The Works of Peter Pindar [i.e. John Wolcot] ... With a Copious Index. To which is prefixed Some Account of his Life. In Four Volumes |
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 | The Works of Peter Pindar [i.e. John Wolcot] |  |
425
THE KING AND PARSON YOUNG.
The king (God bless him) met old Parson Young
Walking on Windsor Terrace one fair morning—
Delightful was the day—the scent was strong—
A heavenly day for howling and for horning!
For tearing farmers' hedges down,—hallooings—
Shouts, curses, oaths, and such-like pious doings.
Walking on Windsor Terrace one fair morning—
Delightful was the day—the scent was strong—
A heavenly day for howling and for horning!
For tearing farmers' hedges down,—hallooings—
Shouts, curses, oaths, and such-like pious doings.
‘Young,’ cried the king, ‘d'ye hunt, d'ye hunt today?
Yes, yes—what, what? yes, yes, fine day, fine day.’
Yes, yes—what, what? yes, yes, fine day, fine day.’
Low with a rev'rend bow the priest replied,
‘Great king! I really have no horse to ride;
Nothing, O monarch, but my founder'd mare,
And she, my liege, as blind as she can stare.’
‘Great king! I really have no horse to ride;
Nothing, O monarch, but my founder'd mare,
And she, my liege, as blind as she can stare.’
‘No horse!’ rejoin'd the king, ‘no horse, no horse!’
‘Indeed,’ the parson added, ‘I have none:
Nothing but poor old Dobbin—who of course
Is dangerous—being blinder than a stone.’
‘Indeed,’ the parson added, ‘I have none:
Nothing but poor old Dobbin—who of course
Is dangerous—being blinder than a stone.’
‘Blind, blind, Young? never mind—you must, must go;
Must hunt, must hunt, Young—Stay behind?—no, no.’
Must hunt, must hunt, Young—Stay behind?—no, no.’
What pity, that the king, n his discourse,
Forgot to say, ‘I'll lend ye, Young, a horse!’
Forgot to say, ‘I'll lend ye, Young, a horse!’
The king to Young behaving thus so kind,
Whate'er the danger, and howe'er inclin'd,
At home with politesse Young could not stay—
So up his rev'rence got upon the mare,
Resolv'd the chase with majesty to share,
And risk the dangers of the day.
Whate'er the danger, and howe'er inclin'd,
At home with politesse Young could not stay—
So up his rev'rence got upon the mare,
Resolv'd the chase with majesty to share,
And risk the dangers of the day.
426
Rous'd was the deer!—the king and Parson Young,
Castor and Pollux like, rode side by side;
When lo, a ditch was to be sprung!
Over leap'd George the Third with kingly pride.
Castor and Pollux like, rode side by side;
When lo, a ditch was to be sprung!
Over leap'd George the Third with kingly pride.
Over leap'd Tinker, Towzer, Rockwood, Towler,
Over leap'd Mendall, Brushwood, Jubal, Jowler,
Trimbush and Lightning, Music, Ranter, Wonder,
And fifty others with their mouths of thunder—
Over leap'd Mendall, Brushwood, Jubal, Jowler,
Trimbush and Lightning, Music, Ranter, Wonder,
And fifty others with their mouths of thunder—
Great names! whose pedigrees so fair,
With those of Homer's heroes might compare.
With those of Homer's heroes might compare.
Thus gloriously attended, leap'd the king,
By all those hounds attended with a spring!—
Not Cæsar's self a fiercer look put on,
When with his host he pass'd the Rubicon!
By all those hounds attended with a spring!—
Not Cæsar's self a fiercer look put on,
When with his host he pass'd the Rubicon!
But wayward Fate the parson's palfrey humbled,
And gave the mare a sudden check—
Unfortunately poor blind Dobbin stumbled,
And broke his reverence's neck.
And gave the mare a sudden check—
Unfortunately poor blind Dobbin stumbled,
And broke his reverence's neck.
The monarch, gaping, with amaze look'd round
Upon his dead companion on the ground—
‘What, what?’ he cried, ‘Young dead! Young dead! Young dead!—
Humph!—take him up—and put him home to bed.’
Upon his dead companion on the ground—
‘What, what?’ he cried, ‘Young dead! Young dead! Young dead!—
Humph!—take him up—and put him home to bed.’
Thus having finish'd—with a cheerful face
Nimrod the Second join'd the jovial chase.
Nimrod the Second join'd the jovial chase.
| The Works of Peter Pindar [i.e. John Wolcot] | |