H' as all his flames and raptures double,
And hangs or drowns with half the trouble; While those who fillily pursue
The fimple downright way, and true,
Make as unlucky applications,
And steer against the stream their paffions.
Some forge their mistresses of stars,
And when the ladies prove averse,
And more untoward to be won
Than by Caligula the moon,
Cry out upon the stars for doing
Ill offices, to cross their wooing,
When only by themselves they're hindred,
For trusting those they made her kindred,
And still the harsher and hide-bounder,
The damfels prove, become the fonder ;
For what mad lover ever dy'd
To gain a foft and gentle bride?
Or for a lady tender-hearted,
In purling streams or hemp departed?
Leap'd headlong int' Elyfium,
Thro' th' windows of a dazzling room?
But for fome cross ill-natur'd dame,
The am'rous fly burnt in his flame.
This to the Knight could be no news,
With all mankind so much in use ;
Who therefore took the wiser course,
To make the most of his amours,
Refolv'd to try all forts of ways,
As follows in due time and place.
No fooner was the bloody fight
Between the wizard and the knight,
With all th' appurtenances over,
But he relaps'd again t' a lover;
As he was always wont to do,
When h' ad difcomfited a foe,
And us'd the only antic philters
Deriv'd from old heroic tilters.
But now triumphant and victorious,
He held th' atchievement was too glorious
For fuch a conqueror to meddle
With petty constable or beadle;
Or fly for refuge to the hostess
Of th' inns of court and chanc'ry, juftice; 50 Who might, perhaps, reduce his cause
To th' ordeal trial of the laws;
Where none escape, but such as branded,
With red hot irons, have past bare-handed;
And if they cannot read one verse
I' th' pfalms, must sing it, and that's worse.
He, therefore, judging it below him,
To tempt a fhame the dev'l might owe him,
Refolv'd to leave the Squire for bail
And mainprize for him, to the jail;
To anfwer, with his veffel, all
That might disastrously befall.
He thought it now the fittest juncture
To give the lady a rencounter ;
T'acquaint her with his expedition,
And conqueft o'er the fierce magician;
Describe the manner of the fray,
And fhew the spoils he brought away;
His bloody scourging aggravate,
The number of the blows and weight:
All which might probably fucceed,
And gain belief he 'ad done the deed:
Which he refolv'd t' enforce, and spare
No pawning of his soul to swear ;
But, rather than produce his back,
To fet his confcience on the rack;
And, in pursuance of his urging
Of articles perform'd, and scourging,
And all things elfe, upon his part,
Demand delivery of her heart,
Her goods and chattels, and good graces,
And perfon, up to his embraces.
Thought he, the ancient errant knights
Won all their ladies' hearts in fights,
And cut whole giants into fitters,
To put them into am'rous twitters;
Whose stubborn bowels fcorn'd to yield,
Until their gallants were half kill'd;
But when their bones were drubb'd fo fore,
They durft not woo one combat more,
The ladies' hearts began to melt,
Subdu'd with blows their lovers felt.
So Spanish heroes, with their lances,
At once wound bulls and ladies' fancies;
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