John Gilpin's ghost or, The warning voice of King Chanticleer: An historical ballad: Written before the late trials, and dedicated to the treason-hunters of Oakham. By J. Thelwall |
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| I. | PART I. |
 | John Gilpin's ghost |  |
I. PART I.
Ye men of Oakham, one and all,
So valiant and so witty,
Of late for treason all agog,
Attend unto my ditty:
So valiant and so witty,
Of late for treason all agog,
Attend unto my ditty:
A ditty which the bard I ween
In pillory may rue;
For it a libel must be deem'd—
Since ev'ry word is true.
In pillory may rue;
For it a libel must be deem'd—
Since ev'ry word is true.
I'll shew how Johnny Gilpin's ghost
His dearest son awoke;
And how that son thro' darkling air,
A wond'rous journey took;
His dearest son awoke;
And how that son thro' darkling air,
A wond'rous journey took;
And how the Lords of Oakham's town,—
All men of high degree,
Apothecaries, men of law,
And those that 'squires be!—
All men of high degree,
Apothecaries, men of law,
And those that 'squires be!—
2
How these, and such like gallant men
Assembled at the Crown,
Lest Sans-Culottes, with pop-guns arm'd,
Should beat the Sign-post down.
Assembled at the Crown,
Lest Sans-Culottes, with pop-guns arm'd,
Should beat the Sign-post down.
That Sign-post which so long has stood,
The wonder of each lout,
Till with seditious paper balls,
Tom Paine kick'd up a rout.
The wonder of each lout,
Till with seditious paper balls,
Tom Paine kick'd up a rout.
(Since when, ah woe! ah well-a-day!
How fool'scap has abounded!)
And crowns, and mitres eke to boot,
And sign-post Dukes confounded.
How fool'scap has abounded!)
And crowns, and mitres eke to boot,
And sign-post Dukes confounded.
Then wonder not, ye Oakham men,
Nor scratch your heads to know
Why those who gaudy sign-posts love
Should with such fury glow.
Nor scratch your heads to know
Why those who gaudy sign-posts love
Should with such fury glow.
But listen to the tale I tell,
Nor let a word be lost,
How Lawyer Combes was lately wak'd
By Johnny Gilpin's ghost.
Nor let a word be lost,
How Lawyer Combes was lately wak'd
By Johnny Gilpin's ghost.
'Twas at the solemn hour of night,
When all lay still in bed;—
Except the Swinish Multitude,
Who grunt for want of bread—
When all lay still in bed;—
Except the Swinish Multitude,
Who grunt for want of bread—
For bellies full, as Berry knows,
Dispose us men to sleep,
While gnawing hunger oft is found
The eyes agog to keep.
Dispose us men to sleep,
While gnawing hunger oft is found
The eyes agog to keep.
3
'Twas at that hour, when doctors grave,
And keen attornies too,
Their ruin'd clients, in their dreams,
And murder'd patients view,
And keen attornies too,
Their ruin'd clients, in their dreams,
And murder'd patients view,
When Gilpin, in his winding sheet,
At Combes's feet did stand:
“Awake,” he said, “thou man of law!”
And wav'd his shadowy hand.
At Combes's feet did stand:
“Awake,” he said, “thou man of law!”
And wav'd his shadowy hand.
“Ah!” who art thou?” the lawyer cried,
All as the spectre pale;—
“Some client, sure, who gain'd his suit,
“But died for costs in jail!
All as the spectre pale;—
“Some client, sure, who gain'd his suit,
“But died for costs in jail!
“Or some poor famish'd wretch I ween,
“Compell'd the town to flee,
“Because he could not stand a suit
“Against my Lord and me.
“Compell'd the town to flee,
“Because he could not stand a suit
“Against my Lord and me.
“And must I issue join, so soon,
“Before the courts above,
“From which no writ of error I
“Can ever hope to move?”
“Before the courts above,
“From which no writ of error I
“Can ever hope to move?”
“Not so, my son,” with solemn voice
The spectre made reply;
“No tipstaff stern, from heav'n dispatch'd
“With special capias I,
The spectre made reply;
“No tipstaff stern, from heav'n dispatch'd
“With special capias I,
“Nor yet, I ween, for thee array'd
“The winged jurors stand,
“Nor God Almighty's Clerk in Court
“Yet bids “hold up thy hand.”
“The winged jurors stand,
“Nor God Almighty's Clerk in Court
“Yet bids “hold up thy hand.”
4
“But here thy loving father stands,
“Thy father all so kind,
“Who rode so fast through Edmonton
“And left his wig behind.
“Thy father all so kind,
“Who rode so fast through Edmonton
“And left his wig behind.
“That father who, one night in cups,
“To loving spouse untrue,
“Was led astray up Fetter-lane,
“And bless'd the world with you.
“To loving spouse untrue,
“Was led astray up Fetter-lane,
“And bless'd the world with you.
“From Mistress Gilpin's jealous eye
“I kept thee close conceal'd;
“And, pleas'd to see the thriving hopes
“Thy early youth reveal'd,
“I kept thee close conceal'd;
“And, pleas'd to see the thriving hopes
“Thy early youth reveal'd,
“I put thee to a man of law,
“In hopes to make thee great;
“And since, alike alive or dead,
“Have watch'd thy growing state.
“In hopes to make thee great;
“And since, alike alive or dead,
“Have watch'd thy growing state.
“And now a tale I come to tell,
“If ghosts can read aright,
“Shall make thee dear to Billy Pitt,
“And great as Joey White:
“If ghosts can read aright,
“Shall make thee dear to Billy Pitt,
“And great as Joey White:
“That Billy Pitt, and Joey White,
“The people's joint salvation!
“Who all the cash, and all the spies,
“Command throughout the nation.
“The people's joint salvation!
“Who all the cash, and all the spies,
“Command throughout the nation.
“For, know, from London's wicked town,
“To mar your bless'd condition,
“A dreadful lot is on the road
“Of TREASON and SEDITION!!!
“To mar your bless'd condition,
“A dreadful lot is on the road
“Of TREASON and SEDITION!!!
5
“All from a wicked wight it comes,
“Who gives in London Lectures,
“And fills the heads of common folks
“With strange and new conjectures.
“Who gives in London Lectures,
“And fills the heads of common folks
“With strange and new conjectures.
“He tells them, common folks are men,
“And should like men be treated;
“Nor, like a swinish multitude,
“By wealthy knaves be cheated.
“And should like men be treated;
“Nor, like a swinish multitude,
“By wealthy knaves be cheated.
“He tells them, too, 'tis very hard
“On them and all their neighbors,
“That Lords, and Dukes, and Kings, should eat
“The profit of their labors:
“On them and all their neighbors,
“That Lords, and Dukes, and Kings, should eat
“The profit of their labors:
“Or that they should be tax'd and tax'd
“(Which he to prove is willing)
“Till for two-pennyworth of bread
“They're forc'd to pay a shilling!
“(Which he to prove is willing)
“Till for two-pennyworth of bread
“They're forc'd to pay a shilling!
“Ye priests and lawyers, how your pride
“Must soon come tumbling down
“Should e'er these new French principles
“Arrive in Oakham town!
“Must soon come tumbling down
“Should e'er these new French principles
“Arrive in Oakham town!
“Then haste, my son; arise, with me
“To Biggleswade repair,
“Ere yet my shadowy essence melt
“Before the morning air.”
“To Biggleswade repair,
“Ere yet my shadowy essence melt
“Before the morning air.”
He said, and seiz'd him in his arms,
Nor for an answer stopp'd;
And Lawyer Combes, by Gilpin's ghost,
At Biggleswade was dropp'd.
Nor for an answer stopp'd;
And Lawyer Combes, by Gilpin's ghost,
At Biggleswade was dropp'd.
6
The morning breaks, the coach arrives,
The lawyer pricks his ears,
Ransacks the basket, boot, and seats,
But not a book appears.
The lawyer pricks his ears,
Ransacks the basket, boot, and seats,
But not a book appears.
Then did he rave and stamp, and forth
A special capias draw;
And swear against his father's ghost
He'd bring a suit at law.
A special capias draw;
And swear against his father's ghost
He'd bring a suit at law.
While thus despairing, round he star'd,
And search'd on every side,
Beneath an old dame's petticoats
He something strange espied.
And search'd on every side,
Beneath an old dame's petticoats
He something strange espied.
“'Tis here, 'tis here; I have it fast,”
With eager joy he cried—
“'Tis here, 'tis here,” the echoing walls
Of Biggleswade replied.
With eager joy he cried—
“'Tis here, 'tis here,” the echoing walls
Of Biggleswade replied.
The promis'd prize, with trembling hand,
He drew from its retreat;
Then back return'd to Oakham town
Upon a courser fleet.
He drew from its retreat;
Then back return'd to Oakham town
Upon a courser fleet.
And all the while as he did ride,
He counted on the gains,
Which Oakham's sapient Gothamites
Would give him for his pains.
He counted on the gains,
Which Oakham's sapient Gothamites
Would give him for his pains.
And to himself he thus did say—
“I'll next to court, I vow,
“And to the mighty Billy Pitt
“Will make my humble bow.
“I'll next to court, I vow,
“And to the mighty Billy Pitt
“Will make my humble bow.
7
“Who knows but, when this feat is told,
“Great Pitt may deign to smile;
“And with a little sinecure
“Reward my faithful toil.
“Great Pitt may deign to smile;
“And with a little sinecure
“Reward my faithful toil.
“Or, should the Inquisition want
“Another helping hand,
“Why should not Combes's humble name
“With White's aspire to stand?”
“Another helping hand,
“Why should not Combes's humble name
“With White's aspire to stand?”
END OF PART FIRST.
| John Gilpin's ghost | |