100 MR HENDERSON ON THE LOCAL PROVERBS OF BERWICKSHIRE. 



farm, which lay on the south side of the Eye, opposite the modern 

 and beautifully situated Inn of Houndwood. It now forms part of 

 the farm of Horseley, and its onstead is long since levelled with the 

 ground. Amperley was granted by the monks of Coldingham to one 

 Lewis de Cornoioi in 1334. 



4. " You're like Adam Weir's brood-sow, you have not a friend 

 in the world." 



Adam Weir was an eccentric farmer somewhere in the' Merse, 

 we think about its northern boundary. When men, boys, and dogs 

 were disposed to persecute his brood-sow, for her mischievous habits, 

 Mr W. took her under his protection, and would not allow any one 

 to injure her, saying that '• she had not a friend in the world but 

 himsel'." And when a youngster among the peasantry is rather 

 " hempie," and is run down by his companions for his faults, some 

 one will befriend him, and say, " You're just like Adam," &c. 



6. " You're like Adam Black's pony, nothing will tame you but 

 marriage." 



About fifty years ago, a cadger of the name of A. Black lived in 

 the village of West Reston. He had a wild, camstary pony, that 

 had a bad trick of shying at a whinbush, a grey stone, or any other 

 object it thought suspicious; and, setting off at full speed, it sometimes 

 threw the creels into the ditch ; consequently, breaking the eggs and 

 every other thing breakable which they contained. One day the 

 beast was about to play one of her usual tricks, when Adam laid 



firm hold of the halter, exclaiming, ** Confound you for a , 



I wish to gudeness I could get you married, for I dare say naething 

 else on earth will tame you !" This saying came to be a proverb, 

 and is now frequently applied to a forward, romping girl, when going 

 on in her fun and daffing. 



6. " Fair and honest John o' the Bank." 



When one country man wishes to compliment another for his 

 honesty, frankness, and independence of mind, it is often done in the 

 words of this saying, *'Ay, you're fair and honest John o' the 

 Bank." The person who gave origin to this saying was a Mr 

 John Richardson, tenant in Blackadder Bank, in the parish of Edrom, 

 about fifty years since. He was a wit, and the ^* king of gude fel- 

 lows" in his day, and was, moreover, much addicted to dancing. 

 When staking a bargain with any person, he was wont to commend 

 his own honesty and truthfulness, by saying that he was " fair and 

 honest John o' the Bank." He had a neighbour Mr Thomas Black- 



