I have seen the day when ten of the bannocks which stand upon that board would have been an acceptable dainty to as many men, that were starving on hills and bogs, and in caves of the earth, for the Gospel's sake." "And that's what vexes me maist of a'," said the cooper, anxious to get some one to sympathise with his not altogether causeless anger; "an the quean had gien it to ony suffering sant, or to ony body ava but that reaving, lying, oppressing Tory villain, that rade in the wicked troop of militia when it was commanded out against the sants at Bothwell Brig by the auld tyrant Allan Ravenswood, that is gane to his place, I wad the less hae minded it.

But to gie the principal parts o' the feast to the like o' him----!" "Aweel, Gilbert," said the minister, "and dinna ye see a high judgment in this?
The seed of the righteous are not seen begging their bread: think of the son of a powerful oppressor being brought to the pass of supporting his household from your fulness." "And, besides," said the wife, "it wasna for Lord Ravenswood neither, an he wad hear but a body speak: it was to help to entertain the Lord Keeper, as they ca' him, that's up yonder at Wolf's Crag." "Sir William Ashton at Wolf's Crag!" ejaculated the astonished man of hoops and staves.
"And hand and glove wi' Lord Ravenswood," added Dame Lightbody.
"Doited idiot! that auld, clavering sneckdrawer wad gar ye trow the moon is made of green cheese.

The Lord Keeper and Ravenswood! they are cat and dog, hare and hound." "I tell ye they are man and wife, and gree better than some others that are sae," retorted the mother-in-law; "forbye, Peter Puncheon, that's cooper the Queen's stores, is dead, and the place is to fill, and----" "Od guide us, wull ye haud your skirling tongues!" said Girder,--for we are to remark, that this explanation was given like a catch for two voices, the younger dame, much encouraged by the turn of the debate, taking up and repeating in a higher tone the words as fast as they were uttered by her mother.
"The gudewife says naething but what's true, maister," said Girder's foreman, who had come in during the fray.

"I saw the Lord Keeper's servants drinking and driving ower at Luckie Sma'trash's, ower-bye yonder." "And is their maister up at Wolf's Crag ?" said Girder.
"Ay, troth is he," replied his man of confidence.
"And friends wi' Ravenswood ?" "It's like sae," answered the foreman, "since he is putting up wi' him." "And Peter Puncheon's dead ?" "Ay, ay, Puncheon has leaked out at last, the auld carle," said the foreman; "mony a dribble o' brandy has gaen through him in his day.

But as for the broche and the wild-fowl, the saddle's no aff your mare yet, maister, and I could follow and bring it back, for Mr.Balderstone's no far aff the town yet." "Do sae, Will; and come here, I'll tell ye what to do when ye owertake him." He relieved the females of his presence, and gave Will his private instructions.
"A bonny-like thing," said the mother-in-law, as the cooper re-entered the apartment, "to send the innocent lad after an armed man, when ye ken Mr.Balderstone aye wears a rapier, and whiles a dirk into the bargain." "I trust," said the minister, "ye have reflected weel on what ye have done, lest you should minister cause of strife, of which it is my duty to say, he who affordeth matter, albeit he himself striketh not, is in no manner guiltless." "Never fash your beard, Mr.Bide-the-Bent," replied Girder; "ane canna get their breath out here between wives and ministers.