in the afternoon, when the farmers who had brought in their victual
for sale were loading their carts to take it home again, the price
not having come up to their expectation. All the forenoon, as the
wives that went to the meal-market, came back railing with toom
pocks and basins, it might have been foretold that the farmers would
have to abate their extortion, or that something would come o't
before night. My new house and shop being forenent the market, I
had noted this, and said to Mrs Pawkie, my wife, what I thought
would be the upshot, especially when, towards the afternoon, I
observed the commonality gathering in the market-place, and no
sparing in their tongues to the farmers; so, upon her advice, I
directed Thomas Snakers to put on the shutters.

Some of the farmers were loading their carts to go home, when the
schools skailed, and all the weans came shouting to the market.
Still nothing happened, till tinkler Jean, a randy that had been
with the army at the siege of Gibraltar, and, for aught I ken, in
the Americas, if no in the Indies likewise;--she came with her meal-
basin in her hand, swearing, like a trooper, that if she didna get
it filled with meal at fifteen-pence a peck, (the farmers demanded
sixteen), she would have the fu' o't of their heart's blood; and the
mob of thoughtless weans and idle fellows, with shouts and yells,
encouraged Jean, and egged her on to a catastrophe. The corruption
of the farmers was thus raised, and a young rash lad, the son of
James Dyke o' the Mount, whom Jean was blackguarding at a dreadful
rate, and upbraiding on account of some ploy he had had with the
Dalmailing session anent a bairn, in an unguarded moment lifted his
hand, and shook his neive in Jean's face, and even, as she said,
struck her. He himself swore an affidavit that he gave her only a
ding out of his way; but be this as it may, at him rushed Jean with