He carried me to my Son and George Muirhead with me. After taking a Refreshment the said George Muirhead went to the Sheils, thinking to get Passage in a Coallier to London where his Wife was. He came to me next Day, and dined with me and my Son upon a Leg of Mutton, and after we dined we went all three together to a Tavern,and or ever we had taken a Drink, the said William Rutherford set the Constable upon the said Muirhead, to press him for a Man of War, and he was put into the Tower at the Bridge, at which he was much afflicted. Thereafter I remained with my Son and wrought with him in a Room together, and continued there until my Wife sent a Letter to me to come home, and that all Bygones should be Bygones; and I return'd answer to her, I could not till she sent me 10 Shillings to carry me home; which she did not, and in the Interim I took a looseness in my Belly which incapacitaited me for working, till one John Hodge, a Shoemaker in Newcastle, as a Friend desired me to return home to my own Habitation, which I was not able to do, had not Providence prompted a Glasgow Man then at Newcastle, Overseer to a Factory, to go to his Master and procured me a Pass to carry me home; and in my home-coming, being the Winter the great Frost was in, the Snow and Frost so benumb'd my Legs and Feet that I was scarce able to walk. Upon my Arrival at Glasgow I came to my own House, and two Journeymen Shoemakers being working with her, viz. Thomas Walker and John Chester, she took but indifferently to me.
Having sat down and got a Drink I afterwards went to Bed with her; and not being capable of work for six Weeks, but oversee the Business, and the Welsh Fusileers being then in Glasgow, I bought form the Officers 37 Leather-bags at three Halfpence per Piece, and thereafter bought up as many more from them as made up 300, for a Penny the Bag, that I could not have bought up as much Leather for 14 Guineas, which was a great Providence to me, and helped us well up: And thereafter Burrel's Regiment came to Town, and one of the said Regiment called Edward Burrel, came and wrought with me; upon which the rest of the Grenadeers came and got their Shoes soled and top-pierced, for which I had sixteen Pence per Pair and six Pence for every pair of Shoes top-piercing, and this I had besides what I wrought to the Inhabitants of Glasgow, which was a kind Providence.
The Neighbours during my stay at Newcastle very well perceived her Carriage; and that one of the Soldiers Wives who was working with me catched him lying with my Wife,and that the Soldiers Wife said, that she durst not complain of her Husband for fear of losing the Work and being beat beside;and my Wife having gone on in a full Carreer, and frequently calling up the Soldiers from the Guard to abuse me and break the House, upon which the Neighbourhood was so disgusted,that they would not allow us to live there, tho' we paid the Rent. And my Wife taking me to the foot of the Salt-Mercat to Robert Smith, a Smith by Trade, to take a House from him, and under pressure of taking a fore Shop where I could see to Work; She took a back dark House which I was obliged to leave under the Neighbourhoods being disturbed there allot. After leaving that House we took a House from Mr.Patrick Montgomery , having set the House we left for 7 pounds Scots being half Rent to John worker in the Factories; at the same time, my Wife said to said Robert Smith if he wanted Money she could lend him, and he only took a Guinea then in the Fore-end of his Rent. My Wife was so disturbing to the Neighbourhood especially Lady Rochill, in that House we took from Mr. Montgomery, that they joined, and said Mr. Montgomery of Preston went to Provost Buchanan his Good brother, in order to get me imprisoned; but upon enquiring into the Matter they ordered my Wife to be imprisoned, and when in Prison she joinedto Robert Gemell and John Leitch two loose Persons,who advised her to get a Laburrows against me, and after the Laburrows was got, Mr. Montgomery and the rest of the Neighbours stopped it; before my Wifes imprisonment, she caused George Beaton to go to a Chirurgeon's Shop and buy Mercury, which she mixed with some Butter we had in the House and gave me to eat, after eating a little of it, I began to suspect and quarrel her, upon which she took the Trencher and Butter and went to the Midding in the Backside, and threw it amongst the Dung, and tramped it with her feet, lest a Discovery should be made of her bad Intention, and the Butter which was not mixed,she after sold and drank the Money, being 23 pounds weight.
My Wife I have several Times catched drinking with William Hamilton a Soldier and Shoemaker, a loose Man, who wrought with me,and that my Wife several Times gave him Money before it fell due for his Work; at which William Hamilton's Wife was angry, and complained that she had no benefit by it: All this Time I could fearce believe there was any intimacy betwixt my Wife and Hamilton, till the last night he was in Glasgow that he came to my House to drink, and having drank so much spirits with herI was angry,and went out to discharge bringing any more; but upon my return, I found my Door shut upon them. I seed them through a whole in the Door lying carnally together upon the Floor, and in her haste to get down, she cut her head upon my Work -looms, which she alledged I did when the Door was broke open;upon which saying, two Apprentices and a Journeyman. Mr.Ker's Barbers Servant taht was with me at the Door,said it was not done by your Goodman,when he was not in the House, and that she and Hamilton the Soldier immediately thereafter went out together, and went to Alexander Henderson a Painters House in Glasgow, where she stayed all Night, and thereupon AlexanderHenderson's Wife came to me in the Evening, and desired me to take home my Wife; and accordingly I went and would have brought her home, and concealed her Folly; but instead of that she bad me begone old Rogue. That upon the 14th January last, her Sisters son came to my House with my Wife and broke open the lockof the Door and Chests, and robbed me of 25 pounds Sterling besides sheeting Cloath, and went down to his House and lay there; and being sensible he was faulty, he persuaded her to go to one John Mason's House a Taylor and Change-Keeper, and going to search for her, I found her in James Mason's Close, before Widow Bryson and Christian Bryer her Goodsister, and desiring her to come home, and upon her Neighbours upbraiding her she came home with me, and next Morning went off again to her said Sister's Son, at which Place they concerted to get a Caption upon the Laburrows, and to put me in Prison; in virtue thereof I was imprisoned and lay for six Weeks, till the Deacon of the Trades would not allow her to keep Men-servants; without she consented to my Liberation; and after she had liberated me, and I was brought out of Prison, she called for a Quart of threepenny Ale, which intoxicated me that I knew not what I was doing.
And therefore she took me to Robert Archibald's a Sherriff-Officers House near my own House, where I turned fresh, and immediately went to my Goodsons Charles Thomson's, and thinking that my Daughter where I stayed eight Days was wearying of me, I come up to Christian Bryson's and rested me until my Wife return'd from the Market, and coming to my own Close-mouth, my Wife did not know of me until I was close by her side, and my first Wife's Brother John Tennant says to me, I am glad to see you standing so together, and he having a pair of Boots in Hands asked me if I could buy them, to whom I said it was, ill Buying Corn from Geese. And he said, when he return'd, he would come and bring his Wife with him, and drink with us, which they did, and after drinking one Quart, we got another; my Wife says to him, Sing me Hog in the Mill, and I replied, it did not look like her gray Hair and mine; and so they continued singing till 10 at Night.
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