For then he 's brave and resolute,
Difdains to render in his fuit;
Has 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 ftream 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 hindered,
For trufting those they made her kindred,
And ftill, the harfher 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' Elysium,
Through th' windows of a dazzling room?
But for fome crofs ill-natur'd dame,
The amorous fly burnt in his flame.
This to the Knight could be no news,
With all mankind fo much in ufe,
Who therefore took the wifer courfe,
To make the most of his amours,
T2
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 he 'ad difcomfited a foe,
Of th' inns of Court and Chancery, Juftice;
Who might, perhaps, reduce his caufe
To th' ordeal trial of the laws,
Where none escape, but fuch as branded
With red-hot irons have paft bare-handed;
I' th' Pfalms, muft fing it, and that 's worse.
He, therefore, judging it below him
To tempt a fhame the devil might owe him,
Ver. 43. And us'd, &c.] And us'd as, in edit. 1678.
And thought it now the fittest jun&ture
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 fcourging 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 foul to fwear;
But, rather than produce his back,
To fet his confcience on the rack;
And, in pursuance of his urging
Of articles perform'd, and fcourging,
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 fritters,
To put them into amorous twitters;
Whofe ftubborn bowels fcorn'd to yield,
Until their gallants were half kill'd;
But when their bones were drubb'd fo fore,
They durft not wooe one combat more,
The ladies' hearts began to melt,
Subdued by blows their lovers felt.
So Spanish heroes, with their lances,
At once wound bulls, and ladies' fancies;
And he acquires the nobleft spouse
That widows greatest herds of cows;
Then what may I expect to do,
Who 've quell'd so vast a buffalo ?
Meanwhile the Squire was on his way,
The Knight's late orders to obey;
Who fent him for a strong detachment
Of beadles, conftables, and watchmen,
'T' attack the cunning-man, for plunder
Committed falfely on his lumber;
When he, who had fo lately fack'd
The enemy, had done the fact,
Had rifled all his pokes and fobs
Of gimcracks, whims, and jiggumbobs,
Which he by hook or crook had gather'd,
And for his own inventions father'd;
And when they should, at gaol-delivery,
Unriddle one another's thievery,
Both might have evidence enough
To render neither halter-proof:
He thought it defperate to tarry,
And venture to be accessary;
But rather wifely flip his fetters,
And leave them for the Knight, his betters.
He call'd to mind th' unjust foul play
He would have offer'd him that day,
To make him curry his own hide,
Which no beaft ever did befide,
Without all poffible evasion,
But of the riding dispensation:
And therefore, much about the hour
The Knight (for reasons told before)
Refolv'd to leave him to the fury
Of justice and an unpack'd jury,
The Squire concurr'd t' abandon him,
And ferve him in the felf-fame trim;
T'acquaint the Lady what he 'ad done,
And what he meant to carry on;
What project 'twas he went about,
When Sidrophel and he fell out;
His firm and ftedfaft refolution,
To fwear her to an execution;
his inward ears to marry her,
And bribe the devil himself to carry her;
In which both dealt, as if they meant
Their party-faints to reprefent,
Who never fail'd, upon their fharing
In any profperous arms-bearing,
To lay themselves out to fupplant
Each other coufin-german faint.
But ere the Knight could do his part,
The Squire had got so much the start,
He 'ad to the Lady done his errand,
And told her all his tricks aforehand.
Just as he finish'd his report,
The Knight alighted in the court,
And, having ty'd his beast t' a pale,
And taking time for both to stale,
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