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We fend

you others of our own,

Denounc'd to hang themselves, or drown,
Or, frighted with our oratory,

To leap down headlong many a story ;
Have us'd all means to propagate

Your mighty interests of state,

Laid out our fp'ritual gifts to further

1535

Your great defigns of rage and murther: 1540
For if the faints are nam'd from blood,
We onl' have made that title good;

And, if it were but in our power,

We should not scruple to do more,
And not be half a foul behind

Of all Diffenters of mankind.

Right, quoth the voice, and, as I fcorn

To be ungrateful, in return
Of all thofe 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 hafte to lift him up,
But found his forlorn hope, his crup,
Unferviceable 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 fooneft cures those fores,
In danger of relapse to worse,

Came in t' affift him with its aid,

And up his finking veffel weigh'd.

1555

1560

1565

No fooner was he fit to trudge,

But both made ready to dislodge;

1570

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

1575

And bore him headlong into th' hall,
With fome few rubs against the wall;
Where, finding out the postern lock'd,
And th' avenues as strongly block'd,
H'attack'd the window, storm'd the glass,
And in a moment gain'd the pass;
Thro' which he dragg'd the worsted soldier's
Fore-quarters out by th' head and fhoulders,
And cautiously began to scout

To find their fellow-cattle out;

Nor was it half a minute's queft,
Ere he retriev'd the champion's beast,
Ty'd to a pale, instead of rack,

But ne'er a faddle on his back,

1585

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;

But, in a trice, advanc'd the Knight
Upon the bare ridge, bolt upright,
And, groping out for Ralpho's jade,
He found the faddle too was stray'd,

1590

And in the place a lump of soap,

On which he speedily leap'd up ;
And, turning to the gate the rein,
He kick'd and cudgell'd on amain ;
While Hudibras, with equal haste,
On both fides laid about as fast,
And fpurr'd, as jockies use, to break,
Or padders to fecure, a neck:

1595

1600

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