Meanwhile the Knight had no small task
To compass what he durft not ask :

He loves, but dares not make the motion;
Her ignorance is his devotion:

345

Like caitiff vile, that for misdeed
Rides with his face to rump of steed;
Or rowing fcull, he 's fain to love,
Look one way, and another move;
Or like a tumbler that does play
His game, and look another way,
Until he feize upon the coney;
Juft fo does he by matrimony.
But all in vain; her fubtle fnout

350

355

Did quickly wind his meaning out;

Which the return'd with too much scorn,

To be by man of honour borne;

360

Yet much he bore, until the diftrefs

He fuffer'd from his fpiteful mistress
Did ftir his ftomach, and the pain-
He had endur'd from her difdain,.
Turn'd to regret so refolute,
That he refolv'd to wave his fuit,
And either to renounce her quite,

365

Or for a while play leaft in fight.

This refolution being put on,

He kept fome months, and more had done,
But being brought fo nigh by Fate,

370

The victory he atchiev'd fo late
Did fet his thoughts agog, and ope
A door to discontinued hope,

VOL. I.

I

That

That feem'd to promife he might win
His dame too, now his hand was in;

375

And that his valour, and the honour

He 'ad newly gain'd, might work upon her:
Thefe reafons made his mouth to water

With amorous longings to be at her.

380

Quoth he, unto himself, Who knows

But this brave conqueft o'er my foes

May reach her heart, and make that stoop,

As I but now have forc'd the troop?

If nothing can oppugn love,

385

And virtue invious ways can prove,
What may not he confide to do,
That brings both love and virtue too?
But thou bring'st valour too, and wit,
Two things that seldom fail to hit.
Valour 's a mouse-trap, wit a gin,

390

Then, while the honour thou haft got
Is fpick-and-fpan new, piping hot,
Strike her up bravely thou hadst best,

And truft thy fortune with the rest.

400

Such thoughts as these the Knight did keep,

More than his bangs, or fleas, from sleep;

And as an owl, that in a barn

Sees a moufe creeping in the corn,

3

Sits

Sits ftill, and fhuts his round blue
As if he flept, until he fpies

The little beaft within his reach,

eyes,

405

Then ftarts, and feizes on the wretch;
So from his couch the Knight did start,
To feize upon the widow's heart,
Crying, with hafty tone, and hoarse,

Ralpho, dispatch, to horfe, to horfe.

And 'twas but time; for now the rout,
We left engag'd to feek him out,

By speedy marches were advanc'd
Up to the fort where he enfconc'd,
And all th' avenues had poffeft,
About the place, from east to west.

410

475

They now drew up t' attack the fort;

When Hudibras, about to enter
Upon another-gates adventure,
To Ralpho call'd aloud to arm,
Not dreaming of approaching ftorm.
Whether Dame Fortune, or the care
Of angel bad, or tutelar,

Did arm, or thrust him on a danger,
To which he was an utter ftranger,

-I 2

430

That

That forefight might, or might not, blot
The glory he had newly got;

435

Or to his fhame it might be faid,
They took him napping in his bed,
To them we leave it to expound,
That deal in fciences profound.

His courfer fcarce he had beftrid,
And Ralpho that on which he rid,
When fetting ope the postern gate,
Which they thought beft to fally at,

The foe appear'd, drawn up and drill'd,

445

Ready to charge them in the field.

This fomewhat startled the bold Knight,

Surpris'd with th' unexpected fight:

The bruifes of his bones and flesh
He thought began to smart afresh;
Till, recollecting wonted courage,
His fear was foon converted to rage,
And thus he fpoke: The coward foe,
Whom we but now gave quarter to,
Look, yonder 's rally'd, and appears
As if they had out-run their fears;
The glory we did lately get,
The Fates command us to repeat;
And to their wills we must fuccomb,
Quocunque trahunt, 'tis our doom.

450

455

460

This

Ver. 437.] Sed is the spelling used in all editions to 1704, inclufive. Altered to faid, 1710.

Ver. 444.] To take the field, and fally at. In edit. 1674, and the following ones, to 1704, exclufive.

This is the fame numeric crew Which we fo lately did fubdue; The felf-fame individuals that Did run, as mice do from a cat, When we courageously did wield Our martial weapons in the field, To tug for victory: and when We shall our shining blades agen Brandifh in terror o'er our heads,

465

They 'll ftraight refume their wonted dreads.
Fear is an ague, that forfakes

470

And haunts, by fits, thofe whom it takes;
And they 'll opine they feel the pain
And blows they felt to-day again.
Then let us boldly charge them home,
And make no doubt to overcome.

This faid, his courage to inflame,

He call'd upon his mistress? name.

His piftol next he cock'd anew,

475

And out his nut-brown whinyard drew;
And, placing Ralpho in the front,
Referv'd himself to bear the brunt,
As expert warriors ufe; then ply'd,
With iron heel, his courfer's fide,
Conveying fympathetic speed

From heel of Knight to heel of steed.

Ver. 472.] And haunts by fits. he two first editions of 1663.

480

485

Meanwhile

Haunts by turns, in