Whence 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.
201 bootless, vain

185

190

195

200

205

210

Now Mistress 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,

215

220

'Stop thief!-stop thief!—a highwayman!'

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 !

245

250

W. Cowper

* II *

WILLIAM AND MARGARET

'TWAS at the silent, solemn hour
When night and morning meet;
In glided Margaret's grimly ghost,
And stood at William's feet.

Her face was like an April morn,
Clad in a wintry cloud;

And clay-cold was her lily hand,
That held her sable shroud.

So shall the fairest face appear

When youth and years are flown :
Such is the robe that kings must wear,
When death has reft their crown.

Her bloom was like the springing flower,
That sips the silver dew;

The rose was budded in her cheek,

Just opening to the view.

But love had, like the cankerworm,

Consumed her early prime:

The rose grew pale, and left her cheek;
She died before her time.

12 reft, taken

5

ΙΟ

15

20

'Awake!' she cried, 'thy true Love calls,

Come from her midnight grave;

'Now let thy pity hear the maid,

'Thy love refused to save!

'This is the dumb and dreary hour, 'When injured ghosts complain;

'When yawning graves give up their dead, 'To haunt the faithless swain.

'Bethink thee, William, of thy fault,

'Thy pledge and broken oath ! 'And give me back my maiden-vów, 6 And give me back my troth,

'Why did you promise love to me,

'And not that promise keep?

25

30

'Why did you swear my eyes were bright, 35 'Yet leave those eyes to weep?

6 How could you say my face was fair,

'And yet that face forsake?

How could you win my virgin heart, 'Yet leave that heart to break?

40

'Why did you say my lip was sweet, 'And made the scarlet pale?

‘And why did I, young witless maid! 'Believe the flattering tale?

'That face, alas! no more is fair,

'Those lips no longer red :

'Dark are my eyes, now closed in death,

45

28 swain, lover 32 troth, promise 48 charm, beauty

'But, hark! the cock has warn'd me hence;

'A long and late adieu !

Come see, false man, how low she lies
'Who died for love of you!'

55

The lark sung loud; the morning smiled
With beams of rosy red :

Pale William quaked in every limb,
And raving left his bed.

He hied him to the fatal place
Where Margaret's body lay;

And stretch'd him on the green-grass turf
That wrapp'd her breathless clay.

And thrice he call'd on Margaret's name,
And thrice he wept full sore;

Then laid his cheek to her cold grave,

And word spake never more!

D. Mallet

* 12 *

THE TRUE SWEETHEART

A FAIR maid sat at her bower-door,
Wringing her lily hands;

And by it came a sprightly youth
Fast tripping o'er the strands.

'Where gang ye, young John,' she says,

Sae early in the day?

'It gars me think, by your fast trip,
'Your journey's far away.'

He turn'd about with surly look,
And said, 'What's that to thee?
'I'm gaen' to see a lovely maid
'Mair fairer far than ye.’

60

65

5

ΙΟ

54 adieu, good-bye 5 gang, go

7 gars, makes

12 mair, more