He said he came from a place called Penpunt, which I
thought a name so ludicrous that I called him by the name of his
native village, an appellation of which he was very proud, and
answered everything with more civility and perspicuity when I
denominated him Penpunt, than Samuel, his own Christian name.
Of this peasant was I obliged to make a companion on sundry
occasions, and strange indeed were the details which he gave me
concerning myself, and the ideas of the country people
concerning me. I took down a few of these in writing, to put off
the time, and here leave them on record to show how the best and
greatest actions are misconstrued among sinful and ignorant men:
"You say, Samuel, that I hired you myself--that I have been a
good enough master to you, and have paid you your weekly
wages punctually. Now, how is it that you say this, knowing, as
you do, that I never hired you, and never paid you a sixpence of
wages in the whole course of my life, excepting this last month?"
"Ye may as weel say, master, that water's no water, or that, stanes
are no stanes. But that's just your gate, an' it's a great pity, aye to
do a thing an profess the clean contrair.
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