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soze

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Diogenes; who is not faid
For aught that ever I could read)
To whine, put finger i' th' eye, and fob,
Because he 'ad ne'er another tub.
The Ancients make two several kinds
Of prowess in heroic minds,
The active and the pafsive val’ant,
Both which are pari libra gallant;
For both to give blows, and to carry,
In fights are equi-neceffary :
But in defeats the passive stout
Are always found to stand it out
Molt desperately, and to out-do
The active, 'gainst a conquering foe.!
Though we with blacks and blues are fuggild,
Or, as the vulgar say, are cudgel'd,
He that is valiant, and dares fight,
Though drubb’d, can lose no honour by 't.
Honour 's a lease for lives to come,
And cannot be extended from
The legal tenant: ’is a chattel
Not to be forfeited in battle.
If he that in the field is sain,
Be in the bed of Honour lain,
He that is beaten may be said
To lie in Honour's truckle-bed.
For as we see th' eclipsed sun
By mortals is more gaz'd upon
Than when, adornd with all his light,
He fines in serene sky most bright;

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So

So valour, in a low estate,

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Is most admir'd and wonder'd at.

Quoth Ralph, How great I do not know
We may by being beaten grow;
But none, that see how here we fit,
Will judge us overgrown with wit.

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As Gifted Brethren, preaching by
A carnal hour-glass, do imply
Illumination can convey
Into them what they have to say,
But not how much; so well enough

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Know

you to charge, but not draw off :
For who, without a cap and bauble,
Having subdued a Bear and rabble,
And might with honour have come offe
Would put it to a second proof?

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A politic exploit, right fit
For Presbyterian zeal and wit.

Quoth
Ver. 1061, 1062.) In those days there was always
an hour-glass stood by the pulpit, in a frame of iron
made on purpose for it, and fastened to the board on
which the cushion lay, that it might be visible to the
whole congregation ; who, if the fermon did not hold
till the glass was out (which was turned up as foon
as the text was taken), would say that the preacher was
lazy; and if he held out much longer, would yawn and
ftretch, and by those signs fignify to the preacher that
they began to be weary of his discourse, and wanted
to be dismissed. These hour-glases remained in some
churches till within these forty years.

Ver. 1072.] Ralpho looked upon their ill plight to be owing to his master's bad conduct; and, to vent his 3

refentment,

i Quoth Hudibras, That cuckoo's tone,
Ralpho, thou always harp'st upon :
When thou at any thing wouldst rail,
Thou tak’st Presbytery, thy scale,
To take the height on 't, and explain
To what degree it is profane ;
Whats’ever will not with (thy what-d’sye-call)
Thy Light jump right, thou call'At Synodical :
As if Presbytery were a standard
To lize whatsoever 's to be slander'd.
Doft not remember how this day
Thou to my beard wast bold to say,
That thou couldst prove Bear-baiting equal
With Synods, orthodox and legal?
Do, if thou canst, for I deny 't,
And dare thee to 't with all thy light.

Quoth Ralpho, Truly that is no
Hard matter for a man to do,
That has but any guts in 's brains,
And could believe it worth his pains :
But since you dare and urge me to it,
You 'll find I've light enough to do it.

Synods are mystical Bear-gardens,
Where Elders, Deputies, Church-wardens,

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And

resentment, he fatirizes him in the most affecting part of his character, his religion : this, by degrees, brings on the old arguments about Synods. The Poet, who thought he had not sufficiently lashed classical assemblies, very judiciously completes it, now there is full leisure for it.

And other Members of the Court,
Manage the Babylonish sport;
For Prolocutor, Scribe, and Bear-ward,
Do differ only in a mere word.
Both are but several synagogues
Of carnal men, and Bears and Dogs :
Both antichristian assemblies,
To mischief bent as far 's in them lies :
Both stave and tail, with fierce contests,
The one with men, the other beasts.
The difference is, the one fights with
The tongue, the other with the teeth ;
And that they bait but Bears in this,
In th' other Souls and Consciences;
Where Saints themselves are brought to ftake
For Gospel-light and Conscience' fake;
Expos'd to Sribes and Presbyters,
Instead of Mastive Dogs and Curs ;
Than whom they've less humanity,
For these at fouls of men will fly.
This to the Prophet did appear,
Who in a vision saw a Bear,
Prefiguring the beastly rage
Of Church-rule, in this latter age;
As is demonstrated at full
By him that baited the Pope's Bull.
Bears naturally are beasts of prey,
That live by rapine; fo do they.
What are their Orders, Constitutions,
Church-censures, Curses, Absolutions,

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But several mystic chains they make,
To tie poor Christians to the stake ? ,
And then set Heathen officers,
Instead of Dogs, about their ears,
For to prohibit and dispense,
To find out, or to make offence;
Of hell and heaven'to dispose,
To play with souls at fast and loose ;
To set what characters they please,
And mulēts, on fin and godliness;
Reduce the Church to Gospel-order,
By rapine, facrilege, and murther;
To make Presbytery supreme,
And Kings themlelves submit to them ;
And force all people, though against
Their consciences, to turn Saints ;
Must prove a pretty thriving trade,
When Saints monopolists are made :
When pious frauds and holy fhifts
Are Difpenfations and Gifts,
There godliness becomes mere ware,
And every Synod but a fair.
Synods are whelps o'th' Inquisition,
A mongrel breed of like pernicion,
And growing up, became the fires
Of Scribes, Commissioners, and Triers;
Whose business is, by cunning Neight,
To cast a figure for men's light,

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Ver. 1129.]. They were more tyrannical in office than any officers of the bishop's court.