Title: The Diverting History of John Gilpin
Author: Cowper, William, 1731-1800
Language: English
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 THE

 DIVERTING HISTORY

 OF

 John Gilpin.

 BY WILLIAM COWPER

 Illustrated.


 LONDON: WILLIAM TEGG.

 1865.



 LONDON:

 PRINTED BY W. CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS


 [Illustration]



 THE DIVERTING HISTORY

 OF

 JOHN GILPIN.


 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 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 linendraper 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 furnish'd with our own,
   Which is both bright and clear.

 John Gilpin kiss'd his loving wife,
   O'erjoy'd 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 allow'd
 To drive up to the door, lest all
   Should say that she was proud.

 So three doors off the chaise was stay'd,
   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.

 [Illustration]

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

 For saddle-tree scarce reach'd 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 down stairs,
   "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.

 Now Mrs. 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
   Equipp'd from top to toe,
 His long red cloak well brush'd 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.

 But finding soon another road
   Beneath his well-shod feet,
 The snorting boast began to trot,
   Which gall'd him in his seat.

 So! fair and softly! John he cried,
   But John he cried in vain;
 That trot became a gallop soon,
   In spite of curb and rein.

 So stooping down, as needs he must
   Who cannot sit upright,
 He grasp'd 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.

 [Illustration]

 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 discern
   The bottles he had slung;
 A bottle swinging at each side,
   As has been said or sung.

 The dogs did bark, the children scream'd,
   Up flew the windows all;
 And every soul cried out, Well done!
   As loud as he could bawl.

 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 trice the turnpike-men
   Their gates wide open threw.

 And now as he went bowing down
   His reeking head full low,
 The bottles twain 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 seem'd to carry weight,
   With leathern girdle braced:
 For all might see the bottle necks
   Still dangling at his waist.

 Thus all through merry Islington
   These gambols he did play,
 Until he came unto the Wash
   Of Edmonton so gay;

 And there he threw the wash about
   On both sides of the way,
 Just like unto a trundling mop
   Or a wild goose at play.

 At Edmonton his loving wife
   From the balcony spied
 Her tender husband, wondering 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 his horse was not a whit
   Inclined to tarry there;
 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.

 [Illustration]

 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 timely 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,
 Return'd him not a single word,
   But to the house went in;

 Thence straight he came with hat and wig,
   A wig that flow'd behind,
 A hat not much the worse for wear,
   Each comely in its kind.

 He held them up, and in his turn
   Thus show'd his ready wit:
 My head is twice as big as yours,
   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 spake, a braying ass
   Did sing 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 lost them sooner than at first;
   For why?--they were too big.

 [Illustration]

 Now Mrs. Gilpin, when she saw
   Her husband posting 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 shall be yours when you bring back
   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 lumbering of the wheels.

 Six gentlemen upon the road,
   Thus seeing Gilpin fly,
 With post-boy scampering in the rear,
   They raised 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.

 Now let us sing, long live the king!
   And Gilpin, long live he;
 And when he next doth ride abroad,
   May I be there to see!



 LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS,
 STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS

 [Illustration]





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