down the kirk-dues and come back to the tool the morn, four pound an a groat to the bellman. Jan. The auld thief ſpeed the dearth oʻt, ſtir, ſo leſſ might fair you and your bell-man baith, O ha this be a hard world indeed, when poor honeſt folk maun pay for making uſe o' their s- ye miſea ay de poor de'il ahist his back and gie him de wyte o a' de ill dune in the kintry, baſtard bairns and very thing, and if it be as you fay ye bay thank di deil for dat gude four pound an de groat I hae gier you that gars your pour boil brown and get jockey costs purl handed forks, and white headed ſtaves when my father's pot wallops up rough bear ani blue water. The woman's mad, ſaid they, for this money i to the poor of the pariſh. The poor o' the pariſh, ſaid ſhe, and that way o't, a ſint hait ye gie them but wee pickle peaſe meil, didna I fee't in their pocks, and de mi niſter's wife gies naething ava to unco beggara, bu bids them gang hame to their ain pariſh, and yet ye'l tuk ta purſe fraa poor souks for nothing but playing the lown a wee or they be married, and ſyne cock them up to be looked on & Taught at by every body a deil ſpeed you and your juſtice ſtir; hute, tute, y are coming on me now like a wheen colly dog, hanting was poor ragget chapman frae the door and out the comeſ curting and greeting: Sandy next called upon, and in he goes. Min. Now, Saunders, you maun tell us howth gotten.
