ADVERTISEMENT. bout thirty years ago, in an old badly printed book, the editor met with the following poetical account of the Land and Water Adventures of the celebrated London Linen Draper, John Gilpin and his family, in Three Parts, and never having seen but one part before, which was written by the Poet Cowper, and being pleased with the other parts, he committed them to memory, for the purpose of occasionally amusing by their recital, those young friends and relatives with whom he was then in the habit of associating. Not being aware that there is now any copy of these Adventures in Three Parts extant, he has been induced by the solicitations of several friends to whom they have been repeated, and who had never seen or heard of them before, to transcribe them. Should any profit arise out of the sale of this publication, a portion of it will be devoted to the Funds of the DARTFORD INFANT SCHOOL. THE ADVENTURES OF THE CELEBRATED LONDON LINEN-DRAPER, JOHN GILPIN & FAMILY. PART I. GILPIN'S RIDE TO EDMONTON AND WARE. JOHN GILPIN was a citizen Of credit and renown, A train band* Captain eke,† was he, Of famous London town. John Gilpin's spouse said to her dear, "These twice six tedious years, "Yet we no holiday have seen. "To-morrow, is our Wedding day, *"TRAINBANDS." A company of men not soldiers by profession, but trained to martial exercise and discipline in times of emergency. + “EKË." Likewise, besides. See Walker's Pronouncing Dictionary. + " EDMONTON." A village in the northern suburbs of London. B |