. Biggar and the House of Fleming: an account of the Biggar district, archaeological, historical, and biographical. at the doors of thecharitable, and bestowed a benediction in return. The sturdybeggars, sorners, and bluegowns of a bygone age, carried intheir capacious wallets what was called an awmous dish, whichwas round in shape and composed of wood, and, in fact, borea close resemblance to a large quaich or drinking cup. Oncalling at a house, the gaberlunzie held out this dish to receivethe alms of the gudewife, which, in that case, generally con-sisted of a handful or two of barley or oat
. Biggar and the House of Fleming: an account of the Biggar district, archaeological, historical, and biographical. at the doors of thecharitable, and bestowed a benediction in return. The sturdybeggars, sorners, and bluegowns of a bygone age, carried intheir capacious wallets what was called an awmous dish, whichwas round in shape and composed of wood, and, in fact, borea close resemblance to a large quaich or drinking cup. Oncalling at a house, the gaberlunzie held out this dish to receivethe alms of the gudewife, which, in that case, generally con-sisted of a handful or two of barley or oat-meal. By thismethod he was able to ascertain the exact amount of the dolebestowed, and to measure out in return a corresponding amountof blessing to the giver. The meal was then deposited in theappropriate meal-pock, and the awmous dish had its place ofhonour in one of the pocks in front. We can thus see theappropriateness of the comparison used by Burns, when hesays, that one of the heroines of his Jolly Beggars, in lookingup to her admirer to receive a kiss, held up her greedy gab,Just like an aumous THE VAGRANTS OF THE BIGGAR DISTRICT. 393 The accompanying engraving represents an awmous dish, carried, we believe, by one of the sturdy beggars that at one time frequented the Upper Ward of Clydesdale. These vagrants, in the longwinter nights, when seated at theback of the ample hearth, entertained the family circle withthe news of the district, or with stories of their experience andadventures in their early years. The pedlars, male and female,carried a tempting collection of wares from house to house,and conveniently supplied persons far remote from shops, witharticles of ornament or utility. The tinkers mended potsand kettles, sold trenchers, horn spoons, heather besoms, rushmats, pottery ware, etc. The men were expert hunters andfishers, and some of them excelled as musicians, while the fe-males practised the art of fortune-telling Their encampments,by the side of pl
Size: 2375px × 1052px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookpublisheredinb, bookyear1867
