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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 | John Gilpin's ghost |  |
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PART II.
Now to the Crown with one consent
All Oakham's heroes fly,
Resolv'd the Sign-post to defend,
Or in the conflict die:
All Oakham's heroes fly,
Resolv'd the Sign-post to defend,
Or in the conflict die:
For Fame, upon the market cross,
Did tell the wond'rous tale
Of Lawyer Combes and Gilpin's ghost,
All as the ashes pale.
Did tell the wond'rous tale
Of Lawyer Combes and Gilpin's ghost,
All as the ashes pale.
First, blustering Berry came, renown'd
For bolus, draught, and blister,
And from sedition vow'd to purge
All Oakham with a clyster.
For bolus, draught, and blister,
And from sedition vow'd to purge
All Oakham with a clyster.
Next, Williams, trembling for his tithes,
His royal zeal display'd.
He rose; he flew; nor even stopp'd
To kiss his buxom maid.
His royal zeal display'd.
He rose; he flew; nor even stopp'd
To kiss his buxom maid.
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No more he pants to greenland shade
And bushy brake to run,
And at his fav'rite Woodcock there
To point his carnal gun---
And bushy brake to run,
And at his fav'rite Woodcock there
To point his carnal gun---
That Woodcock as a partridge plump—.
Tho' sland'rous laymen clatter,
What priest might not at such a bird
Permit his mouth to water?
Tho' sland'rous laymen clatter,
What priest might not at such a bird
Permit his mouth to water?
But now at other game he flies,
With loyal zeal so warm,
With maudling Haley by his side,
And flagelation Orme.
With loyal zeal so warm,
With maudling Haley by his side,
And flagelation Orme.
This goodly trinity of priests
(Three persons, one in mind!)
Ran to the Crown, in pious hope
A Mitre there to find.
(Three persons, one in mind!)
Ran to the Crown, in pious hope
A Mitre there to find.
And there full many a loyal wight,
With motives just as pure,
They also met, resolv'd to make
Their loaves and fishes sure.
With motives just as pure,
They also met, resolv'd to make
Their loaves and fishes sure.
Says Williams, “In the book 'tis said,
“As all divines agree,
“The Swinish Multitude must crouch
“Before the pow'rs that be.
“As all divines agree,
“The Swinish Multitude must crouch
“Before the pow'rs that be.
“These pow'rs that be, if right I read,
“Are King, Lord, Placeman, Priest,
“Who by this rule are privileg'd
“On others' toil to feast.
“Are King, Lord, Placeman, Priest,
“Who by this rule are privileg'd
“On others' toil to feast.
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“And right it is; for, should the herd
“Have all their labour brings,
“They'd live as well as priests themselves,
“And grow as wise as kings.
“Have all their labour brings,
“They'd live as well as priests themselves,
“And grow as wise as kings.
“Then Church and State, in wedlock join'd,
“Should awe the world no more;
“Nor crowns nor mitres longer swing
“At every ale-house door.”
“Should awe the world no more;
“Nor crowns nor mitres longer swing
“At every ale-house door.”
He spoke; with awe the prostrate crowd
Their oracle rever'd;
And once, at least, in all his life,
His congregation heard;
Their oracle rever'd;
And once, at least, in all his life,
His congregation heard;
For Balaam's stick was hung aloft,
As once in days of yore,
And open forc'd that mumbling mouth,
Which never op'd before.
As once in days of yore,
And open forc'd that mumbling mouth,
Which never op'd before.
And now, from Biggleswade return'd,
Came lawyer Combes in haste,
And all before their haggard eyes
The fearful packet plac'd.
Came lawyer Combes in haste,
And all before their haggard eyes
The fearful packet plac'd.
'Tis op'd, with many a mutter'd spell
To bless the Crown from harm,
And keep them all (God speed the pray'r!)
From vile Sedition's charm.
To bless the Crown from harm,
And keep them all (God speed the pray'r!)
From vile Sedition's charm.
When lo! a feather'd hero bounc'd,
A mangled sight, to view,
And stretch'd his headless neck and cried
“Cock—cock-a-doodle-doo!”
A mangled sight, to view,
And stretch'd his headless neck and cried
“Cock—cock-a-doodle-doo!”
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And still he spurn'd and flapp'd his wings,
And shook his spurs of steel,
While trembling joints and haggard looks,
The council's fears reveal.
And shook his spurs of steel,
While trembling joints and haggard looks,
The council's fears reveal.
For thus prophetic flow'd the strain
That pierc'd each wond'ring ear,
While priests o'er tythe-pigs, fees and dues,
Bequeath'd the parting tear.
That pierc'd each wond'ring ear,
While priests o'er tythe-pigs, fees and dues,
Bequeath'd the parting tear.
“Ah, well, ye servile crew, may ye
“My clarion shrill bewail,
“Whose scream ill-omen'd but forebodes
“A more disastrous tale.
“My clarion shrill bewail,
“Whose scream ill-omen'd but forebodes
“A more disastrous tale.
“My crowing speaks the envious light
“That soon must clear the sky;
“For kingcraft's, priestcraft's night is past,
“And Reason's dawn is nigh.
“That soon must clear the sky;
“For kingcraft's, priestcraft's night is past,
“And Reason's dawn is nigh.
“In me behold the fate to which
“All tyranny must bow,
“And those who've long oppress'd the poor
“Shall be as I am now.”
“All tyranny must bow,
“And those who've long oppress'd the poor
“Shall be as I am now.”
He spoke—they would have stopp'd his voice,
And kept him close confin'd;
But ah! he 'scap'd their anxious care,
As flits impassive wind.
And kept him close confin'd;
But ah! he 'scap'd their anxious care,
As flits impassive wind.
And still he stalks abroad, the fate
Of tyrants to display;
Nor can the Attorney General's self
The headless spectre lay.
Of tyrants to display;
Nor can the Attorney General's self
The headless spectre lay.
| John Gilpin's ghost | |