"Ye sent him here, (quoth Bessy grumbling), Kend I this James? A chiel came rumbling, But how was I assured when dark,

That he had been nae thievish spark,
Or some rude wencher gotten a doze,
That a weak wife cou'd ill oppose?"
"And what came of him? speak nae langer,"
Cries Halbert, in a Highland anger.

"I sent him to the barn," quoth she :
"Gae quickly bring him in," quoth he.

James was brought in-the wife was bawked

The priest stood close-the miller cracked-
Then ask'd his sunkan gloomy spouse,

What supper had she in the house,

That might be suitable to gi'e

Ane of their lodger's qualitie?

Quoth she, "Ye may wiel ken, gudeman,
Your feast comes frae the pottage-pan:
The stov'd and roasted we afford,

Are aft great strangers on our board."

"Pottage!" quoth Hab, "ye senseless tawpie! Think ye this youth's a gilly-gawpy?

And that his gentle stamock's master

To worry up a pint of plaster?

Like our mill-knaves that lift the laiding,

Whase kytes can streek out like raw plaiding.
Swith roast a hen, or fry some chickens,
And send for ale frae Maggy Pickens."
"Hout aye," quoth she, " ye may wiel ken,
'Tis ill brought butt that's no there ben;

Quem isthuc misi."-" Vos misistis!
At nobis quæso quid cum istis
Qui noctu pervagantur? Fures
Ut bene notum sunt complures
Libidinosi vel potores,

Et horum unus pulsat fores—
Quid quæso, timens cùm latronem?
Ad horreum misi nebulonem."
"Ad horreum huncce," irâ fremens
Albertus: "I, duc intrò, demens !"
Intrat Jacobus, Bella malè
Ærumnam celat; penetrale
Sacerdos tenet; " Uxor ito
(Albertus ait) vide citò

Ut cœnam pares; quicquid dabis,
Esto de optimo quod habes."
Respondet uxor: "Pulchrè dictum
Nobis, pertenue queis victum
Pultes sufficiant vel frumenta
Et cibus optimus pulmenta !"
"Quid de pulmentis aut de pulte
(Infit Albertus) garris stulté ?
Huic ventrem durum utì rastrum
Vorare credis hoc emplastrum?

Ut rustici, queis alvi putres
Distendi valeant ut utres !

Heus potum quæras ex popinâ

Igne dum coquitur gallina.'

At Bella: "Frustrà flagitandum

Nequaquam quod suppeditandum ;

When but last owk, nae farder gane,
The laird got a❜ to pay his kain."

Then James, wha had as good a guess
Of what was in the house as Bess,
With pawky smile, this plea to end,
To please himsel and ease his friend,
First open'd, with a slee oration,
His wondrous skill in conjuration.
Said he, "By this fell art I'm able
To whop off ony great man's table
Whate'er I like to mak a meal of-
Either in part, or yet the haill of—
And if you please I'll shaw my art"-
Cries Halbert, "Faith with all my heart!"

Bess fain'd herself,-cry'd, " Lord be here !" And near hand fell a swoon for fear.

James leugh, and bade her naithing dread,

Syne to his conjuring went with speed:
And first he draws a circle round,
Then utters mony a magic sound

Of words, part Latin, Greek, and Dutch,
Enow to fright a very witch :

That done, he says, "Now, now 'tis come,
And in the boal beside the lum:
Now set the board; gudewife, gae ben,
Bring frae yon boal a roasted hen."
She wadna gang, but Habby ventur'd;

And soon as he the ambrie enter'd,

Gallinæ cunctæ nosti tute
Here pro canone solutæ."
Jacobus interim peritus
Rerum plus æquo, nec invitus.
Repensitare bona bonis,

Ut suadet norma talionis,
Astutè incipit testari

Se arte magicâ versari :

"Per hanc mirandam (dixit) artem

Vel totum possumus vel partem

Opimæ cœnæ suffurari :

Visne experimentum dari."
Albertus refert, "Vellem benè
Partem habere lautæ cœnæ."
At Bellæ malum suspicatæ
Sententiæ nullo modo gratæ ;
Se divis donat in commendam ;
Dum alter suadet nil timendum.
Tunc orbe magico vallatus
Jacobus plurimum profatus,
Insuetus vocibus Latinis,

Græcis, Germanis, peregrinis,

Horrore foret stupefacta

Ut ipsa maga:

"Nunc peracta

Sunt omnia: ritè jam curatam
Habebis cœnam præparatam ;
En profer optimam gallinam
Ex arcula ponè caminum."
Renuente conjuge, maritus
Ad arcam pergit haud invitus ;

It smell❜d sae weel, he short time sought it,
And, wondring, 'tween his hands he brought it.
He viewed it round, and thrice he smelt it,
Syne with a gentle touch he felt it,
Thus ilka sense he did conveen,

Lest glamour had beguil'd his een ;

Then all in an united body,

Declar'd it a fine fat how-towdy.

"Nae mair about it," quoth the miller,

"The fowl looks wiel, and we'll fa' till her." Sae be't, says James; and in a doop

They snapt her up baith stoop and roop.

"Niest, O!" cries Halbert, "could your skill

But help us to a waught of ale,

I'd be oblig'd ty'e a' my life,

And offer to the deel my wife;
To see if he'll discreeter mak' her,
But that I'm fley'd he winna tak her.
Said James," Ye offer very fair,
The bargain's hadden, say nae mair."
Then thrice he shook a willow-wand,
With kittle words thrice gave command;
That done, with looks baith learn'd and
Said, "Now ye'll get what ye wad have;
Twa bottles of as nappy liquor

As ever ream'd in horn or bicker,

Behind the ark that hads your meal,
Ye'll find twa standing corkit wiel."
He said, and fast the miller flew,
And frae their nests the bottles drew

grave;