My fifter, and my fifter's child,

Myfelf, and children three,

Will fill the chaife; fo you muft ride On horfeback after we.

He foon replied-I do admire
Of womankind but one,

And you are fhe, my deareft 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 faid, And, for that wine is dear,

We will be furnifh'd with our own,

Which is both bright and clear.

John Gilpin kifs'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 chaife was brought,

But yet was not allow'd

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

So three doors off the chaife was ftay'd,
Where they did all get in;

Six precious fouls, and all agog

To dash through thick and thin!

Smack went the whip, round went the wheels, Were never folk fo glad,

The ftones did rattle underneath

As if Cheapfide were mad.

John Gilpin at his horse's fide
Seiz'd fast the flowing mane,
And up he got, in hafte to ride,
But foon came down again;

For faddle-tree scarce reach'd had he,

His journey to begin,

When, turning round his head, he faw

Three cuftomers come in.

So down he came; for lofs of time,

Although it griev'd him fore,

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

'Twas long before the customers Were fuited 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 trufty fword

When I do exercise.

Now mistress Gilpin (careful foul !)
Had two ftone bottles found,
To hold the liquor that the lov'd,
And keep it safe and found.

Each bottle had a curling ear,

Through which the belt he drew,

And hung a bottle on each fide,

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 fee him mounted once again

Upon his nimble fteed,

Full flowly, pacing o'er the ftones
With caution and good heed!

But, finding foon a smoother road
Beneath his well-fhod feet,

The fnorting beast began to trot,
Which gall'd him in his seat.

So, Fair and foftly, John he cried,
But John he cried in vain;
That trot became a gallop foon,
In spite of curb and rein.

So, ftooping down, as needs he muft

Who cannot fit upright,

He grafp'd the mane with both his hands, And eke with all his might.

His horfe, who never in that fort
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 fuch a rig!

The wind did blow, the cloak did fly,
Like ftreamer long and gay,
Till, loop and button failing both,

At laft it flew away.

Then might all people well difcern
The bottles he had flung;
A bottle fwinging at each fide,

As hath been faid or fung.

The dogs did bark, the children fcream'd,

Up flew the windows all;

And ev'ry foul cried out-Well done!

As loud as he could bawl..