登陆注册
15693400000005

第5章 YEAR 1761(1)

It was in this year that the great smuggling trade corrupted all the west coast, especially the laigh lands about the Troon and the Loans. The tea was going like the chaff, the brandy like well- water, and the wastrie of all things was terrible. There was nothing minded but the riding of cadgers by day, and excisemen by night--and battles between the smugglers and the king's men, both by sea and land. There was a continual drunkenness and debauchery; and our session, that was but on the lip of this whirlpool of iniquity, had an awful time o't. I did all that was in the power of nature to keep my people from the contagion: I preached sixteen times from the text, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's." I visited, and I exhorted; I warned, and I prophesied; I told them that, although the money came in like sclate stones, it would go like the snow off the dyke. But for all I could do, the evil got in among us, and we had no less than three contested bastard bairns upon our hands at one time, which was a thing never heard of in a parish of the shire of Ayr since the Reformation. Two of the bairns, after no small sifting and searching, we got fathered at last; but the third, that was by Meg Glaiks, and given to one Rab Rickerton, was utterly refused, though the fact was not denied; but he was a termagant fellow, and snappit his fingers at the elders. The next day he listed in the Scotch Greys, who were then quartered at Ayr, and we never heard more of him, but thought he had been slain in battle, till one of the parish, about three years since, went up to London to lift a legacy from a cousin that died among the Hindoos. When he was walking about, seeing the curiosities, and among others Chelsea Hospital, he happened to speak to some of the invalids, who found out from his tongue that he was a Scotchman; and speaking to the invalids, one of them, a very old man, with a grey head and a leg of timber, inquired what part of Scotland he was come from; and when he mentioned my parish, the invalid gave a great shout, and said he was from the same place himself; and who should this old man be, but the very identical Rab Rickerton, that was art and part in Meg Glaiks' disowned bairn.Then they had a long converse together,and he had come through many hardships, but had turned out a good soldier; and so, in his old days, was an indoor pensioner, and very comfortable; and he said that he had, to be sure, spent his youth in the devil's service, and his manhood in the king's, but his old age was given to that of his Maker, which I was blithe and thankful to hear; and he enquired about many a one in the parish, the blooming and the green of his time, but they were all dead and buried; and he had a contrite and penitent spirit, and read his Bible every day, delighting most in the Book of Joshua, the Chronicles, and the Kings.

Before this year, the drinking of tea was little known in the parish, saving among a few of the heritors' houses on a Sabbath evening; but now it became very rife: yet the commoner sort did not like to let it be known that they were taking to the new luxury, especially the elderly women, who, for that reason, had their ploys in out-houses and by-places, just as the witches lang syne had their sinful possets and galravitchings; and they made their tea for common in the pint-stoup, and drank it out of caps and luggies, for there were but few among them that had cups and saucers. Well do I remember one night in harvest, in this very year, as I was taking my twilight dauner aneath the hedge along the back side of Thomas Thorl's yard, meditating on the goodness of Providence, and looking at the sheaves of victual on the field, that I heard his wife, and two three other carlins, with their Bohea in the inside of the hedge, and no doubt but it had a lacing of the conek, {3} for they were all cracking like pen-guns. But I gave them a sign, by a loud host, that Providence sees all, and it skailed the bike; for I heard them, like guilty creatures, whispering, and gathering up their truck-pots and trenchers, and cowering away home.

同类推荐
  • A Legend of Montrose

    A Legend of Montrose

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 集验方

    集验方

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 三部律抄一卷

    三部律抄一卷

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 猗觉寮杂记选辑

    猗觉寮杂记选辑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 大方广佛华严经修慈分

    大方广佛华严经修慈分

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 朕的亲亲小皇后

    朕的亲亲小皇后

    哎,这自打本宫入宫以来啊,就独得皇上恩宠,你看着后宫佳丽三千,皇上偏偏宠我一人,可是怎么办呢,本宫不想他有后宫佳丽三千,本宫要他,一生一世一双人,只对,本宫一人好。本宫虽然是敌国细作,又有个另一个敌国太子妃的名头,而且骄悍,跋扈,不讲理,但是,谁让他宋律心中只有我一个人来着。若是他不从,他敢不从……
  • 佛养心,道养性:用佛的境界道的胸怀点释人生

    佛养心,道养性:用佛的境界道的胸怀点释人生

    从淡泊、立身、烦恼、随缘、平常、 包容、谦逊、信念、精进、学问、交友、生活等方面 ,以清新的语言和生动的故事,多角度、多层次地阐 述了佛家和道家博大精深的思想,揭示生活妙理,点 破世俗迷障,以睿智的机锋给世人以深刻的启示,为世人指明人生的方向,是滋润心田的一泓清泉,是治 疗苦病的一剂良方。
  • EXO之我家有个大律师

    EXO之我家有个大律师

    明明是歌手却很戏精的他遇见了明明是律师却很逗比的她,他们之间会擦出怎样的火花呢?如此般配的一段恋情却发生了这么多事情,结局到底怎么样了呢?敬请期待!
  • 无双霸主系统

    无双霸主系统

    地球少年罗凌风来到异界大陆,获得无双霸主系统。“杀人也能升级?”“当然!”“杀人也能爆神装?”“当然!”“诸天万界的人来找你怎么办?”“碾碎他们!”
  • 兵王聚首之转战全球

    兵王聚首之转战全球

    【网络原创文学现实主义题材征文大赛】这是一部热血故事!更是一部中国退伍兵的现实故事!一本能读懂军人的小说!没有手撕鬼子的强大,更没有穿越场景的惊心动魄,只是生命中有了当兵的历史一辈子不后悔的誓言!!!献给所有军迷和当过兵的朋友·······
  • tfboys我陪你一起走

    tfboys我陪你一起走

    我怕烟火的绚丽,是化为灰烬的前奏“我连自己亲生父母都不知道,根本不配和你一起!”“可是我爱你啊!”再此说明:此本小说的男主角是易!烊!千!玺!,女主角是苏!沫!染!
  • 伏龙凤雏

    伏龙凤雏

    平凡的人不平凡的事,平凡的生活不平凡的遭遇,所有的一切都事出有因,每天上演的悲剧与不幸为了最终出现的美好结局,那这些事都是值得的。
  • 星河武者

    星河武者

    空间星门,空间跳跃,空间虫洞,是支撑星际时代的三大基石。人工智能,基因技术,纳米工厂,星际移民,是星际时代的四大支柱。星际移民对人体素质要求极高,因此,古老的武术曾风靡一时,但随着基因技术,智能机甲的不断完善,武术渐渐的退出历史的舞台,成为底层人们最无奈的选择。面对动辄几百吨力量输出,甚至能横渡虚空的机甲,面对各种高能武器,面对强悍的基因战士,武者还能崛起吗?一次虫洞穿梭,一个原始而神秘的土著星球,姜炎无意中发现了武者的真谛,于是,身具各种武技神通,融合各种宇宙能量的星河武者诞生了。
  • 花千骨之画情柔骨

    花千骨之画情柔骨

    她是世界上最后一个神,出生时满城鲜花尽数凋零,顾取名:花千骨。她一次又一次的被伤的体无完肤,但依然爱着白子画...
  • 人脉的力量:告诉你如何构建自己的人脉关系网

    人脉的力量:告诉你如何构建自己的人脉关系网

    本书通过大量贴近生活的事例和精炼的要点,从立足社会、成就事业,从与朋友、上司、同事等多方面入手,生动地讲述和展示了经营人脉、打理关系、巧妙处世、和谐人生的技巧和方法。掌握、懂得这些技巧和方法,将会使我们在人际中游刃有余,在事业的道路上立于不败之地。