So like an arrow swift he flew,

Shot by an archer strong,
So did he fly-which brings me to
The middle of my song.

Away went Gilpin out of breath,
And sore against his will,
Till at his friend the calendrer's
His horse at last stood still.

The calendrer, amazed to see

His neighbour in such trim.
Laid down his pipe, flew to the gate
And thus accosted him :-

"What news? What news? your tidings tell,

"Tell me you must and shall?---"Say why bareheaded you are come?

"Or why you come at all?"

Now Gilpin had a pleasant wit
And lov'd a timely* joke ;
And thus unto the calendrer

In merry guiset he spoke :

"I come, because your horse would come, "And, if I well forebode,

(6 My hat and wig will soon be here
"They are upon the road."

The calendrer right glad to find
His friend in merry pin,‡
Return'd him not a single word,

But to the house went in.

* 66 Timely "at the right time, seasonable.
"Pin "-mood, humour.

+"Guise "-manner, mood.

Whence strait he came with hat and wig,
A wig that flowed behind;

A hat not much the worse for wear,
Each comely in its kind.

He held them up, and in his turn
Thus showed his ready wit,
"My head is twice as big as yours,
66 They therefore needs must fit.

"But let me scrape the dirt away
"That hangs upon your face,
"And stop and eat, for well you may
"Be in a hungry case.'

Said John,-"It is my wedding day,
"And all the world would stare

"If wife should dine at Edmonton
"And I should dine at Ware."

So turning to his horse he said,
"I am in haste to dine;

""Twas for your pleasure you came here,
"You shall go back for mine."

Ah! luckless speech and bootless boast,
For which he paid full dear;
For while he spoke, a braying ass
Did sing most loud and clear.

Whereat & his horse did snort, as he
Had heard a lion roar,

And galloped off with all his might,

As he had done before.

* "Case "-condition, state.

"Bootless"-useless, unavailing.

"Whereat "-at which.

Away went Gilpin, and away

Went Gilpin's hat and wig,

He lost them sooner than at first-
For why? They were too big.

Now Mrs. Gilpin, when she saw
Her husband posting down
Into the country far away ·

She pulled out half a crown.

And thus unto the youth she said,
That drove them to the Bell,

"This shall be your's, when you bring back,
66 My husband safe and well."

The youth did ride, and soon did meet

John coming back amain,*
Whom in a trice he tried to stop,
By catching at his rein.

But not performing what he meant,

And gladly would have done,
The frighted steed he frighted more,

And made him faster run.

Away went Gilpin, and away

Went post boy at his heels,

The post boy's horse right glad to miss
The lumb'ring of the wheels.

Six gentlemen upon the road,
Thus seeing Gilpin fly,

With post boy scamp'ring in the rear

They rais'd the hue and cry.†

*" Amain "—with vehemence, vigorously.

+"Hue and Cry "-properly, the term used in law to express the pursuit of a thief or other delinquent.

C

"Stop thief!" "Stop thief!" "A highwayman!"

Not one of them was mute,

And all, and each, that pass'd that way,

Did join in the pursuit.

And now the turnpike gates again

Flew open in short space;

The toll-men thinking, as before,

That Gilpin rode a race.

And so he did, and won it too,

For he got first to Town;

Nor stopp'd till where he had got up,

He did again get down.

Now let us sing, "Long live the King,*

And Gilpin, long live he;

And when he next doth ride abroad,
May we be there to see!

END OF PART I.

*This was written in the reign of George the Third,

THE ADVENTURES

OF THE

CELEBRATED LONDON LINEN-DRAPER, JOHN GILPIN & FAMILY.

PART II.

THE DINNER AT THE "BELL," AND THE DISASTERS OF

MRS. GILPIN AND FAMILY, ON THEIR RETURN TO
TOWN.

And now we've told of Gilpin's race

And shown how he did ride,

We'll tell also what strange mishap,

Befel his comely bride.

His dame, who lov'd her spouse right well,

As plainly doth appear,

Was almost fright'd from her wits,

When he rode by to Ware.

Finding John Gilpin could not stop,

Like to a tender wife,

She wrung her hands in piteous sort,
And trembl'd for his life.