"And art thou dead, thou much-lov'd youth,

And didst thou dye for mee? Then farewell home; for ever-more A pilgrim I will bee.

66

But first upon my true-love's grave
My weary limbs I'll lay,

And thrice I'll kiss the green-grass turf,

That wraps his breathless clay."

"Yet stay, fair lady: rest awhile Beneath this cloyster wall:

See through the hawthorn blows the cold wind, And drizzly rain doth fall."

"O stay me not, thou holy friar ;

O stay me not, I pray;

No drizzly rain that falls on me,
Can wash my fault away."

"Yet stay, fair lady, turn again,

And dry those pearly tears;
For see beneath this gown of gray
Thy owne true-love appears.

"Here forc'd by grief, and hopeless love,

These holy weeds I sought;

And here amid these lonely walls

To end my days I thought.

"But haply for my year of grace

Is not yet past away,

Might I still hope to win thy love,
No longer would I stay."

"Now farewell grief, and welcome joy

Once more unto my heart;

For since I have found thee, lovely youth,
We never more will part."

JOHN GILPIN was a citizen

Of credit and renown,

A train-band captain eke was he,
Of famous London town.

John Gilpin's spouse said to her dear,
"Though wedded we have been
These twice ten tedious years, yet we
No holiday have seen.

"To-morrow is our wedding-day,

And we will then repair Unto the Bell' at Edmonton, All in a chaise and pair.

"My sister, and my sister's child, Myself, and children three,

Will fill the chaise; so you must ride On horseback after me."

He soon replied, "I do admire
Of womankind but one,
And you are she, my dearest dear,
Therefore it shall be done.

"I am a linen-draper bold,

As all the world doth know, And my good friend the calender Will lend his horse to go."

Quoth Mrs Gilpin, "That's well said
And for that wine is dear,

We will be furnished with our own,
Which is both bright and clear."

John Gilpin kissed his loving wife;
O'erjoyed was he to find,

;

That though on pleasure she was bent, She had a frugal mind.

The morning came, the chaise was brought, But yet was not allowed

To drive up to the door, lest all
Should say that she was proud.

So three doors off the chaise was stayed,

Where they did all get in ;

Six precious souls, and all agog

To dash through thick and thin.

Smack went the whip, round went the wheels, Were never folks so glad,

The stones did rattle underneath,

As if Cheapside were mad.

John Gilpin at his horse's side
Seized fast the flowing mane,
And up he got, in haste to ride,
But soon came down again;

For saddle-tree scarce reached had he,
His journey to begin,

When, turning round his head, he saw
Three customers come in.

So down he came for loss of time,

;

Although it grieved him sore,

Yet loss of pence, full well he knew,
Would trouble him much more.

'Twas long before the customers Were suited to their mind,

When Betty screaming came downstairs, "The wine is left behind!"