But let me fcrape 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 bootlefs boast !

For which he paid full dear; For while he spake, a braying ass

Did fing most loud and clear;

Whereat his horse did snort as he

Had 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

He lost them fooner than at first,

For why? they were too big.

Now, Mistress Gilpin, when she saw

Her husband posting down Into the country far away,

She pulld 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

My husband safe and well.

The youth did ride, and foon 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

Six gentlemen upon the road

Thus seeing Gilpin fly,
With Post-boy scamp'ring in the rear,

They rais'd the hue and cry :

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.

EIAN

CA

Now let us fing, long live the king,

And Gilpin, long live he;
And when he next doth ride abroad,

May I be there to see!

FINI S.