Well, sir, said the apothecary, it is at your pleasure to send for other advice, and I shall not object to consult with Dr. Irving or any other medical person of skill, neither to continue to furnish such drugs as may be needful from my pharmacopeia. However, whatever Dr. Irving, who, I think, hath had his degrees in Edinburgh, or Dr. Any-one-beside, be he Scottish or English, may say to the contrary, sleep, taken timeously, is a febrifuge, or sedative, and also a restorative.
He muttered a few more learned words, and concluded by informing Ramsays friend in English far more intelligible than his Latin, that he would look to him as his paymaster, for medicines, care, and attendance, furnished, or to be furnished, to this party unknown.
Master George only replied by desiring him to send his bill for what he had already to charge, and to give himself no farther trouble unless he heard from him. The pharmacopolist, who, from discoveries made by the cloak falling a little aside, had no great opinion of the faculty of this chance patient to make reimbursement, had no sooner seen his case espoused by a substantial citizen, than he showed some reluctance to quit possession of it, and it needed a short and stern hint from Master George, which, with all his good-humour, he was capable of expressing when occasion required, to send to his own dwelling this Esculapius of Temple Bar.
When they were rid of Mr. Raredrench, the charitable efforts of Jenkin and Francis, to divest the patient of his long grey cloak, were firmly resisted on his own part. My life suner my life suner, he muttered in indistinct murmurs. In these efforts to retain his upper garment, which was too tender to resist much handling, it gave way at length with a loud rent, which almost threw the patient into a second syncope, and he sat before them in his under garments, the looped and repaired wretchedness of which moved at once pity and laughter, and had certainly been the cause of his unwillingness to resign the mantle, which, like the virtue of charity, served to cover so many imperfections.
The man himself cast his eyes on his poverty-struck garb, and seemed so much ashamed of the disclosure, that, muttering between his teeth, that he would be too late for his appointment, he made an effort to rise and leave the shop, which was easily prevented by Jenkin Vincent and his comrade, who, at the nod of Master George, laid hold of and detained him in his chair.
The patient next looked round him for a moment, and then said faintly, in his broad northern language What sort of usage ca ye this, gentlemen, to a stranger a sojourner in your town? Ye hae broken my head ye hae riven my cloak, and now ye are for restraining my personal liberty! They were wiser than me, he said, after a moments pause, that counselled me to wear my warst claithing in the streets of London; and, if I could have got ony things warse than these mean garments, (which would have been very difficult, said Jin Vin, in a whisper to his companion,) they would have been een ower gude for the grips o men sae little acquented with the laws of honest civility.
To say the truth, said Jenkin, unable to forbear any longer, although the discipline of the times prescribed to those in his situation a degree of respectful distance and humility in the presence of parents, masters, or seniors, of which the present age has no idea to say the truth, the good gentlemans clothes look as if they would not brook much handling.
Hold your peace, young man, said Master George, with a tone of authority; never mock the stranger or the poor the black ox has not trod on your foot yet you know not what lands you may travel in, or what clothes you may wear, before you die.
Vincent held down his head and stood rebuked, but the stranger did not accept the apology which was made for him.
I am a stranger, sir, said he, that is certain; though methinks, that, being such, I have been somewhat familiarly treated in this town of yours; but, as for my being poor, I think I need not be charged with poverty, till I seek siller of somebody.
The dear country all over, said Master George, in a whisper, to David Ramsay, pride and poverty.
But David had taken out his tablets and silver pen, and, deeply immersed in calculations, in which he rambled over all the terms of arithmetic, from the simple unit to millions, billions, and trillions, neither heard nor answered the observation of his friend, who, seeing his abstraction, turned again to the Scot.
I fancy now, Jockey, if a stranger were to offer you a noble, you would chuck it back at his head?
Not if I could do him honest service for it, sir, said the Scot; I am willing to do what I may to be useful, though I come of an honourable house, and may be said to be in a sort indifferently weel provided for.
Ay! said the interrogator, and what house may claim the honour of your descent?
An ancient coat belongs to it, as the play says, whispered Vincent to his companion.
Come, Jockey, out with it, continued Master George, observing that the Scot, as usual with his countrymen, when asked a blunt, straightforward question, took a little time before answering it.
I am no more Jockey, sir, than you are John, said the stranger, as if offended at being addressed by a name, which at that time was used, as Sawney now is, for a general appellative of the Scottish nation. My name, if you must know it, is Richie Moniplies; and I come of the old and honourable house of Castle Collop, weel kend at the West-Port of Edinburgh.
What is that you call the West-Port? proceeded the interrogator.
Why, an it like your honour, said Richie, who now, having recovered his senses sufficiently to observe the respectable exterior of Master George, threw more civility into his manner than at first, the West-Port is a gate of our city, as yonder brick arches at Whitehall form the entrance of the kings palace here, only that the West-Port is of stonern work, and mair decorated with architecture and the policy of bigging.
Nouns, man, the Whitehall gateways were planned by the great Holbein, answered Master George; I suspect your accident has jumbled your brains, my good friend. I suppose you will tell me next, you have at Edinburgh as fine a navigable river as the Thames, with all its shipping?
The Thames! exclaimed Richie, in a tone of ineffable contempt God bless your honours judgment, we have at Edinburgh the Water-of-Leith and the Nor-loch!
And the Pow-Burn, and the Quarry-holes, and the Gusedub, ye fause loon! answered Master George, speaking Scotch with a strong and natural emphasis; it is such land-loupers as you, that, with your falset and fair fashions, bring reproach on our whole country.
God forgie me, sir, said Richie, much surprised at finding the supposed southron converted into a native Scot, I took your honour for an Englisher! But I hope there was naething wrang in standing up for anes ain countrys credit in a strange land, where all men cry her down?
Do you call it for your countrys credit, to show that she has a lying, puffing rascal, for one of her children? said Master George. But come, man, never look grave on it, as you have found a countryman, so you have found a friend, if you deserve one and especially if you answer me truly.
I see nae gude it wad do me to speak ought else but truth, said the worthy North Briton.
Well, then to begin, said Master George, I suspect you are a son of old Mungo Moniplies, the flesher, at the West-Port.
Your honour is a witch, I think, said Richie, grinning.
And how dared you, sir, to uphold him for a noble?
I dinna ken, sir, said Richie, scratching his head; I hear muckle of an Earl of Warwick in these southern parts, Guy, I think his name was, and he has great reputation here for slaying dun cows, and boars, and such like; and I am sure my father has killed more cows and boars, not to mention bulls, calves, sheep, ewes, lambs, and pigs, than the haill Baronage of England.
Go to! you are a shrewd knave, said Master George; charm your tongue, and take care of saucy answers. Your father was an honest burgher, and the deacon of his craft: I am sorry to see his son in so poor a coat.
Indifferent, sir, said Richie Moniplies, looking down on his garments very indifferent; but it is the wonted livery of poor burghers sons in our country one of Luckie Wants bestowing upon us rest us patient! The kings leaving Scotland has taken all custom frae Edinburgh; and there is hay made at the Cross, and a dainty crop of fouats in the Grass-market. There is as much grass grows where my fathers stall stood, as might have been a good bite for the beasts he was used to kill.
It is even too true, said Master George; and while we make fortunes here, our old neighbours and their families are starving at home. This should be thought upon oftener. And how came you by that broken head, Richie? tell me honestly.
Troth, sir, Ise no lee about the matter, answered Moniplies. I was coming along the street here, and ilk ane was at me with their jests and roguery. So I thought to mysell, ye are ower mony for me to mell with; but let me catch ye in Barfords Park, or at the fit of the Vennel, I could gar some of ye sing another sang. Sae ae auld hirpling deevil of a potter behoved just to step in my way and offer me a pig, as he said, just to put my Scotch ointment in, and I gave him a push, as but natural, and the tottering deevil coupit ower amang his ain pigs, and damaged a score of them. And then the reird raise, and hadna these twa gentlemen helped me out of it, murdered I suld hae been, without remeid. And as it was, just when they got haud of my arm to have me out of the fray, I got the lick that donnerit me from a left-handed lighterman.
Master George looked to the apprentices as if to demand the truth of this story.
It is just as he says, sir, replied Jenkin; only I heard nothing about pigs. The people said he had broke some crockery, and that I beg pardon, sir nobody could thrive within the kenning of a Scot.
Well, no matter what they said, you were an honest fellow to help the weaker side. And you, sirrah, continued Master George, addressing his countryman, will call at my house to-morrow morning, agreeable to this direction.
I will wait upon your honour, said the Scot, bowing very low; that is, if my honourable master will permit me.
Thy master? said George, Hast thou any other master save Want, whose livery you say you wear?
Troth, in one sense, if it please your honour, I serve twa masters, said Richie; for both my master and me are slaves to that same beldam, whom we thought to show our heels to by coming off from Scotland. So that you see, sir, I hold in a sort of black ward tenure, as we call it in our country, being the servant of a servant.
And what is your masters name? said Master George; and observing that Richie hesitated, he added, Nay, do not tell me, if it is a secret.
A secret that there is little use in keeping, said Richie; only ye ken that our northern stomachs are ower proud to call in witnesses to our distress. No that my master is in mair than present pinch, sir, he added, looking towards the two English apprentices, having a large sum in the Royal Treasury that is, he continued, in a whisper to Master George, the king is owing him a lot of siller; but its ill getting at it, its like. My master is the young Lord Glenvarloch.
Master George testified surprise at the name. You one of the young Lord Glenvarlochs followers, and in such a condition?
Troth, and I am all the followers he has, for the present that is; and blithe wad I be if he were muckle better aff than I am, though I were to bide as I am.
I have seen his father with four gentlemen and ten lackeys at his heels, said Master George, rustling in their laces and velvets. Well, this is a changeful world, but there is a better beyond it. The good old house of Glenvarloch, that stood by king and country five hundred years!
Your honour may say a thousand, said the follower.
I will say what I know to be true, friend, said the citizen, and not a word more. You seem well recovered now can you walk?
Bravely, sir, said Richie; it was but a bit dover. I was bred at the West-Port, and my cantle will stand a clour wad bring a stot down.
Where does your master lodge?
We pit up, an it like your honour, replied the Scot, in a sma house at the fit of ane of the wynds that gang down to the water-side, with a decent man, John Christie, a ship-chandler, as they cat. His father came from Dundee. I wotna the name of the wynd, but its right anent the mickle kirk yonder; and your honour will mind, that we pass only by our family-name of simple Mr. Nigel Olifaunt, as keeping ourselves retired for the present, though in Scotland we be called the Lord Nigel.
It is wisely done of your master, said the citizen. I will find out your lodgings, though your direction be none of the clearest. So saying, and slipping a piece of money at the same time into Richie Monipliess hand, he bade him hasten home, and get into no more affrays.
I will take care of that now, sir, said Richie, with a look of importance, having a charge about me. And so, wussing ye a weel, with special thanks to these twa young gentlemen
I am no gentleman, said Jenkin, flinging his cap on his head; I am a tight London prentice, and hope to be a freeman one day. Frank may write himself gentleman, if he will.
I was a gentleman once, said Tunstall, and I hope I have done nothing to lose the name of one.
Weel, weel, as ye list, said Richie Moniplies; but I am mickle beholden to ye baith and I am not a hair the less like to bear it in mind that I say but little about it just now. Gude-night to you, my kind countryman. So saying, he thrust out of the sleeve of his ragged doublet a long bony hand and arm, on which the muscles rose like whip-cord. Master George shook it heartily, while Jenkin and Frank exchanged sly looks with each other.
Richie Moniplies would next have addressed his thanks to the master of the shop, but seeing him, as he afterwards said, scribbling on his bit bookie, as if he were demented, he contented his politeness with giving him a hat, touching, that is, his bonnet, in token of salutation, and so left the shop.
Now, there goes Scotch Jockey, with all his bad and good about him, said Master George to Master David, who suspended, though unwillingly, the calculations with which he was engaged, and keeping his pen within an inch of the tablets, gazed on his friend with great lack-lustre eyes, which expressed any thing rather than intelligence or interest in the discourse addressed to him. That fellow, proceeded Master George, without heeding his friends state of abstraction, shows, with great liveliness of colouring, how our Scotch pride and poverty make liars and braggarts of us; and yet the knave, whose every third word to an Englishman is a boastful lie, will, I warrant you, be a true and tender friend and follower to his master, and has perhaps parted with his mantle to him in the cold blast, although he himself walked in cuerpo, as the Don says. Strange! that courage and fidelity for I will warrant that the knave is stout should have no better companion than this swaggering braggadocio humour. But you mark me not, friend Davie.