When to a legal utlegation

You turn your excommunication,

And for a groat unpaid that's due,

Distrain on soul and body too.

Thought he, 'Tis no mean part of civil 1525 State-prudence to cajole the devil,

And not to handle him too rough,

When h' has us in his cloven hoof.

'Tis true (quoth he,) that intercourse

Has pass'd between your friends and ours, 1530
That, as you trust us, in our way,

To raise your members and to lay,
We send you others of our own,

Your great designs of rage and murther:
For if the Saints are nam'd from blood,

1540

We only 've made that title good;
And, if it were but in our power,

We should not scruple to do more,

And not be half a soul behind

Of all Dissenters of mankind.

Right (quoth the Voice,) and, as I scorn

To be ungrateful, in return

Of all those kind good offices,

1545

I'll free you out of this distress,

1550

And set you down in safety, where

It is no time to tell you here.

The cock crows, and the morn draws on,

When 'tis decreed I must be gone;

And if I leave you here till day,

You'll find it hard to get away.

With that the Spirit grop'd about
To find th' enchanted hero out,
And try'd with haste to lift him up,
But found his forlorn hope, his crup,
Unserviceable with kicks and blows
Receiv'd from harden'd-hearted foes.
He thought to drag him by the heels,
Like Gresham-carts with legs for wheels;
But fear, that soonest cures those sores,

In danger of relapse to worse,
Came in t'assist him with its aid,

And up his sinking vessel weigh'd.

+

1555

1560

1565

No sooner was he fit to trudge,

But both made ready to dislodge;

The Spirit hors'd him like a sack,
Upon the vehicle his back,

And bore him headlong into th' hall,
With some few rubs against the wall ;

Where, finding out the postern lock'd,

1570

1575

And th' avenues as strongly block'd,

H'attack'd the window, storm'd the glass,
And in a moment gain'd the pass;

Through which he dragg'd the worsted soldier's

Fore-quarters out by th' head and shoulders, 1580 And cautiously began to scout,

To find their fellow-cattle out;

Nor was it half a minute's quest

Ere he retriev'd the champion's beast,

1585

Ty'd to a pale, instead of rack,

But ne'er a saddle on his back,

Nor pistols at the saddle-bow,

Convey'd away, the Lord knows how.
He thought it was no time to stay,
And let the night too steal away;

1590

But in a trice advanc'd the Knight
Upon the bare ridge, bolt upright,

And, groping out for Ralpho's jade,
He found the saddle too was stray'd,
And in the place a lump of soap,

On which he speedily leap'd up;

1595

And, turning to the gate the rein,

He kick'd and cudgell'd on amain;
While Hudibras with equal haste

On both sides laid about as fast,

And spurr'd, as jockeys, use to break,

1600

NOTES,

HISTORICAL, CRITICAL, AND EXPLANATORY.

PART III. CANTO I.

WE now come to the Third Part of Hudibras, which is considerably longer than either the First or the Second; and yet the severest critic cannot say, that Butler grows insipid in his invention, or falters in his judgment. He still continues to shine in both those excellencies; and, to manifest the extensiveness of his abilities, he leaves no art untried to spin out these adventures to a length proportioned to his wit and satire. The reader cannot be weary of him; nor will he be so at the conclusion of the poem ; and the reason is evident, because the last part is as pregnant with wit and humour as the former; and a poetic fire is equally dif fused through the whole poem, that burns every where clearly, and every where irresistibly.

V. 15-6. And more untoward to be won,

Than by Caligula the moon.] Caligula, son of Germanicus and Agrippina, was one of the Emperors of Rome. During the first three months of his reign, Rome expected universal prosperity, the exiles were recalled, taxes were remitted, and profligates dismissed. But Caligula soon displayed his true character, and became wanton, proud, and cruel. He built a temple to himself, and ordered his head to be placed on the images of the gods, while he wished to imitate the thunders and powers of Jupiter; and often boasted of being the favored lover of the The statues of all great men were removed, as if Rome would sooner forget her virtues in their absence; and the emperor appeared in public places in the most indecent manner,

moon.

VOL. II.