Part 1. Canto 2. Line 861.

HUDI BRA S.

CANTO II.

THERE was an ancient fage philosopher
That had read Alexander Rofs over,
And fwore the world, as he could prove,
Was made of fighting, and of love.
Just so romances are, for what else

Is in them all but love and battles?

5

O' th' first of these w' have no great matter
To treat of, but a world o' th' latter,
In which to do the injur'd right,
We mean in what concerns juft fight.
Certes, our Authors are to blame,
For to make fome well-founding name
A pattern fit for modern knights
To copy out in frays and fights,
Like those that do a whole ftreet raze,
To build another in the place;
They never care how many others
They kill, without regard of mothers,
Or wives, or children, fo they can
Make up fome fierce, dead-doing man,
Compos'd of many ingredient valours,
Just like the manhood of nine taylors:
So a wild Tartar, when he spies

A man that's handfome, valiant, wife,

10

15

20