MR HENDERSON ON THE LOCAL PROVERBS OF BERWICKSHIRE. 



99 



has been long an inhabitant of the woods in the vicinity of Hound- 

 wood and Ronton. I have been told by an intelligent workman, who 

 was employed in forming the post-road below the latter place, about 

 thirty years ago, that he caught several specimens of the glow-worm 

 there, and kept them for some time in a common drinking -glass. It 

 is likely, I think, that the glow-worm will be found in the Pease 

 Dean, and other sheltered places in Berwickshire. 



Chirnside, December 12. 1843. 



Addenda to the Local Proverbs, ^c, of Berwickshire. 

 By Mr George Henderson, Chirnside. 



1. •* She comes and goes like the Coil-mill bum." 



The " CoU-mill burn" flows into the sea below Coldingham. De- 

 scending from the moors, the stream is quickly increased by rain, 

 and as quickly lessened by drought, hence the application of the pro- 

 verb to a person who is well to-day and ill to-morrow. I was once 

 asking a man how his wife was, when he replied—" She just comes 

 and gangs like the CoU-mill burn.*" 



2. *' Renton is its name, and rent it will be." 



We have here an example of an alliterative proverb, and probably 

 it has little or no meaning ; but the peasantry who are fond of tra- 

 cing worldly calamities to the immediate judgment of God upon any 

 man who has rendered himself obnoxious to them, by conduct of 

 which they do not approve, say, that Thomas the Rythmer thus 

 prophesied the downfall of the family of Renton, because of its wick- 

 edness. Sir Alexander Home of Renton, who was sheriff of Ber- 

 wickshire from 1616 till 1621, was very vigorous in the discharge 

 of his duty, and consequently incurred the hatred of many under his 

 jurisdiction, and hence they wished that his estate would be rent from 

 him or his descendants ; and the country folks yet tell that the 

 Rythmer's prophecy was verified upon his family, — ^the Homes haT- 

 ing now not a foot of land in the place. 



3. " She's like the man o' Amperley's cow ; she's come hame wi* 

 the tow about her horns.'' 



That is, the cow came home unsold ; and the proverb is applied 

 to a young woman, who comes home from the fair or market without 

 '* a jo', '* or sweetheart. Amperley is the name of an abrogated 



