On The University Carrier / Milton, John

                                      1645
                           ON THE UNIVERSITY CARRIER
                                 by John Milton
           On the University Carrier
     who sickn'd in the time of his vacancy,
             being forbid to go to
        London, by reason of the Plague

  Here lies old Hobson, Death hath broke his girt,
  And here alas, hath laid him in the dirt,
  Or els the ways being foul, twenty to one,
  He's here stuck in a slough, and overthrown.
  'Twas such a shifter, that if truth were known,
  Death was half glad when he had got him down;
  For he had any time this ten yeers full,
  Dodg'd with him, betwixt Cambridge and the Bull.
  And surely, Death could never have prevail'd,
  Had not his weekly cours of carriage fail'd;
  But lately finding him so long at home,
  And thinking now his journeys end was come,
  And that his had tane up his latest Inne,
  In the kind office of a Chamberlin
  Shew'd him his room where he must lodge that night,
  Pull'd off his Boots, and took away the light:
  If any ask for him, it shall be sed,
  Hobson has supt, and's newly gon to bed.

                   -THE END-
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