u 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, And made him fafter 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 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 thiefma 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, 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, May I be there to see! |