MR HENDERSON ON THE LOCAL PROVERBS OF BERWICKSHIRE. 103 



turnips, potatoes, &c. One summer he conceived a fancy for some 

 peats, which were dried and stacked up at the Dron moss, on Cold- 

 ingham Moor ; and taking advantage of a king's fast day^ for he 

 was not over-loyal, he took his son's cart, and a boy, and set off to 

 bring home a load of peats. After he had packed the cart as full 

 as it would hold, and had begun to drive homewards, he observed 

 the owner of the peats coming across the moor ; he immediately 

 cried out to the boy who was driving — •* Ca' away callant, for the 

 deil a bit o^ yon man I like !*' He had truly no cause to like him ; — 

 and the denouement may be anticipated,— he had to leave the peats 

 and return home empty-handed. During harvest or hay time, 

 should the master be absent for a while from his work-people, they 

 sometimes slacken a little in their labours — and when they see him 

 returning, we have heard them, in a sportive manner, say to one an- 

 other — ** Ca' away callants,'* &c. in order to excite themselves to 

 further exertion. 



14. •* Langton's coat," and ** Bowmaker's purgative." 

 Tq be under ** bowmaker's purgative," is to feign sickness for the 

 purpose of avoiding punishment, or some disagreeable duty. And 

 we have heard it said of an apostate, who forsakes his party in re- 

 ligion or politics, that he has on '* Langton's coat." We have the 

 origin of these sayings pointed out in the words of David Home of 

 God's-Croft, in the following passage of his MS. ** History of the 

 House of Wedderburn." *' In the month of June 1497, the English 

 made an incursion into the neighbourhood of Dunse. In this in- 

 cursion, two things happened,^' says Home, •* which, thou^ they 

 are both very ridiculous, ought not, perhaps, to be passed over 

 in silence. Langton (Cockburn of Langton), being alarmed, as 

 we have already said, happened to run out unarmed. When he saw 

 that the engagement was drawing near, he ordered his men to 

 dismount, and he himself hastened to shew the example. Some of 

 his vassals very unwillingly did what he commanded them ; but out 

 of care to their master, advised him to keep upon his horse, and 

 not rashly expose himself to armed men (for he was altogether un- 

 armed)]; to whom he said, that he would turn the coat he had on 

 outside in, which, as it was white in the inside, would have the ap- 

 pearance of a coat of mail to the enemy ; and with that he leapt 

 from his horse into the midst of his men, and there fought so stoutly, 

 that he deserved and obtained great praise of all. The other is sur- 

 named Bowmaker. Having by chance, a few days after, fallen into 

 the hands of the English, he is said, with many tears, to have b«- 



