HUDIBRAS.

PART SECOND.

CANTO THIR D.

The Argument.

The Knight, with doubts possest,

To win the Lady goes in quest

Of Sydrophel the Rosicrucian,

To know the Dest'nies' resolution,

With whom being met, they both chop logic,

About the science astrologic;

Till falling from dispute to fight,

The Conj'rer's worsted by the Knight.

DOUBTLESS the pleasure is as great

Of being cheated, as to cheat;

As lookers-on feel most delight,

That least perceive a juggler's sleight;
And still the less they understand,

The more th' admire his sleight of hand.

Some with a noise, and greasy light,

Are snapt, as men catch larks, by night;

Ensnar'd and hamper'd by the soul,

As nooses by the legs catch fowl.

Some with a med'cine and receipt,

Are drawn to nibble at the bait ;

And tho' it be a two-foot trout,

10

'Tis with a single hair pull'd out.

Others believe no voice t' an organ

15 -

So sweet as lawyer's in his bar-gown;

Until with subtle cobweb-cheats,

Th' are catch'd in knotted law, like nets;

In which, when once they are imbrangled,

The more they stir, the more they're tangled; 20

And while their purses can dispute,

There's no end of th' immortal suit.

Others still gape t' anticipate

The cabinet-designs of Fate:

Apply to wizzards, to foresee,

25

What shall, and what shall never be.

And as those vultures do forebode,

Believe events prove bad or good.

A flam more senseless than the rog'ry

Of old aruspicy or aug'ry,

That out of garbages of cattle

Presag'd th' events of truce or battle;
From flight of birds, or chickens pecking,
Success of great'st attempts would reckon :
Tho' cheats yet more intelligible,

Than those that with the stars do fribble.
This Hudibras by proof found true,

35

Advanc'd on for the widow's house,
T'acquit himself, and pay his vows;

When various thoughts began to bustle,
And with his inward man to jostle.
He thought what danger might accrue,
If she should find he swore untrue:
Or if his Squire or he should fail,
And not be punctual in their tale ;

It might at once the ruin prove
Both of his honor, faith, and love.
But if he should forbear to go,

She might conclude h' had broke his vow;

45

50

And that he durst not now for shame

Appear in court, to try his claim.

55

This was the penn'worth of his thought,
To pass time, and uneasy trot.

Quoth he, in all my past adventures,
I ne'er was set so on the tenters;

Or taken tardy with dilemma,

60

Yet as a dog, committed close

For some offence, by chance breaks lose,
And quits his clog; but all in vain,

He still draws after him his chain:

So though my ancle she has quitted,
My heart continues still committed:

And like a bail'd or mainpris'd lover,
Altho' at large, I am bound over.
And when I shall appear in court,
To plead my cause, and answer for 't,
Unless the judge do partial prove,
What will become of me and love?

70

75

For if in our account we vary,
Or but in circumstance miscarry;
Or if she put me to strict proof,
And make me pull my doublet off,
To show, by evident record,

Writ on my skin, I've kept my word,
How can I e'er expect to have her,
Having demurr'd into her favor?

But faith, and love, and honor lost,
Shall be reduc'd to a Knight o' the post!
Beside the stripping may prevent

80

85

95

Or find by necromantic art,

How far the Dest'nies take my part!
For if I were not more than certain

To win, and wear her, and her fortune,
I'd go no farther in this courtship,

To hazard soul, estate, and worship;

100

For tho' an oath obliges not,

Where any thing is to be got,