ocked her
down, and broke the greybeard and spilt the liquor. The cry was
terrible; some thought poor Peggy was killed outright, and wives, with
candles in their hands, started out at the doors and windows. Peggy,
however, was more terrified than damaged; but the gentry that were in the
chaise, being termagant English travellers, swore like dragoons that the
streets should be indicted as a nuisance; and when they put up at the
inns, two of them came to me, as provost, to remonstrate on the shameful
condition of the pavement, and to lodge in my hands the sum of ten pounds
for the behoof of Peggy; the which was greater riches than ever the poor
creature thought to attain in this world. Seeing they were gentlemen of
a right quality, I did what I could to pacify them, by joining in every
thing they said in condemnation of the streets; telling them, at the same
time, that the improvement of the causey was to be the very first object
and care of my provostry. And I bade Mrs Pawkie bring in the wine
decanters, and requested them to sit down with me and take a glass of
wine and a sugar biscuit; the civility of which, on my part, soon brought
them into a peaceable way of thinking, and they went away, highly
commanding my politess and hospitality, of which they spoke in the
warmest terms, to their companion when they returned to the inns, as the
waiter who attended them overheard, and told the landlord, who informed
me and others of the same in the morning. So that on the Saturday
following, when the town-council met, there was no difficulty in getting
a minute entered at the sederunt, that the crown of the causey should be
forthwith put in a state of reparation.

Having thus gotten the thing determined upon, I then proposed that we
should have the work done by contract, and that notice should be given
publicly of such being our intent. Some boggling was made to this
proposal, it never having been the use and wont of the corporation, in
time past, to do any thing by contract, but just to put whatever was
required into the hands of one of the council, who got the work done in
the best way he could; by which loose manner of administration great
abuses were often allowed to pass unreproved. But I persisted in my
resolution to have the causey renewed by contract; and all the
inhabitants of the town gave me credit for introducing such a great
reformation into the management of public affairs.

When it was made known that we wo