At Edmonton his loving wife

From the balcony spied

Her tender husband, wond'ring much

To fee how he did ride.

"Stop, ftop, John Gilpin! here's the house!"

"The dinner waits, and we are tired!"

Said Gilpin- So am I!"

But, ah his horfe was not a whit

Inclin❜d to tarry there;

For why?-his owner had a house
Full ten miles off, at Ware.

So like an arrow fwift he flew
Shot by an archer strong;
So did he fly-which brings me to
The middle of my fong.

Away went Gilpin, out of breath,
And fore against his will,

Till at his friend's, the callender's,
His horfe at last stood still.

The Callender, furpriz'd to fee

His friend in fuch a trim,

Laid down his pipe, flew to the gate,

And thus accofted him

"What news? what news?-the tidings tell;

"Make hafte and tell me all !

"Say, why bare-headed 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 Callender,
In merry strains he spoke-

"I came because your horse would come;

"And, if I well forbode,

My hat and wig will foon be here ;

Whence ftraight he came with hat and wig,
A wig that droop'd behind,

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

He held them up; and, in his turn
Thus fhew'd his ready wit-
"My head is twice as big as yours,

They therefore needs must fit.

"But

"But let me fcrape the dirt away

"That hangs about your face;

"And stop and eat-for well you may "Be in a hungry cafe!"

Said John" It is my wedding-day ;

Then, fpeaking to his horfe, he faid,

"I am in hafte to dine;

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

Ah! lucklefs word and bootless boast,
For which he paid full dear;

For, while he spoke, a braying afs
Did fing most loud and clear:

Whereat his horfe did fort, as if
He heard a lion roar;

And gallop'd off, with all his might,
As he had done before.

Away went Gilpin-and away
Went Gilpin's hat and wig;
He loft them fooner than at first:
For why they were too big.

M 3

Now

Now Gilpin's wife, when fhe had feen

Her husband pofting down

Into the country far away,

She pull'd out half-a-crown ;

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

"This fhall be yours, when you bring back
My husband fafe and well.”

The youth did ride, and foon they met ;

He try'd to ftop John's horse By feizing faft the flowing rein, But only made things worse.

For, not performing what he meant,
And gladly would have done,

He thereby frighted Gilpin's horse,
And made him fafter run.

Away went Gilpin-and away
Went poft-boy at his heels;

The pot-boy's horfe right glad to mifs

The lumber of the wheels.

Six gentlemen upon the road

Thus feeing Gilpin fly,

With post-boy fcamp'ring in the rear,

They rais'd the hue-and-cry.

" Stop

"Stop thief!-ftop thief!-a highwayman!"

Not one of them was mute;

So they, and all that pafs'd that way,

Soon join'd in the pursuit.

But all the turnpike-gates again

Flew open in short space;

The men ftill thinking, as before,
That Gilpin rode a race :

And fo he did, and won it too,

For he got first to town:

Nor stopp'd till where he first got up

He did again get down.

Now let us fing-" Long live the King;
"And Gilpin, long live he;
"And when he next does ride abroad,
66 May I be there to fee !"