

190 NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 



while, that if they would not be quiet, he would 

 make them quiet, and keep the peace too, and 

 their houses to boot. And for your part, guid 

 wife, (quo the provost,) seek your remedy at 

 law, it's a friend's advice, and the best course 

 you can take. And for Billy Pringle, he may 

 do the like. The words drop'd savourly from his 

 worship's mouth, so took effect. 



And now the guid wife arrests Billy Pringle, 

 because that his cow drank off her ale. And he 

 like a man to purge himself by law, traverses 

 the action at the Court at Edinburgh, where the 

 case was opened, and pleadings on both sides. 

 But the woman's counsel pleads hard for satis- 

 faction ; when an advocate for Billy Pringle so- 

 licites the Judg, that an award be allowed to his 

 client Pringle : For, my lord, quo he, they pro- 

 duce no precedent ; nor was it ever known in 

 the kingdom of Scotland that a cow paid a plack 

 for a standing- drink : nay, more than that, she 

 never call'd for't, and Doh and Doris is the cus- 

 tom of our country ; where note, a standing- 

 drink was never yet paid for. With these and 

 the like circumstances he made the Court merry, 

 because utterly to exceed and confound their 

 practice ; so that now every lawyer became a 

 mute, and every auditor a silent admirer. 



During this silence there rush'd into the Court 

 a crew of sawcy surly fellows, that proffered to 



