And ftill at random, as he goes,

Among the rabble-rout bestows.

Quoth Ralpho, You mistake the matter;
For all th' antiquity you fmatter
Is but a riding us'd of course,

When o'er the breeches greedy women
Fight, to extend their vast dominion,
And in the caufe impatient Grizel

Has drubb'd her husband with bull's pizzle,
And brought him under Covert-baron,

To turn her vaffal with a murrain;

When wives their fexes fhift, like hares,
And ride their husbands, like night-mares,
And they, in mortal battle vanquish'd,
Are of their charter difenfranchis'd,
war, like gills,

Condemn'd to distaff, horns, and wheels:.

695

700

705

And by the right of

730

That does not make a man the worse,
Although his fhoulders with battoon

There is a leffer profanation,

Like that the Romans call'd Ovation :
For as ovation was allow'd

For conqueft purchas'd without blood;

So men decree thofe leffer shows

735

For victory gotten without blows,

By dint of sharp hard words, which fome

Give battle with, and overcome;

Like dukes of Venice, who are faid

Thefe mounted in a chair-curule,
Which Moderns call a Cucking-stool,
March proudly to the river's fide,
And o'er the waves in triumph ride;

The Adriatic fea to wed;

740

And have a gentler wife than those

745

For whom the ftate decrees thofe fhows.

But both are Heathenish, and come

From th' Whores of Babylon and Rome,
And by the Saints should be withstood,
As antichriftian and lewd;

750

And we, as fuch, fhould now contribute

Our utmost strugglings to prohibit.

This faid, they both advanc'd, and rode A dog-trot through the bawling crowd. T'attack the leader, and still prest,

755

Till they approach'd him breast to breast:
Then Hudibras, with face and hand,

Are things of fuperftitious function,
Fit to be us'd in Gospel sunshine ?

It is an antichristian opera,

Much us'd in midnight times of Popery ;
Of running after self-inventions

Of wicked and profane intentions;
To fcandalize that sex for scolding,
To whom the Saints are so beholding.
Women, who were our first apostles,
Without whofe aid we 'ad all been loft elfe;

770

775

Women,

Ver. 775.] The women were zealous contributors to the Good Caufe, as they called it. Mr. James Howel obferves, "That unusual voluntary collections were "made both in town and country; the feamstress brought in her filver thimble, the chamber-maid her

"bodking

Women, that left no ftone unturn'd

In which the Cause might be concern'd;
Brought in their children's fpoons and whistles,
To purchase swords, carbines, and pistols ;
Their husbands, cullies, and fweethearts,
To take the Saints' and Churches' parts;
Drew feveral Gifted Brethren in,
That for the Bishops would have been,
And fix'd them conftant to the party,

780

785

With motives powerful and hearty:

Their hufbands robb'd, and made hard fhifts

T'adminifter unto their Gifts

All they could rap, and rend, and pilfer,

To fcraps and ends of gold and filver;

790

Rub'd down the Teachers, tir'd and spent

With holding forth for Parliament;

Pamper'd and edify'd their zeal

With marrow-puddings many a meal :
Enabled them, with store of meat,

795

On controverted points, to eat;

And cramm'd them, till their guts did ake,
With caudle, cuftard, and plum-cake.
What have they done, or what left undone,
That might advance the Cause at London ?

800 March'd

"bodkin, the cook her filver spoon, into the common "treafury of war.-And fome fort of females were "freer in their contributions, fo far as to part with "their rings and ear-rings, as if fome golden calf were "to be molten and set up to be idolized."

March'd rank and file, with drum and enfign,
T' intrench the City for defence in ;
Rais'd rampiers with their own foft hands,
To put the enemy to stands;

From ladies down to oyfter-wenches
Labour'd like pioneers in trenches,
Fall'n to their pick-axes and tools,
And help'd the men to dig like moles..
Have not the handmaids of the City
Chofe of their Members a Committee,
For raifing of a common purse,
Out of their wages, to raise horse?
And do they not as Tryers fit,
To judge what officers are fit?
Have they-At that an egg let fly
Hit him directly o'er the eye,

And, running down his cheek, befmear'd
With orange-tawny flime his beard;
But beard and flime being of one hue,
The wound the less appear'd in view.

805

810

815

820

Then

Ver. 807.] Faln, in the three first editions. Fell, lition 1684.

Ver. 813, 814.] "The Houfe confidered in the next place, that divers weak perfons have crept into places beyond their abilities; and, to the end that men of greater parts may be put into their rooms,. they appointed the Lady Middlefex, Mrs. Dunch, the Lady Fofter, and the Lady Anne Waller, by reason of their great experience in foldiery in the kingdom, to be a Committee of Tryers for the bufinefs." See "The Parliament of Ladies," p. 6

3