Often the women joined in, and as they bid excitedly against each other the church rang with opprobrious epithets.

A man would come to the roup late, and learn that the seat he wanted had been knocked down.

He maintained that he had been unfairly treated, or denounced the local laird to whom the seat-rents went.

If he did not get the seat he would leave the kirk.
Then the woman who had forestalled him wanted to know what he meant by glaring at her so, and the auction was interrupted.

Another member would "thrip down the throat" of the auctioneer that he had a right to his former seat if he continued to pay the same price for it.