cash matters had been too long under the exclusive charge of Bailie Macwheeble, to admit of any great expectations from his personal succession.  It is true, the said Bailie loved his patron and his patron’s daughter next (although at an incomparable distance) to himself.  He thought it was possible to set aside the settlement on the male line, and had actually procured an opinion to that effect (and, as he boasted, without a fee) from an eminent Scottish counsel, under whose notice he contrived to bring the point while consulting him regularly on some other business.  But the Baron would not listen to such a proposal for an instant.  On the contrary, he used to have a perverse pleasure in boasting that the barony of Bradwardine was a male fief, the first charter having been given at that early period when women were not deemed capable to hold a feudal grant; because, according to Les COUSTUSMES de Normandie, c’est L’HOMME KI Se Bast et KI CONSEILLE; or, as is yet more ungallantly expressed by other authorities, all of whose barbarous names he delighted to quote at full length, because a woman could not serve the superior, or feudal lord, in war, on account of the decorum of her sex, nor assist him with advice, because of her limited intellect, nor keep his counsel, owing to the infirmity of her disposition.  He would triumphantly ask, how it would become a female, and that female a Bradwardine, to be seen employed in, SERVITIO EXUENDI, Seu DETRAHENDI, CALIGAS Regis post BATTALIAM? that is, in pulling off the king’s boots after an engagement, which was the feudal service by which he held the barony of Bradwardine.  ‘No,’ he said, ’beyond hesitation, PROCUL DUBIO, many females, as worthy as Rose, had been excluded, in order to make way for my own succession, and Heaven forbid that I should do aught that might contravene the destination of my forefathers, or impinge upon the right of my kinsman, Malcolm Bradwardine of Inchgrabbit, an honourable though decayed branch of my own family.’

The Bailie, as prime minister, having received this decisive communication from his sovereign, durst not press his own opinion any further, but contented himself with deploring, on all suitable occasions, to Saunderson, the minister of the interior, the Laird’s self-willedness, and with laying plans for uniting Rose with the young laird of Balmawhapple, who had a fine estate, only moderately burdened, and was a faultless young gentleman, being as sober as a saint—­if you keep brandy from him, and him from brandy—­and who, in brief, had no imperfection but that of keeping light company at a time; such as Jinker, the horse-couper, and Gibby Gaethroughwi’t, the piper o’ Cupar; o’ whilk follies, Mr. Saunderson, he’ll mend, he’ll mend,’—­pronounced the Bailie.

‘Like sour ale in simmer,’ added Davie Gellatley, who happened to be nearer the conclave than they were aware of.