[91] John Cheap seems here to have been credited with possession of the ‘evil eye,’ while he was really only guilty of a very questionable practical joke.
[92] That is, his mother gave him a good thrashing for it.
[93] In the edition here followed, the heading is ‘Fun upon Fun,’ but the one given above is more distinctive, while its use is sanctioned by the precedent of 1820 edition. The edition of 1816 has—‘The Comical and Merry Tricks of Leper the Taylor.’
[94] The custom of the common people, when the ‘goodman’ required a suit, was to have a tailor working in the house for a day or two, during which time he had his board and lodging, with a small money payment. Sometimes a week’s work might be given the tailor in this way, when the ‘callans,’ as well as their father, were in need of new clothes. When the goodwife and her daughters were similarly situated, the dressmaker was brought in on the same principle. This custom is not yet dead; though it is fast disappearing.
[95] In a modern Glasgow edition the reading here is:—‘In her own bedroom.’ That, however, seems to be a suggestion of a later time. The probability is that the reference is to a press-bed enclosed in front with wood, with a door which was closed during the day-time. Round these beds were shelves.
[96] Under the old system of apprenticeship the master had a fatherly care over his apprentice in addition to the obligation to learn him his trade.
[97] In some of the later editions of this chap-book the reading here is:—‘Wonderful fire! Wonderful fire!’ This is probably a misprint, the old fashioned ‘s’ beginning the word ‘sirs’ in the older editions having caused confusion.
[98] An apt illustration of the relations of the clergy of that period towards the common superstitions.
[99] In this case the feeling of the relatives was satisfied by the death—or supposed death—having been ‘fair o’erseen’ ‘before good neighbours;’ the want of which caused Jockey, the hero of Jockey and Maggy, considerable anxiety. See [note on that chap-book].
[100] Old women, whose privilege it was, in respect of their age, to perform such duties.