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beats

OPHEL and

an

Whacum hall justifie't' your face, And prove he was upon the Place. nor have I hazarded my Art, And Neck, so long on the State's part. WHACUM.To be expos'd i'th End to suffer, By such a Braggadocio Huffer.

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And tho' you overcame the bear,

The dogs beat you at Brentford fair;
Where sturdy butchers broke your noddle,
And handl'd you like a fop-doodle.

Quoth Hudibras, I now perceive

You are no conj'rer, by your leave ;
That paltry story is untrue,

And forg'd to cheat fuch gulls as you.

1000

Not true? quoth he; howe'er you vapour, I can what I affirm make appear;

Whachum shall justify 't to your face,

1005

And prove he was upon the place :
He play'd the faltinbancho's part,
Transform'd t'a Frenchman by my art;
He stole your cloak, and pick'd your pocket,
Chous'd and caldes'd you like a blockhead,
And what you loft I can produce,

If you deny it, here i' the house.

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Quoth Hudibras, I do believe

That argument's demonstrative ;
Ralpho, bear witness, and go fetch us

A conftable to feize the wretches:

1015

For tho' they're both false knaves and cheats, Impostors, jugglers, counterfeits,

I'll make them ferve for perpendic'lars,

As true as e'er were us'd by bricklayers: 1020
They're guilty, by their own confeffions,
Of felony, and at the feffions,

Upon the bench I will fo handle 'em,
That the vibration of this pendulum
Shall make all taylors yards of one
Unanimous opinion:

A thing he long has vapour'd of,
But now shall make it out by proof.

1025

Quoth Sidrophel, I do not doubt

To find friends that will bear me out;
Nor have I hazarded my art,

And neck, fo long on the ftate's part,
To be expos'd i' th' end to fuffer
By fuch a braggadocio huffer.

Huffer, quoth Hudibras, this sword

1030

1035

Shall down thy false throat cram that word;
Ralpho, make hafte, and call an officer,
To apprehend this stygian fophifter;
Mean while I'll hold 'em at a bay,
Left he and Whachum run away.

But Sidrophel, who from the aspect Of Hudibras, did now erect

A figure worse portending far,

Than that of moft malignant ftar;

1040

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