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

Will fill the chaise; so you must ride
On horseback after we

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, 1
Will lend his horse to go."

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 agog2

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-tree3 scarce reached had he,

His journey to begin,

Calender, cloth finisher. 2 Agog, excited, expectant, longing very much. 3 Saddle-tree, the frame of a saddle; "scarcely was he seated in the saddle."

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!"

"Good lack!" quoth he, "yet bring it me,
My leathern belt likewise,
In which I bear my trusty sword,
When I do exercise." 2

Now Mistress Gilpin (careful soul!)
Had two stone bottles found,
To hold the liquor that she loved,
And keep it safe and sound.

Each bottle had a curling ear,
Through which the belt he drew,
And hung a bottle on each side,
To make his balance true.
Then over all, that he might be
Equipped from top to toe,

His long red cloak, well brushed and neat,

He manfully did throw.

Now see him mounted once again

Upon his nimble steed,

Full slowly pacing o'er the stones

With caution and good heed.

Good lack! Lack is an abbreviation of lakken, meaning lady; hence, in old times the expression good lack was an appeal to the Virgin Mary. Here it is an exclamation implying surprise, or wonder. When I do exercise, as captain of one of the trainbands. 3 Equipped, furnished, fitted out.

But finding soon a smoother road
Beneath his well-shod feet,
The snorting beast began to trot,
Which galled him in his seat.

So "Fair and softly," John he cried;
But John he cried in vain;

The trot became a gallop soon,
In spite of curb and rein.

So stooping down, as needs he must
Who cannot sit upright,

He grasped the mane with both his hands,
And eke with all his might.

His horse, who never in that sort

Had handled been before,

What thing upon his back had got
Did wonder more and more.

Away went Gilpin, neck or nought;'
Away went hat and wig;

He little dreamt, when he set out,
Of running such a rig.

The wind did blow-the cloak did fly-
Like streamer long and gay,

Till, loop and button failing both,
At last it flew away.

Then might all people well discern2
The bottles he had slung;

A bottle swinging at each side,

As hath been said or sung.

The dogs did bark, the children screamed, Up flew the windows all;

And every soul cried out, "Well done!" As loud as he could bawl.

1 Nought, nothing. 2 Discern, see.

Away went Gilpin-who but he ?
His fame soon spread around;
"He carries weight!-he rides a race !
'Tis for a thousand pound!"

And still, as fast as he drew near,
'Twas wonderful to view,
How in a trice1 the turnpike men
Their gates wide open threw.
And now, as he went bowing down
His reeking head full low,
The bottles twain3 behind his back,
Were shattered at a blow.

Down ran the wine into the road,.
Most piteous to be seen,

Which made his horse's flanks to smoke,
As they had basted' been.

But still he seemed to carry weight
With leathern girdle braced;6
For all might see the bottle-necks
Still dangling at his waist.

At Edmonton his loving wife
From the balcony espied

Her tender husband, wond'ring much
To see how he did ride.

"Stop, stop, John Gilpin!-Here's the house!"
They all at once did cry;

"The dinner waits, and we are tired.”

Said Gilpin "So am I!"

But yet the horse was not a whit9
Inclined to tarry there;

1 Trice, an instant. Piteous, causing pity. heat while roasting. gallery. Espied, saw.

6

2 Reeking, steaming.

3 Twain, two.

Basted, to baste is to pour fat over Braced, fastened. 7 Balcony, a small 9 Whit, the least.

For why? His owner had a house

Full ten miles off, at Ware.

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 calender's
His horse at last stood still.

The calender, 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 loved a timely1 joke;
And thus unto the calender,
In merry guise he spoke.

"I came because your

horse would come;

And, if I well forebode,"

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

The calender, right glad to find
His friend in merry pin,*
Returned him not a single word,
But to the house went in.

1 Timely, at a proper time. 2 Guise, manner. 3 Forebode, foro. In merry pin, mood, humour.

tell.